While the tie has largely remained a staple in the discerning gentleman’s wardrobe, design types that are in vogue have often fluctuated, some for fashion reasons, others for a mix of function and fashion. Striped ties have waxed and waned in popularity, and one can understand why.

Not only are other, bolder designs now on offer in the market place, but matching a striped tie against the increasingly popular checkered shirt, now seems like an arduous task. Solids constitute classic neckwear, and geometric / foulard patterns will serve you in any corporate setting and then some, but there are few patterned ties that can add intrigue and be worn with a range of suits and shirts, without having to worry too much about the ability to mix and match patterns.

Polka Dot Ties and Pattern Matching

Cue the polka dot tie. These ties comprise of a largely spaced dotted pattern that will contrast well with narrow striped, smaller checkered or solid shirts, and virtually any suit pattern.

As I have mentioned in previous articles on matching ties to suits and shirts, when it comes to pattern , proportion is absolutely critical. Hence, the spacing of your pattern on your tie should contrast significantly with the spacing of the pattern on your suit and shirt.

Therefore, a polka dot tie may not go particularly well against a window pane shirt (larger checks with larger spaced polka dots), but will pair perfectly well with a finely striped shirt or smaller checkered shirt. In summary, a polka dot tie will pair well with the following shirt patterns:

Solid Shirts

Given that solid shirts are the most versatile shirts in a man’s wardrobe, a polka dot silk tie will pair perfectly with any solid shirt, provided that the color scheme is right. More about color theory with regarding to matching ties to suits and shirts can be found here.

Narrow Striped Shirts

Given the wider spacing of a polka dot tie, a narrow striped shirt becomes a natural complement, with the wider spaced polka dots contrasting perfectly with a narrower striped shirt.

Smaller Checkered Shirts 

Similar to the case above, the wider spacing of a polka dot tie (along with the fact that it is a completely different type of pattern), contrasts well with the smaller checkered shirts.

When to wear a Polka Dot Tie

So when can one wear a polka dot tie? Barring the most formal of occasions, a polka dot silk tie can be worn in virtually any setting. Whether it be work, a wedding reception or on a night out, this tie will make you look the part. What is of importance is choosing the right color for the right occasion.

Work Related Events

Whether you are wearing your tie for daily work, an important meeting or a presentation, a burgundy, grey or blue polka dot silk tie will help build a sense of trust and affinity, both of which are extremely important in a professional setting!

The Dark Knot's Newport Dots Burgundy / Silver Silk Tie

Cocktail / Wedding Reception

While the above colors such as blue, grey and burgundy can work in a formal but social environment, you can also choose to experiment more with color and opt for a lilac, yellow or green polka dot silk tie! If it is a Spring or Summer Wedding, a lilac, pink or light blue polka dot silk tie could work, whereas a mustard yellow or green polka dot silk tie would be an ideal complement for a Fall or Winter Season Wedding.

Casual

When out during the day on the weekends or an evening out with friends, virtually and colored polka dot tie will work with your ensembles, whether it be a suit, a pair of chinos with a shirt or just your shirt and trousers. What will be of paramount importance is that your polka dot silk tie is color coordinated with the rest of your ensemble. As a general rule of thumb, a red, pink, burgundy or navy tie will go best with a blue shirt, while a blue, or grey tie will work with a pink shirt. You can learn more about color coordination with our article: “How to Match Ties to your Suits and Shirts.”

An alternative to the silk polka dot tie is the knitted silk polka dot tie, which has become increasingly popular over the last couple of years. With the aesthetic (square ends of ties) and textural variation (knitted fabric) that comes with knitted silk ties, a polka dot knitted silk tie will look ideal when on an evening out or on a date night!

To view our range of Polka Dot Silk Ties that will seriously elevate your dapper game, please click here.

Pin Dot Ties

The smaller variant (younger brother) of the Polka Dot Tie, the pin dot tie is also a welcome addition to any gentleman’s formal wear wardrobe. In contrast to polka dot silk ties, pin dot silk ties comprise of a narrowly spaced dotted tie pattern. Pin Dot Ties are generally considered more formal than polka dot silk ties, and will work virtually in any setting.

So what shirts will work with a pin dot tie. In general, shirts with larger spaced patterns will contrast well with the narrower spacing of a pin dot tie.

Solid Shirts 

Given the versatility of solid shirts, a pin dot tie will pair perfectly with any solid shirt, given that the ties are color coordinated. You can read more about color coordinating shirt and tie combinations here.

Wider Striped Shirts

The spacing of a wider striped shirt will perfectly complement the narrower spacing of a pin dot tie. This is in contrast to the polka dot tie example (where wider spaced polka dot ties pair well with narrower striped shirts).

Larger Checkered / Windowpane Shirts

The larger spacing of a larger checkered / windowpane shirt will also contrast well with the narrower spacing of a pin dot tie.

To view our range of Pin Dot Silk Ties, that will make you look exceptionally smart, please click here!

And that's a wrap for this one! I hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!