There are many events in life that lend themselves to wearing a necktie: weddings, speech competitions, funerals, upscale birthday parties, awards ceremonies, etc. Before attending such events, a proud necktie-wearer must decide what necktie to wear. In many cases, a necktie may be selected from the wearer's personal wardrobe, but in various other cases, neckties may be borrowed or purchased anew. If at all possible, all necktie-wearing individuals should own at least one necktie. In such a case, choosing what necktie to wear to an event might be easy. You wear your necktie. And that will probably be just fine. But supposing you want to be particularly stylish or are blessed enough to have access to multiple ties, you may need some advice on how to choose the right necktie. I don't know that I'm actually "qualified" to give you that advice, but I'm going to give you some anyway.

If your wardrobe is to include a single tie, thought must be put into the choice of that tie. Of course, circumstances may limit your agency in this realm, but there are still a few guidelines to consider if any agency exists. First, choose your tie based upon your other articles of dress wear. I'll discuss matching later, but for now, I would recommend sticking with complimentary or similar colors and plain patterns. If you have a white or black dress shirt, you'll have a lot more freedom with color choices. Just no brown. Brown is never a good tie option. Once you've considered what shirts and pants you have, it's time to actually make your decision. Again, simple patterns are your safest bet for a singular tie. Checkered patterns and solid colors are probably going to look better than diagonal stripes among the three most basic choices. Red and blue are classic shades, each with their own emotional energies. Black can also work well. Other colors should be cosidered with caution. Yellow and pink would be very bold choices in most cases.

I have several colors of dress shirt and a multitude of ties, so I have to make decisions about what combinations to wear. The photo above is from Easter of last year. I chose to wear a blue shirt because it shows confidence, looks good with a black suit, and carries a certain level of springiness. Once I knew what shirt I was going to wear, I needed to pick out a tie. After considering my options, I decided upon this orange tie with black checkers. Orange is a complimentary color with blue, and the black checkers echo the black suit. This tie is fairly bright, fitting with the Easter mood, so it won out over a more artistic blue, purple, and black tie which would have matched the shirt more directly.

Tie patterns must fit the occasion. I believe in pushing the envelope, but certain situations call for simple ties, while others allow for creative designs. Checkered patterns will always be your friend, while Jerry Garcia ties will make you want to dress up just so that you can wear them. Colors can be similarly situational, with warm colors other than standard red falling on the creative end of the spectrum.

Matching is a game. I love to feel for the edge when it comes to matching. I'll throw a yellow tie against a blue shirt and brown pants if I'm feeling adventurous. As far as I'm concerned, it's hard to actually ruin an outfit with color discrepancies. Pattern discrepancies are possible, however. Don't be pushing those boundaries. Please. But give me your orange tie with a gray shirt and black pants. How nice the ensemble looks will depend heavily upon the particular shades of orange and gray, but in any case, the outfit could certainly stand up to an inquisitive eye. Some people might think it's strange. Those people are lame. Don't listen to those people.

Listen to what your heart tells you. Really. Whether the situation is deadly formal, loosely formal, or strictly informal, the right color and pattern choices should come fairly naturally. Keep these tips in mind, and any mistakes your heart makes should be covered over. Just one last thing: please, for the love of all that is good, don't tug your tie down so that the knot isn't flush with your collar. It looks awful, even if it is more comfortable.