TREND Pattern emerges on men's shirts

Solids are giving way to stripes, wild colors and even florals.
By ALLISON KAPLAN
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Take off the blue shirt, men. It's time to put some pattern in your lives.
Shirts in loud colors, wide stripes and even florals are taking the place of boring solid knits. These new cotton shirts with traditional collars are not only daring but also versatile -- meant to be worn with jeans or a suit.
"The shirt has become the accessory for men," says Scott Kuhlman, owner of Kuhlman men's stores at the Galleria and Gaviidae Common that specialize in patterned cotton shirts. "We thought blues would be the best sellers, but the No. 1 shirt is apple green with brown and khaki stripes on the bias. Men's fashion is changing. It's OK for straight guys to dress cool."
Everyday guys
Just take a look at our models. They're members of the newspaper's consumer panel, the Store Troopers. When we asked Minneapolis carpenter Mark Hendrickson, a self-described sweatshirt guy, to try on a daisy-print shirt, he rose to the occasion. "I wore stuff like this in the '70s," he said, folding the cuffs on his Robert Graham shirt to reveal a contrasting striped pattern.
Retired salesman Stan Marquardt usually consults with his wife when it comes to matching prints. "I do OK with colors," he says, "but she gets more into contrast than I would." Yet he looked like a regular fashion maven in a colorful, striped Tommy Hilfiger shirt and equally bold striped tie. "I'd wear this, sure," he says.
Realtor-in-training Greg Staffa of Roseville, Minn., is colorblind, so he generally sticks to khakis and solid-colored golf shirts. "This will take some getting used to," he said as he slipped into a hip shirt with a diagonal stripe. We let him keep the khakis, which go with just about everything, so it didn't even matter to him that the pumpkin-colored shirt looked "dirty yellow."
Color and pattern take some easing into. "If you wear a crazy-patterned shirt, the safe choice is to wear a solid tie," says men's designer Gene Meyer, famous for his colorful geometric prints. When you're feeling brave enough to attempt pattern on pattern, make sure the two share common colors, says Meyer, who is now designing a men's collection exclusively for Marshall Field's.
Pair a bold striped shirt with something more subtle, like a tie with little polka dots. "You don't want to make two big statements," advises Jeff Stone, co-author of "Chic Simple's Dress Smart Men" (Warner Books, $30).
Here are a few more shirt dos and don'ts:
UDo wear a splashy shirt with jeans. Try it untucked -- especially if you're young and the shirt has a slimmer fit.
UDon't button the top button of your shirt unless you're wearing a tie.
UDo tuck in your shirt with dress slacks.
UDon't wear a patterned suit or sport coat with a print shirt and print tie. Easiest way to bring in pattern is to go with a solid-color suit and have fun with the shirt and tie.
UDo ask salespeople for help if you're unsure. Loud can be fun, but clashing is bad.
UDon't go to work with wrinkles. Hip stores may purposely display wrinkled shirts as some sort of fashion statement, but for the office, crisp is always correct.