Plain suits or plain shirts & ties?

[adamgottschalk]

I recently bought two suits; neither is busy, but both have subtle (classy) patterns. It just so hapens all my ties and all my dress shirts are solid colors. I've thought about it, been looking on TV and movies, on the street, etc. and it seems that most guy these days think to have a plain suit with a plain shirt and put all their flair into the tie. I can't imagine wearing anything but a plain shirt and tie with the two suits mentioned.

If I had a plain, solid-color suit, I would add pizzazz in my shirts. But ties? I just feel like, in my world, ties should be plain. IMHO, there are too many ties out there with outlandish patterns; I think, at least in part, it's part of a misguided effort to get guys wearing "colorful accessories" in the thought-to-be bland world of suits and ties.

How do others feel? Are you inclined more to wear patterned suits and plain shirts & ties, or plain suits and patterned shirts & ties? Both (and why not)? What do you like to see others wearing?

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I would say, wear what you're comfortable in and it will become your style. Personally, I wear tattersail shirts with tartan ties with a houndstooth patterned suit. I have many repp ties and other regimental stripes and conservative, though colorful patterns, which I wear with pinstripes and glen plaids. One of my favorite combinations is a blue pin-stripe suit with a plain white shirt and a silver (that matches the pin-stripe color) tie. That is totally money.

None of this includes my vintage ties, which are all patterned.

 

[shindeco]

I agree with Mr. Jones: wear what makes you comfortable, otherwise it will looik like a costume (no matter what you wear).

Almost all of my ties are vintage and I wear them with everything. Many of them are quite vividly patterned but they go well with quite conservative suits. I've never had any negative reactions...

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Plain suit, plain shirt, plain tie would be a relatively safe combo, so long as you have some eye for colour mixing. That's why most people go with it. That, and it's relatively conservative - good for a business setting.

I prefer to mix my patterns. It can end up looking really dumb if you're not careful, but a little attention will produce a fantastic combination. My ties stretch the range from solids to crazy wild 40s patterned. Shirts, from plain to pinstripe to tattersall - even floral patterned can work quite well.

It's all about how the colours and patterns interact with each other. Each should stand on its own, but not detract from the others. You don't want it to look like the whole outfit is a canvas on which is splashed the tie.Similarly you don't want the suit pattern to overwhelm the shirt/tie.

Add a boutonniere and you're off to the races!!

bk

 

[Senator Jack]

If we're not talking about a sporty look, I now exclusively wear solid shirts no matter the pattern of the suit. I used to have a lot more vintage striped shirts than I do now, but as they got worn out, I never replaced them, and it's rare when I'll buy a striped shirt these days. Yes, they have a very mod look about them - very Michael Caine - but to me the stripes are overpowering. Perhaps I'm just getting older. (I've cut out most of my sharkskin for that reason)

I kind of see the shirt as the bass and drums for the suit, tie, and pocket square now, as well as the cufflinks. In a band situation, somebody has to be the basement, the foundation, and that is the bass and drums. I let the suit and tie build the attic.

Of course, it's all personal preference and style. As I've written before, I love the look of the elderly black man in a plaid three piece suit. If I try it on, I look like a used car salesman.

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[adamgottschalk]

Thanks for the input gents

Baron Kurtz, I guess the "balancing act" is something I'll begin working on. I like nice patterns--I just don't want to look like a greenie.

Senator Jack, I like the analogy of drums and bass (being a jazz bass player myself (and singer)). Thanks for the opinions. Much appreciated.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I don't see anything wrong with mixing patterns, but since my favorite type of tie is a striped repp it rather limits my choice of shirt patterns to subtle or small stripes.

 

[herringbonekid]

i like to throw quite a lot of patterns together, in a way that looks as i've just grabbed the nearest things off the back of a chair, but of course is actually carefully considered.
i like a lot of interest, and contrast, but subtly done.

 

[PenMan]

I am a huge fan of glen plaids, ultra-fine tweeds, etc. so I confront the same question all the time. I stand by the 'no more than two patterns' rule. I.e., with a patterned jacket either the shirt or the tie has to be solid. This 'rule' is of course not being currently observed by the trendy, but I can't bring myself to wear striped jacket, shirt and tie. I try, if I am wearing a solid jacket, to have texture or stripes in my shirt--meaning that I have a number of checked or herringbone shirts.

I agree that three solids can work if the colors are right and that a single patterned/striped works well, esp. solid jacket and shirt with patterned/striped tie. But my favourite remains 1 solid and 2 patterns.

Right now I am wearing, with apologies for those who have attacked it as a preppy look on other pages, a silk blue-gray jacket and pink glen plaid-textured shirt with open collar and off-white pleated slacks. If I had a tie on it would definitely be striped. By the way, believe it or not, in my area, with its goths and grunge, this is out there.

