7 Tie Colors For A Black Suit And Grey Shirt (With Pics)

It’s a neutral suit and shirt combination that’s hard to go wrong with, but it’s likely that certain tie colors will work better for you than others. 

So, here are some great tie colors you can wear with a black suit and grey shirt:

• Grey 
• Black
• Red
• Blue
• Purple
• Green
• Pink

While a list is nice, you’ll need more information to make your final decision. 

Let’s go through each of those tie colors in more detail to help you choose. 

7 Tie Colors You Can Wear With A Black Suit And Grey Shirt

A black suit and grey shirt can be worn in formal, business-professional, and smart-casual settings. It’s very versatile. 

The tie color you choose should take the dress code into account, as some will be more appropriate than others in certain settings. 

Grey Tie

A  grey tie can easily be worn with a black suit and grey shirt, as long as the shade of the grey tie is darker than that of the shirt. 

Appropriate Dress Codes: Formal, Business-Professional, Smart-Casual

It’s incredibly hard to go wrong with a monochromatic combination like this, especially well it’s so dark and neutral. It’ll always work. 

While it may seem like the easy way out, it definitely has plenty of appeal. 

Greyscale outfits such as these have an effortlessly elegant and sophisticated edge to them. In addition, they’re incredibly versatile. 

There aren’t many dress codes where you wouldn’t be able to wear this. 

Yes, it’s possible to wear it in formal settings, especially for dressy evening social events. In truly formal settings, however, it’s usually best to go for a white dress shirt. 

It’s also possible to wear the combination in business-professional workplaces, as long as the shade of the grey shirt is significantly lighter than the grey tie. 

Black Tie

A black tie can be worn with a black suit and grey shirt in a variety of settings ranging from formal to smart-casual. 

Appropriate Dress Codes: Formal, Business-Professional, Smart-Casual

Much like with a grey tie, it’s tough to go wrong here. A black tie will coordinate effortlessly to produce a monochromatic combination. 

It’s a good option when you’re looking to keep things understated and subtle. 

Just be aware that the lack of color can sometimes come across as a little bland. When dressing for formal or business-professional events, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. 

However, if you did want to add a little bit of color into the mix, consider doing so with a pocket square.

For example, you could wear a black suit, grey shirt, black tie, and a dusty pink pocket square in a simple puff fold. 

Red Tie

A red tie can be worn with a black suit and grey shirt, with ties in darker shades of red such as burgundy or maroon working especially well. 

Appropriate Dress Codes: Formal, Business-Professional, Smart-Casual 

The easiest way to pull this off would be to choose a light grey shirt and pair it with a dark red tie.

This would also be the most formal and professional way to do it. 

But if you did want a more eye-catching and casual combination, a tie in a lighter and bolder shade of red can also work very well. Scarlet red does come to mind. 

Ultimately, red will coordinate very easily with black and grey – that’s the beauty of having a nice and neutral foundation to work with. 

You can add other colors on top without having to give it much thought at all. 

Consider adding a pocket square. You could go for a neutral, yet eye-catching option such as a white pocket square if you wanted to keep things simple. 

If you did want a more colorful option, consider a pink pocket square to produce a monochromatic pairing with the red tie. 

An “analogous” pocket square color that’s close to red on the color wheel (eg. orange or yellow) can also work if you prefer a more eye-catching contrast. 

Blue Tie

A black suit and grey shirt would look great with a blue tie. Ties in dark shades of blue such as navy would be the best option when dressing for formal or professional events. 

Appropriate Dress Codes: Formal, Business-Professional, Smart-Casual

Ultimately, a black suit, light grey shirt, and dark blue tie would be a great combination when dressing up. 

When dressing down, consider a shirt in a darker shade of grey and pair it with a tie in a brighter and more saturated shade of blue. 

Light and medium shades of blue such as sky blue, teal, steel blue, and turquoise are all options, but will all look a whole lot more casual and striking than navy. 

