Which tie with which suit: the colour guide
A colour guide to ties: what works with navy, black, grey, brown and green suits - shown with ties from our own collection, and the two rules that make the choice look effortless.
House of Vinterberg · · 3 min read
Two rules carry this entire guide: the tie should be darker than the shirt, and it should speak with the suit rather than shout over it. The rest is combinations, and we go through them here, colour by colour - shown with ties from our own collection, all handmade in silk. Click a tie to see it up close.
With a navy suit
The navy suit is the most flexible backdrop in the wardrobe. Burgundy is the classic partner - deep, adult and never wrong. A brown tie makes the whole warmer and less formal, and rust is the autumn alternative when burgundy feels predictable. Avoid black with navy: the contrast is too hard in daylight.
With a black suit
Black belongs to the evening, and the tie should follow: black for the formal, burgundy when the evening is less strict. Keep patterns small. And if the invitation says black tie, the answer is not a tie at all but a black bow tie.
With a grey suit
Grey carries more colour than anything else. Burgundy, navy, brown and a clear red all stand sharply against grey - and the lighter the suit, the stronger the tie colour can be. The grey suit is where you wear the ties the rest of the wardrobe cannot.
With a brown or beige suit
Earth tones want earth tones: rust, warm brown and the pale yellow for summer's beige. And navy is the calm contrast that gathers the whole when the rest is warm. Cool, shiny colours fall flat against the warm cloths.
With a green suit
Bottle green has become a self-assured choice, and the tie should stay calm: brown, rust or navy. Green tone on tone needs a tie in a clearly different weave from the suit's - when in doubt, choose the brown.
Pattern, weave and occasion
Solid ties with texture in the weave are the most flexible and carry both a suit and a blazer. Stripes and small motifs belong to the office and the everyday, and the larger the pattern, the less formal it reads. If the tie is going to a wedding, this guide covers the guest - our wedding guest suit guide takes the rest.
The details that gather the whole
The pocket square should never match the tie one to one - choose a tone from the same family instead. Read on in our guide to ties and pocket squares, and see how the tie is tied once the colour is chosen.
Frequently asked questions
- Which tie colour goes with a navy suit?
- Burgundy is the classic choice for navy - beyond that, brown and rust. Avoid black, which sits too hard against navy in daylight.
- Which tie goes with a black suit?
- Black for formal evenings, burgundy when the setting is freer. If the invitation says black tie, wear a bow tie instead.
- Which tie goes with a grey suit?
- Grey carries the most colour: burgundy, navy, brown and red all work. The lighter the grey, the stronger the tie colour can be.
- Should the tie and pocket square match?
- No. Choose tones from the same family, but never the same cloth or the exact same colour - a perfect match looks bought, not chosen.
Talk it through with us at the Showroom.
Book a no-obligation appointment and get advice that starts from your occasion and your wardrobe.
