Guide to Matching Necktie Patterns

Master Your Necktie: Pattern Matching

Patterned neckties are an integral part of every man’s wardrobe, but merely owning a set is very different from using each and every one of them correctly. A necktie pattern that clashes with a shirt isn’t always very obvious, but you will always have the impression that something is slightly off in your outfit. Here’s how to make everything right.

Tie Talk
Anyone who’s gone to a department store in the last decade would know that men’s ties today come in a very wide variety of patterns. The solids and uniform stripes your old man knew are still there, and they’re styles that every classic wardrobe ought to have. They are not, however, the only styles for you to use – not by a long shot.

Variegated stripes are the refreshed and more modern relative of the old regular stripe style. The variations in the distances between two or more lines create an effect that’s much more visually dynamic.

Checks and micro dots are relatively newer innovations in necktie design, but offer a much subtler element of surprise. Apparently smooth and uniform from afar, your tie reveals a trick hidden up its sleeve when you make this your daily wear necktie. The size (or lack thereof) of the print echoes one of the most basic rules when it comes to ties: the smallest things can go a long, long way.

Novelty ties will continue plaguing the industry for the time being, but tasteful brands are catching up. Various major tie makers now employ logos, symbols and even cartoon characters on their product designs. These ties look fine from afar because the print is so small. Upon closer inspection, it makes for a fun and irreverent little detail for the office.

Philosophies of Patterns
The biggest problem you’re likely to encounter when pairing patterns is the print of one item (your tie, say) becoming indistinguishable from the print of another (like your shirt). That is, in fact, the biggest challenge for most necktie-wearing men. Avoiding this little obstacle, however, is as easy as remembering some rules of thumb for matching patterns.

Your end goal is to make each pattern distinguishable – notable, even – against all of the other patterns that you’re wearing. From here, it’s almost entirely about playing with the different elements involved in the pattern on the shirt and the necktie.

Variation is the key practice that will get you outstanding outfits with patterned ties and shirts. If the pattern on your shirt is one way – barely visible pencil stripes, for example – use a very different kind for your necktie, like a bold repp tie with its prominent stripes. In fact, the more visible the pattern is on one item, the less visible it should be on the other to maintain a sort of visual balance between the two pieces.

You might even be better off using different patterns with each other, like a check over a stripe. As long as you keep the visibility balance mentioned earlier, the two patterns will work together no matter how different they are. The smaller scale pattern will end up as a subtler, more solid counterbalance to the bold and vibrant larger pattern on the other item.

Don’t forget that, for most shirts and necktie styles, the pattern goes hand in hand with a color or three. Keeping both the geometric patterns and the visual colors in sync at the same time might sound like a lot of trouble, but it’s the surest way to get an outfit that’s sharp and unquestionably sartorial.

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A complete guide on Matching Ties

Your Mens-Ties.com Team

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