The Blue Tie
For the Cool Professional

A blue tie projects a calm and conservative presence, and is a traditionally masculine color. If you want to be the person in charge with a sort of quiet authority that doesn't require yelling, blue is the best color for you.

Blue is at once common and rare in the natural world. In the ocean you will find blue in abundance, but on land a rare sprig of a blue flower or a meandering river is a refreshing sight to the eyes. Just what is it that fascinates us about blue, and what can the color do for you and your wardrobe?

The Meaning behind a Blue Tie

Blue, along with red and yellow, is a primary color, one of the bases that makes up all other colors. It can be found in gemstones, flowers, and the color of a person's eyes. The word blue, describing the color, is actually relatively new. In fact, the Greeks didn't even have a word for blue; Homer instead described the sea as "wine dark". Some cultures also don't distinguish blue and green, such as the Thai.

Despite this lack of formal recognition, blue is well loved around the world. It is known as a calming and soothing color, reminiscent of the quiet ocean or a summer sky. A blue necktie can have a quiet, calming presence, rather than a loud presence like a red tie.

Blue is a color that is also associated with sadness however, a tradition that comes from Greek myths claiming that the rain came from Zeus' tears of sorrow. A whole genre of music was even named in this tradition, "the blues". Soulful singers and trumpets and pianos wail of the tribulations of life in beautiful harmony.

The great thing about blue is that it goes wonderfully with both basic suit colors: black and brown. Lately light blue and coffee brown have been very trendy, and men on the cutting edge of fashion wear dark brown shirts and light blue neckties with style and aplomb.

How to Dress Up with your Blue Tie?

The key to matching your shirt and tie is to have some contrast. You can wear a white shirt with any blue necktie because white goes with anything. But if you are wearing a colored shirt, keep some contrast in mind. So, for example, if you are wearing a black shirt, try a light blue necktie, maybe with a Striped, Geometric or Paisley pattern. Mix light colors with dark, you want your blue necktie to stand out, not fade into the background.

Blue is a wonderful color both for the conservative workplace and for evenings out. Try darker shades of blue, like navy, for the work day. At night, bring out your debonair side and don a baby or cobalt blue necktie. Cobalt blue is especially in favor right now, and is a very vivid shade of blue that stands out, but in a non-obtrusive way.

Wherever work or play take you, you can feel handsome and confident in a blue necktie. There's nothing stopping you now, get out there and take on the world!

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