What to wear and what not to wear at work
The paradox of choice (also
known as choice overload) is the phenomenon by which having too many
options exhausts us, makes us unhappy and generally leads us to make
terrible decisions (if any decision at all).
Nowhere is this more evident in
the male wardrobe than when it comes to shirts and ties. A quick glance
around any workplace will confirm this. Is it possible that all these
men have bad taste, or are they simply suffering from decision fatigue?
We get it, colours and patterns
can be difficult to master individually, but when you start mixing them
together, all hell can break loose. Which is why FashionBeans has put together a complete guide to shirt and tie pairings.
Shirt & Tie Combinations: Colour Wheel Basics
The concept of colour matching
continues to stump even the most stylish of men. However, unless you
want your work wardrobe to be very, very dull, you will at some point
have to tackle the issue.
The tried-and-tested colour
wheel offers a visual representation of every shade and, more
importantly, the similar, complementary and contrasting colours of each
Similar colours are
next to each other. When colours are close to each other, it’s easy to
pick one colour and add accessories in neighbouring colours.
Complementary colours are
opposite each other. These colours are the hardest to pair together.
Even though they ‘complement’ each other, wearing them full strength is
often overkill.
Contrasting colours have
three colours between them. The best way to combine these is to make
sure one of the hues is in a darker tone so, such as navy and red
Shirt & Tie Combinations: Colour Pairing Guidelines
When it comes to shirts and ties,
it’s often easier to pair contrasting colours than it is complementary.
For example, a mid-blue shirt and burgundy tie (red is a contrasting
hue) worn under a navy, single-breasted type of suit is a look that
every man can pull off.
When working with complementary
colours, the key is to vary the shades, such as a light blue shirt with a
darker, burnt orange tie. Of course, this will already be second-nature
because a tie should always be darker than the shirt, without
exception.
The easiest and safest option is
to combine a simple tie with a white shirt – but where’s the fun in
that? Experiment with colours and patterns, and you will quickly learn
what works and what doesn’t, eventually creating some go-to shirt and
tie combinations that you can reach for on a daily basis.
Tie Selection
In this sartorial marriage, the
tie is always going to be the first thing people notice. Therefore, it
pays to give it some attention and invest in quality. That doesn’t have
to mean expensive, but it does mean tasteful. While you want a tie that
looks great on its own (though we’d never recommend wearing it as such),
it shouldn’t be a novelty piece.
Size is another key
consideration. In general, the width of the tie should match the width
of the lapels on the suit it’s being worn with, which, in turn, should
complement your body type. Lastly, always tie a tie in a way that fits
both your face shape and the type of collar on the shirt.
When selecting a fabric for your
tie, consider the occasion. Traditional silk ties tend to be reserved
for formal business settings, while more textured fabrics such as wool
work well for smart- and business-casual events. Knitted ties, the
rebellious younger brother of the tie world, fall into a somewhat
helpful grey area. They can be either dressed up or down depending on
what they are worn with – be it a bespoke suit or cardigan.
What Tie To Wear With Plain Shirts
Along with raw denim and quality
shoes, well-cut cotton shirts are one of the main workhorses of the
male wardrobe. By default, every man should own three colours: white,
sky blue and pink.
White shirts offer maximum
versatility, serving as a blank canvas for almost any tie, be it
a preppy stripe, tartan check or solid knitted version. It’s here that
more characterful designs can be deployed without fear of putting a foot
(or, rather, neck) wrong.
What Tie To Wear With Blue Shirts
Shirts in blue or pink provide a
chance show off your colour-matching prowess. Sticking to the rules of
colour, size and fabric, light blue shirts work well with tonal,
patterned or textured ties in the same family.
Orange is a complementary
colour, though it’s wise to opt for a darker, burnt orange shade to
avoid being mistaken for an airline worker.
Both yellow and red are
contrasting hues, so ties in shades of burgundy, pink or mustard also
look great set against this shirt colour.
Green is a similar colour to blue – so try a dark forest green tie to make a refined and effortless statement.
What Tie To Wear With Pink Shirts
Men wear pink. If that statement
sounds alien to you, we suggest you get on board pronto, or risk
missing out on an extremely versatile piece of workwear.
Similar colours include mauve and purple. Opt for either of these in a deep shade, and you can’t go wrong.
