Should You Wear a Black Shirt? (Classic Men's Style Tips)
About this video
The Gazette team explores whether black shirts belong in classic menswear, examining the historical context, practical drawbacks, and styling considerations. They argue that while black shirts are popular in modern fashion, they present maintenance challenges, color-pairing difficulties, and represent contemporary rather than classic style—though they can work when styled thoughtfully with bold patterns, complementary colors, and casual contexts.
Key takeaways
- The Gazette team argues that black shirts were rarely part of classic menswear because black was historically associated with formal wear, and modern black shirt popularity stems from contemporary fashion and cultural rebellion rather than traditional style
- The Gazette team identifies significant practical cons including rapid fading, visible discoloration, difficulty matching black shades across garments, and challenging color combinations that can appear muddy or cartoonish
- The Gazette team recommends styling black shirts casually with bold complementary colors (salmon, greens, cool blues, light browns, high-contrast whites), punchy patterns or textures, without neckwear, and avoiding formal dress codes where established codes call for white dress shirts
Episode details: published June 24, 2022 · 157K views · 13:04 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The style guidance summarized here is the Gentleman’s Gazette team’s own teaching and opinion, presented for education; product recommendations are theirs, not ours. Summaries are written by Self Growth Videos from each video itself.
← Previous: Measuring Feet for Bespoke Shoes: The Process Begins! · Next: Screw the Rules! Learning the “Why” Behind Menswear Tips →
All Gentleman’s Gazette videos · Gentleman’s Gazette profile · Gentleman’s Gazette (official site)
You Might Also Enjoy

Three or More Colors in One Outfit? No Problem!
Explore →
What To Wear To A Semi-Formal Wedding | 5 Menswear Expert Outfits
Explore →
13 Masculine Colors Only High-Class Gentlemen Know (And Wear!)
Explore →
Thematic Dressing: How to Build Classic Outfits with a Theme
Explore →
How to ALWAYS Look Great Wearing This ONE Color
Explore →