Matching Ties to Shirts

Image conscience men must adhere to standards when putting together the right business image. One simple method to ensure this is to correctly match your tie with the right shirt - not just matching the colors. Today’s men are exploring a variety of patterns with their shirts which requires matching patterns in addition to the color. Here are some basic rules.

Traditional Shirts
Solid white, pale blue and light gray dress shirts are standards of a business wardrobe; they're accepted in just about any environment and dress code, and offer a crisp, classic look. They're also very versatile as you can match them easily with most ties. This is a must have for a conservative business environment.

Plaid, Striped and Checkered Shirts
As a general rule, you can wear a striped shirt with a striped tie as long as the stripes aren't identical in size.

Make sure at least one color in your tie matches either your suit, shirt, or your belt and shoes.

Avoid wearing a striped shirt with a striped tie and a pinstriped suit. Matching three similar patterns together is rarely a winning combination

Micro-check Shirt

As a general rule, you can wear a micro-check shirt with a micro-check patterned tie, so long as the patterns aren't identical in size.

Make sure at least one color in your tie matches either your suit, shirt, or your belt and shoes.

Avoid pairing three similar -- in this case, micro-check -- patterns; in other words, don't wear a micro-check suit with a micro-check tie and shirt.