Image via Complex Original
Martin was one of the '90s most popular television sitcoms because of the comedic genius of Martin Lawrence but you'd be a fool if you didn't notice co-star Carl Payne II killing it on the regular. Playing the part of Martin's best friend, Cole Brown, his eclectic headgear and signature style stole the spotlight. If you're lucky, maybe you can nab a woman like Big Shirley or ride dirty in an AMC Pacer just like him. Take note of these 10 Style Tips You Can Learn From Cole Brown From Martin.
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Coordinate your accessories.
This is the epitome of '90s freshness. A bright red shirt with buttoned all the way to the top, a patchwork suede vest, and a coordinating black and red hat with the brim flipped up. Dude is rocking Bulls colors hardcore but pulling it off. This is the dude you'd see on the street and be like "daaaaaamn."
Rock a shirt jacket.
The two-tone hat is pretty ill, but the takeaway here is to embrace the shirt jacket. Slightly more oversized than a regular buttondown shirt, and a little thicker, rock it as an outerwear piece on milder days. Throw it over a hoodie for some extra style points.
Make earth tones work for you.
Peep game, Cole is practically repping UPS gear to the fullest. The hat, the jacket, and the sweater really show what brown can do for you. The thing that reminds us he's not here to show us his package? The slim fit of the jacket and the colorful stripes. It's the little details that can separate the utilitarian from the stylish.
Let your gear make a statement.
The lace-up jersey is like a streetwear-friendly pirate shirt. Cole pulls it off like a champ though, by wearing it just like he'd rock anything else, looking totally comfortable in his skin. The beanie underneath and sly expression on his face only serve to seal the deal.
Take "all-black everything" to the next level.
How do you improve on a tonal look? Easy, with textureblocking. Take Cole's jacket for example, a leather body and wool sleeves and black shirt underneath keep things rooted in the same color family, but it still looks different enough to stand out. The hat is the icing on the cake.
Don't be afraid to rep your squad.
There's nothing wrong with ethnic-inspired garb. Kanye's been rocking a kimono lately, after all. And while African prints are having a moment, sometimes there's nothing like the real thing. No hipster irony here. Cole is 100% serious about this daishiki shit, and it looks awesome.
Get some fresh prints.
Take a cue from fashion god Russell Westbrook and rock a printed shirt. The key here is to let it do all the talking, so everything else you wear should be solid and subdued. That's how you look like a champ, not a chump.
Go for Baroque.
Cole's Baroque print shirt is actually ahead of its time. These days Baroque-inspired art adorns everything from G.O.O.D. Music album covers to Givenchy shirts, at the time brands like Versace championed the Baroque print silk shirt, and it was still awesome. This is just proof that, if you hold onto anything long enough, it'll eventually become cool again.
Mix up your patterns.
The mash-up shirt is risky territory, but when done right it can look dope. Cole's black and white snapback, henley, and the overalls we're pretty sure he's rocking underneath take this unconventional look to another level. We think if he was walking around a fashionable city right now, he'd be getting street styled like nobody's business.
Vest to impress.
You already know how versatile a vest can be, so why not play around with the layers a bit? Cole's military-inspired olive vest looks good over the unbuttoned flannel shirt, and the orange henley underneath gives it a dose of color. Not every guy can pull off the cabbie cap, but here, it works for him.
