Formal shirts

Former Member

I may be starting an office job soon, so am going to need to buy some new formal shirts and ties. i was wondering what people's opinions on them were.

What do people think of checked or striped shirts, when worn with a tie? Also, what about wearing a white tie with a black shirt, or a black tie with any shirt (isn't that just for funerals?!).

Cheers

Former Member

If you're wearing a checked or striped shirt, stick to a plain tie. Personally, im not too keen on black shirts with white ties If you're not too sure on wearing a black tie, go for a colour similar like a silvery/grey or deep blue or something. Good luck shopping

Oooh you live in Essex...

Former Member

Plain ties with striped or checked, black shirt and white ties are a definite no no. A black tie looks ok with a charcoal grey shirt.

If in doubt flick through a few mags (GQ, Esquire etc) or check out the displays, the sales assistants in formal shops are usually pretty good at choosing the right colours.

What ever you do avoid cartoon ties like the plague! so naff.

Former Member

Originally posted by Young and sexy
If you're wearing a checked or striped shirt, stick to a plain tie.
Oooh you live in Essex...

yep, i'm from essex!

Former Member

mmmmm men in shirts and ties*drool*

Former Member

Originally posted by rockerchick
mmmmm men in shirts and ties*drool*

tell me what to wear and I'll wear it baby

Former Member

Originally posted by openup
Also, what about wearing a white tie with a black shirt

Makes me think of The Hives.

Former Member

Plain shirts are best, cos then you can wear more exciting ties.

Striped shirts just don't go with ties, nor do checked ones really - if you MUST, then wear tiny checks and a plain tie.

And shirts are always best in white or blue, pale pink if you think you can pull it off. Black shirt with white tie is :yuck: imho...

Former Member

Originally posted by rockerchick
mmmmm men in shirts and ties*drool*

I agree

I like black shirts but not with a white tie. My bro wears a greyish tie with his black shirt and that's nice. Checked shirts are cool, but like the others said with a plain tie

Former Member

Originally posted by BritJames
http://www.etonshirts.co.uk/images/shirts/72057901105_250.jpg

I think a plain tie would look better though - but in the colour of the zigzags

That's lovely if you wish to look like a walking magic eye.
Black shirt/ white tie looks a bit prattish to me, but whatever floats your boat.

Former Member

Originally posted by DaisyChainThing
Makes me think of The Hives.

Me too!

I think dark shirts with dark ties look nice. Like you know you can get those black/navy/deep purple shirts that kinda look 2 tone and shiney but feel really soft? Them work with a black tie are nice. I'm personally not too keen on white shirts, but then that's just my personal preference... And like the others said, if you're gonna wear a stripey shirt, wear it with a plain tie and vise versa.

Former Member

Originally posted by BritJames
whoever wears white ties with black shirts is a fool. or in the mafia lol

My brother wears white ties with black shirts. He wears cartoon ties too. He is generally a very amusing/silly person though, so he pulls it off well. He only does it at family 'do's and stuff like that, he wouldn't if he had to wear a shirt and tie for work. If he worked.. :rolleyes:

Men in shirts and ties are oh so sexxeh...mmm....Black is good. As are pale colours with contrasting ties. I don't like white shirts particularly though...

Mmm..men..shirts..mmmm.....

Former Member

As with everything, there are 'rules' on how to wear a shirt and tie.

