10 Essential Ties for Business
A working wardrobe needs fewer ties than you might think, provided they are chosen in the right order: tone first, then pattern, then colour. These ten cover a full working week and then some, from the boardroom on Monday to something warmer by Friday. Each comes with a formality score and the jackets it sits best with.
Burgundy & White Micro Dot Silk Tie
The small spot has been correct in British offices for the better part of a century.
Works with Navy, charcoal or grey jackets.
Navy & Pearl Diamond Silk Twill Tie
If you own one navy tie, it should probably be this one.
Works with Grey, charcoal or navy jackets.
Navy, Green & Gold Medallion Madder Silk Tie
The navy ground sits with a charcoal or navy suit as though it had been planned that way from the start.
Works with Charcoal or navy jackets.
Claret & Steel Grey Stripe Silk Tie
Enough warmth to anchor a midtone suit, with none of the club-tie overtones.
Works with Mid-grey, blue-grey or navy jackets.
Bordeaux & Pearl Puppytooth Silk Twill Tie
Claret’s quieter relation, with a texture you only notice on a second look.
Works with Navy, charcoal or grey jackets.
Burgundy & Blue Micro Dot Grenadine Tie
A woven texture that catches the light differently as the day goes on.
Works with Navy, grey or charcoal jackets.
Tobacco & Blue Medallion Silk Tie
Warm and authoritative at once, which is harder to find than it sounds.
Works with Navy, grey or brown jackets.
Copper & Oxford Blue Stripe Silk Tie
A navy-based stripe, with copper that picks up brown shoes nicely.
Works with Navy, grey or brown jackets.
A plain navy for the days when the shirt or the suit has something to say.
Works with Grey, charcoal or brown jackets.
Burnt Yellow & Blue Floral Repeat Silk Tie
Ends a well-dressed week on a confident note.
Works with Navy or mid-blue jackets.
For the thinking behind the edit, and how to pair each tie with a pocket square, read the full guide in The Journal.
