A little help here

[Kittiwake30]

Three mysteries I'm hoping you might be able to solve for me. Scooby snacks for those who can lend some insight.


1) I've ordered this shirt http://www.ctshirts.com/men's-shirts/view-all/Blue-_and-red-Prince-of-Wales-check-classic-fit?q=usddefault||SC179BRD|||||||||||||&ppp=278 and am wondering if it could be worn with a suit? I have a couple of solid ties (including navy one not unlike that pictured) and my suits are all solid, including charcoal, grey and a navy one with a very subtle, almost invisible pinstripe.


2) I am hearing mixed messages on the buttondown and tie, whether this can be worn with a suit or only a sport coat?


3) I see people wearing their tie clips at a 45 degree angle. Is this dandyism or common?

[tomservo]

My 6 cents.


1. I think so. Definitely gray and charcoal. Might be a little too much with the navy unless it's a very dark navy. Tie could be tricky. Definitely keep it solid, and not blue.


2. Button down and tie is okay for me, just know it's more dressed down. Keep the tie more casual and on the thinner side. Suit would be fine but again, casual. No baker pinstripes.


3. WTF. Keep your tie bar parallel to the ground.

[hornsup84]

1. I think a light gray suit would go pretty well with the shirt (including with a navy tie, as shown). Tough to do too much else with a tie though, as another pattern may get pretty intense. Navy suit/blazer could _possibly_ work if it's a fully solid navy, but then I'd go tieless so that you didn't look too matchy.


2. Are you saying a buttondown collar with a tie? Or asking whether just wearing a buttondown shirt (such as this one) and a tie is appropriate? The button collar/tie I think is fine, although I prefer to wear more formal collars when I do dawn a tie. As to wearing only a shirt and tie, I tend to think it looks too IT/tech for me (sorry to those readers in IT/tech, but you know what I'm saying). Some shirts and ties (for example, oxford cloth with a knit tie and tie clip) can be worn more casually without a jacket, but this shirt looks dressier than that. I feel like you may look like you're going to Sunday school (at age 8) trying to pull it off.


3. I only rarely wear tie bars myself, but I have seen the occasional angled bar. The common/norm is to wear it straight. It pretty much is dandyism, as you put it, to wear it otherwise. That being said, if you want to, rock it.

[Kittiwake30]

Thanks for the help, gents. Yes, to clarify, I'm talking about wearing a buttondown, tie and suit in combination and not the shirt I posted specifically. I keep hearing it discouraged but also see it worn in plenty of places by people you figured are in the know when it comes to that. As for angled tie bar, it's just curiosity, have no intentions of trying it. You see it all over the place on style blogs, didn't know if this was a new trend or the subjects were all hammered whilst affixing their tie clip.


I'm learning hard lessons on the shirt and tie no coat unwritten rule. It's just not always comfortable to wear a coat and I've been trying to follow the lead of Mark Zuckerberg's "wear a tie every day for a year", but amended for workdays only.

[pratyk]

And the link you posted is not a button down shirt. Button Downs are what you have when the collar has buttons to be fastened to the shirt as in the picture below:





I personally don't like button down collars on suits. It could work with a Blazer though.


As far as the shirt you linked to, I think it'd go best with a Navy suit or a Light Gray suit (with Navy Tie) as hornsup suggests..

[Kittiwake30]

Thanks. The buttondown question was unrelated to the shirt I posted. If anything, I'm buying less buttondowns. Sorry for the confusion.

[pratyk]

I have a few buttondowns (Checked, Madras, etc.) and I love them. They absolutely have their place (even at work for Thursdays/Fridays) and work great with a cotton suit or a blazer but for some reason, I don't see them jiving well on a formal suit. I've seen many a people wear an expensive suit but end up wearing a ocbd and that is a very anti-thetic look.

[bruschetta]

Kittiwake30, the shirt you posted is a bit too casual for a suit.


To answer your second question, button-down collared shirts are considered casual and aren't generally worn with a suit.

[Bookman]

I agree with bruschetta on both counts. The shirt really calls for a sportcoat...


The angled tie bar is an Esquire/GQ thing that started a bit ago. I don't think wearing the bar at an angle or perpendicular to the ground would ever make too big a wave with anyone....the most important element is to remember to place the bar b/w the second and third button on your shirt.