Fashion is as much related to men as it is to women. Believe it or not, it is equally important for men to dress appropriately on any occasion as it is for women. There are no preconceived gender gulfs here to state that fashion is something that is only related to women.

For men, clothing is one of the most influential ways to express yourselves which inherently helps you in stating your presence. Appropriate clothing is utilitarian especially for men in a formal setting, which should be accompanied by a shirt and tie.

However, in a formal setting, you cannot risk any wardrobe malfunctions because that would make all your efforts go downhill. And by ‘any’ wardrobe malfunctions, we mean even the slightest of ones because in subtleties lie greatest of depths. Therefore, let’s start with the basic, that is, which tie goes with which shirt?

Before embarking on the journey discovering a plethora of shirt & tie combinations, first, you need to be aware of the collar types, and which one suits with a particular kind of tie knot.

Types Of Collar

It is very essential to know the types of collars because the kind of collar you wear decides the kind of tie knot you will have to tie. Although the type of tie knot might seem a little inconspicuous to you, any person talking to you will certainly notice it subconsciously and hence imprint an image of you in their mind.

There are four types of collars:

• Cutaway aka Italian collar

One of the most elegant of shirt collars, it suits a narrow face the best. Out of all the collar types, it has the widest gap, which brings maximum attention to your tie. Therefore, the tie knot requires the utmost care and attention. This collar would require a Windsor tie knot, which is an inverted triangle to cover the gap.

• Spread Collar

This type of collar is very similar to the cutaway but its style suits all face shapes and allows the Windsor tie knot. This style enhances a very casual, relaxed, comfortable look which could look best in a formal-but-casual setting.

• Point Collar

This is the most standard type of collar, which has roots of origin to a military dress. Along with this type, a standard-four-knot tie would look impeccable and would complete your formal look.

• Button-down collar

Any shirt with a button-down collar speaks for its casual, relaxed, style. It does not require a tie, however, many have experimented with this collar in a formal setting, adding along with a tie, to make their own fashion statement.  It was created because polo players did not want their collars to flap in their faces while playing. Now, this collar is less of a need and more of a significant choice.   

Now, when you’ve learnt at least the basics of types of collars, you will need to steel yourself onto the basics of colour patterns required for a shirt and tie combination:

• First and foremost, focus on the colour of the tie. Rather than downplaying the shirt, it should be able to highlight the colour of your shirt.
• Secondly, in the fashion world, ties should always be of a darker shade in relation to your shirt. Only then you will be able to highlight the colour of the shirt.
• Last but not the least, if you have any patterns printed on your shirt, similar patterns should be magnified more on a tie, in comparison to your shirt.

The Complete Guide for Shirt and Tie combination

Every man should have these basic four colours of shirts with them: white, sky blue, pink and black. Here’s a complete guide explaining which ties go with these basics and more. 

1. The Plain White Canvas

This one is as easy as a pie. You can experiment with any solid block colour with a plain white shirt. Moreover, you can also try different patterns, such as dots, checks or any texture as long as it complements with the white shirt.

2. The Sky Is Blue’ Shirt

A sky blue shirt is a standard, classic shirt largely worn in formal settings, which makes it a bit of ennui. Perhaps, you can add a little bit of colour in your ties to make it more interesting and appealing, except the usual darker tones of blue:

• Opt for darker shades of orange with this shirt to make it more stylish and casual.
• Adding shades of burgundy or pink ties can complete your look, giving you a chic and put-together style.
• Experiment with shades of green ties, preferably, dark green, giving you an effortless and sharp look.

3. ‘The Sky Is Pale Pink’ Shirt

If you think ‘pink’ is too girlish for you, then, please throw the thought out of the window, because no other colour can make you look more stylish and suave as fire. An obvious choice with a pale pink shirt is a navy blue tie which complements your shirt and helps you achieve finesse. However, you can also try your hands on with mauve or purple to complete the look.

4. Matching a black shirt with tie

Although black shirts are a little risky to try and match with ties, they can make you look extremely hot and suave, if you have achieved the nerve of styling rules. Perhaps the best way to style a black shirt with a tie is to wear a tonal shade one and complete the look by donning a black jacket.

5. Check Shirts

A check shirt is a perfect go-to wear for a casual as well as business setting. Therefore, selecting a tie that perfectly goes with the shirt is a skill which needs to be acquired. One way of doing that is to check the colours in your shirt, pick one of them and select its darker shade for your tie. Voila! You’re ready for your business.

However, if you want to play more with patterns than colours, then you can certainly give striped ties a shot for these shirts. The key is to pick bold or large stripes which go perfectly well with check shirts. Remember the tie should complement the shirt and not get lost against it.

It is easy to select a suit and buy it, but what’s difficult is to select a matching tie which needs to be fitting to the collar as well. The shirt and tie you wear emanate your personality, therefore you need to give sufficient forethought for selecting whatever you wear.

Also Read: 10 Fashion Tips To Wear Formal Attire