Choosing a tie color is much more than simply grabbing your favorite standby. A carefully chosen tie is one of the most important elements of stylish attire — the signature clothing piece that sets the entire tone of your outfit.

The Tie Bar offers a gorgeous selection of ties in a rainbow of colors. Our huge array of colors may feel overwhelming but after reading our guide, you’ll feel like a necktie pro and a tie color guru. Our Tie Bar tips and ideas will give you the confidence to choose the perfect tie color for every occasion and outfit.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Tie Color

Your shirt color, suit color, the occasion or event, and even your skin tone are major factors to consider when choosing a tie color. Sounds complicated? You’ll choose confidently with the following tips and ideas.

Matching Ties With Shirts

Should you match your shirt and tie, or go with contrast? A bit of basic color theory will ensure you coordinate with certainty. Just keep in mind that generally, you’ll want your tie to be darker than your shirt.

Solid Shirts:

A monochromatic match creates a classic appearance. Monochromatic colors are tones in the same color. A dark grey jacquard tie looks sharp with a light grey shirt.

A contiguous pairing, consisting of colors next to each other on the color wheel, creates a stylish appearance. A lavender oxford shirt and eggplant colored tie pulls off a fashionable look.

A contrasting color tie makes for a bold look, but can be a bit tricky. The right shade of orange geo patterned tie, like our Tonal Triangle Copper Tie, can perfectly contrast a blue chambray shirt.

Patterned Shirts

Stripes, plaids, dots — the same color theory applies to patterns as it does to solids, but with a twist!

Select a solid tie that picks up a certain color in a patterned shirt. When the tie color echoes a shirt’s accent color, you’ve achieved a unified stylish look.

If the shirt has a smaller pattern, choose a tie with a larger pattern. The opposite is also true — if a shirt has a large pattern, a small pattern tie will make an attractive contrast. Picture our Mellow Meadow Orange Tie with a green pinstripe shirt.

Matching Ties With Suits

Before you decide on the best tie-shirt color combo, also consider the color of your suit.

Matching Tie With Navy Blue Suit

The beauty of a navy blue suit is its versatility. It will pair well with almost any tie color.

For a classic look, complement a navy blue jacket with a burgundy tie and a white shirt. For a bolder style, our Vine Floral Rust Tie and thin blue stripe shirt to offer a bit of contrast.

Explore more ideas for ties that match navy suits.

Matching Tie With Black Suit

Black suits express dignity. Depending on the tie color you choose, black suits can even be considered formal.

A solid color tie in white, black, grey, or silver will impart a distinguished and formal look, while a claret red patterned tie will express a more personalized style.

TIES TO MATCH BLACK SUITS

Matching Tie With Charcoal Grey Suit

The modern appeal of a charcoal suit is undeniable. Like navy, a charcoal suit is a true neutral that will go with any tie color. Colors such as blue or green will complement the suit’s neutrality and provide a more classic look.

A rich burgundy tie can look handsome and provide a striking contrast with a dark charcoal grey suit. A blush pink or mauve tie will pair well with a light charcoal grey suit.

TIES TO MATCH CHARCOAL SUITS

Other Considerations

In addition to thinking about your shirt and suit colors, these factors will make or break the tie color you select.

The Occasion

Coordinating your tie with the occasion or event is every bit as important as matching your tie color to your shirt and suit.

Cocktail party ties give you an opportunity to express yourself with brighter colors, patterns, and motifs.

Wedding ties depend on the level of formality. Formal weddings call for solid ties in subtle, neutral colors, or even a black necktie or bowtie. Casual weddings allow for colorful floral or patterned ties.

Business ties are typically more classic and traditional. Regimental striped ties and subtle tight patterned ties in navy, blue, red, and dark green are best for meetings, presentations, and interviews.

Ties for funerals require an understated look that conveys respect. A dark grey or black tie is always appropriate for a funeral or memorial.

