CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cam Newton is coming back to the Carolinas, and it means the return of many things for dedicated Panthers fans.
The hype train is ready to roll as the Panthers look for Newton to take the place of current quarterback Sam Darnold, currently on the injury reserve list. Fans are hoping Newton's comeback will help the team move forward as Darnold is expected to miss several weeks, and to hopefully help improve the Panther's current 4-5 season record.
And while hope springs eternal on the football field, there's one thing I'm especially looking forward to with Newton's return to the Panthers: The news briefings. Just about every time he's spoken to news outlets during these briefings, he's always dressed to impress.
Last year, sports outlet SB Nation asked a fashion expert and a so-called "fashion idiot" to grade some of Newton's looks. While I'm no fashion expert (in fact, I'm currently wearing suspenders, which I think are amazing but others might disagree), I also don't think of myself as lacking in the style department. I'll also be upfront: I'm not the biggest sports fan either. Regardless, I found myself paying attention to Newton when I first moved to the Carolinas a few years ago because of his flamboyant stylings.
Let's take a stroll back at some of Newton's looks during his first run with the Panthers. These are my personal favorites.
10 - The black coat and hat
This outfit from December 2016 is simple and understated: black turtleneck, black pea coat, black hat. But it never hurts to have a dash of color too; note the red feather pin, which has gold at its tip. It doesn't take too much attention from the rest of the look, making it the perfect accessory. Super sleek, in my opinion.
9 - Pink and blue, we see you
You'll see that Newton likes hats, a lot. He's also not afraid to pick bold colors. Attention is immediately drawn to the pink hat, for sure, but this photo from later in December 2016 shows that it works with his suit coat. The coat's pattern has pink lines that form the squares, tying it all together nicely. His tie also flows well with the coat, along with the blue outline on the hat's detailing. The silver flower pin is a nice touch as well for something a bit different than the color choice.
8 - The many shades of gray
While Newton gets a lot of attention for his more eye-catching fashion choices, his understated pieces shouldn't go unnoticed. I'm already a fan of bowties, but I love the one he chose for this conference in January 2017. This warped dot pattern draws you in, and you'll notice how it fits in the overall structure. It's complemented by his pocket square with an inverted color palette and a black flower pin. Both are set against the textured dark gray suit coat, which helps both accessories stand out while still being easy on the eyes. Topped off with a lighter gray hat and metallic snakeskin-like ribbon, this ensemble does a lot with just a few shades.
7 - Fun with flannel
In case you haven't caught on yet, I like the simple looks that make a statement. I also like a good casual look that's dressed up a bit. This conference look from August 2017 is a good example of that: a long-sleeved flannel shirt with a mossy green driving cap on top. The cap's color ties well to the green shades in the shirt, which makes it that much easier on the eyes. Newton's choice of bracelets on his left wrist also ties well with the shirt, really showing the personal touch he brings.
6 - One Love hat
Let's start with the suit choice from October 2017: it's smart, simple and navy just looks swell on Newton. The shirt's grid pattern ties into the suit nicely, the bow tie is complementary, and the pin on his left side is the perfect flair. But Newton chose not to match the hat with the suit, opting for a brown choice with his signature phrase "One Love" embroidered in it. On its own, this could've been an eyebrow-raiser, but the golden sunglasses help separate the hat. This acts as a layer that adds some visual flow, especially since the gold contrasts well with the navy.
5 - Art on a suit
Suits give people a chance to show off some of their artistic side, and this coat choice from September 2018 certainly looks like it was taken from a museum! Giving off some very abstract vibes, the coat immediately catches the eye. Underneath, Newton has a black low-cut waistcoat, with a navy patterned tie tucked behind. Completing his ensemble is a hat that features a patterned ribbon and a vintage-looking bingo card tucked away. There's a lot happening here, but isn't there always a lot happening with Newton?
4 - Coated in blue
As a former band kid, I'm a sucker for something that reminds me of a marching uniform. Newton's choice for a conference in October 2018 brings a smile to my face: a navy turtleneck paired with a navy coat that looks a touch or two lighter. The shoulder flaps accentuated with gold give it a regal look, and the letter "C" gold pin on the left side is a perfect stylistic signature. Newton's choice of glasses gives me an arthouse feel, and the camo-like hat with feather acts as an accent piece that makes him look outdoorsy. The most honorable mention here, of course, is Newton's daughter Sovereign-Dior Cambella, decked out in her own Panthers jersey to show love to dear old dad!
3 - Seeing green
Mossy green, that is. Newton broke out this piece for a conference in December 2018, and it's pulled off so well. The dark green suit flows nicely with his hat both with the primary color and the yellow stitching. Newton's hat also had some more artistic flair up top, with some yellow and red splatter paint that looks like it was dripping. The feather is just the icing on the cake, but the bow to this presentation is twofold: Silver-gray glasses and a brown tie complete this to cement that earth-tone feel.
2 - Little patterns everywhere
Newton made some choices for this December 2016 look, and they worked very well! His shirt's colors are pastel, acting as a light base for the rest of the look. In lieu of a tie, Newton smartly chose a scarf with a paisley pattern that vaguely looks like a peacock. From a distance, this may seem like an odd choice, but this closer photo shows that the shirt and scarf work well together. He also chose to accentuate the seafoam and teal colors in his outfit with his hat, which helps make the overall ensemble look that much softer. Newton's sandy-brown cardigan also tied well with both his glasses and the rust-brown color on the scarf, showing a different way of layering colors.
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1- Orange you glad?
Sometimes, one bold color choice really does make an outfit work well. That was certainly the case in this look from November 2016. Newton's wearing a simple brown suit coat and cream sweater, which is easy on the eyes and smartly paired together. Move up top, and your eyes are immediately drawn to the orange hat, bright and boldly sitting atop his head. A white ribbon with "C1N" embroidered on it both complements the rest of the look and adds Cam's signature stamp nicely.
Feel free to send me an email with what your favorite look was.
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