Style & Fashion --- Third Item's The Charm --- The 'third piece rule,' an old-school fashion trick, makes it ridiculously easy for men to sharpen up a plain shirt and pants.

 

“When getting dressed, many guys just focus on the shirt and pants, according to Turner Allen, a personal stylist in New York. That's an oversight, because you can take those items from run-of-the-mill to genuinely stylish by adding a carefully chosen third piece.

 

Fashion insiders have deployed the "third piece rule" for years. The strategy helps explain why certain models in campaigns for brands like Buck Mason or retailers like Mr Porter look so stylish.

 

The thinking: Add a third garment or accessory to pants and a shirt (or T-shirt), to add a bit of pizazz and pull the whole look together. That item could be a silky scarf, a ribbed sweater draped over the shoulders or a pendant necklace.

 

Not any trio will do. You'll want to start with a blank canvas, a relatively plain top and pants, as your base. Caroline Reilly, a menswear stylist in Maine, suggests guys tuck their shirt or tee into their trousers, which can streamline the silhouette and elongate legs. Other men might prefer a neat, hip-length tee or shirt. The primary caution: Avoid loud logos and prints, and distractingly oversize cuts.

 

Second, consider your color palette. Allen suggested incorporating "one light tone, one mid-tone and one dark tone in your outfit." If you're wearing a white T-shirt and navy trousers, add a mid-blue sweater. With a black T-shirt and off-white trousers, the guest star could be a caramel cardigan. In those instances, the third item bridges the color gap between the shirt and pants. Alternatively, a light shirt and light pants can work great, provided they're offset by a third item in a contrasting color or texture.

 

To reliably add "visual interest," noted Allen, choose something textured as player number three. Consider a fine, ribbed sweater, a gritty cotton-twill chore coat or a windbreaker with a faint sheen. Super-light jackets work well as the guest star -- wear them open or knotted at the waist.

 

While menswear brands are bullish on sweater draping at the moment, Reilly concedes that the move can feel like "preppy cosplay." To avoid looking like you're zipping off to the yacht club, she advised giving pastel knits a pass and instead slinging a neutral sweater (think beige or chocolate brown) over your shoulders.

 

If you're the sort to play around with knotting or draping, avoid chunkier sweaters, Reilly urges. They can add bulk when tied around the waist and don't drape nearly as comfortably as thin examples. Finally, as Allen notes: Don't try to wrap anything structured or stiff, like a leather jacket, around your body.

 

Here, WSJ Off Duty's fashion team breaks down a selection of "third piece" outfits that use the same base.

 

The Base

 

Reach for a plain shirt or tee, and pants. We've gone for a beige tee (more interesting than a white one, but still neutral) and classic faded jeans with a slightly tapered fit.

 

The Third Items

 

Add any one of these pieces for a winning look.

 

Cotton bomber jacket: Ideal for fall and spring, cotton bombers often skew thin and lightweight, and usually cost a fraction of leather ones. Grab a darker shade -- we like this washed forest-green example by Polo Ralph Lauren -- to perk up the pale base. An ideal third piece, it can be worn open or tied around the waist (in ways a bulky leather design can't). A fine, brightly colored windbreaker would also do the trick.

 

Lightweight sweater: Grab a knit that introduces a new color or texture. In the Mr Porter example at left, a handsome ribbed example brings an otherwise-sober outfit to life. Below, we picked a Madewell cotton knit in chocolate, a good alternative to navy or black that's showing up in a lot of stores. Tie the sweater around your waist for a laid-back look -- or drape it over the shoulders. A note on that: Let the sleeves dangle, or loosely knot them at the chest.

 

Western belt: Cowboyish cinchers convey more character than most belts. This Proper Cloth suede example -- with decorative stitching and nickel buckle -- has a yee-haw vibe, but stops short of suggesting you're about to mount a bronco. To ensure other people can appreciate your threes work, tuck in the tee (either fully or just a little, in the front).

 

Pendant necklace: You can always wear a simple curb-chain necklace over a tee. But a bold pendant necklace like the build-your-own designs by Miansai, or this sculptural dangler by Tom Wood, elevates a plain outfit more effectively. Not a gold guy? It comes in silver, too.” [1]

 

1. OFF DUTY --- Style & Fashion --- Third Item's The Charm --- The 'third piece rule,' an old-school fashion trick, makes it ridiculously easy for men to sharpen up a plain shirt and pants. Cook, Grace; WSJ Fashion Team.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 16 Aug 2025: D2.