Skin Tone

Going with a tie color that compliments your skin tone is a great way to ensure you’ll enhance your features. Warmer or darker skin tones benefit from contrast. A white or light blue shirt with a burgundy, wine, or terra cotta colored tie will look smart and stylish. Brown, peach, olive green, and orange ties also enhance warm skin tones.

Lighter, cooler skin tones look best in less saturated colors like a light blue stripe shirt with a slate blue tie. Tie colors in greens, yellows, and blues are great complements to cooler skin tones.

How to Choose a Tie Color for Specific Occasions

The tie you would wear to a business meeting will be quite different from the tie you wear to a wedding. Although you may have a vast collection of regimental striped ties that you wear to work, that doesn’t mean you can wear those stripes to just any event or occasion.

Consider the setting and the context of the event you’ll be attending.

Tie Colors for Weddings

Weddings range from relaxed, casual affairs to elegant, formal ceremonies. The level of formality will dictate the color of tie you’ll wear.

Neutral solid ties such as grey, blue, and black work best for formal weddings. A casual wedding may call for a more colorful floral or patterned tie, while a themed wedding, even, gives you the opportunity to select a tie that aligns with the concept. For example, our Grazioso Floral Brown Tie would be a stylish choice for a fall barn wedding.

For some additional inspiration, browse The Tie Bar’s collection of wedding ties.

Tie Colors for Business Meetings

Whether you’ll be heading up a strategic team meeting or interviewing for a job, your business tie should balance professionalism with style.

Regimental stripe neckties in red, blue, or green tend to be classic colors for professional business ties, but branching out to other subtle color combinations can add a stylish touch. But don’t forget to keep your shirt and suit color in mind as you choose your business tie colors.

Bright seasonal pastels and florals are best reserved for date nights or casual weddings.

Popular Tie Colors and How to Wear Them

Some colors, like blue, have universal appeal, while others like red, evoke intense moods or emotions. Black, grey, and silver are neutrals associated with elegance and sophistication. Read on to learn how to choose tie colors and how to wear them.

Black Ties

When elegance and formality are called for, you simply can’t go wrong with a black tie. From solids to subtle weaves or jacquards, black neckties and bowties are refined classics. Explore black ties now.

Blue Ties

Blue is a universally popular tie color that pairs with everything and is essential to every man’s wardrobe. Our Union Solid Slate Blue Tie is stylish with a pinstripe shirt and khaki suit while the Lace Floral Navy Tie can be elegant with a white dress shirt and a blue suit. Even more of our blue ties can be found here.

Purple Ties

The sophistication of a purple tie makes it a great choice for both weddings and business meetings. Purple is a versatile color that pairs well with charcoal, black, and navy suits.

From light lavender ties to deep eggplant, The Tie Bar’s has a wide range of purple ties at your disposal.

Red Ties

Red is the tie color to choose when you want to express power, confidence, and authority. Red is certainly a wise choice if you want to make an impression at a business meeting and looks dynamic with a navy blue suit.

Pink Ties

A pink tie can be a modern look for a cocktail party, casual wedding, or a date night. Because pink expresses playfulness and romance, you can imagine how pink isn’t the best option for a business meeting. Mauve, blush, or dusty rose, explore our pink ties.

Orange Ties

A bit of an outlier in its purest tone, an orange tie is bold and vibrant. Toned down into a subtle rust, terra cotta, or copper, orange hued ties are vibrant with a pale blue shirt and navy suit.

Yellow and Gold Ties

Select a gold or yellow tie when you want to exude confidence. Yellow also expresses cheerfulness and will brighten a navy blue blazer. Shop yellow & gold ties in tones ranging from soft butter to bold mustard. Slant toward vibrant panache with a Grosgrain Solid Mustard Tie.

Green Ties

Since the color green associates with nature, a green tie expresses a stylish look of groundedness. A green tie can pair with a navy suit for a classic look.

However, you can make a unique statement by choosing a green tie to complement an olive suit. In a range from light green to dark, see all green ties.

