# Striped shirt and striped tie: Fashion no no? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2008, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872 "2008-12-19T05:54:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grey\_area](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Grey\_area](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey_area)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/1 "2008-12-19T05:54:09Z")
I was watching “25th Hour” (a great movie btw) and in one scene Barry Pepper playing a wall street yuppie-type has this exchange with in an intern: Pepper: You know you’re wearing a striped shirt with a striped tie, you know that right? Intern: Yeah, I do it for the ladies… Pepper: Well do the ladies ever tell you you look like an optical fucking illusion? I personally didn’t think the intern looked funny or anything like that but maybe that’s because I’m generally not keen on these sorts of subtle fashion faux pas. I mean in [this](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/The_Game_by_Mikko_Koponen.jpg) picture the Game is wearing a striped shirt and a striped tie (and suspenders + belt) and he looks pretty damn sharp to me. So can any fashionistas help me out? ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/2 "2008-12-19T06:14:40Z")
All I can tell you is that in that picture you link to, I can’t believe the guy is wearing suspenders _and_ a belt! One or the other please! ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/3 "2008-12-19T06:20:05Z")
I think the tattoos in that picture are a much worse fashion faux pas than the shirt-tie combo. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/4 "2008-12-19T06:21:37Z")
I’m no sartorial expert, but a website I found once (and have lost since) explained that the key was ‘balancing’ the patterns. You would want to avoid patterns that were similar in size, instead using (say) a tie with wide stripes against a shirt with thin stripes. I’m sure someone’ll better explain (or correct) soon. Ah! Heres the website: [Mixing two similar patterns](http://www.mens-fashion-tips.com/mixing-two-similar-patterns.html). ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/5 "2008-12-19T06:47:09Z")
Exactly that. I have a tie with very muted wide stripes, and they go with my bold narrow striped shirt very well. Do remember to match colours, though. I can’t stand shirts with clashing ties… ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/6 "2008-12-19T09:26:23Z")
> [@Grey\_area](#): > > I mean in [this](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/The_Game_by_Mikko_Koponen.jpg) picture the Game is wearing a striped shirt and a striped tie (and suspenders + belt) and he looks pretty damn sharp to me. > So can any fashionistas help me out? Ow! I mean, I’m not exactly a fashionista or anything by any stretch, but ow! That made my brain hurt. Stripes one way. Stripes the other way. Curlicue patterns on the suspenders. My eyes are begging him to just let them rest, just for a minute, oh please please… Waaayyyy too busy. It’s like the guy has an aversion to solid colors. I have a headache now. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/7 "2008-12-19T13:15:53Z")
> [@Grey\_area](#): > > I was watching “25th Hour” (a great movie btw) and in one scene Barry Pepper playing a wall street yuppie-type has this exchange with in an intern: > > Pepper: You know you’re wearing a striped shirt with a striped tie, you know that right? > Intern: Yeah, I do it for the ladies… > Pepper: Well do the ladies ever tell you you look like an optical fucking illusion? > > I personally didn’t think the intern looked funny or anything like that but maybe that’s because I’m generally not keen on these sorts of subtle fashion faux pas. I mean in [this](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/The_Game_by_Mikko_Koponen.jpg) picture the Game is wearing a striped shirt and a striped tie (and suspenders + belt) and he looks pretty damn sharp to me. > So can any fashionistas help me out? Wearing a belt and braces at the same time suggests you have an pathological fear of your pants falling down. One or the other. Patterns should be dramatically different - fine stripes vs bold stripes, and not parallel to one another. I vaguely remember that scene and Barry Pepper was either totally on the money or way off, but I forget which. That picture is really unattractive, too. The stripes are almost exactly the same size and he does indeed look like a fucking optical illusion. If you don’t consider yourself a stylish person an excellent rule is to never wear more than 1 pattern on your tie, shirt, and suit. But don’t wear a patterned suit with a solid tie and shirt - that’s not nice. If you get bored with solid color suits, make sure your shirt is solid and that your tie isn’t the same type of pattern as your suit. So, while you could wear a bold repp stripe tie with a pin stripe suit, if you’re worried about it just wear a non-striped tie. Personally I think a pin stripe suit with a vertical striped shirt is one of the worst looks that nobody ever complains about. It’s my own little pet peeve. You`d be better off in pleated pants and a black belt with brown shoes than a pin stripe suit and striped shirt. Blech. Way to make your entire body look like an optical illusion. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/8 "2008-12-19T14:01:26Z")
