Mixing patterns - check on check - take care

Mixing patterns, such as wearing different checks alongside each other, has to be done with care. I've admired the way some men manage to do this without looking as though they've thrown on whatever lay to hand when they got up in the morning. What are the secrets that enable different patterns to be worn together successfully?

One of the masters of the art is Nick Wooster who is often photographed by the Sartorialist and other fashion blogger-photographers. See how he successfully mixes patterns here in a way that is actually so conventional that it's difficult to analyse why it has such visual impact. Maybe it's the total confidence he brings to his clothes and of course their cut and style.

Normally a man would be very careful about wearing such a mix of tweedy patterns, herringbone, Prince of Wales and other checks. But look at the second picture - what do you notice about the colours and textures that Wooster has chosen? Subtly different shades of grey of similar textures bring together what could otherwise be a jumble of clashing patterns .

I haven't yet been bold enough to wear patterns in this way, but it's on the to do list as the search for style continues. One trick I'm learning is to see how others do it and then decide what works for me. Have a look at the pictures below, do they work for you? What makes them successful or not?