Brown Ties

Classic and versatile, our brown ties come in a beautiful range of tones. From a soft latte hue to a rich earthy tone, explore brown ties from our collection. Brown ties are fitting for the fall and winter seasons, but a tan linen suit will be elevated by a brown tie for summer.

Grey Ties

A grey tie conveys a timeless sense of fashion. A dark grey necktie with a white shirt expresses discerning style. However, you can also expose your savvy fashion sense by pairing a grey tie with a pastel shirt.

See all grey ties in a range of tones from light pearl grey to rich charcoal.

Silver Ties

The sheen of silver reveals a sparkly elegance, particularly against a black suit. While too formal for a business meeting, a silver tie is an ideal choice for a formal wedding. Explore silver ties in rich tones from platinum to titanium.

White Ties

In tones from purest white to ivory, a white tie is yet another color of elegance, refinement, and sophistication.

The white tie dress code is the height of formality, but a white tie is also a fine choice when a groom wants to complement his bride’s attire. From casual to formal, shop white ties now.

Multi-Colored Ties and How to Wear Them

The versatility of multi-colored ties gives you more freedom to express your individual style and fashion sense. Consider the appeal of ties in combinations of black and white, red and black, blue and green, red and white, and blue and white.

Black and White Ties

The classic elegance of pure white and pure black get an added kick of pizazz when you go with a black and white tie. A black suit, our Dotted Report Black Tie, and a white dress shirt will exemplify your polished fashion sense. See all black and white ties.

Red and Black Ties

Red and black create a bold and elegant color contrast. A red and black tie on a white shirt will elevate a charcoal suit to confident statement attire. Explore red and black ties for more ideas.

Blue and Green Ties

The vibrant, unique appeal of a green and blue tie will elevate a blue blazer and charcoal grey pants. Shop blue and green ties to find the perfect colors that will pair with your jacket and pants.

Red and White Ties

Here is the modern and tasteful look you’ve been searching for. Wear a red and white tie with a light blue shirt to a reunion or job interview. You’ll express effortless confidence wearing our Bar Stripes Red Tie to your networking event. Explore red and white ties now.

Blue and White Ties

The appeal of blue combined with the elegance of white reveal sophistication. Make a discriminating style statement at a business meeting by pairing a blue and white tie with a dark navy suit. See all blue and white ties in beautiful patterns and combinations.

How to Choose a Tie Color Based on Season

Just as holidays, store windows, and florist shops feature colors based on the seasons, the time of the year should influence your tie color choices too.

Spring Color Ties

Spring is when plants bloom into a profusion of color. As you transition from winter, choose tie colors that reflect the signs of spring. Pastels and florals in yellows, pinks, light blues, and greens are classic spring colors that pair beautifully with linen suits.

Summer Color Ties

As you’re immersed in the lazy hazy days of summer, you can wear bright and vibrant tie colors. Bold colors in blue, red, and yellow — or strong patterns and colorful florals — will accent a hopsack or cotton blazer.

Fall Color Ties

Fall is the time to appreciate the exquisite colors in changing leaves, the scent of wood smoke, and the cooler, shorter days. Ties in earthy warm tones like sage greens, wine, terra cotta, and brown can be fitting accents to your fall shirts and suits.

Winter Color Ties

Dropping temperatures, bundling up amid a grey or white landscape — winter tie colors are best suited to dark, rich shades of wine, dark blue, black, and charcoal. Jewel tones like emerald and ruby are striking for holiday parties and winter weddings.

Shop All Colored Ties at Tie Bar

There’s so much more to choosing a tie color than grabbing whatever you have in your closet. Be an astute tie connoisseur and incorporate everything mentioned before, including suit and shirt color, skin tone, occasion, your mood, the time of year, and — most imporantly — your own sense of style.

Now that you’re a savvy, selective tie expert, you’re ready to experiment with various colors, patterns, and fabrics. With our vast selection of over 1,000 beautiful ties, it’s easy to create an exclusive tie wardrobe that is uniquely yours. Why wait? Shop The Tie Bar now!

SHOP COLORED TIES AT THE TIE BAR