Al Sharpton stood out against all the dark suits at a press conference about injustice in New York City. He made sure that he would not be seen as part of the establishment. He wore a three-piece caramel-colored windowpane-checked suit with a matching striped tie.

Two days later, when attending the scene of the shooting with the dead man's fiancee, he was dressed in a dark suit with subtle pinstripes.

"Certainly, it was a more somber occasion and his attire conveyed that. But Sharpton's dark jacket and pants also delivered the message that he was The Man in charge.

The difference between a dark suit and one the color of butterscotch has as much to do with formality and tradition as with rebellion. A man's dark suit is the surest way to convey propriety. It acknowledges the accepted code of conduct and gives a nod to the status quo. It can be a sign of appeasement or serve as bespoke camouflage. Wearing a dark suit doesn't mean that a man plans to kowtow to the establishment, but it suggests he plans on playing the social, economic or political game as it exists."

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