The wrong tie can break an otherwise perfectly good grey suit and white shirt combo. You need to know how to choose the perfect one for your specific circumstances.
So, here are some great tie colors you can wear with a grey suit and a white shirt:
- Black
- Navy
- Red
- Blue
- Green
- Purple
- Pink
But you’ll need more.
You’re about to see pictures and descriptions of each of these tie colors. It’ll help you choose the right one for the setting you’re dressing for.
Let’s get to it.
7 Tie Colors You Can Wear With A Grey Suit And White Shirt
You’ll notice how some options just look dressier and more formal than others. The dress code is one of the main factors to consider when making your decision.
As we go through each option, we’ll indicate which dress codes, events, or settings they’d be most suited to.
Black Tie
A black tie can easily be worn with a grey suit and a white shirt in formal, business-professional, and smart-casual settings. It’s arguably the most formal option you could go for.
It’s hard to go wrong here.
If you were ever concerned about the risk of underdressing, going for a black tie would usually be the safest play.
This color scheme of grey, white, and black could be called monochrome or “greyscale”.
Ultimately, it’s extremely neutral. It’ll look sharp and sophisticated while drawing minimal amounts of attention.
It’s ideal for business-professional settings – meetings, conferences, corporate office environments, and so on.
If you were attending an interview and wanted a subtle and understated suit and tie combo, this would definitely serve you well.
But it’s also a great option for more social formal events such as galas, dinners, and so on.
It’s extremely versatile.
Navy Tie
A navy tie can be worn with a grey suit and a white shirt in a variety of settings. Given how muted navy is, the combination would be appropriate for formal, business-professional, and smart-casual events.
The great thing about a navy tie is that it makes for a slightly more eye-catching and striking alternative to a black or dark grey tie in formal settings.
It’s so dark and muted that it could be called “near-neutral” or a “menswear neutral”, although it isn’t technically neutral at all.
It’s simply a dark shade of blue, with the typical “cool” undertones that any shade of blue would have.
But navy is effortless to combine with other colors, making it an honorary neutral for all intents and purposes.
This gives it huge amounts of versatility and makes it suitable to wear in a whole bunch of different environments. Yes, this includes stiffer, more formal settings where ties in lighter shades of blue wouldn’t be appropriate.
The blue hue of the navy tie breaks up the neutrality of the greyscale grey suit and white shirt combo.
That definitely has its appeal.
Red Tie
Red ties look great when wearing a grey suit and a white shirt. The “warmth” of the tie adds a touch of vibrance to the greyscale suit and shirt pairing.
The specific shade of the red tie you choose here is crucial.
You’ll immediately notice just how different this outfit looks depending on the type of red you go for.
In dressier and more formal settings, ties in darker shades of red (eg. burgundy, maroon, crimson) often work better when wearing a grey suit and a white shirt.
The same would usually be true in business-professional settings such as the workplace.
Dark red ties have a more subtle, sleek, and sophisticated look to them.
While ties in brighter and bolder shades of red (eg. scarlet) are sometimes labeled “power ties” in the workplace, be cautious with wearing colors this loud in office environments.
Lighter and brighter shades of red would usually be more appropriate in more casual or smart-casual settings, especially those with a more festive and celebratory vibe to them.
Overall, however, the beauty of a grey suit and white shirt combination is that it’s neutral enough for you to wear any shade of red you want.
Blue Tie
A blue tie can be worn with a grey suit and a white shirt in business-professional and smart-casual settings. In more formal environments, ties in darker shades of blue (eg. navy or midnight blue) would usually be best.
We talked about navy ties earlier on.
Here, we’re talking about ties in lighter shades of blue (eg. cyan, aquamarine, teal, steel, royal, admiral blue).
Notice how different ties in these light/medium shades of blue look from darker ones.
They’re more eye-catching and more casual as a result.
In general, the lighter the shade of blue, the more casual you can expect it to come across.
If a setting has a strictly formal dress code, go for a dark grey suit, a white shirt, and a navy/midnight blue tie.
In general, ties in any shade of blue would usually be acceptable in business-professional settings (although darker shades are generally encouraged here).
In smart-casual settings, you’ve got the freedom to go for any shade of blue you want to.
However, consider how much contrast you want between the tie and the suit.
