Tie w/ no Jacket

When you are wearing a tie with no jacket, wear a tie bar. It helps the tie look grounded to the outfit and literally keeps it "grounded" or attached to the shirt. This keeps the tie from looking out of place and helps tie the outfit in together. We at Dandy Fashioner believe that ties must be worn without jackets, so just throw on a tie bar to keep it looking right.

In the picture, notice also the use of multiple patterns in the outfit. Bold striped shirt, blue tie with red anchors and a small plaid to the pants. By following the rules of patterns, the outfit works well together and is not over-powering to the eye.

It also has just the right amount of sprezzatura: rolled up sleeves, undone & crooked tie and multiple patterns. The outfit looks thrown together, but took some planning to make it all fit together well.

Multiple Patterns - shirt and tie

Wearing multiple patterns at the same time is all about wearing complimentary patterns and colors. A blue striped shirt with a blue polka dot tie is attractive since the blues in both patterns are complimentary and the patterns don't clash. Two competing plaid patterns would fight against each other and be distracting to the eye.

Keep it simple. Focus wearing a simple patterned shirt: striped, windowpane, tattersall or gingham check all can be basic patterns and easy to pair with a tie.

The tie should have a simple pattern. A polka dot tie, a rep tie, a horizontally striped tie, a simple plaid or a minimalist paisley tie will work best. Most of the tie should have a solid color that is in the same hue as the shirt. The other color or colors in the tie should be in the same family of colors or a complimentary color.

Lastly, wear a plain suit with clean lines. Stay away from the herringbone, striped or windowpane check for the suit. A simple suit will add balance to the outfit and give the eyes a safe place to rest. The simple suit will act as an anchor keeping the outfit grounded.

Start with something safe before branching out to the more daring. Remember you must be comfortable and confident to be able to make the outfit work.