How to Match Your Tie to Your Suits & Shirts | The Art of Pattern Mixing

The ability to match shirts and ties effortlessly both in color choices and pattern choices is a skill necessary for any man. If you always get it right, you will be seen as one of the best-dressed gents around and if you get it wrong, you will be seen as one of the worst dressed. It’s as simple as that.

When pairing shirts and ties, you have several basic options. You can choose between

1. a solid tie on a solid shirt
2. a solid tie on a patterned shirt
3. a patterned tie on a solid shirt
4. a patterned tie on a patterned shirt.

Once you add in the suit, things become a little more complex, as you need to decide how to best complement your outfit with contrasting or complementary colors. But it’s all very simple really and we’ve covered it already in Part 1 of this article: Check it out here – How to Match Your Tie to Your Suits and Shirts (Part 1 of 2)

Today we want to discuss – PATTERNS – How to mix and match patterns.

As a rule of thumb, when experimenting with patterns, avoid mixing any more than two (2) distinct patterns, since you can easily overwhelm yourself and make for a distracting outfit.

See other rules below…

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WEARING, MIXING, AND MATCHING PATTERNS

When it comes to patterns, there are several basic rules you should follow. Here are they…

1. When wearing a striped shirt and striped tie, the stripes of your shirt and stripes of your tie should be different sizes and should not lean in the same direction: E.g. vertical thin stripes on your shirt should go with diagonal thick stripes on the tie.

2. If you are less experienced in color mixing and matching, when wearing a shirt with stripes and any patterned tie, it is recommended that you should wear a suit in a solid color.

3. When mixing multiple pieces with the same pattern, pattern proportion must vary. If you choose a shirt with thin and close stripes you should pair it with a broader/wider striped tie. If you choose a shirt with tiny polka dot, you can pair it with a tie of larger polka dots.

Also Read: How to Match Ties to Pocket Squares

4. Even when mixing two completely different patterns, pattern sizes are still important. For instance, thick stripes on the shirt should go with thin or small patterns on the tie and vice versa. But please take note of the next rule (Rule No 5) that has to do with a checked shirt.

5. When mixing a checked shirt with another patterned tie, the tie must always have a larger pattern to distinguish itself against the shirt. An easy pattern to start with is stripes. Stripes are essential in the fashion world, as they are versatile in size, shape, and direction.

6. When wearing a patterned shirt (checked or striped), plain color ties are an easy choice, but you can also wear polka dots, paisley or floral ties.

Plain Tie and Checkered Shirt

Polka Dot Tie and Striped Shirt

Paisley Tie and Striped Shirt

7. When choosing a tie color to pair with a patterned shirt, take the dominant color of the shirt as a secondary color of your tie.

8. Mixing more than two patterns – Pairing a Patterned Suit, Patterned Shirt, and a Patterned Tie

Avoid pairing a patterned suit with a patterned shirt and patterned tie. Stick to a maximum of two patterns for your shirt, suit and tie combination. And if you must mix three (3) patterns then it’s wise to go with 3 completely different patterns but there is a caveat.

If the shirt and tie are already of different pattern type e.g. Stripes and Polka dot respectively, then the suit must be of a subtle pattern, e.g a Prince of Wale check in a faint color shade or a subtle Glen Plaid Suit with faint check lines in same color as the fabric color e.g. a gray check on same gray fabric. This means you must avoid Tartan checks or Pinstripes (i.e. very thin vertical stripes) in this scenario.

BONUS: TEXTURES

Generally, suits and ties can be broken down into colors and patterns. For fashionistas, texture adds a touch of finesse to the various combinations you create. 

A good tip to prevent you from making a tie faux pas is to always wear quality ties. Many cheap ties have a shiny texture that distracts from the overall outfit. Avoid wearing ties with a bright shine by choosing a matte finish or, if you want to step out of the box, wearing velvet, silk, knit, or wool.

Practice Makes Perfect

For Further Reading:

• 25 Suit Rules All Men Need To Know
• 10 Tie Rules All Men Need To Know

FINAL THOUGHTS

You can mix patterns if they are of different sizes and you can mix stripes as long as they are not the same thickness and not leaning in the same direction. Don’t be shy about mixing and matching colors and patterns to create amazing combinations. Following these rules will ensure that you don’t make any fashion mistakes and will help you put better outfits together. 

I’m glad you took the time to read The Part 1 and now The Part 2 of this article. Thanks so much for stopping by. 

Have you learned a lot from this piece? If yes, please share below in the comment section.

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Until next time gentlemen – Sayonara!

Yours in Style,

Mr. Kobi
Founder, MrKoachman.com
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This article has been written collaboratively by Kobi O. Mbagwu and Carolyn Clarke.

Carolyn Clarke is a freelance fashion writer and stylist from Los Angeles, California. She is also the owner of the site District Clothing. Dedicated to all things style, she is passionate about designing new outfits for men and creating a bold statement with each piece. With her expert insights in the fashion industry, she continues to make a bold difference by guaranteeing the best colors, prints, and textures in her curated outfits. 

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Mr. Kobi

My name is Kobi O. Mbagwu, a professional image consultant, menswear style expert, and entrepreneur who uses fashion, style and clothing as key tools in transforming ordinary men into extraordinary classy gentlemen.

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My personal goal is to help gentlemen dress better, live well, do well and develop a unique personal style that matches their lifestyle and goals. I believe that success can be built through style. I believe that fashion is a tool that can be used to change people’s lives positively. I also strongly believe that if you dress well, you look good, and if you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you worry less, and the less you worry the more you are able to stay motivated and focused on your goals pursuit and by so doing you are able to live a more fulfilling and successful life.

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