The ultimate guide to shirt and tie combinations
Words: Alex Woodhall
Matching a shirt with a tie, it can’t be that hard, can it? One glimpse around a tube carriage at 8 o’clock in the morning says it is. Most men are required to knot up five days a week, yet still can’t get to grips with which sartorial noose looks good around their neck.
What makes this worse is that the prominence of a tie makes it one of the first things people notice. Most of us aren’t inclined to just stare at strangers’ faces or, in fact, make any sort of eye contact on public transport at all, so attention is drawn ever so slightly south.
In short, that strip of silk, hand rolled or not, is rather crucial to how you’re perceived, and first impressions count for quite a bit.
Tie tips
- Your tie should always be a darker shade than your shirt
- A novelty tie is never ok
- Stay away from anything too shiny or too skinny
- Your tie should be as close in width to your lapel as possible
- Always favour silk or wool over polyester, or similar man-made materials
White shirts
You’ve essentially got free rein here – unless you’re encroaching over any of the rules laid out above. The white shirt is a blank canvas, and while a solid block colour tie is always the safest option, a striped club tie, polka dot or similarly patterned piece would work here.
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