How to Choose a Tie Colour That Matches Your Suit

The rule isn't to match your tie to your suit; it's to choose a contrasting colour that suits it. Pick a tie that's a shade darker or lighter than your suit, in a colour that also appears somewhere in your shirt. For a navy suit, choose burgundy, forest green, or dusty pink. For charcoal or grey, most colours work, but navy or deep purple looks best. For a black suit, which you should mostly wear only for formal events, choose silver, deep red, or a black tie with a subtle texture.

Why "Contrast, Not Match" Is the First of the Tie Matching Rules

Most tie matching rules follow the idea that your tie should be a different colour from your suit. A navy tie on a navy suit looks like one block of colour, with no clear line between the two. 

A different colour improves the outfit's appearance, similar to how a plate of food looks better with more than one colour on it. 

"Matching" doesn't mean choosing the same colour; it means choosing a colour that complements your suit's colour, without repeating it.

How to Match a Tie with a Suit: The Three-Colour System

A well-dressed outfit usually has three colours, each with a different job. Your suit is the main colour. Your shirt is the background colour. It’s usually white, light blue, or a soft pastel. Your tie is the one part suited to a bolder colour.

For example, navy suit, white shirt, burgundy tie: main colour, background colour, standout colour. If you then choose a tie with six different colours in it, the outfit has two things competing for attention, and looks messy. Keep two of the three parts plain, and let only the third be bold. 

Savile Row Men's Tailored Fit Abram Stripe Suit in Navy

Jenson Mens Tapered Fit Shiraz French Cuff Business Shirt in White

James Adelin Luxury Oxford Weave 7.5cm Tie in Dark Burgundy

Shirt and Tie Colour Combinations That Always Work

A few combinations reliably work:

• White shirt with almost any tie colour. White is a neutral colour. It suits any tie colour, and it suits navy, black, and grey suits equally.

• Light blue shirt with a burgundy, navy, or olive tie. Blue makes dark ties look warmer and less harsh.

• A finely striped shirt with a plain tie. If your shirt has any pattern, the tie should be plain. Two patterned items together usually look too busy.

• A cream or ecru shirt with deep colours like burgundy, forest green, or plum. These combinations suit events where you want to dress more formally.

The general rule: the busier one item is, the plainer the other two should be.

Matching a Tie with a White Shirt and Black Suit

This combination causes more mistakes than any other, because black suits are worn for very different occasions and the right tie colour depends on which one it is.

For business meetings or daytime formal events, choose a silver, charcoal, or deep burgundy tie. For black-tie events, choose a black tie with some texture, such as a jacquard weave or fine dot pattern, rather than plain flat black, which can look cheap under bright light. Avoid bright or pastel-coloured ties with a black suit because the contrast is too extreme.

Texture and Pattern, Briefly

Colour is only one part of choosing a tie; texture and pattern matter too. A plain tie in a knitted or grenadine fabric has more visual interest than a flat silk tie in the same colour, which is often why it looks more expensive. 

If your suit and shirt are both plain, a tie with a subtle pattern, such as small dots or thin stripes, can improve the outfit. But if your suit or shirt already has a pattern, choose a plain tie instead.

Compare Ties in Person

If you'd rather view your options directly, Men's Suit Warehouse has a tie collection you can browse, ranging from classic to bold designs, so you can compare colours against your own suit.

For ties that suit most navy and grey suits, see James Adelin ties and pocket squares. For bolder designs, see Otaa's neck ties and bow ties. 

For a more expensive-looking finish, Hugo Boss ties are a good choice. If you're dressing for spring racing events, the Derby Day ties and accessories collection is designed for that.

FAQs

Should a tie be lighter or darker than the suit? 

Either can work, as long as there is contrast between the two colours. A dark suit suits a lighter tie, and a light suit, such as grey, allows a darker tie. Avoid choosing a tie the same colour as the suit.

Can I wear a patterned tie with a patterned shirt?

It's difficult to do well. If you try it, use patterns of different sizes, such as a finely striped shirt with a larger-patterned tie, for example, and make sure they share at least one colour.

What tie colour goes with a navy suit? 

Burgundy, forest green, dusty pink, and grey all suit a navy suit. Navy is one of the easiest suit colours to match, making it a good place to start a tie collection.

Is it okay to match my tie and pocket square exactly?

It's usually best not to. An identical tie and pocket square can resemble a matching set sold together, which looks old-fashioned. It looks better if the pocket square shares a colour with the tie but has a different pattern or shade.

What tie colour is safest for a job interview?

Navy or burgundy, worn with a white or light blue shirt. Both look professional without being too bold, and match almost any suit colour you're likely to wear to an interview.