# Best tie/shirt color combination for navy suit



## Mayday924 (Nov 18, 2005)

Alright guys, first of all I want to say thank you for the suggestions on picking out a suit. Before my budget was only five hundred dollars and I had planned to buy three suits for three hundred dollars from the Hollywood Suit Outlet. I did go there but I wanted to see how Brooks Brothers suit felt compared to the Hollywood suit out. There was no competition, Brooks brothers felt better and looked better. I ended up buying the three button BrooksEase Navy jacket with BrooksEase Navy pleated pants for a little less than 500 but I feel it's worth it.

Anyways, now I want to find a good tie/shirt color combination. I have a bunch of ties but their from Ross and don't look that great with this navy suit. I want to know what color ties and actually what suggestions you guys have. Also, regarding shirts I want to know what brands are good and yet inexpensive. Something smoother than the Geoffrey Beene shirts that I have.


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## kidkim2 (May 31, 2004)

Brooks has a white shirt with a navy check. Try one of these with a silk Black Watch tie (also at Brooks) to give your navy suit a soupcon of je ne sais quoi. Don't forget a white linen pocket square!


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## Brooksfan (Jan 25, 2005)

In today's mail I received the Brooks Winter Clearance catalog. They have at least 10 or 15 great looking shirts that would go with a navy suit. If you're near the store go back and look at the catalog or try going online. I think their winter sale ends today but that just clears the decks for the clearance. They have three or four luxury shirts that sold for $108 that are now $54 and all would work well with your suit.


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## JRY (Mar 22, 2005)

Mayday924,

Sounds like you got a nice RTW suit at a decent price.

I'm a big fan of pink-colored shirts (Hilditch & Key in particular)with my navy suit. Pink and navy go together beautifully. With this, I like to wear Ben Silver's "Royal Sussex 4th Battalion" regimental stripe #R198, midnight blue with thin begonia stripes. Works every time. Go to https://www.bensilver.com and plug-in R198 in the search function to view this tie. You'll look smashing,  I promise!

Regards,
JRY-John

"There are many ways in which to break a plate, but only one way to put it back together." - Howard Roberts


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## ashie259 (Aug 25, 2005)

I second JRY's suggestion - I love pink shirts with navy. I wear them with a navy tie with some pink in. Looks great. Substituting lilac for pink also works well. And don't forget the pocket square to finish it off!


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## clothingconnoisseur (Oct 9, 2005)

Mayday924

I would suggest a few white and blue shirts as well as blue stripes and checks before venturing into pink. Pink does look great with a navy suit but you should probably go for more versatile shirts until you build up your wardrobe. White or blue herringbone patterns are also great. You have a wide variety of ties to choose from - burgundy and yellow backgrounds with navy pattern are safe bets. More adventuresome choices are base colors of lighter/brighter shades of blue, rust, gold, silver (not grey) and even green. I would avoid navy ties with a navy suit because they usually just don't look good together and I would avoid red ties because I really just don't like them - but that is just my preference.

Either medium brown, black or burgundy shoes and belt will work and that is my order of preference. Socks should be navy, over the calf and if patterned can pick up another color in your outfit (i.e. navy background socks with a small burgundy pattern with a burgundy tie).

Hope this was helpful.


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## schmooly (Jan 7, 2005)

I love the Lighter Blue Shirt with Solid Silver Woven tie and Matching Solid Silver Pocket Square, For a better idea of how this looks, check out the Thomas Crown Affair " Pierce Brosnan Remake" 
It also helps that he had one of the world's finest tailors and T&A Shirt to boot
BTW, If you like this look, I might be able to help you out in regards to a solid Silver/Gray T&A Tie
Let me know,


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## Mayday924 (Nov 18, 2005)

Thank you guys for all the suggestions. You know I never thought I would buy a pink shirt but now I'm starting to like the idea of it. I'm definitely going to be buying some new dress shirts and ties. I'll probably post up some pictures for you guys to see.

By the way for my job interview pink isn't a good color to go with right?


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## gindrinker22 (Sep 11, 2005)

DO not wear pink to an interview. White is the only color that should be worn with a conservative tie.

Jeffrey M. Widzinski


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## Magicman (Oct 6, 2005)

Pink herringbone shirt, navy tie with pink polka dots or pink lines/accents of some kind OR a light blue shirt with solid pink tie. Toss in a pocket square in complimentary color, or white/off white, particularly if the suit is pinstriped! One of my favorite looks, especially once spring hits!


