Esquire's Cheat Sheet to Always Nailing Your Shirt and Tie Combinations
The easiest way to punch up your work wardrobe is by pairing the right tie with your shirt. Here, four foolproof ways of matching colors and patterns with each other.
Solid plus solid
Instead of the more common contrast combo, try an analogous pairing of similar shades for a more sophisticated look. Pink, for example, can go with either a red or a purple. Shirt and tie by Hackett.
Pattern plus solid
Pick a color family from your patterned shirt. Find a tie in the similar hue. The light and dark blues of this multi-colored striped shirt match the shade of the (faintly striped) tie. Shirt and tie by T.M. Lewin.
Varying patterns
A bigger pattern on the shirt and a smaller pattern on the tie. Or vice versa. It’s that easy. Shirt and tie by T.M. Lewin.
Varying pattern sizes
Similar pattern sizes confuse the eye. The slimmer vertical lines of the shirt do not clash with the thicker diagonal lines of this tie. Shirt and tie by Hackett.
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