How to Mix & Match Your Suit Colors: Men's Guide

Are you ready to take your wardrobe to a new level with more creative color and pattern combinations? Would you like to be able to confidently mix and match your suit colors with a variety of shirts, ties, pocket squares, and other accessories?

Mixing and matching your clothing in colors and patterns that harmonize with your suits maximize your wardrobe potential, give you more versatility in your clothing choices, will ensure you look put together, and showcase your unique personal style.

This comprehensive guide is designed to help you

• Learn how to match suit colors by understanding color theory.
• Master how to mix and match suit colors in harmonious combinations.
• Discover some handsome and handy mixing and matching styling tips for various occasions.

Understanding Color Theory for Suits

The Color Wheel and Suit Combinations

The color wheel provides a clear and understandable visual of color theory. It can be immensely helpful in knowing how to color-match suits with the right color shirts, patterned or colorful ties, and your other accessories.

The primary colors — red, blue and yellow — cannot be created from other colors, thus are the essence of color theory.

Based on the primary colors, three basic color groups will help you mix and match your clothing.

• Monochromatic Colors: Tints and tones of one color are monochromatic colors. Think of garnet, crimson, rose, and pink — all tints and tones of red. The variation of one color hue is created by adding white for a tint (pink), or black for a tone (garnet).
• Analogous Colors: The colors on either side of a primary or secondary color are analogous. With red as a primary color, the analogous colors would be red-orange and red-violet. Analogous colors of blue are blue-violet and blue-green.
• Complementary Colors: Colors opposite of one another on the color wheel are known as complementary colors. Green and red, blue and orange, yellow and purple are common examples. Beware of mixing clothing with complementary colors — the result is a very bold look, best saved for social or casual occasions.

The Role of Neutrals in Suit Mixing

Neutral color suits provide the essential foundation of a versatile suit wardrobe. Black, navy, gray, brown, and beige suits can be paired with almost any color shirt, tie, or accessory.

A selection of classic neutral suits should be included in any gentleman's closet because they provide the base to mix with monochromatic, analogous, and complementary colors — giving you a wide range of outfit options and looks.

Essential Color Combinations for Suits

Navy Suit Combinations

Shirts: White, light blue, pink, and light lavender shirts are pleasing matches with a navy suit. Depending on the level of formality, you can also consider those colors in stripes, checks, and other small patterns.

Neckties: Burgundy, wine, gold, and warm yellow ties are attractive with a navy suit. Of course you'll also want to take your shirt color into consideration when deciding on the color of your tie.

Outfit Ideas: Formal occasions call for more subtle colors such as a white shirt and burgundy tie. For business-casual occasions, pair your navy suit with a light blue shirt and a soft gold patterned tie. Discover the best color ties for a navy suit.

Gray Suit Combinations

Whether your gray suit is in lighter tones or a deep charcoal, many shirt and tie color combinations are handsome with gray.

Shirts: Just about any color shirt will work with a gray suit. White, light blue, pink, lavender, purple, and even yellow dress shirts will be terrific complements.

Neckties: Keep the color wheel in mind to decide if you want your tie to be a monochromatic shade of your shirt, an analogous color, or a complementary color. A gray suit will be a solid backdrop for any of those choices. Find the best color ties for a charcoal suit.

Outfit Ideas: A light gray shirt with a dark gray tie is a monochromatic matching that will give a more subdued, formal look. Analogous colors such as a blue shirt with lavender tie will provide interest and be appropriate for business meetings and presentations. A purple shirt with a gold tie will create a bolder look best suited for more casual work occasions.

Black Suit Combinations

A black suit is ideal for formal and semi-formal settings but versatile enough for almost any occasion.

Shirts: A crisp white dress shirt is a classic choice to wear with a black suit for a formal occasion. Try a subdued color, such as light blue or lavender, to tone down the formality when attending semi-formal occasions.

Neckties: When worn with a white shirt, a solid color silk tie in gray, ivory, or burgundy will elevate a black suit to formal wear. Choose a tie with a pop of color or pattern for more casual settings. These are the best color ties for a black suit.

Outfit Ideas: As mentioned above, wear your black suit with a beautiful white dress shirt and a burgundy tie for formal occasions. Step down the formality and pair your black suit with a subtle micro patterned dress shirt and a colorful patterned tie for cocktail wear.

Brown Suit Combinations

The warm feeling of a brown suit gives it a relaxed sense while still remaining polished.

Shirts: Dress shirts in earth tones enhance a brown suit. White adds an elevated sense of sophistication, and complementary shirt colors like blue, green, and pink add interest. A brown suit gives you tremendous versatility in the shirt colors you can wear.

Neckties: Again, choose a necktie based on the color of your shirt and decide if you want to go with the more refined monochromatic color scheme, the interesting analogous colors, or bold complementary colors. Sage green, russet, old gold, oxblood, and tan are great options. These are some of the best color ties for a brown suit.

