How to pair shirts and ties like a pro

AHHH… the classic shirt and tie dilemma. I can’t tell you how many times I get asked for help with pairing shirts and ties, so I've put together a list of do’s and don’t’s to get you feeling confident in your pairing choices.

If you work in an office with any kind of corporate dress code, you’ve by now no doubt built up a wardrobe filled with a variety of shirts and ties in different colours, patterns, and textures. But do you know how to pair them? Can checks go with plaid? Stripes with stripes? Purple with…a lighter shade of purple?

Paying close attention to the basic Do’s and Don’ts of how best to pair a shirt and tie will simplify the process of getting dressed, and take the guess work out of your look.

Note: this list is not exhaustive and, of course, not limited to the following… have more questions? Ask ’em in the comments below!

PATTERNS & PATTERNS

Do: Pair a patterned shirt with a patterned tie as long as the patterns are not the same or similar sizes – i.e. a small check on the shirt with a large stripe or check on the tie or a small stripe on the shirt with a large stripe or check on the tie.

Don’t: Pair a shirt and tie with the same pattern, i.e. if the shirt is a vertical stripe pattern (large or small) the tie should not also be a vertical stripe pattern. Horizontal stripes or slanted stripes can work as long as they are of a different size.

Do: Pair solids with patterns, i.e. solid shirt, patterned tie, solid tie, patterned shirt.

Don’t: Pair solid shirts with a tie of predominantly the same colour, even if it is a pattern, unless there is minimal of the same colour in the tie.

Don’t: Resort to layering solids on solids unless you’re pairing a solid white shirt with a solid black tie. Even a small microprint or a subtle texture is better than a plain solid.

Do: Feel free to branch out and try a pattern (like repeating bicycles or floral) instead of the go-to plaid, stripes, polka dots…then prepare for a copious amount of compliments.

COLOURS

Don’t: Let your shirt and tie blend together. Keep it in the realm of light tie / dark shirt or light shirt / dark tie.

Do: Play pastels off one another. Just be sure one “pops” more than the other.

Don’t: Wear primary colours together if you don’t want to look like a kindergartener’s art project.

Do: Wear a black tie with a white shirt; it’s always a classic. But don’t turn it the other way around with a black shirt and white tie (unless you are attending a throwback party of sorts).

Do: Get creative when it comes to color. Look for shirt and tie pairings that bring out the small accent color(s) in each piece. Drawing attention to an accent colour is always a sure-fire win.

As mentioned above, this list is definitely not the be-all-end-all. If you have any other shirt/tie combination questions, feel free to leave a comment below, or send me a message, I always love hearing from you!