• NEVER wear a tie that matches your shirt (i.e. colour on colour).
• You can wear a check or striped shirt with a tie. Just make sure that the tie is plain. If you wear a striped shirt and striped tie/checked shirt and checked tie, you will look like an optical illusion.
• You can wear a striped tie with a checked shirt and vice versa, but you have to be careful. Make sure that there isn't a major clash.
• Never wear a short-sleeved shirt with a tie. You'll look like you work in McDonalds. If you get warm, roll your sleeves up.
• Never wear a tie with a shirt that has a soft, button-down collar. That is a casual style of shirt and shouldn't be worn with a tie.
• Don't wear your tie in a footballer's knot (i.e. a really big one).
• Don't wear a black shirt with a white tie. As someone else has already said, you'll look like a member of The Hives.
• Don't wear black or brown shirts with a tie. This look was very popular with Nazi landowners during WWII. Is that something you want to model yourself on?
• Don't where dark coloured shirts. Wear a light coloured shirt with a dark coloured tie.
• The tip of your tie should reach your belt buckle.
• Keep you shirt tucked in. If you feel warm and uncomfortable, loosen your tie and undo the top button of your shirt.
• Don't ever wear cartoon or comedy ties. Nobody can make that look good.
• Don't wear trainers with a shirt and tie.
• Only wear a black tie with a white shirt if you are going to a funeral. Or you're in Pulp Fiction.
• Anything shiney and two-tone is to be avoided.
• Don't wear a shirt and tie with jeans. You will look terrible.

I think that that covers just about everything.

Former Member

Originally posted by squat_tom
I think that that covers just about everything.

I have one more thing to add -

only wear a white shirt if you feel your suit is well made enough, or you look old enough to carry it off. Otherwise you'll look like a schoolkid.

Former Member

Originally posted by Sa-ra-ra-ra
I have one more thing to add -

only wear a white shirt if you feel your suit is well made enough, or you look old enough to carry it off. Otherwise you'll look like a schoolkid.

This is true. My old Spanish teacher wore a white shirt to school once, and ended up being sent out of the building at break with a load of 14 year olds

Former Member

Originally posted by squat_tom
[*]Never wear a short-sleeved shirt with a tie. You'll look like you work in McDonalds

So true!

Former Member

Originally posted by squat_tom
As with everything, there are 'rules' on how to wear a shirt and tie.

wow, i never realised there were so many rules - where di u get all these from?

Former Member

Most of that list I agree with but I'm not sure about all of it.

Take the colour on colour thing, I usually wear a dark blue tie with a shirt in a lighter blue because I'm colour blind and scared of making some awful clashing mess. So I'd say that's okay.

I also wear ties with the button down collar shirts, one to be fair but I don't think there's anything wrong with that - else why is the collar button down? Although to be honest, it's enough of a pain to do in a morning that I'll probably not buy another button down collar shirt.

I agree about the cartoon/comedy ties - HOWEVER, that's not to say you can't have imaginative ties, when I went to Venice a few years back I got my dad a silk tie with paintings of skyscrapers on in a sort of art deco way which I think looks nice.

Former Member

Originally posted by squat_tom

• Don't wear your tie in a footballer's knot (i.e. a really big one).
  
  [/B]

i've always wondered why (and how) they do this.

Former Member

Originally posted by kevlar85
Take the colour on colour thing, I usually wear a dark blue tie with a shirt in a lighter blue because I'm colour blind and scared of making some awful clashing mess. So I'd say that's okay.

Two different shades of the same colour is fine. What I'm talking about is when your shirt and tie and exactly the same shade of colour.

I also wear ties with the button down collar shirts, one to be fair but I don't think there's anything wrong with that - else why is the collar button down? Although to be honest, it's enough of a pain to do in a morning that I'll probably not buy another button down collar shirt.

There's nothing wrong with button-down collars, it's just that they are not very formal. If you are required to dress very formally, then it is better to go with a stiff fold-down collar.

Former Member

Originally posted by openup
i've always wondered why (and how) they do this.

You can buy 'special' ties that are thick and padded. That's the how, but I don't know about the why.

As for where I got that list from, it comes from about two years of reading GQ.

Former Member

Originally posted by openup
tell me what to wear and I'll wear it baby

oooer is that a promise:D

hows about a lovely checked shirt and a plain silver tie:|

Former Member

I know that this thread is dead, but I thought it could do with an update. There is a great article in this month's GQ (Angelina Jolie on the cover) about shirts and ties.

Former Member

Originally posted by DaisyChainThing
Makes me think of The Hives.

And me. Sadly my ex thinks this is the height of cool :eek2:
Just Say No, Kiddies!
I always think plain and simple looks smartest, and is much easier to coordinate when you get up late and have -2 minutes to get ready!