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## thinman (Jan 21, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by Mayday924_
> 
> Thank you guys for all the suggestions. You know I never thought I would buy a pink shirt but now I'm starting to like the idea of it. I'm definitely going to be buying some new dress shirts and ties. I'll probably post up some pictures for you guys to see.
> 
> By the way for my job interview pink isn't a good color to go with right?


If you want the shirts for business, then white and blue are the way to go because of their formality and versatility, with some stripes and checks thrown in for variety. But for social occasions, you can't beat a pink shirt and a tie where pink is the minor color. For a job interview, *don't wear pink*. I would wear white or *maybe* light blue for an interview. Check the three links from Andy's main page (or buy his CD, "Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes", for color coordination ideas. He has some more good suggestions.

Best regards,
thinman

"I criticize by creation, not by finding fault."â€"Cicero


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## bigCat (Jun 10, 2005)

I'll second the "white only for interviews" rule.

If there is a second interview you may go with light blue, depending on observations during first interview. You need to make a call, do you want to signal consistency or creativity! [8D]


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## summej2 (Dec 19, 2005)

I'll add that your complection is a big factor. I have blond/brown hair and a pale complection. In a navy suit and white or off-white shirt any tie that has too much contrast (like red or burgandy) puts the focus on my clothes and not me...I end up looking like a kid dressed up. In contrast, I have woven tie with deep yellows to match my hair and some blue to evole the suit and that tends to draw the eye to my face and make me look more confident. For an interview that sort of an effect could be important. Flusser talks about it quite a bit in his latest book and I've found it to be dead on.


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## kidkim2 (May 31, 2004)

If you end up opting for a pink shirt (a good idea, I think), make sure it's pale, pale, pale. And don't forget to match it with your grey suit. With grey, pink is hot! Also good with brown . . .


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## Horace (Jan 7, 2004)

How about a white shirt, avec tennis collar, and a black grenadine tie?


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## floutist (Jan 9, 2006)

I'd have to see the suit, up close. Many, many different shades of navy. You're always 'safe' with white . . . I love some navy suits, with taupe. A cream colored shirt is lovely with navy . . . softer than white, very smart.


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## Stuttjukken (Jan 14, 2006)

When I use my navy suit, I use white or pale blue shirts and a dark simply colored tie (black or navy). Stripes on the tie is OK, of course.

Short and stout/heavyweight busdriver in Bergen, Norway. My favorite clothes are polywool trousers.


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## coatandthai (Jan 18, 2004)

Never wear white shirt with navy suit, it looks terribly boring and cliche. Ecru or cream is far superior for a serious look, while light blue is sportier. Also, IMHO if you are interviewing for job and the potential employer would make a hiring decision based on the color of your shirt, I suggest that you either have a lousy resume or you're interviewing at a lousy employer. At my firm, new hires start at $135K plus bonus. At that salary, we look well beyond the color of the shirt or the cut of the suit to make hiring decisions.


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## Acct2000 (Sep 24, 2005)

What a lot of interviewers do is to become apprehensive if you are not serious enough in your dress for an interview.

White might be cliche and boring, but it is safe in this situation.


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## floutist (Jan 9, 2006)

2000 . . . that's how I felt, too . . . white lights up the face. It's never in bad taste. Might not be 'haute,' but for an interview, I think white shirt / navy suit is fine. I do prefer cream or ecru, from an aesthetic point of view.


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## smr (Apr 24, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by Mayday924_
> 
> Also, regarding shirts I want to know what brands are good and yet inexpensive. Something smoother than the Geoffrey Beene shirts that I have.


You could pick up a Brooks Brothers oxford cloth shirt (very good in my opinion--not on sale, though). They are not too expensive. BB is having a clearance sale right now, so you might check out their downtown LA, BH, or Century City stores to see if you can find anything else interesting that is on clearance--I once found some nice shirts at the CC store that had been made for someone else but they fit me perfectly and were made of a 140's fabric (less than $30 each). You might even try the Camarillo or Cabazon outlets BB or Polo store if you have time to take the trip (if you go, also check out the Off Fifth Saks Fifth Avenue outlet). As to Ross Dress for Less, the LA area stores get BB shirts periodically, or at least they used to. Also, you might call Ascot Chang on Wilshire to see if they are running a sale right now. For cheap ties, Marshalls and TJ Maxx right now have some BB factory seconds for $15. On most of them, I could not even find the irregularties. While there, you could also see if they have any RL Polo dress shirts for $40 or less. Loehmann's is worth checking, too, for RL. Two other choices that are inexpensive and better than GB: Lands End, and some members of this site have mentioned the Italian Kirkland and Hathaway shirts at Costco.


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