Remember, you don’t need to worry about whether they’ll coordinate – they all will. 

It’s just a case of how casual or formal you want your tie color to come across. 

Purple Tie

A purple tie can be worn with a black suit and grey shirt in a variety of settings ranging from formal to smart-casual. 

Appropriate Dress Codes: Formal, Business-Professional, Smart-Casual 

While you could potentially go for a tie in any shade of purple, dark and muted shades such as plum look especially dressy and formal.

Lighter shades such as lilac and mauve would also look great when wearing a black suit and grey shirt, but will usually look more casual and striking. 

You’ve got plenty of options. 

Traditionally, a purple tie signifies confidence and luxury. 

When wearing one against the backdrop of a monochromatic, greyscale black suit and grey shirt pairing, the combination comes across as sophisticated and high-end. 

Analogous pocket square colors such as blue and green look great, but go for a neutral color if you’d prefer a more subtle approach. 

Green Tie

A green tie can be worn with a black suit and grey shirt in many different settings. Olive, sage, and hunter green are all phenomenal options when you want a muted shade and an understated aesthetic. 

Appropriate Dress Codes: Formal, Business-Professional, Smart-Casual

Green, much like blue and purple, is a “cool” color that’ll immediately come across as calming and laid-back. 

In more professional or formal settings, the darker and more muted the shade of the green tie, the better. 

While olive and sage are common favorites, hunter and forest green are similar but darker alternatives. 

Pair any of these with a light grey shirt and you’re left with a pretty formal-looking combination. 

Ties in lighter, brighter, or more saturated shades of green can be worn with a black suit and grey shirt if you want a more eye-catching and casual appearance. 

Lime, chartreuse, and mint green ties would all be options. 

Pink Tie

A pink tie can easily be worn with a black suit and pink shirt, with ties in dark shades of pink such as salmon pairing well with the dark tone of the suit. 

Appropriate Dress Codes: Formal, Business-Professional, Smart-Casual

Pink ties have become associated with trustworthiness and stability. 

But symbolic meaning aside, they just look great against the backdrop of a neutral suit and shirt pairing. 

As you’ve probably picked up by now, the easiest and most formal way to wear this combination would be to go for a light grey shirt and a dark/muted pink tie. 

For example, a black suit, a grey shirt, and a salmon pink tie. It’s hard to go wrong with this. 

But if you did want to let loose a little and go for a more eye-catching shirt and tie combination, consider a tie in a lighter shade of pink such as dusty or blush pink. 

Going a step further, consider a light pink tie worn over a dark grey shirt. 

Wearing a light pink tie here will lead to a high level of contrast with the dark grey shirt and the black suit. It’ll stand out and look more casual and striking than a dark pink alternative. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to a couple of FAQs on the topic to finish up. 

Can You Wear A Black Suit And Grey Shirt With No Tie? 

A black suit and grey shirt can be worn with no tie in smart-casual settings where a necktie isn’t necessary. 

Ultimately, you can wear any suit and shirt combination without a tie. It’s just important that the setting you’re dressing for is casual enough for it to be acceptable. 

If you feel as though there may be a risk of underdressing, it’s always best to go for a necktie. 

Can You Wear A Black Suit And Grey Shirt With A White Tie? 

In general, it’s best to avoid wearing a black suit and grey shirt with a white tie as it’ll usually look too loud and attention-grabbing. 

As mentioned earlier, it’s usually best to keep the tie darker than the shirt whenever possible. 

A white tie will look awkward against the dark backdrop of the grey shirt.

Unless you were looking to make an especially loud fashion statement, it’s usually best to avoid this combo at all costs. 

Conclusion 

This greyscale, neutral suit and shirt combination gives you so many options when it comes to your tie color. 

As you’ve seen, the options range from dressy to not-so-dressy. The one you choose really does depend on what you’re dressing for and how formal you want to get with it. 

Enjoy.