# Plaid Shirt and Striped Tie, Etc. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371 "2014-04-30T16:11:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/21 "2014-04-30T21:05:19Z")
Pattern on pattern is a for-sure thing these days. I work downtown and there are LOTS of guys mixing patterns. It’s mostly a confidence thing. I don’t see a lot of rules. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/22 "2014-04-30T22:59:53Z")
Fashion is for people who don’t have style. I noticed a number of gingham shirts in the window of the Pink store in NYC, with various ties, but I cannot see myself doing that. I like solid or vertical stripe shirts, which go with just about any tie. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/23 "2014-04-30T23:53:47Z")
Just yesterday I wore this combo. [This shirt](http://www.ctshirts.com/men%27s-shirts/men%27s-dress-shirts/Royal-twill-grid-check-non--iron-classic-fit-shirt?q=usgob%7C%7Csn288ryl%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C382,%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C) with a blue paisley tie. It was a little bolder combo than I usually go with, but it worked, and I got a few compliments on the combo. In this day of increased business casual, I honestly look forward to days when I’m presenting, since no one gives me a hard time for looking sharp those days. I was rocking the cufflinks that day as well. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/24 "2014-05-01T19:05:23Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > I noticed a number of gingham shirts in the window of the Pink store in NYC, with various ties, but I cannot see myself doing that. I like solid or vertical stripe shirts, which go with just about any tie. An anti-ginghite?! I’m pro-gingham all the way but it might just be because of the kind of ties I prefer. Shirts with big checks like the Pink shirts or **leftfield** ’s are harder to deal with and I’d just wear a solid color or nearly solid tie, like [this guy](http://www.theory.com/roadster-exmouth-tie/E0172008,default,pd.html?dwvar_E0172008_color=BDA&start=2&cgid=mens-ties-accessories) is doing, but little checks work for me just like solid shirts because most of my ties have big patterns. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/25 "2014-05-02T05:50:15Z")
I don’t think anything is wrong with it as long as it’s not a busy plaid. However, what I’ve seen on TV lately are extremely busy placid shirts, and I don’t like that. Reminds me of the 70s. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/26 "2014-05-02T14:58:32Z")
Tim Gunn wears gingham shirts all the time – typically with a solid tie, but often a pattern and sometimes even a stripe. You just have to be careful about clashing colors. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/27 "2014-05-02T15:34:59Z")
a guy came to my office yesterday wearing a bright blue windowpane check shirt with a crayon green and little polka dots tie. I was trying to decide if he was colorblind. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/28 "2014-05-02T17:04:52Z")
Really, it doesn’t matter. It’s just another trend everyone will regret in 10 years. Dress classic if you want to be able to look back at the picture without cringing. But sometimes cringing retrospectively is part of the fun. ---
**Author:** ![misling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@misling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misling)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/29 "2014-05-02T17:20:03Z")
There was an early 80s trend like this among the girls at college. I can’t remember if it was everybody or only the new wave fans. Anyway, we used to combine plaids, solids, flowered and striped stuff, with leggings or tights. Also floppy hats, as I recall. One example outfit: Black leggings, pink & black plaid skirt, white with blue & pink flowers long vest, pink tee shirt. White sneakers (old style tennis shoes, not running shoes). Blue & pink striped floppy hat. Also: Cellophane hair. It only worked because 1) it was the 80s and 2) we were young and cute. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/30 "2014-05-02T17:32:03Z")
If matched patterns are OK, can we bring back the [1940’s 2-tone sport coat?](http://www.1940s-fashion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/1947-mens-sport-coats-two-tone-mont-catalog.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/31 "2014-05-02T17:34:40Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > If matched patterns are OK, can we bring back the [1940’s 2-tone sport coat?](http://www.1940s-fashion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/1947-mens-sport-coats-two-tone-mont-catalog.jpg) Hah! And people laughed at my jacket idea. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371/32 "2014-05-02T17:38:45Z")
I wish I had a pencil-thin mustache, the “Boston Blackie” kind, or a two-toned Ricky Ricardo jacket, and an autographed picture of Andy Divine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plaid-shirt-and-striped-tie-etc/687371.md?page=1)