28 Color Ties To Match With a Grey Suit

A grey suit is a perfect alternative for a black suit when it comes to just about any kind of event, including business meetings, happy hours, cocktail parties, weddings, and upscale sporting events. Wearing a black suit is never the wrong answer, but a grey version is less predictable and just a little bit cooler. Grey works for all seasons with lighter shades feeling a bit more summery and darker variants working well in the winter months. 

Grey is versatile, working with a multitude of colors, patterns, and fabrics. Wearing accessories is the perfect way to liven up your look. Bringing in a pocket square, lapel pin, or dress watch is a great way to bring your whole look together. Anything metallic, such as lapel pins, tie clips, and cufflinks is another way to implement extra style into your overall look. Silver and white gold tend to look better with the cool grey tones, but that doesn’t mean that gold can’t also work if done right.

Wearing a tie is also a great way to spice things up, But what color? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here is some colored tie inspiration to help you look your best.

1. Black

Peanut butter and jelly, Sonny and Cher, black and grey… these all great combinations for a reason. They just work. A black tie looks good against the backdrop of a black button-down against your favorite grey suit. You can stick with a simple black silk tie or jazz it up with black-on-black embossing.

2. Black and White

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Houndstooth and plaid and zig-zags, oh my! If you’re wanting to stay in the same color palette but a solid black tie feels a little too dark, pop on a black and white tie in various patterns to give your look more life while still keeping things tonal. A classic black brogue or monk strap shoe works well when you need to dress it up a bit more, but a white low top sneaker will take your smart casual dressing to a new level.

3. Blue

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You can keep your look smart and casual by pairing a striped lighter grey suit and white Oxford shirt with a casual knit tie in navy. If you’re feeling a little fancy, add a festive sock and white low top sneakers. To dress it up, change out your shoes for a brown loafer or chestnut bespoke brogue shoe and add a pocket square with navy edging that matches your tie.

4. Bold Colors

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If you want to rock a grey suit and you need a pop of color, why not choose a bold one? Cobalt blue, emerald green, red, pink, metallics… choose your poison. Some of these will look better with a light grey suit, while other hues will work with darker grey. When working with a bold color let your tie do the talking and keep the rest of your look as simple as possible.

5. Brown

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Grey and brown? Doesn’t immediately sound like those two colors necessarily go hand-in-hand but a light charcoal three-piece suit with a medium-brown, tan, or cognac cap-toe Oxford shoe and a matching brown patterned tie will have you looking dapper for your next event. 

6. Darker

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The darker the tie, the lighter the suit and the shirt should be. A dark tie will stand out against a light grey or white shirt. Correlate the color of your tie with your socks or pocket square. A darker tie tends to look better with a darker brown or black shoe against the background of the lighter suit.

7. Gold

Although tonally, grey and silver are in the same family, that doesn’t mean that gold doesn’t also work. Wearing a standard white or black button-up and mixing in brown tones and gold accessories will bring this look to fruition and have you in contention for best dressed.

8. Green

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Green works on a multitude of levels. Sage green looks great with light, medium, and charcoal grey suits. Extra points if your suit has a pattern. Forest green looks best with a lighter grey while emerald green gives a darker grey suit some much needed depth.  

9. Grey

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Grey on grey on grey on grey. Mixing tones keeps it classy and not boring. Do you have a darker charcoal suit? Pair a lighter grey button-up with a silvery grey patterned tie and black or white kicks. If you still want to mix it up, choose a tie or pocket square with a mix of greys or that has a hint of green, pink, or red.

10. Maroon or Red

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Pairing a red tie with a grey suit can be a powerful statement. However, getting the right shade of red is the tricky part. Avoid brighter reds and lean more towards deeper red tones and burgundies. Think about pairing a lighter grey suit with a sky blue button up and a maroon tie, preferably with a pattern.

11. Multi-color

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A multi-colored paisley tie with swirls of blues, reds, pinks, purples, and yellows, pairs nicely with a silvery light grey suit. Bonus points if you also wear a vest, either in matching grey or in black. A striped button-up with stripes in either blue and white or pink and white pulls the entire look together and will have everyone giving you a second look as you walk by. They will definitely think you have a personal stylist.

12. Pink

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Pink and charcoal go together like… well, pink and charcoal! The tie doesn’t have to be solid pink but can have hints of pink within a pattern. Pull in more pink with a pocket square and your socks. This combination works well as a smart casual option for work, especially when worn with clean, white sneakers. 

13. Purple

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Not into pink? Try purple. A lavender button-up against a medium grey suit and a darker purple tie gives you the look of a distinguished gentleman. If your tie is multi-colored, pull out one of the brighter purple shades to match your socks and throw on some black velvet loafers.

14. Yellow

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Yellow is versatile and works with all shades of grey. A three-piece suit with a slightly lighter grey button-up and brown or burgundy patina leather Oxford shoes gives a yellow tie the perfect background to be shown off in all its well-deserved glory.