One of the things that first attracted me to Rubato as a brand was their style: that particular mix of laid-back Ivy and tonal Scandinavian (ref. our five casual paradigms). It managed to feel refreshing yet familiar. 

Style is more important to the value of these brands that some realise. Yes, you want the highest quality, at the best price, in a fit that flatters. But if you also identify with the brand’s style – as communicated through their imagery – it gives you confidence in things like the shades of colours they pick, the specific materials, and gives you the confidence to try something new, because you trust their style. 

With Rubato, I always thought this was particularly well communicated through their flat-lays, like the ones below. They have a consistency that makes them easily digestible, and the whole collection feels like an exercise in colour combinations. 

So that’s what I’ve turned them into. I know this wasn’t how they were intended but I think the guys will forgive me.

I’ve taken 14 of their historic looks and rearranged them to create an order that feels logical and progressive, changing one element each time to alter the effect. It’s like trying to put together an outfit in the morning, swapping one thing each time until you get the look you want. 

Let’s begin with an exploration of wearing black, given so many readers ask about it. 

Look 1, above, reminds me that while black and white can work together, it does help if the white is ecru, off-white. Everything here apart from the jeans is black – knit, belt, shoes – so there’s no relief elsewhere, and the ecru rather than optical white turns it into an elegant outfit rather than a flash one. 

Look 2: The same as Look 1, but with a tiny dash of interest in the brown scarf. Nice option to have.

Look 3 exchanges the cream trousers for khaki. This reminds me how effective khaki and black can be together – something I often forget when I’m trying to find things to go with my black jackets, for example. 

Significantly, this look is less striking than the first two because the contrast between top and bottom has been reduced. A good option if the others were too showy for you (or for the occasion). 

Look 4 flips the top and bottom. Now we have a beige/light brown layer on top and black jeans on the bottom. Works just as well. 

I must say, it is easier doing these combinations without the additional variable of a shirt, as you’d have with tailoring. The more variables there are the more complicated it gets. Though of course that has its own satisfaction too.

For Look 5 the colour has all gone and it’s just black. This look also won’t be for everyone, but I think it’s a good reminder that having everything in black (and it’s pretty much only possible in that colour) is a cool alternative, particularly for the evening. 

Note the amount of interest going on in the layers and textures: knits layered on top of knits and matte wool contrasting with shiny belt and shoes. 

Look 6 is a summer version of Look 5. Less going on, and I think having that contrast of the belt and its brass buckle is helpful. I might tuck, or at least semi-tuck. 

Now take that all black, and add navy over the top. Black and blue are apparently not meant to mix, but if the blue is a really dark navy, it can be very effective. See me wearing something very similar here. 

This look will be even nicer as the black jeans wear and fade, making them less of a stark block and adding some textural interest. But we’re necessarily playing with new clothes here. 

OK, so now let’s keep the black belt and shoes, but make everything else navy. For Look 8 it’s a navy knit on top and dark-indigo jeans, and even the scarf at the neck is a navy spot (I think). 

All navy is, of course, a great option for the guy that likes the full-tonal look but finds all-black to be too redolent of bikers, gangsters, fashion students or indeed mime artists. 

The Rubato guys really do like all-navy. Here’s the same look but with a shirt and dress chinos, rather than a knit and jeans. Nice step up the formality scale. 

Look 10 is a casual combination of 8 and 9. Shirt but untucked, jeans, and canvas shoes. Not sure I’d do the scarf with that combination but hey, we can’t agree on everything. That would be dull. 

All-navy again. What’s the point of all this? Well, Look 11 has brown-suede shoes rather than black. And I feel like brown suede is more in the wheelhouse of most PS readers than black with looks like these. 

So yes, brown suede shoes are a more subtle option. A brown-suede belt would be nice too. Always helps if the brown is relatively dark. 

And here’s the classic combination, the PS reader’s happy place: navy on top, cream on the bottom, brown suede accessories.

So elegant, so refined, and a lot less trad when it’s done with knitwear and jeans rather than a blazer and flannels. 

There are several different directions we could go from here, but I’ll suggest two quick ones, as the list is getting pretty long. Maybe we need a follow-up that brings in more browns and greens. 

Anyway, Look 13 is telling you that if you want to add another colour, a lighter shade of blue can be effective. In fact, it’s a really good way to wear things like sky blue, particularly if you’re in a country like England where it’s rarely sunny enough to justify a brightly-coloured knit all day. 

And the other thing I’ll say is that tonal looks obviously don’t have to be black or navy. 

Look 14 shows that beige and its associated colours can be nice too. I like wearing something very similar (stolen from Alessandro Squarzi – penultimate picture here) just with brown-suede shoes and belt. It’s sort of a showy look, but only a little. Also quite Cucinelli, but more refined.

I hope there’s something for you in this casual chic collection. Rather like the ‘Which office’ articles, I feel like there will be, but it won’t be everything. You gotta pick your place and your personality. 

All clothes from Rubato except the Belgian Loafers. AtempoRubato.com