How to combine tie patterns with clothing and other accessories is often a common question at some point when developing your personal style. A bit of basic knowledge will take you far, as well as knowing how to debunk popular myths. In this text, we will provide you with a good knowledge base, enabling you to intentionally experiment with patterns on your own.

Solid ties are often a safe choice, and always right. Patterned ties however, are a good means for adding depth and life to an ensemble when appropriate to do so. You have probably seen both good and bad examples on patterns combined. Knowing how to combine patterns the right way, is often the key to take your style to the next level.

Myths about patterns “you mustn't combine”

It’s often common that partners, parents or other family members “teach” the aspiring wearer of ties which patterns “must never be combined”. Most often, this advice is unfortunately unfounded and based on lack of actual knowledge. I’ve basically heard everything from that two checkered pattens, two striped patterns or checkered and striped never should be worn together. All of course completely wrong and irrelevant. An initial good counter question is usually: How often is the person lecturing you, actually wearing ties themselves?

How to combine patterns

When learning how to combine patterns in clothing and accessories, the starting point is knowing you should always combine patterns of different scales. Then, there are also some patterns that complete each other better than others, hence are easier to combine. If you wear a shirt with narrow Bengal stripes, your tie should have a wide striped or a large scare checkered pattern. If your shirt has a fine gingham checkered pattern the stripes or checkered patterns of your tie should be of a larger scale, and so on.

If you wear two checkered patterns or two striped patterns of the same scale alongside each other, the patterns often clash, resulting in a very busy, messy visual impression. If you combine patterns of noticeably different scales, it’ll most often look good. After a while of applying this way of thinking, it all often naturally fall into place and become second nature to you. With this level of innate understanding, you can then start experimenting with some more challenging own new compositions.

Patterns that go particularly well together

Patterns are of course very much a matter of personal preference and taste, like so many other things regarding style. When combining patterns however, there are some classic mixes that appeal to a greater number of well-dressed people than others. Many of them have also become personal favouries over the years. In the following paragraphs, we’ll list some of these, giving a good starting point for your own experiments.

Combine dotted ties with striped or checkered garments

Dotted ties, often referred to as “polka dots”, work remarkably well combined with both striped and checkered shirts and suits. If your blazer has for instance a dense houndstooth pattern, a sparse dotted pattern tie will complete the houndstooth. In this context, the scale of the dots themselves also has some significance. In general, smaller dots in a sparse pattern are easier to wear. The larger the dots, the more confidence and sense of style they take of the wearer to pull them off in a laid-back manner.

There is always a very fine line between a striking, well executed large scale dotted pattern, and impersonating Bozo the clown. A good start is a small scale, white polka dot pattern worn with a white shirt and a white cotton or linen handkerchief. Next step would be combining this dotted tie with a white striped shirt.

Combining the Paisley pattern.

Paisley is a classic pattern formed by clusters of drop-shaped figures, in patterns resembling stylized floral arrangements. Solid, woven paisley patterns are a in interesting low key way of making a solid tie come to life in a very subtle and stylish manner. Paisley patterned ties work remarkably well worn with striped and checkered blazers.

The paisley pattern works extra well worn as handkerchiefs alongside striped, checkered or dotted ties. Wearing a tie and handkerchief of different colours and patterns show a next level sense of style, instead of the safe choice of wearing a hank and tie made of the same fabric. This is a whole new subject in its own right, that we will elaborate on here in more depth, eventually. Then we will look at the harmony between both shirt and jacket, as a canvas to the tie and hank. The devoted style enthusiast then also adds a knitted vest to the mix.

With these words, we’ve gently scratched the surface on how to combine patterns, but at the same time mentioned some of the corner stones of knowledge on the topic. By applying this way of thinking in combination with previously mentioned words on colour combination, you’ve made a leap on the way of creating your own, interesting tie combinations. After all, we stopped letting someone else picking our clothes, deciding what we are to wear, at an early age? Do not hesitate to ask us questions either via email, or on our Instagram @tieroom !