black suit: shirt & tie color combos

gaseousclay said:

I dunno. I think a black suit can be versatile...you just have to be creative in how you present yourself. a black suit with an open collar white shirt for example, can be casual but sharp at the same time.

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Like Vince?



I'm skeptical, but I'm open to the possibility. However, if versatility is being compared to say a navy or charcoal suit, the black suit has a ton of ground to cover. But like I said, I'm not going to dismiss it out of hand.

edit: Hmm, on second look, I think he's wearing a velvet black suit.

Found Bond in what appears to be a black suit at the red carpets.

leighton said:

Like Vince?

I'm skeptical, but I'm open to the possibility. However, if versatility is being compared to say a navy or charcoal suit, the black suit has a ton of ground to cover. But like I said, I'm not going to dismiss it out of hand.

edit: Hmm, on second look, I think he's wearing a velvet black suit.

Found Bond in what appears to be a black suit at the red carpets.

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I think there's a lot to be said about the type of event you're going to and the suit you're wearing as well. for instance, if I were going out to dinner at a nice restaurant i'd feel a little out of place wearing a charcoal or navy suit because I tend to equate those with interviews and business meetings. I think black is a little more subdued without being too flashy

gaseousclay said:

i'm speaking of the omnipresent black suit. i'm not talking about wearing it for interviews or even formal events, but rather just to wear out and about if the mood strikes me. my dilemma, what color shirt/tie combos would work best with a black suit? a white shirt seems incredibly boring regardless of tie color and I don't wanna look like one of the guys from Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction. what about blue? or even a pink shirt? I think I now know not to wear a shirt/tie that match in color but ones that compliment each other.

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White shirt and plain tie works really well ... just look at that Daniel Craig photo above. A silver/grey tie would be the most formal.

For a more casual look, almost any shirt/tie combo can work ... depending on how formal or informal you want to be. Keep away from dark shirts, though, and make sure your tie is 'darker' than your shirt. As to your question of blue or pink shirts ... for sure!

Doc4 said:

White shirt and plain tie works really well ... just look at that Daniel Craig photo above. A silver/grey tie would be the most formal.

For a more casual look, almost any shirt/tie combo can work ... depending on how formal or informal you want to be. Keep away from dark shirts, though, and make sure your tie is 'darker' than your shirt. As to your question of blue or pink shirts ... for sure!

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I don't own any dark shirts, so no problems there. I bought a pink Forsyth of Canada dress shirt the other day and got a striped purple tie for x-mas from my brother and sister-in-law. the purple tie and pink shirt work surprisingly well together if I do say so myself. now I just need to get invited to a wedding this summer and I should be set

gaseousclay said:

... now I just need to get invited to a wedding this summer and I should be set

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Insert "shotgun wedding" joke here.

I am an Ole School White shirt and Solid tie guy I have over the years branched out to wearing Red or Purple/ Violet dress shirts with color matched ties with various patterns. If I were you I would go out and buy me another suit in either Brown or Green if those colors go with your skin tone and Hair color.

I'm really surprised by some of the comments about black suits. Casually, I guess they might be too formal, but in the corporate world, definitely not. On any given day in my office there are just as many black suits as there are navy or charcoal.

My advice: white shirt and any color tie except brown or black. As long as your shirt is simple, your tie can be busy.

People have no fashion sense anyway. You can show up with a black belt, brown shoes, and a black suit and no one would notice.

I do think you're somewhat correct that plenty of people have no fashion sense.

But, I also think that someone who is consistently pretty well put together does stand out. The people with "no fashion sense" might not totally grasp it, but it does make an impression.

Once again, I think we're on the same page.

No doubt the well dressed man with perfectly fitting clothes and matching colors will always look better than his poorly dressed peers. Those of us in the know will nod approvingly, perhaps with a little jealousy, but those who don't get it will just marvel at how good and confident he looks.

As for the black suit, if you pull it off, you pull it off. The rules are the same whether the suit itself is "appropriate." But the rules are the rules, the black suit is reserved for formal occasions. And since the black suit rule is a fashion rule, and since most people don't have a clue about such rules, they won't even notice the faux pas. Thus, if your well dressed in a nice put together black suit outfit, you will still outshine your peers.

However, by wearing the black suit, you are overpowering everyone else who is not. The black will instantly attract attention during the day time unless its a common occurrence. Its just the way black works. The eye is drawn to the high contrast. Thats why navy and charcoal are the suits de rigour.

