Tie Color Help

**Abdiel** · 11-13-2009, 06:00 PM

Need some help with ties.

I know where to get them, and I understand pattern matching well enough. My one weakness? Color matching, I constantly find myself second guessing if a color works or not.

So gents, any general rules for color matching tie to shirt? Lighter then shirt? Darker?

In this instance no jacket to work off of.

**thebikingengineer** · 11-13-2009, 06:22 PM

Check out the color wheel below. You'll want to try to be either opposite to your main outfit color (contrasting) or adjacent (complimentary).

You usually want your tie to be darker than your shirt. Also, it should go without saying, but don't exactly match the color with something else on your person. You want the tie's color to compliment the rest of the outfit, not to copy it. Take a look at some of the colors used in the shots Scott Schumann takes in The Sartorialist, he's perhaps the best I've seen at spotting fashion, and rarely are the subjects ever off on their color choices.

**Kouros** · 11-13-2009, 06:33 PM

Just buy red and yellow ties. They generally go with any color shirt.

**MWS** · 11-13-2009, 07:06 PM

I don't concern myself too much with matching colour's (that's my wifes job!)

I find a striped tie with a solid shirt, or a striped shirt with a solid tie does the trick.

Solid on solid seems a bit boring, while pattern on pattern can be a little...loud. Don't worry too much, whatever YOU like is an expression of your personality.

**gaseousclay** · 11-13-2009, 09:47 PM

I have the same problem but I still don't know much about patterns. I'm learning a lot from the folks here and it's been of tremendous help. tomorrow i'm going to a fundraiser and i'll be wearing a grey pinstripe suit (thin pinstripes). the plan is to wear a light blue oxford, however, the only tie I have the kinda goes with the suit is a silver tie with tiny dots on it. it actually looks pretty decent but others here have suggested I go with something like a red. unfortunately, the only red-ish tie I have is red with blue stripes and i'm not wearing a striped tie with a striped suit so that's out.

**thebikingengineer** · 11-14-2009, 06:45 AM

You can wear stripes with stripes as long as the scale is different. Assuming your pinstripe suit has thin stripes spaced about 1/2" apart and your tie is a standard 2" wide stripe it should match up just fine.

What color are those dots? A grey pinstripe suit and light blue oxford shirt should go with just about every tie they make. That's the lawyer's background; conservative suit and shirt, loud tie.

**Doc4** · 11-14-2009, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by gaseousclay

I have the same problem but I still don't know much about patterns. I'm learning a lot from the folks here and it's been of tremendous help. tomorrow i'm going to a fundraiser and i'll be wearing a grey pinstripe suit (thin pinstripes). the plan is to wear a light blue oxford, however, the only tie I have the kinda goes with the suit is a silver tie with tiny dots on it. it actually looks pretty decent but others here have suggested I go with something like a red. unfortunately, the only red-ish tie I have is red with blue stripes and i'm not wearing a striped tie with a striped suit so that's out.

If I were to be really anal I'd tell you not to wear an oxford shirt with a suit ...

The trick to wearing two stripes (or any pattern) is to make sure they are not of the same scale. So if your suit's pinstripes are half an inch apart and the tie's stripes are .6" apart, then no, don't do it. But if the tie's stripes are let's say 2" apart, then you should be fine on that point.

**flabajaba2213** · 11-14-2009, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by Doc4

If I were to be really anal I'd tell you not to wear an oxford shirt with a suit ...

The trick to wearing two stripes (or any pattern) is to make sure they are not of the same scale. So if your suit's pinstripes are half an inch apart and the tie's stripes are .6" apart, then no, don't do it. But if the tie's stripes are let's say 2" apart, then you should be fine on that point.

And to add to this, different angles/direction of the pattern is also needed.

**gaseousclay** · 11-14-2009, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by Doc4

The trick to wearing two stripes (or any pattern) is to make sure they are not of the same scale. So if your suit's pinstripes are half an inch apart and the tie's stripes are .6" apart, then no, don't do it. But if the tie's stripes are let's say 2" apart, then you should be fine on that point.

the suit has a thin chalk stripe pattern. the only striped ties I have are a red & black diagonal one where the stripes are about 4/8" apart. the other striped tie is blue/grey and the diagonal stripes are narrower. I'm thinking neither of these would like right with a dark grey pinstripe suit. my only other options are to go with the dark silver/grey tie with the dot pattern or another light silver tie with dark blue/light blue dots. the dark silver/grey tie matches the color of the suit and the pattern is different. the light silver tie w/dark blue/light blue dots is a completely different color altogether but the dark blue dots seem to compliment the light blue shirt. guess i'll have to experiment and see

**gaseousclay** · 11-14-2009, 09:06 AM

here are pics of my possible color/pattern combos. even though i've been buying more ties, my collection is still limited. these 3 seemed to be the only choices for now. thoughts?

**Doc4** · 11-14-2009, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by gaseousclay

... my possible color/pattern combos. .... thoughts?

1. left tie
2. right tie (better with a white shirt)
3. middle tie

**DanOK** · 11-15-2009, 06:37 AM

Pretty much agree with Doc4.

1. left tie
2. right tie (better with a white shirt)
3. middle tie (I won't wear this tie with this suit)

**gaseousclay** · 11-15-2009, 07:45 AM

thanks, guys. I wore the red tie last night and it worked out fine (not that anyone noticed).

sorry for threadjacking the topic, abdiel.

**gollum83** · 11-15-2009, 07:49 AM

Hey! I have that same red and black tie!

**Kouros** · 11-15-2009, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by gollum83

Hey! I have that same red and black tie!

It's red and blue

**gollum83** · 11-15-2009, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by Kouros

It's red and blue

Thanks, I think...

**middie26** · 11-18-2009, 05:48 AM

Originally Posted by DanOK

Pretty much agree with Doc4.

1. left tie
2. right tie (better with a white shirt)
3. middle tie (I won't wear this tie with this suit)

First, a quick "good morning" to Brother DanOK. Brother Foley from USS NJ Lodge #62 here..

Second, (and others may certainly disagree) you can even go with pink if you are so inclined and feeling a little "dangerous". I'm wearing a pink tie atm with a similar pattern on my dress pant and have had a few compliments so far.

I've got the same trouble matching things, so fortunately, my wife is my color wheel.

**Monkeydad** · 11-18-2009, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by thebikingengineer

Check out the color wheel below. You'll want to try to be either opposite to your main outfit color (contrasting) or adjacent (complimentary).

You usually want your tie to be darker than your shirt. Also, it should go without saying, but don't exactly match the color with something else on your person. You want the tie's color to compliment the rest of the outfit, not to copy it. Take a look at some of the colors used in the shots Scott Schumann takes in The Sartorialist, he's perhaps the best I've seen at spotting fashion, and rarely are the subjects ever off on their color choices.

According to that, an Olive Green tie should be worn with a pink shirt.

**pauls51** · 11-18-2009, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by buster

According to that, an Olive Green tie should be worn with a pink shirt.

I read it as an Olive tie with a Maroon shirt.

Damn these pics confuse the hell out of me...

**Abdiel** · 11-19-2009, 04:12 PM

So I know for light shirts you generally want a darker tie.

What about darker colored shirts? Would the opposite be true that you should go with a medium to light colored tie?