Gray Outfit Ideas for 'Groutfit' Day

In some psychology circles, gray stands for neutrality and balance (Oberlo). But it also gets a bad rap, often being associated with sadness, depression and dullness, probably because that's the color of the sky on a rainy day. At the same time, gray can signify power and strength (Color-Meanings), as silver and gray are colors common to money and metals. 

In fashion circles, the color gray can symbolize athleticism (think joggers and sweats), wealth and confidence (gray pinstripe fabrics), and elegance (weddings and formal wear, especially in silver-gray). This year, gray is getting its own hashtag and cult-like following, and we're here for it. 

We're loving the gray trends in fashion, especially the gray-on-gray outfits and, as we'll explain later, "groutfits." 

Why is Gray Trending in Apparel?

Why is gray so popular right now? It's been a hot color for almost a decade in home decor, but it's only been in the last couple of years that we've seen a rise in popularity in fashion aesthetics. Yes, gray has always been present in fashion, but it's typically viewed as a background color or neutral accent. Today's grays are front and center. 

Like many neutral tones (beige, white, black), grey not only looks dope with red, blue, orange, purple, blue, and yellow, but it can be layered with other shades of gray to create a sophisticated look. 

Here are some looks to inspire your own all-gray 'fits.

Our model (above) wears a white (or off-white/light gray) T-shirt with RSO's distressed stack flare jean in shake gray, adding a dark gray durag and beige slides. Note how the light, medium and dark shades of gray create a polished look, which is nicely finished with beige slides.

Get the look: Men's gray jeans. Men's gray urban graphic tees. Men's slides (and other accessories).

Why Is Gray Hot in Street Fashion?

A recent Vogue article suggests that the color gray will define fashion this fall. Look for gray-on-gray outfits among leading urban streetwear aesthetic brands, including Rockstar Original, as well as among indie/grunge, minimalist, athleisure and hypebeast aesthetics. 

And so it goes, when a fashion trend emerges, it earns its own nickname" -- groutfit (sometimes spelled "groufit"), which has inspired some social media movements like #groutfitday and #groutfit party. Some suggest Groutfit Day is about opposing "fake drip" and "regressive fashion," while others suggest it's about letting go of stress, setting low expectations, and letting go of the little things that stress you out. 

We like the latter definition. Gray = low-key vibes. 

Word Origin: Groutfit Meaning

What does "groutfit" mean? It's a portmanteau of gray + outfit.

What's a portmanteau? It's a combination of two words and their meanings to create a new word, as in smoke + fog = smog. "Greige" is another portmanteau, combining grey + beige = greige. 

And, while we're detouring into a linguistics lesson, many people ask, is it grey with an "e" or gray with an "a"? Grey is the preferred spelling in UK English, while gray is preferred in US English. Need help remembering? England starts with an "e," so it's grey; American starts with an "a," so it's gray. 

What is groutfit day? It's a small (dare we say emerging) trend on social media where your OOTD is all gray, head to toe. When is it? Great question -- we've seen some posts that promote Fridays as Groutfit Day. 

Groutfit Ideas for Men

If you are looking for more Mens grey outfits ideas, look no further than our two-piece matching and coordinated track sets. Featuring hand-designed and, in some cases, hand painted custom graphics, Rockstar Original's athleisure hoodies and track pants are comfy AF and the perfect choice for Groutfit Day or groutfit theme parties.

The model above is wearing the Payshins grey hoodie trackset in heather grey (limited availability) from the RSO Art Dept. collection. Luxury track suits meet graffiti-inspired art to create this collection for Men.  

Get the look: Men's long sleeve track sets in gray.

Create a layered look by adding a T-shirt to the trackset, for a gray on gray on gray groutfit OOTD, and finish it off with white or light gray accessories. Note how this all gray men’s outfit levels up our model's look against a typical city summer backdrop. The neutral gray pops against the green trees and blue sky to create a sophisticated, upscale look.   

Gray Outfits for Women

Who'd have thought gray can be playful and fun? She did. In the above photo, our model is sporting a graphic tee in gray from our Womens collection, paired with a pair of wide-leg pants.

Get the look: Womens graphic tees. Womens stacked jeans in gray.