Let's Talk Shirts and Ties.....

Gents, this pearl of wisdom may change your life (or at least get you a compliment from that young lady you've been eyeing)

YOUR SHIRT AND TIE SHOULD COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER, THEY SHOULD NOT MATCH.

There, I said it. Do you see how the words "match" and "compliment" are different (that's very important). Let's begin with the shirt. First of all there are 5 shirts every man must have. A white, a blue, a pink (that's right, man up), a checkered, and a plaid and when I say plaid, I don't mean the lumberjack variety, I'm speaking of a more subtle, smarter, urbane pattern that is more boardroom than Extreme Home Makeover. Begin with those shirts, they are your basics. I will show you how do match a plaid shirt with the right tie. Now your tie should SUGGEST your shirt, not mirror it. If you are wearing a blue shirt, wear a red tie with subtle blue stripes or pindots. If you are wearing a pink shirt, wear a brown paisley print silk tie. GET FAMILIAR WITH THE COLOR WHEEL, the colors that are opposite each other are COMPLIMENTS which means for a shirt and tie combo, they work. Mixing patterns with patterns is ok. If you have on a checkered shirt, then picking a striped tie is good, as long as the checkered pattern and the stripes are of similar strength. And what I mean by strength is that one should not outweigh the other, shirts and ties should be balanced. If you mix patterns (which I encourage) make sure they are of similar width and that the colors are close without being exact and different without clashing. Going monochromatic is OK sometimes but it should not be overdone meaning if your suit is navy, then your shirt and tie should not be. Got it? Good. Now go practice. And stop having your girlfriend do it. You're a grown man, dress yourself.

You see how the example shirt and tie work together even thought the patterns are completely different. The navy stripes in the tie suggest the navy blue in the shirt? (which is really a gingham pattern rather than a plaid) This is how its done. Until next time gents, May the force be with you....
Your main man,
Debonoir