Pencil Stripes with Pin Stripes

s4usea · May 4, 2008

Hi,

I'm looking at picking up some shirts and I was wondering what people thought of wearing white pencil-striped shirts with pinstripe suits. Is it too much? Especially with a striped tie?

Most of my suits are blue or charcoal pinstripes and while I'm looking at black and/or navy pencil-striped shirts I don't want to get anything that I'll wind up not wearing.

Thanks in Advance,

Dewey · May 4, 2008

If the stripes on the suit are of even width and evenly spaced, then the stripes on the shirt should be of even width and evenly spaced. A classic candy stripe with a classic pinstripe should work fine. If the stripes on the suit or shirt are uneven - of varying thickness, or of varying distance from one another - then you don't mix in another stripe pattern.

Here I am summarizing that Apparel Arts fold-out that Manton scanned & posted to AAAC some time ago. Sorry I don't have the link.

Film Noir Buff · May 4, 2008

Originally Posted by s4usea

Hi, I'm looking at picking up some shirts and I was wondering what people thought of wearing white pencil-striped shirts with pinstripe suits. Is it too much? Especially with a striped tie? Most of my suits are blue or charcoal pinstripes and while I'm looking at black and/or navy pencil-striped shirts I don't want to get anything that I'll wind up not wearing. Thanks in Advance,
I am not sure if youre referring to white shirts with dark stripes or the reverse. In my opinion, too much worry about wearing three items in stripes close to each other suit/shirt/tie or all striped in a similar gauge is too neurotic for serious male dressing. Sometimes not getting it perfect is more useful. Perhaps from an artisitic standpoint it isnt optimal but were entering the realm of "women's worries and I think men have to take back their own style without becoming too drab. In any case stripey outfits using three striped items is a favorite of both American and English men.

academe · May 4, 2008

I would suggest trying the shirt(s) on with the suit you intend to wear it with, bring a few ties along and see if the combination(S) works for you. It's very hard to tell without seeing the actual ensemble, and sometimes what sounds like it might be fine (or, horrible) in theory actually comes out looking quite good (or, not).

Corinthian · May 4, 2008

Manton wrote a great two part article on 'the other forum' on combining patterns which you might find useful: http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/f...ad.php?t=69451 and http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/f...ad.php?t=69480 (I hope there is no issue with linking to 'competing' fora)

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Pencil Stripes with Pin Stripes

s4usea

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Dewey

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Film Noir Buff

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academe

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Corinthian

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