This week Captain America himself, Chris Evans, stepped out at the NY premiere of his latest movie ‘Gifted’ wearing a delightfully dapper purple suit, and he looked great. Purple is a notoriously difficult colour to wear – too bold and you risk looking like Barney the dino, too subtle and you end up looking like a grandmother – but when worn right it’s one of the best colours a guy can wear. Here are 10 guys who can pull off plum…

Chris Evans

Mr Evans’ suit style has come on in leaps and bounds the last few years with the Marvel hero usually opting for a well put together three piece suit. Here he keeps things simple, allowing the out of the ordinary colour choice to do the talking. The addition of darker checks means that he can opt for a deeper saturation of purple without looking clownish and the chocolate brown shoes finish add a rich finish.

Luke Evans

From one Evans to another, Welsh actor Luke Evans’ use of purple is drastically different to Chris Evans’.  His velvet jacket creates a softer, more muted shade of purple which combines nicely with his shirt and bow tie. Keeping his trousers and shoes a more traditional charcoal and black allows for his top ensemble to remain the centre of attention.

Sebastian Stan

Chris Evans isn’t the only Marvel hero with a penchant for purple. The ‘Winter Soldier’ star was spotted in this snazzy number at the Doctor Strange premier last winter and unlike the Evans’ his use of the colour is much more subtle. At first glance it looks very much like any other dark suit that just so happens to be paired with a wine coloured shirt and tie but at closer inspection you’ll notice shades of deep purple checked throughout the suit. It’s a great way to wear a different colour without drawing too much attention.

Armie Hammer

6’5 Armie Hammer is more than happy to sport two pieces in bold, block colours and it’s his tall frame that helps pull off such dramatic looks. Here he’s leaning towards the pinker side of the spectrum but with summer around the corner lighter purples and duskier pinks are a great alternative to your whites, creams and light greys. A word of warning though, having confidence is key to pulling off looks like this so don’t go rushing in to buying something you’ll never wear!

Dev Patel

Dev Patel is one of the most stylish actors around and having just turned 27 he’s still able to get away with experimenting with more outlandish ensembles. This rich, wine coloured number is bolder than the previous entries and works well for evening wear. The crips white shirt contrasts brilliantly with the rich colour and the lack of tie gives the piece the right balance between smart and casual.

Daniel Radcliffe

The pint-sized Potter star has cleverly managed to make this bold shade work combined with his accessories. Ordinarily purple is best worn without too much faff to avoid looking like a Christmas decoration but Radcliffe has smartly gotten away with his additional striped shirt, tie bar and pocket square by treating the suit like it’s a ‘normal’ grey or black one. He hasn’t tried to match his tie or pocket square to the suit and picked another shade of purple or pink, instead opting for a crisp and contrasting white. The striped shirt adds depth to the look and also makes it a little less stuffy for a day-time look. Ten points to Gryffindor.

Roger Federer

Tennis ace Roger Federer has combined two different shades of purple to create this stylish look. As with the likes of Dev and Armie simplicity is key and here the Swiss star has opted for an arguably more European look with this turtle neck jumper. It’s smart, sophisticated and simple.

Donald Glover

Donald Glover isn’t one for ties and top buttons and favours the more relaxed look. That being said relaxed doesn’t equal sloppy and this mid-toned number is paired nicely with bold shoes and a bright shirt, which ironically makes the purple suit the least flashy item of clothing.

Eddie Redmayne

Eddie Redmayne can wear practically any suit you throw at him and look fantastic. Known more for his three piece numbers and double breasted jackets, this wine coloured piece perhaps something of an understated outfit for him. The use of the near invisible grey tie and brown shoes alone shows a good understanding of how to wear purple shades but the addition of a flashy blue pocket square shows flair and confidence that comes from experimenting.

David Oyelowo

David Oyelowo clearly has a love affair with purple (seriously Google it!) but it’s this dusky rose number that comes out on top. Like Chris Evans the subtle pattern prevents the colour from being too bold, and like Daniel Radcliffe he’s managed to accessorize perfectly. Little touches like the velvet shoes that match the suit and rose pin add a touch of class to the outfit. This one is for the purple pros out there and chances are if you see someone dressed like this when you’re out for dinner they will have gotten it majorly wrong!

What do you think about purple suits? Who wore it best? And is there anyone out there who wore it better? Let me know in the comments!