All You Need to Know to Match Your Neckties to Shirt and Suit
For those who are new to wearing ties, choosing the right piece for each ensemble can be exceedingly difficult. Much of this difficulty comes from trying to match colors and patterns correctly, which often requires a great deal of trial and error. That said, there are a variety of loose rules that are worth taking into consideration when attempting to pair a tie with a dress shirt, all of which can help to steer you in the right direction. The following are just a few tips for pairing ties and dress shirts based upon colors and patterns.
Solid Colored Ties
If you learn how to pair just one type of tie with your dress shirts, it should be the solid colored variety. Solid colored ties are extremely versatile, and can be worn in a variety of different situations. Fortunately, these ties are the easiest of all to pair, given their lack of any elaborate patterns. Try pairing solid colored neckties with checkered or pinstriped shirts; burgundy, for example, can look fantastic up against a blue checkered dress shirt. The general rule of thumb to follow is to pair contrasting colors with one another, rather than those which are similar in nature; pairing like-colors is discouraged because of the relatively high chance that clashing might occur.
Striped Ties
Striped ties are a bit more difficult to accessorize with than those which are solid in color, although the results can be extremely attractive when pulled off correctly. There are two basic types of striped ties; modern and classic. Modern ties are exemplified by tight, narrow stripes, often in a variety of different colors. Generally, these ties serve as an excellent base to work off of, and can dictate which shirt would be the right choice. For example, those which feature black, green and purple (purple being the dominant color) will look great when paired with a solid colored lavender dress shirt, as it will pick up the dominant color in the tie nicely. Classic striped ties, on the other hand, are characterized by wide stripes; typically of only two colors. The wide pattern on these ties makes them ideal for pairing with tightly-checkered dress shirts of contrasting colors.
Paisley Ties
Paisley is a pattern commonly used in ties, and is worth trying to incorporate into your wardrobe. Generally, paisley ties are made up of teardrop-shaped designs, often of many different colors. Since these ties can be relatively busy, they’re best paired with solid-colored dress shirts; preferably those which are neutral in color; for example, a paisley tie that features black highlights will look great against a cream-colored dress shirt. Experimentation is the name of the game with paisley ties, as you might be surprised to find out which combinations work and which do not.
A Note on Tie Width
The width of your tie is extremely important to take into consideration when putting together an outfit. In general, the width you choose should be one that is proportionate to your lapels. For example, a very skinny tie should only be worn on narrow lapels, while lapels with a wider spread are ideal for accessorizing with wider ties. Avoiding straying from this rule unless you’re trying to make a statement, as you’ll no doubt stand apart from the crowd if you do.
Your Mens-Ties.com Team