Ok, that picture makes my brain hurt. Do not take sartioral advice from gangster rappers unless you are either: A. Another gangster rapper B. Legally blind, so you can’t see how silly you look C. Dion Sanders, so you can’t apparently see how silly you look ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/9 "2008-12-19T14:40:03Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > Curlicue patterns on the suspenders. Just so you’ll know, that’s called _paisley_. ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/10 "2008-12-19T15:25:14Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > …Patterns should be dramatically different - fine stripes vs bold stripes, and not parallel to one another… I think it’s an Uncanny Valley thing – they should be dramatically different OR _exactly_ the same, but to have them be close-but-no-cigar jangles the eye. I remember in the movie _Jungle Fever_, the costumer dressed Wesley Snipes in a shirt-and-tie combo that was made from the same (silk, I think) fabric, and it looked really sharp. IIRC, the fabric was pinstriped, and the stripes ran vertically on the shirt and diagonally on the tie. ---
**Author:** ![Grey\_area](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Grey\_area](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey_area)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/11 "2008-12-19T18:53:53Z")
Heh I guess I’m the only one that likes his outfit. I usually don’t take my fashion cues from gangster rappers, but I figured a photographer would’ve dressed him for the shoot. Maybe he’s committing several fashion heresies but I stand by my opinion that he looks sharp. The outfit probably wouldn’t work on most people (me included), but I think it fits him. Hmm… Maybe it’s not such a bad thing that I’ve let my mom and SOs dress me for most of my life after all… Well anyway, so I guess the best answer is avoid it unless you really know what you’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/12 "2008-12-19T20:39:15Z")
> [@Chef\_Troy](#): > > I remember in the movie _Jungle Fever_, the costumer dressed Wesley Snipes in a shirt-and-tie combo that was made from the same (silk, I think) fabric, and it looked really sharp. IIRC, the fabric was pinstriped, and the stripes ran vertically on the shirt and diagonally on the tie. HA! That’s the pic I was just searching for on google images (unsuccessfully). It was red and white/cream striped and it was a little crazy but looked good. For the regular guy, though, keep one subdued and the other more graphic [http://www.execshirts.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/STBLLBDA.gif](http://www.execshirts.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/STBLLBDA.gif) [http://media.burton.co.uk/wcsstore/Burton/images/catalog/19K04SBLU\_normal.jpg](http://media.burton.co.uk/wcsstore/Burton/images/catalog/19K04SBLU_normal.jpg) too much: [http://www.laquaimage.co.nz/members/1515562/uploaded/too\_much\_vibration.jpg](http://www.laquaimage.co.nz/members/1515562/uploaded/too_much_vibration.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/13 "2008-12-19T20:47:01Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > too much: > > [http://www.laquaimage.co.nz/members/1515562/uploaded/too\_much\_vibration.jpg](http://www.laquaimage.co.nz/members/1515562/uploaded/too_much_vibration.jpg) Sometimes. You see a lot of that type of shirt and tie pairing in GQ or Esquire and that would be hard for most people to pull off, but it could be done if you were rail thin, had a fashion forward hairstyle, and had a job doing something that didn’t require going to work for a conservative profession like a lawyer or an accountant. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/striped-shirt-and-striped-tie-fashion-no-no/477872/14 "2008-12-19T20:55:55Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > Wearing a belt and braces at the same time suggests you have an pathological fear of your pants falling down. Or that you want people to think you have a HUGE secret hangin’ in there, to protect at any cost (usually the opposite is true). Regarding the stripes: as others have said, it’s ok, as long as the stripes aren’t similar in thickness or intensity, or really clashing colors. And what’s the point of wearing a tie clip that high? Your tie will still end up in your soup. And that tattoo is just wrong. This guy is apparently marketing himself as some sort of fashion “maverick” . . . he should know how sick we are of that word.