Green is complementary, and
therefore khaki shades are a bold choice that will make you stand out
for all the right reasons in the office.
Blue, on the other hand, is a
contrasting colour and we would argue that there is no better pairing
than a pink shirt with a predominantly navy tie, whether solid or
patterned.
What Tie To Wear With Black Shirts
No longer just for mobsters and stage hands, black shirts have returned from the sartorial hinterland in recent years.
What makes things difficult here
is that black doesn’t appear on the colour wheel (on account of being
the absence of colour and therefore not a colour itself.)
This explains why the only colour tie that can realistically be paired with a black shirt is a tonal one
For an easier, but less formal, option, ditch the tie altogether and wear it buttoned to the top under a black suit jacket.
What Tie To Wear With Striped Shirts
Introducing a pattern to the
shirt is where things become interesting. The standard rules around
colour, size and fabric choice still apply, but there’s the added
consideration of making sure whichever tie is added harmonises rather
than fights with the shirt for attention.
The easiest way to avoid this is
to wear a tie in a block colour. However, if you’re looking to branch
out into pattern-mixing, there is one simple rule to follow: always vary
the size of the patterns. Just as the tie should be darker than the
shirt, the pattern should be larger or smaller than that on the shirt.
Stripes can work well with other
stripes, so long as they aren’t the same size. For instance, a thin
pencil stripe shirt is the perfect anchor for a larger club stripe tie.
Another great tip is to vary the orientation of the stripes combined.
For instance, a vertical striped shirt pairs best with a horizontal or
diagonal striped tie as it offers a clear contrast between each piece.
For a move of higher sartorial
difficulty, progress onto polka dots, paisley and geometric designs. All
are fair game providing the basic principles are adhered to.
Whether opting for a solid or
pattern, picking out the colour of the shirt’s stripe and matching it
with one of the hues on the tie helps pull the entire look together and
marks you out as a man that pays attention to detail.
What Tie To Wear With Checked Shirts
It might seem logical that
combining a check shirt with a patterned tie would follow a similar set
of rules to those of the striped shirt. But this isn’t the case. While a
striped shirt can work with a bigger or smaller pattern, a check shirt
always requires a tie with a larger pattern to avoid it becoming lost.
The only exception to this rule is a windowpane check shirt, which
offers greater flexibility due to the scale being so large and the
pattern so subtle.
Gingham check shirts are the
most traditional and dress code-friendly available. More often than not,
this pattern features a white base with an overlaying colour. When
picking a similar, contrasting or complementary shade tie, look to
coordinate it with the check colour rather than the white base. For
example, a navy tie looks great with a sky blue or pink gingham check
shirt.
If opting for a larger tartan or
plaid shirt, the key is to pick out one of the more subtle base tones
in the shirt with a solid, block-colour tie. Just remember to keep the
shade darker than the shirt itself.
Striped ties are a perfectly
acceptable choice to combine with check shirts. Choose a tie with a
large, bold stripe so that it can easily stand out against the pattern
of the shirt. Polka dots and paisleys can also work well providing the
same principle is followed.
What Tie To Wear With Textured Shirts
In recent years, a growing
number of companies have adopted business-casual or
even smart-casual dress codes, making room for a new set of power
players in the workwear roster.
Toning down a blazer with shirts
in casual fabrics like chambray, denim and flannelhas become a go-to
move for guys who want to say: ‘I conduct my business with a bit of
character’. Yet this new-found freedom doesn’t come without its own set
of rules, particularly when concerning tie selection.
While many other pairings rely
on creating contrast, tactile shirts require equally tactile ties. The
usual guidelines around colour remain in place, but steer clear of silk
ties or anything else with a sheen. Pairing a non-traditional dress
shirt with a traditional tie only creates a disjointed look.
Knitted or woollen ties should
be the go-to choice here, the classic combination being a button-down
chambray shirt with either a navy knitted or grey wool tie; both perfect
for a more relaxed job interview.
In the case of linen shirts, the
advice is often to swerve ties altogether. The lightweight fabric of
the shirt with the heavier weight of the tie usually results in an
unbalanced look. So in place of something knotted at the neck, give the
air-tie a go. Hey, it still has the word ‘tie’ in it
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