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How to Match Suits with Accessories

Picking out a suit is a good start, but you still have more decisions to make. Although a suit sets the tone for the rest of your outfit, the accessories—shirt, tie, belt, and shoes—are what draw people's attention and express your unique sense of style. Here are a few tips to help make sure your wardrobe pieces are properly aligned and running on all cylinders.

Always Start with the Suit

It's often too easy to start putting together an outfit with a shirt or tie you love as the foundation, but you may quickly paint yourself into a corner if you select accessories first and then realize you don't have a suit to match. The foundation of your wardrobe should be based on the material that shows the most—that way, if you start with the suit and pick a tie that doesn't match, you can just grab (or buy) another tie.

Also, as a general rule, dark-colored suits (black, grey, and navy blue) tend to blend well with a wide range of colors and accessories. If you feel like a wardrobe novice, it might be a good idea to stick with one of those colors, rather than branching out to lighter, earthier tones.

Next, the Shirt

Matching a dress shirt to a suit is a fairly straightforward endeavor. Generally, you want to choose shirts with colors that complement the suit (refer to a color wheel if you need help). If you don't have a complementary shirt, white is always a viable option. The only thing to really avoid is a shirt with a pattern that resembles the suit's pattern. For example, don't wear a suit with a shirt if both pieces have pinstripes or polka dots. Doing so reduces the contrast between layers, and creates a busy and dizzying appearance.

Select the Right Tie

Choosing ties is tricky only because there are so many from which you can choose. For starters, be sure the length and width are appropriate. For larger men, slightly wider ties (3 ½ inches across) that extend to just above the belt tend to look best. Shorter guys, meanwhile, tend to look better with slimmer, shorter ties that stop at 2-3 inches above the belt. As for colors, refer to the color wheel (above) for complementary shades and triads. Also, like matching the shirt, be sure you don't choose a pattern on a tie that already appears on your shirt or suit.

Match the Shoes

Matching shoes to a suit isn't very difficult—for most guys it's actually pretty intuitive. If you're looking for some specific advice, however, remember that for black and gray suits, black or oxblood shoes are safe, while tan and camel can be attractive (although bold) options as well. For brown or navy suits, just about any shade of brown or oxblood will do. If you're working with lighter colors, like earth tones, a shade of brown or camel will complement your suit well.

Cinch it All Together with a Belt

If you're trying to choose a belt for your suit, there's really only one question you need to ask yourself: "What color are my shoes?" Contrary to popular opinion, belts and shoes don't have to match exactly, but they do need to be in the same ballpark. For example, chocolate shoes and a dark brown leather belt match well, although tan shoes and an oxblood belt probably won't.

That's it! It's easy to get lost in your options when trying to plan an outfit, but taking it one step at a time will quickly reduce any anxiety.