Matching dress shirt and tie colors with personality/character?

[SoloRouleur]

I am finally making a conscious effort to develop my personal style and upgrade my wardrobe. I have been a tshirt and jeans type of guy forever, but I think it’s time to grow up.

I have been doing a lot of research on style, dressing better, etc. (Flusser and Roetzel books, research on the internet…)

The issue I am having is choosing dress shirt and tie combinations. The main problem I am struggling with is color.

First, let me describe myself…
If I were to describe my personality, it would be “Rugged, old school”. A man of few words, deep voice, slow moving, and “built” physically (wide shoulders, muscular arms, tree trunk legs etc). Doesn’t get excited, lower energy in general. Picture an 80 year old man trapped in a 25 year olds body. My hair is usually short and done very “simply”. My fragrance is usually leather or tobacco based. I think you can see the kind of guy I am. Definitely not “Modern” or GQ in any sense of the word.

So, here’s lies the problem I am dealing with…

When I wear white and blue dress shirts, it looks OK but I think some other colors would be better with my skin complexion.

When I am tan in the summer, I look like a southern Italian man with brown skin. But in the winter, I am very pale.

I want to try out some pastel colors, like brighter pinks, greens and even yellows maybe. I also want to try out some brighter ties.

But, I am not so sure that these colors match my personality.

For example, when I think of someone wearing a pastel colored shirt with a nice, bright tie, I think of someone who is outgoing, chatty, charismatic, and probably has a floral or fruity scent. (Cologne) This is clearly not me...

The main thing I am trying to avoid is having my clothes look like a costume and having a disconnect between who I am, the way I act and the way I am dressed.

Imagine if Chuck Norris was wearing a tangerine colored dress shirt with an equally “bright” tie. It may be a nice outfit, but it just wouldn’t match his personality.

Am I correct in assuming that to wear bright colors, you have to have a more outgoing, flamboyant, bright personality?
Does anyone who has more experience with putting together outfits have any experience with this? Am I overthinking this?

Thanks in advance

 

[YRR92]

You are massively overthinking this.

You say you don't want your clothes to appear to be a costume, but by concerning yourself so much with only wearing clothes that perfectly project your self-image, you are in effect doing exactly what a costume designer would. If you decide you don't like to wear bright colors, that's fine. Personally, I don't like bright colors in tailored wear* -- I find the subtle, deep colors make up a big part of my attraction to classic style (though I'm a big supporter of slightly off-the-beaten-track colors, like purple striped shirts or dark green ties). The thing is, I'd say I'm outgoing, chatty (to a fault), and at least moderately charismatic.

Anyway, you shouldn't go overboard on the colors in tailored gear, because there's a 90% chance you'll look A) ugly and B) like a highly unsophisticated dresser. A light pink shirt? Of course -- in terms of dressing, it's just a blue shirt that happens to be a light shade of a warm color, rather than a cool one. A tangerine shirt with a tie? Don't pass go, don't collect $200. A brighter tie? Depends on your line for "brighter." I find ties in very bright colors look out-of-balance with nearly everything, and are very difficult to wear well. Bright colors in pocketsquares can work well, but I think they work best in a relaxed, casual rig sans tie. Even then, they're not really "quiet good taste," which is a reasonable goal.

*At least, above the waist. I'd rather wear purple corduroy trousers than an orange shirt.

 

[archibaldleach]

You are definitely overthinking this. I'm sure our clothes say something about it, but I don't think wearing a pink shirt makes one seem any more or less outgoing or charismatic than wearing a light blue or white shirt. Charisma and personality are reflected in your attitude and body language, not your clothes. Focus on what looks good on you when you are picking out clothes. Everything else will work out however it works out.

I think in general, people who are new to wearing tailored clothing should start playing it safe and slowly mix in things that are a bit less safe. If you are worried something looks like a costume, it probably does, but mostly because you are uncomfortable in it, not because of what it may or may not say about your personality. Ties are also a better way to add color and a bit of risk to an outfit than shirts IMO.

 

[eluther]

Someone who is actually "rugged" or "old school" wouldn't concern themselves with triflings like "Does my shirt and tie combo match my personality?" or "Pastel shirts better match my complexion..." or "What does my scent say about who I am?"

Chances are, your self-conception as rugged and stoic isn't apparent as you'd like to believe. Be less precious about yourself.

 

[Tomboys]

LOL. Sorry, I mean this with the utmost respect, but your post sounds like an excerpt from Cosmopolitan Magazine. Stuff like, "Looking for love? Wear those bright red pumps and tight black dress with the **** up to there. That combo will make you feel hot and the men will be attracted to you like moths to a flame."

In all seriousness, the best thing you can wear is a smile. Combine that with laughter and confidence and you'll be surprised how people will tend to gravitate towards you regardless of the color of your clothes. It's at that point, you'll get the opportunity to show them the "real" you.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Typical harsh Style Forum response. He's hardly overthinking. In most settings, clothing should be flattering to the wearer's physical features and personality, while accurately reflecting the latter. The comments about Chuck Norris vs. upbeat and outgoing are quite right. In this case, the solution might be simpler than it seems - avoid very bright colors as solids but mix them in as patterns (e.g., a yellow-blue striped tie), wear colors like plum and light green as solids, and wear only one colorful piece at a time.

