When dressing in suit and tie, it is the necktie that will often add the dash of flavor to the overall outfit. While suits are typically gray, navy, or black and dress shirts either blue or white, it is a man's neckwear that adds a strong accent with its color and pattern. With so many necktie options, finding the perfect tie that matches can be overwhelming. This article seeks to alleviate that pain.
When a man matches a tie to a dress shirt and suit the three most important factors to weigh are
1) Necktie Pattern
2) Necktie Color
3) Necktie Proportion
1st Tie Matching Factor - Necktie Pattern
Ties come in many patterns ranging from stripes to paisleys to tartan-check. So how would you go about matching a patterned tie to a pin-striped suit and a checkered pattern dress shirt? What are the rules to matching necktie patterns?
The rule for matching patterns is that no two pieces of clothing should utilize the same pattern size and to a lesser degree pattern type. By pattern size I mean the distance between the stripes on your shirt should not be close to the width of the stripes on your tie; by doing this you can create an optical illusion of movement which the human eye finds unattractive. Hence matching a subtle pin-striped suit with a larger check patterned dress shirt and intricate paisley pattern tie is acceptable; however wearing that same pin-striped suit and large check patterned dress shirt with striped tie that too closely mimics the suit’s stripe separation will create a questionable look. This rule applies when matching 3 or 5 patterns and of all three factors is the most important; a man will not wear a tie whose color he doesn’t like, but will often try to wear one whose color is pleasing but pattern is wrong.
Please note that for the purposes of tie matching we do not classify solid colored ties as having any pattern. Therefore the rules of pattern matching do not apply to true solid colored neckwear. As a result you could match multiple solids…..the combination would be boring, but acceptable. However, because pattern is not a factor the next two variables are even more important when considering a solid necktie.
2nd Tie Matching Factor - Necktie Color
When matching color the first thing you should do is look at all garments together to make sure that the colors are in harmony; if you have doubts trust your first impressions and try something different. “Convincing yourself” something matches may enable you to wear it, but you’ll not wear the combination with confidence. Trust first impressions – others you meet will.
But what does it mean to match, and what has precedent in terms of priority? Start with the suit -it is the largest clothing item and will be the foundation of the outfit. Next, pull out a few dress shirts of various colors and patterns and ensure you have two that match the suit. After that pull out a few of your favorite ties; giving the suit and shirt priority, select a tie that compliments your clothing. Most of us can see when there is a conflict between colors – something just looks wrong. If you feel your tie does not match, do not try to force it; instead simply substitute it for a more subtle necktie. If uncertain, the safest bet is to stick with the traditional (but somewhat boring) tie colors of business. Non-bright red and to a lesser extent gold and blue will go with most dark suits and white or light to medium-blue shirt combinations. Finally always remember that you want the necktie to accent your suit and shirt, not dominate them. If your tie overpowers your suit, you can bet it will draw attention from your face as well.
3rd Tie Matching Factor - Necktie Proportion
Although often not as important as either pattern or color, proportion can play a role in matching when a necktie varies from the standard 3.5 inch width and is either a skinny tie (less than 3 inches wide) or excessively wide tie (more than 3.75 inches). For skinny or wide ties you need to take in factors such as the height and weight of the individual and the width of his suit’s lapels. A thin petite man will look sharp with thin lapels and a thin tie, while a large man with wider build lapels wearing the same skinny tie will look ridiculous.
Contrary to popular belief, men's dress clothes should always be comfortable. If they are not, it is the fault of the clothes' fit, and not of their nature. Suffering for beauty's sake does not do a man any good, eithe; if the fit of a garment makes its wearer uncomfortable, he will look it. Indeed, a man looks his best when his clothes fit so well he barely notices them. On the other hand, if they are too tight, they will be pulling and choking at every turn; too loose, and a man looks like he has had to borrow some clean clothes from his older brother as he struggles to keep them out of the way. A man's clothes send a message to the world about him, and if they fit him well, he will always make a good impression.
that designers and commentators may debate whether baggy or fitted pants are 'in' this season while neither look as good as the timeless middle-ground. A good deal of men still rely on women to hold their hands through shopping trips, but since the prerogatives of fit are altogether different for women's clothing, the results are often sorry. Finally, when you are buying a garment, the retailer has little incentive to tailor it properly, since nobody seeks out a mall store because he's heard they do great alterations. Thus as in so many things, it falls to each man to take responsibility for the fit of his own clothes, and not to be swayed by the prolific selection of poor choices or the dubious influence of models, salesmen, and the opposite sex.
The bottoms should touch your shoes' uppers, but of course must not touch the ground. The most standard length brushes the top edge of the sole at the back, for a slight break in the front. Shorter pant legs, just brushing the tops of the shoes, can look better on the shorter man, and also allow one to show off his socks and shoes should he care to do so. Additionally, men under 5'9" do better without cuffs on their trousers, but should they want them they should be in proportion to their stature, 1¼"-1½", while men over six feet take cuffs 1¾"-2".
If a jacket, meanwhile, is to have any hope of looking good, it must fit correctly in the chest and shoulders. When you stand with your jacket buttoned and arms hanging loosely at your sides, the jacket's lapels should lie flat against the front panels, the buttons should hang close to or rest lightly on your stomach, and your biceps should just barely break the drape of sleeve from shoulder. Of the many other factors involved in fitting a jacket, the chest and shoulders are the most important and the hardest to alter. Your shirt should always be tighter than your jacket, lest you end up with clumps of fabric which have no place to go. The cuffs should protrude ¼"-½" from the jacket's sleeves when you stand with arms hanging; the collar should cover ½"-1" of your neck above the jacket collar. There is of course much more to say about the fit of these and other garments; these points are intended merely to illustrate the basic idea of fit.
Let me note here that buying clothes that fit means buying clothes that fit your body, as it is, and not measuring them to an idealized vision you have of yourself. Many men, when getting measured for a suit, will stick out their chests and stretch their spines, striving toward some idealized masculine figure. Unless this is how you stand normally, though, this is not how you should be measured. You can round your height up an inch on your driver's license, but you only hurt yourself by embellishing for your tailor. Similarly, in certain cultures where weight loss is an obsession, some men succumb to the folly of 'buying skinny.' That is, they buy clothes one size too small, anticipating a perfect fit when they lose weight. This is a dangerous proposition, both for one's bank account and one's self-esteem, and it is also misguided. Almost any shirt, sweater, or jacket that fits you well will still fit well if you gain or lose ten pounds. Pants are the most sensitive, but even these will withstand small fluctuations. When your waistline does shrink or grow by a half inch or more, they can easily be altered, often several inches in either direction. Unless you are still going through puberty, you have nothing to gain by selecting clothes which do not fit your body as it is today.