Deciding Between Patterned or Solid Ties

 While suits are usually neutral in tone, it seems to be the shirts that most men have trouble matching with their ties. Here are some rules to consider when putting together your look.

Match solid ties with patterned shirts. This is probably one of the easiest rules to follow. While it’s fine to match a solid tie with a solid shirt, you can make your look stand out even more by wearing say, a solid purple tie over a white shirt with lavender stripes. Or put a solid red tie over a white shirt with red checks.

Match small patterns with large ones . Many men are afraid to try this, but the results can be very striking. If the shirt has a large pattern, wear a tie with a small pattern, such as a fleur de lis tie, and vice versa. If the shirt is a neutral color, it almost doesn’t matter what color the tie is, as long as the fleur de lis tie pattern is striking and noticeable.

Repeat colors in the pattern. If your shirt is one color, you can pick a contrasting solid tie, or pick a patterned one with a complementary pattern. For example, if you are wearing a pale pink shirt, you can choose a dark blue fleur de lis tie upon which the fleur de lis are also a pale pink.

Vary weights in the patterns. It’s okay to wear a shirt and tie with the same pattern, but the patterns should be different sizes. For instance, your shirt can have small slim stripes and a complementary tie will have broader stripes.

Let checks get larger as they go outward. Wearing checks together can be a difficult look to pull off, but you can do it successfully if you follow this simple rule. Wear a shirt with small checks, then add a tie with larger checks. In this case, you definitely want to be sure that both are in the same color scheme. The two check patterns will create enough interest that you don’t need to worry about using color to do it as well.

When deciding whether to wear a solid tie or a patterned tie, such as a striped, checked, or fleur de lis tie, it’s important to keep a few rules in mind. Match solid ties with patterned shirts, match small patterns with large ones, repeat colors in the pattern, vary weights in the patterns, and let checks get larger as they go outward. Keep in mind if you use a classic design like a fleur de lis tie, you can usually match the color of the design to the color of the shirt for a clean and classic look. When used correctly, patterned ties and shirts can be used very effectively to add interest and style to your wardrobe.