Classic Timeless

Some great tips to identify quality and proper fit in shirts.

Originally English country wear, tattersall (a check resembling tartan), is a classic casual/weekend check.  Most commonly it consists of a light beige or cream field with widely spaced colored checks.

Tattersall is best paired with other items that lean to the more casual.  Trousers such as chinos, cords or moleskin do well.  More traditional, and a touch more formal, would be pairing with a tweed suit.  Traditionally, gentlemen would wear a tweed suit and tattersall when out shooting and in the country.

English tattersall shirts usually wont have button down collars but with the influence of this American trait many have adopted them.  This I see as a fitting feature as the tattersall is a bit more casual than other shirts in your wardrobe.

As for ties, I especially enjoy the pairing of a bold country inspired tie with tattersall.

Classic tattersall is a great way to embrace the coming of fall while still holding true to a classic men’s style.

Wearing patterns in your suit, shirt and tie is a great way to add a little character to your look. When mixing patterns some care needs to be taken when choosing what patterns to wear together. As a general rule you should avoid wearing the same pattern on all items, for example a striped shirt, tie, suit.  An exception to this rule is when all the stripes are different. Notice in the picture below the differences between the stripes in the three items.

I prefer the tie to have the boldest stripes, as in the picture, to help it stand out against everything else.

If you choose to wear both a patterned shirt and tie, such as stripped shirt and a patterned tie, these should be worn with an understated suit.  With so much going on between the shirt and tie a boldly patterned suit could create a look that is too busy.  Remember, the bolder the shirt and tie combination, the plainer the suit should be.  If you want to pair a checked shirt with a stripped suit it is said that the width of the check should be about equal to the width of the stripes of the suit.  In this situation I would suggest a solid or subdued tie to avoid there being to much going on.

If you have a suit with a pattern such as a tweed, check or bird’s eye I suggest pairing it with a more plain tie and/or shirt because of all the texture the suit or jacket provide.  Below-top is a classic combination perfect for the country or the weekend.  Below-bottom is a bird’s eye suit that uses a solid tie to tone down the patterns of the look while still demonstrating bold contrast through color.  The bolder the check or pattern on the suit the plainer the shirt and/or tie should be under it. 

The material of the tie itself also can contribute an interesting touch.  A wool or knitted tie can do what a pattern does by adding texture, even when the color is a solid or very plain.  The most formal ties are silk though.