A dark grey suit worn with a light blue tie (eg. cyan, aquamarine) would lead to more contrast than a light grey suit worn with the same tie.
High-contrast suit and tie combinations will always be more attention-grabbing. If you’d prefer a more subtle aesthetic, go for a low-contrast combination instead.
Green Tie
Green ties work well when wearing a grey suit and a white shirt. Darker shades of green such as forest, hunter, and sage green are better options in formal and professional settings.
Ties in lighter and brighter shades of green such as mint, lime, or chartreuse would be more appropriate when wearing a grey suit and white shirt combo in more casual and festive environments.
Once again, the principle of “darker shades are dressier” holds true.
Green ties work particularly well during the fall and winter months due to their nature-friendly and earthy tone.
They give off an air of calmness and relaxation, especially when worn over the neutral backdrop of a grey suit.
While this isn’t specific to green ties, it’s important to consider the texture of the necktie and whether it’s appropriate for the setting.
In formal settings, silk and satin ties with their wrinkle-resistant texture and typical sheen would be more appropriate.
In more casual settings, feel free to go for a knitted tie with a more rough and rugged texture.
Purple Tie
A purple tie can be worn with a grey suit and a white shirt in smart-casual settings. The combination would usually be too vivid to wear in truly formal or professional settings.
Purple is an eye-catching and striking color, no matter what shade you go for.
It looks great when wearing a grey suit/white shirt combo, but you do need to be cautious about where you wear it.
Purple ties signify rarity, royalty, and mystery (if you actually believe in all that stuff).
Ultimately, it just catches the eye because it’s a little less common than a typical blue or red tie, for example.
It’s a great option in casual or smart-casual settings where you aren’t too worried about underdressing.
In these more casual settings, you’ve got the freedom to go for either a light shade of purple (eg. lilac) or a darker, more muted shade such as aubergine, mauve, blackberry, or plum purple.
Any of them would work well with a grey suit and white shirt (in the right setting).
Pink Tie
Pink ties look fantastic when wearing a grey suit and a white shirt in smart-casual settings. The “warmth” of the pink tie adds a pop of color to the greyscale suit and shirt combination.
Pink, much like red and orange, lies on the “warm” half of the color wheel.
It catches the eye, especially when worn over a truly neutral foundation (i.e a grey suit and white shirt).
Unlike red ties, pink ties aren’t traditionally worn in the workplace. They don’t lend themselves well to business-professional environments, no matter how dark the grey suit may be.
Instead, reserve the grey suit, white shirt, and pink tie combination for smart-casual settings. The outfit works especially well in social, festive, and celebratory settings.
Here, going for an eye-catching pink tie is a great way to break up the neutrality of the greyscale suit and shirt combo.
Once again, the shade of pink is important to consider.
Lighter, brighter, or bolder shades such as hot pink, blush pink, or fuchsia will look more casual and striking.
Darker and more muted shades such as salmon or dusty pink look dressier and more elegant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a couple of FAQs on the topic to really finish up in style.
Can You Wear A Grey Suit And A White Shirt With No Tie?
A grey suit and white shirt combination can be worn with no tie in smart-casual settings where a necktie is unlikely to be necessary.
It’s entirely possible that the event you’re attending doesn’t require a tie.
Going a step further, a necktie may even come across as too much.
If the setting is truly formal or business-professional, choose a tie from the list of options above.
In general, darker and more muted ties would usually be best (eg. black, navy, burgundy, forest green).
In more casual environments, strongly consider fully embracing the casual aesthetic and ditching the tie.
What Tie Should You Wear With A Grey Suit And White Shirt To An Wedding?
When wearing a grey suit and a white shirt to a wedding, consider a tie in a light or medium shade of blue such as aquamarine or teal. Alternatively, consider a “warm” colored tie such as scarlet red, salmon pink, or even burnt orange.
Weddings are celebratory and festive events where you’ve got some freedom to add splashes of color to your outfit.
It’s important to strike a balance between adding color and not drawing too much attention to yourself.
At the end of the day, the attention should be on the wedding couple and not the outlandish fashion choices of the guests.
Ready Sleek founder. Obsessed with casual style and the minimalist approach to building a highly functional wardrobe. Also a fan of classic, vintage hairstyles.
