Conversely, a white or bright shirt should be toned down with a darker tie. Avoid wearing a striped tie with a striped dress shirt unless the pattern of the shirt is very subtle. 2. Choose a patterned tie whose dominant color matches your trousers. For the color challenged, this is a safe way to ensure clothing coordinates appropriately. If the trousers you are wearing are navy blue, select a tie whose dominant color (the color that occupies the most space in the pattern) is also navy blue. 3.