 

[TM79]

It's not really overthinking, guys.

It would look weird for someone to dress like Label King and have the energy of a sea tortoise.

If you can't see that then I'm really not sure what to tell you.

 

[conradwu]

Someone who is actually "rugged" or "old school" wouldn't concern themselves with triflings like "Does my shirt and tie combo match my personality?" or "Pastel shirts better match my complexion..." or "What does my scent say about who I am?"

Chances are, your self-conception as rugged and stoic isn't apparent as you'd like to believe. Be less precious about yourself.

Pretty much this.

I think it's quite ironic that you want to achieve an "old school/rugged" look but are so conscious about it. A 80 year old dude or some bearded lumberjack up in Canada would probably give less than two ***** about what people thought about how he matched his clothing.

 

[archibaldleach]



It's not really overthinking, guys.

It would look weird for someone to dress like Label King and have the energy of a sea tortoise.

If you can't see that then I'm really not sure what to tell you.

Label King in all fairness is a bit of an extreme. Something more simple like wearing a pink or lilac shirt is not going to make you appear to have a totally different personality. Sure, one can go overboard but still. Most of these basic choices (unless one is making 2-3 aggressive style choices with each outfit) aren't going to have a dramatic effect on how OP is perceived.

 

[mistertoad]

Nothing helped me developed my style more than websites like Pintrest and Tumblr, believe it or not. All it takes is just noodling around these sites, finding pictures that catch your eye; shopping and endlessly trying on clothes you have no intention of buying, and using a reliable tailor. Dressing, I think, shouldn't be too intellectual; follow your gut and make sure it fits well. Let us know how the search goes!

 

[SoloRouleur]



Someone who is actually "rugged" or "old school" wouldn't concern themselves with triflings like "Does my shirt and tie combo match my personality?" or "Pastel shirts better match my complexion..." or "What does my scent say about who I am?"

Chances are, your self-conception as rugged and stoic isn't apparent as you'd like to believe. Be less precious about yourself.

Pretty much this. 

I think it's quite ironic that you want to achieve an "old school/rugged" look but are so conscious about it. A 80 year old dude or some bearded lumberjack up in Canada would probably give less than two ***** about what people thought about how he matched his clothing.

I am not trying to "achieve" anything - that's the way my personality and image already is...

I need to start dressing for professional environments due to my age, but more specifically a new business I am starting, and I want to make sure I put my best foot forward without looking like a clown or a try hard.

And yea, I am Canadian and have a beard (about 2 inches in length, not one of those overgrown stubble looks that most people call beards nowadays...)

Thanks everyone for the help so far...

 

[conradwu]

I am not trying to "achieve" anything - that's the way my personality and image already is...

I need to start dressing for professional environments due to my age, but more specifically a new business I am starting, and I want to make sure I put my best foot forward without looking like a clown or a try hard.

And yea, I am Canadian and have a beard (about 2 inches in length, not one of those overgrown stubble looks that most people call beards nowadays...)

Thanks everyone for the help so far...

Identifying your own personal style is a matter of trial and error. We all have purchases we deeply regret, where we look back and think "the **** was I thinking?". You seem to already have an idea of the direction you're headed. I don't think it's a matter of matching whatever you're wearing with your personality, but more or less choosing what you wear based on what you feel comfortable in.

 

[archibaldleach]



I am not trying to "achieve" anything - that's the way my personality and image already is...

I need to start dressing for professional environments due to my age, but more specifically a new business I am starting, and I want to make sure I put my best foot forward without looking like a clown or a try hard.

And yea, I am Canadian and have a beard (about 2 inches in length, not one of those overgrown stubble looks that most people call beards nowadays...)

Thanks everyone for the help so far...

I think conradwu said it better than I could, but the trick is not saying "My personality is X; therefore my clothes must be Y" so much as finding things that you feel comfortable in. I think mensimageconsultant's suggestion of one colorful piece at a time is a good starting point as well. Right now you have mostly blue and white shirts. Try adding one pink and one other pastel colored shirt into your rotation (I think lilac is probably the second most useful). Get a pale and subtle version of each and try out different combinations. Wear the shirt enough times and you'll get a feel for whether you like that color on yourself. If yes, great. If not, move on or go back to basics like white and blue (you can find a bunch of workable patterns with blue as well). Also keep in mind that you can incorporate colors in a more subtle way via a tie (which might have a stripe or dot or some other pattern) than a shirt. As far as professional dress with your business, it depends on who your clients and associates are. For a conservative crowd, white shirts and light blue shirts are your best bet with ties in conservative colors like black, navy, grey or burgundy depending on the outfit, especially for important meetings. For a less conservative crowd, you have more latitude. Your surroundings and comfort level are probably more important for choosing clothes than your personality.

Identifying your own personal style is a matter of trial and error. We all have purchases we deeply regret, where we look back and think "the **** was I thinking?". You seem to already have an idea of the direction you're headed. I don't think it's a matter of matching whatever you're wearing with your personality, but more or less choosing what you wear based on what you feel comfortable in. 

This.