Geometric Patterned Dress Shirts, Ties for Men
Patterns in Symmetry, Shapes, Contribute to Business Casual Look
Aug 23, 2009
One of the most popular patterns amongst men in business settings as well as those with a more conservative fashion palette – geometric patterning runs amok in ties, dress shirts, suits.
Geometric patterned dress shirts, suits, and neckties are likely the most commonly found patterned materials available to men within the sphere of modern fashion – more popular than paisley or floral patterns especially amongst men with a more conservative sense of image as well as those concerned primarily with co-ordinating office wear in a business casual vein.
Are Geometric Patterns More Conservative?
The prevailing opinion amongst sartorial experts is that geometric patterning is more conservative in general, although as always exceptions do exist to this rule. The logic behind this pronouncement lies in the aesthetic influence that geometric patterning brings to a wardrobe item, a typically symmetrical, planned visual imprint that suggests business, order, and to some degree – predictability.
Common geometric patterns, due to their symmetry (with regard to grids, squares, diamonds, triangles, and even zig-zags) lack the organic aesthetic that floral and paisley prints use to intimate a feeling of individuality to suggest spirit and character, instead opting for a concrete and powerful use of line in order to produce a more rigid and structured canvas.
This appeal to structure in style is what makes geometric patterning very appealing to men with regards to a business casual sense – perfect office wear or formalwear for men with a more traditional or conservative sense of style.
On Fine Suits and Designer Dress Shirts – Herringbone, Check, Windowpane, Houndstooth
While most men are familiar with the typically geometric patterned necktie, this style also extends into the realm of dress shirts and suits as well – typically offered in a windowpane pattern, or larger grid.
Brooks Brothers, a legendary American label, is reknowned for their classic use of the windowpane or "check" patterning in their dress shirts, as well as in providing a fine line of button-down collars that had disappeared from the casual fashion radar for a greater part of the last decade.
Herringbone patterns (in a chevron design) are also very popular in Brooks Brothers designs, as well as plaid and even houndstooth for more mature gentleman looking for a more unique design on a blazer or sportcoat.
Like twisted diamonds arranged in fine columns and rows, the houndstooth design remains a very popular choice for men with regard to fine blazers and sportscoats, and is due for a resurgence in popularity.
Broad windowpane patterned suits as well as sportcoats featuring a herringbone or houndstooth design work best with solid coloured ties or ties with a very broad power stripe; it is always best to avoid wearing too many geometric prints at the same time in order to avoid looking bizarre or overly busy – a death sentence concerning the more conservative, staid image that these patterns typically promote.
Other Recommended Articles Concerning Colour and Style in Men's Fashion
Interested in adding a little bit of paisley to the wardrobe? Perhaps it's time to branch out and explore the possibility of bold colours, such as pink! Time to wind down after all that reading, perhaps, and slip into something a little more smart casual.
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