Outfit Ideas: Try a rich olive green tie with a white dress shirt for a refined grounded look that fits serious occasions. Or go with a light blue shirt and a russet tie for a polished look at business events. A pink shirt will look handsome with a light brown suit and a burgundy tie for a wedding or a cocktail party.

Advanced Color Mixing Techniques

Advanced color mixing creates stylish and creative outfits! Once you learn a few color and pattern mixing tricks and tips you'll never be reluctant to mix patterns and colors again.

Mixing Patterns and Colors

Whether you're aiming to mix a patterned suit with a patterned shirt, or a patterned shirt with a patterned tie, remember that scale and proportion are vitally important.

• The pattern scale of each item should vary.
  • Do mix a large scale plaid suit with a small scale shirt pattern, such as a micro stripe.
  • Do mix a small pattern shirt with a large pattern tie. For example, a blue pinstripe shirt will look great with an olive green large floral tie.
• Proportion
  • Ensure your collar, tie width, and lapels are correctly proportioned.
  • A narrow tie worn with wide suit lapels will look awkward.

Seasonal Color Combinations

Wearing seasonal colors makes sense. Deep burgundy and russets look out of place in the spring, as pastels seem wrong in the fall and winter. Simply think of mimicking your wardrobe hues with the colors of the season.

Spring and Summer:

Light blues, pinks, yellows, soft golds, and light greens are terrific pastel choices for spring and summer shirts and ties. Cottons, linens, and lightweight natural fabrics are best suited for warmer times of year.

Fall and Winter:

Olive green, deep blue, burgundy, rust, and rich gold shirts and ties are wonderful color choices for fall and winter. Wools, flannels, canvas, and heavier tightly woven fabrics are the best choice for cooler months.

Accessories and Color Coordination

Choosing the Right Tie Colors

To choose the right tie color to go with your suit and shirt, first decide on the category of color harmony you want for your outfit.

• Do you want a monochromatic look where your suit, shirt, and tie are all in various tones and tints of the same color?
• Or do you prefer an analogous color scheme that will provide a bit of variation in color?
• A complimentary color scheme will provide the boldest contrast and if chosen carefully, can result in a stylish, adventuresome look.

A patterned tie is a great way to ensure harmonious colors between your suit, shirt, and tie. Choose a tie that echoes both the colors of your suit and your shirt. Notice how Cooper Paisley Chocolate Brown tie with blue accents would pull together a brown suit and a blue dress shirt.

Coordinating Pocket Squares and Other Accessories

Stylish pocket squares provide just the right accent to balance and complete an outfit. A pocket square shouldn't match your tie, but complement it.

Pull together your outfit with other accessories that enhance your ensemble. A tie bar, interesting socks, cufflinks, or suspenders can create a finished look that's thoughtful and polished.

Color Matching for Different Occasions

Business and Formal Events

Monochromatic and analogous themes provide the best color combinations for formal and professional settings. With formal and professional wear, it's not about showing off patterns and colors, but about choosing restrained colors in quality fabrics.

• Professional settings call for quality dark suits, a white or subtly colored dress shirt, and a silk tie in a solid color or a fashionable pattern.
• Exhibit your formal style sense with a finely tailored black tuxedo jacket, a crisp white dress shirt, and a dark silk tie in plum or crimson.

Want to express your personal style while adhering to a formal or professional dress code? Add a refined pocket square, cufflinks, or suspenders.

Casual and Social Occasions

If you love design, color, and a touch of flair, casual and social occasions are a great venue for exhibiting your fashion sense. Analogous and complementary color schemes give you a chance to be more adventurous and creative with your wardrobe.

You can wear the same beautifully tailored navy suit that you wore to a formal wedding, and simply dress it down with interesting color pairings and casual and fun ties. 

Tips for Perfecting Your Suit Color Combinations

Reading about combining colors is one thing, but the very best way to see what works for your skin tone and personal style is in front of a mirror. Start with a core color suit then try combinations in monochromatic hues — navy suit, light blue shirt, and a dark blue solid silk tie.

Continue experimenting with various shirt and tie combinations. See how analogous and complementary color mixes work as well. The mirror won't lie — you'll clearly see what looks great, what looks meh, and what you should avoid.

Although you can research what theorists say about skin tones and clothing, the rule of thumb is to wear colors you love and enjoy. The best clothing pieces are the ones that make you feel pleased and confident with your choices.

Elevate Your Style with The Tie Bar

To build a versatile wardrobe that enhances your personal style, choose suits in core colors. Then select dress shirts in each color category — monochromatic, analogous, and complementary — to match or complement each core color suit.

The almost endless array of tie colors, patterns, and fabrics will pull your look together and provide inspired outfits for formal, business, casual, and social occasions. When you explore The Tie Bar's collections of suits, shirts, ties, and accessories, you can create ideal color and style combinations for any mood and any occasion. Take your wardrobe to a new level with The Tie Bar!

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