Now, what do you do about the shirt and tie if you're wearing black and white glen plaid pants (with a subtle blue line woven in) and a navy jacket?

 

[adamgottschalk]

Suggestions for shirt/tie for this jacket

Suggestions, please, on what shirt/tie combo might look nice with this jacket (my most "ornate", of three total (including 2 suits)).

 

[Senator Jack]

I have nearly the same jacket, but in a black and white combo. Match it with a bright white starched shirt and a narrow red tie. But look for more of a brick red than a bright red. It's a late 50s early 60s look, so try to match it up with a stingy brim hat. Don't forget to toss a white pocket square into the breast pocket. I've found the TV fold works best for this look. Ditch the jeans and get tapered black slacks. You'll be a razor cutting through the city.


Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Now, what do you do about the shirt and tie if you're wearing black and white glen plaid pants (with a subtle blue line woven in) and a navy jacket?

Funnily enough, i was wearing such an outfit today. The black/white glen plaid trousers had no overcheck, and the jacket was black.

The shirt was a brown & beige on white tattersall. The tie was a rather groovy 40s 'kipper' tie with brown and beige apostrophes and some curving wide lines in brown shades. Worked quite well. Brown and black can go together!!

I'm afraid i've never heard of the no more than two patterns rule. My record is seven - jacket, waistcoat, trousers, shirt, tie, pocket square, newsboy cap. It worked alright, but it was a little busy.

bk

 

[adamgottschalk]

I have nearly the same jacket, but in a black and white combo. Match it with a bright white starched shirt and a narrow red tie. But look for more of a brick red than a bright red. It's a late 50s early 60s look, so try to match it up with a stingy brim hat. Don't forget to toss a white pocket square into the breast pocket. I've found the TV fold works best for this look. Ditch the jeans and get tapered black slacks. You'll be a razor cutting through the city.
Regards,

Senator Jack

Nice idea. I was thinking a rust/deep orange might work too. I looked on eBay and found not much but 100% polyester. I did find this one, though, on Amazon, a little spendy ($47), but all silk and I think it's a brick sort of a red. Oh, and I really only wear stingy brims, so I think I might have to buy a few narrow ties to go with.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I would suggest taking that jacket to a tailor and having the sleeves altered, by the way. Right now they are rather too long. It is an easy and cheap alteration, pretty much anybody can do it.

 

[adamgottschalk]

Shorten sleeves, yes indeed

I would suggest taking that jacket to a tailor and having the sleeves altered, by the way. Right now they are rather too long. It is an easy and cheap alteration, pretty much anybody can do it.

Thank you, sincerely, for pointing that out. I was just noticing that fact in the picture of me. This jacket and both my suits are going to the tailor as soon as I come up with the bread. Last week or so, I've been blowing my spare money on trinkets, vintage cuff links and stuff. Turn of the month, tailored, and proper, and right.

 

[Senator Jack]

As I had written in the thread about style icons, I'm continually influenced by minor characters in film in television: the gangster that has one line, the photographer that says 'Hold it.' I can't remember the picture I stole the checked coat/red tie/white shirt bit from, but I remember the character being British and of no importance to the plot. I think he was a thug too.

Believe it or not, the red narrow/white shirt combo also goes with a grey suit. I saw Gregory Peck wearing it in a film (it might have been Designing Woman) and I tried it out. It looked great!

That does look like a nice tie. Is that new or vintage? (yes, I have come across new narrows) It looks to be the right width too - some narrows are too narrow. They got crazy there for a while. If you're just getting into narrow ties, you would do well to avoid the 80s lot that were manufactured in response to the 'New Wave' look. The 60s silk are harder to find these days, but I think $47 is a bit high. Plus, there's nothing even embroidered on it. (I'm fond of subtle of geometric shapes or chessmen that sit at the chest) Still, it does look like a tie that will hold up.

As an alternative to silk, you can look for acetate which you will find for a lot less. I've had dozens of acetates over the years and most held up pretty well. The price was always right too. .25 cents to a $1.00. You can sometimes still hit the jackpot on these at thrift stores and estate sales. When you get back to NY you can of course find them at every vintage store where you can expect to pay between $10 and $20 for the better ones.

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[EL COLORADO]

50's suits were the ultimate era for patternless "plain" duds.
The busy and bold patterns of the 40's were replaced with big, flat warm tones in the 50's.
By that time ALL the double breasteds were stripeless.

But when the 60s rolled around,..patterns came back,...but in a more subtle,...cooler way. And the 60's also introduced the element of fabric sheen for the first time,..with Dacron and camelhair and sharkskin.

Either way,...I love em all.



EC

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Even in the 1930s and '40s, some actors almost always wore plain shirts and ties. Cary Grant is one example. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. is another.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

At the opposite end was the Prince of Wales/Edward VIII/the Duke of Windsor, who never met a pattern he didn't combine. Perhaps the only times he wore a white shirt were during Eton and on his wedding day.