Honestly to go with black for the purpose of just going out, you should look at some pastels for color, they will also go very well with a dark Navy suit later on if you decide to add to your closet. keep the colors light though, the contrast should go shirt, tie, jacket in order from light to dark. I especially like greens and blues that can go together.

Such as a pastel mint green shirt, and a blue tie that isn't too dark.

Just be careful buying ties, and don't skimp on price with them either. The tie will make it or break it. When I shop for a new shirt and tie I generally spend 30-45 on the tie alone, if the shirt costs less than the tie then so be it.

marbs34 said:

Just be careful buying ties, and don't skimp on price with them either. The tie will make it or break it. When I shop for a new shirt and tie I generally spend 30-45 on the tie alone, if the shirt costs less than the tie then so be it.

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ties are fairly new territory for me and it's something I don't use often. I recently scored 5 dkny ties on ebay for $41 and considering how much they cost individually at department stores i'd say I got a bargain. but, i'm also trying to be mindful of color variety -- right now I have 4 black ties which is more than enough. my tie color palette currently has quite a few blues but i'm looking to expand into more reds. I'd basically like to have a tie for any occasion, whether it's for a funeral, wedding or just going out

marbs34 said:

Honestly to go with black for the purpose of just going out, you should look at some pastels for color, they will also go very well with a dark Navy suit later on if you decide to add to your closet. keep the colors light though, the contrast should go shirt, tie, jacket in order from light to dark. I especially like greens and blues that can go together.

Such as a pastel mint green shirt, and a blue tie that isn't too dark.

Just be careful buying ties, and don't skimp on price with them either. The tie will make it or break it. When I shop for a new shirt and tie I generally spend 30-45 on the tie alone, if the shirt costs less than the tie then so be it.

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For going out at night, I go tie-less. I hate those things...

In fact, any time I can get away without a tie, I lose it.

I find looking at pictures of Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra and celebs of a higher calibre along with a later George Clooney provide a good idea of what works and what doesn't. Off course you need to be comfortable with your chosen combination but for me I find that Cary Grant has style down to perfection along with George in at second place.

My choice and remember it what works for me may not work another, is to stick to classic stylish lines of clothes and color. I tend to stay away from the latest fashion. After all fashion comes and goes but style is aways around.

You can do a lot with a black suit. Go a crisp white shirt, spread collar or tab collar with a real vibrant tie, say Robert Talbott. He makes great stuff. Also, a black shirt looks really cool with a black suit. You can dress it up or down. I've never been mistaken for wait staff when wearing a black suit if you hook it up right. Here's a thought, I'm a big fan of light gray suits. Can do a lot with them. Personally, there's nothing slicker than a light gray suit with a pink shirt, that's money along with a either a gray bar striped tie or gray printed tie. Combo really works well.

Black suits aren't very versatile, but a few different ways you can wear them:

White shirt with a black tie (very formal events)



White or light blue shirt with a bold colored tie (still conservative)



Patterned or colorful shirt with a black tie (more fashionable)



Patterned or colorful shirt with no tie (casual)

White shirt and some kind of yellow or red tie with some pop to it.

I believe you are overthinking this - there are lots of possibilities. I do like pink with a black suit and I think that tie is fine. I like to purchase the shirt and tie together, or at least take the shirt with you when you purchase a tie. I particularly like a shirt and tie by the same manufacturer where there is one small part of the tie pattern that is a perfect match to the shirt color.

gaseousclay said:

my only problem is that I have very few solid ties -- the ones I do own are black. the brighter colored ties in my wardrobe are made up of the patterned/striped variety (mostly blues) and a red/black/striped tie. I just bought a lot of 5 ties on ebay the other day, one of which is a nice blue with a subtle dot pattern, unfortunately, it probably won't come in the mail til saturday. what about neutral colored ties with white?

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+2. Tough to go wrong with a solid white shirt. I tend to go to either a "regimental" stripe or a "club" tie. Easy and classic according to LOTH.

kubalai said:

I find looking at pictures of Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra and celebs of a higher calibre along with a later George Clooney provide a good idea of what works and what doesn't. Off course you need to be comfortable with your chosen combination but for me I find that Cary Grant has style down to perfection along with George in at second place.

My choice and remember it what works for me may not work another, is to stick to classic stylish lines of clothes and color. I tend to stay away from the latest fashion. After all fashion comes and goes but style is aways around.

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+1. I suggest Gary Cooper for your list!