How to dress like an architect

Architects wear black.

It’s like a uniform. (A sad turtle-neck-encrusted-angsty uniform). We wear black because it expresses our individuality, (just like all the other architects in the room). Black is the perfect color. Afterall, It is all colors. If you blend all colors together you get black, just like if you blend all artistic endeavors together you get Architecture. Coincidence? of course it is. All colors blended together makes brown doesn’t it? That’s a Pottery barn color right? Architects don’t know what Pottery Barn is. Is that in the mall somewhere?

Anyway, Black is symbolic of perfection. Like an empty room with the lights off and a lonely man-child rocking gently back and forth muttering “corbu wouldn’t do this” over and over…,

wait that might just be me…

Black is considered formal. As in “black-tie”. It’s elegant, It’s prestigious. And then POW! Architects wear black jeans. In your face irony. That’s how we roll. Back in Black. AC and DC.

Black is rock and roll. Black is rebellious. Black is anti-establishment. Black is dangerous. Black is angst-ridden-too-cool-for-school-kill-a-mockingbird-james-dean-F-awesome. Architects really love James Dean. Not the Jimmy-Dean breakfast sausage, But, the young thin moody movie star that died in a car crash Jimmy Dean. Not the delicious sausage biscuits. Well actually Black IS slimming right? So, we can eat that biscuit, right? I’m hungry now.

Black is empty. Lonely, incomplete… something to be filled… the space between… the darkness… the lack of everything.

In conclusion, Architects wear black. Black is Awesome.

[via Coffee with an Architect]

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1. All black.
2. Black with a bit of grey.
3. Black with a bit of white.
4. Match different shades of black. 

Done. Go home.

All jokes aside, there has never been a set uniform in the architecture profession. The truth is, there are a large variety of different architectural practices, and one’s attire to do architectural work often depends on each firm’s unique culture. There are corporate firms composed of hundreds of people in office blocks where “corporate” clothing is expected, or there are atelier style firms where jeans and a simple shirt are more appropriate for the design-build.

The architecture world is unique in that we are expected to be creative like artists, execute like engineers, negotiate like businessmen, and make like craftsmen but at the same time are asked to discover our own unique style and approach. Hybridity and improvisation abounds in architecture, which is definitely reflected in our fashion choices. In general though, the architect’s wardrobe is governed by four key words: eccentric, professional, relaxed and... well, still largely black.  Here we’ve profiled a few tips on how to dress by these four qualities.

[via ArchDaily]

For some real style advice, follow Cate St Hill's Pinterest board to really dress like an architect