Pattern Conundrum Solved
Unsure of which patterns in ties you should definitely have in your tie drawer? We suggest you pick a basic checked one, an elegant striped one, a tie with tiny dots on them, and one with a quirky print for a little zing on days when you need it.
Men in formals are a drool-worthy sight. An impeccably dressed man is what women's dreams are made of. We love our men in suits, but we even adore them in a perfectly ironed, well-fitted shirt worn with a great tie that accentuates the look. But you need to keep that look interesting to keep our attention, and for goodness sake, you need to lock away those duck print ties (unless it is a gag party you are attending).
If you want to truly stand out in a crowd, you need to know how much a good and well-tied necktie can do for your look. In this article, we give you a lowdown on the five best combinations you have at your disposal to pair shirts and ties, and also tell you how to get these combinations right.
#1 Solid on Solid
Risk Factor:
Low
This is a classic combination, possibly the one you use pretty much every day. It is clean, neat, and solid (pun unintended). While a classic combination like the blue on white shown here will always do the trick, a little bit of experimentation will never hurt. So, how can you do this idea better? Here's how. Pick colors that are complete contrasts. Now you may say that even a white shirt with a blue tie is contrasting, but does it wow you? No! Pick combinations like yellow on blue, or purple on pastel pink.
#2 Tone on Tone
Risk Factor:
Low
This is an idea we haven't seen a lot of men rocking, and that is surprising because it is quite a brilliant combination. The idea is to wear a shirt and tie from the same color family. This is called trying out analogous color combinations. It can result in a sleek and sophisticated look that spells fashion-forward. Just remember that there has to be a difference of a couple of shades between the color of the tie and the shirt. We suggest you keep the tie a shade or two darker than the shirt for the complete wow effect.
#3 Pattern on Solid
Risk Factor:
Medium
Now you may think that this is a pretty commonly worn combination; so how it can be called medium risk? Well, the problem is that often color schemes are not taken into consideration when choosing a patterned tie for a solid shirt, which creates a huge visual disparity. Therefore, if you pick a patterned tie to wear with a solid shirt, then match one of the colors on the tie to the color family of the shirt. Like in the image given here where the pink dots on the tie perfectly match the color of the shirt. Polka dots, paisley prints, checks, stripes, etc., are all great options to pick from when wearing patterns on solid.
#4 Solid on Pattern
Risk Factor:
Medium
Now this idea pretty much follows the same rule as the idea above. You try to match the color of the shirt to the color of the tie. So if, like in the image, your shirt has multiple colors, you try to pick a tie in one of the shades in the shirt. This image uses a colored tie in the same color family as the blue line, but also manages to add hues from the pink and red color family. Most men tend to shy away from patterns because they can be overwhelming. A solid tie can often break the boldness of the pattern and make it more subtle.
#5 Pattern on Pattern
Risk Factor:
High
Now this is the Goliath of shirt-tie combinations; the one you should aim at mastering. There are three things to remember when wearing pattern with pattern.
- Avoid having the same pattern on both, the tie and the shirt.
- Always vary the scale of the patterns on the shirt and the tie. Have larger, bigger patterns on the tie.
- Look out for a color scheme. Match the dominant color in your tie with one of the colors in your shirt.
Following these three guidelines will allow you to wear pattern on pattern with panache.
Once you know these 5 shirt-tie combination ideas like the back of your hand, you should be able to expand on the number of ensembles you have in your wardrobe. And the next time you have to pick a tie to wear, hopefully, you will be putting in a little more thought than just doing a blind, eyes-shut-finger-point-at-tie selection.
