Tie Patterns Explained: Repp, Club, Paisley, Foulard and More
A navy suit and white shirt can take a neat dotted tie or a tie full of orange flowers. The pattern decides how much attention the outfit asks for.
For business, start with fine stripes, pin dots or a neat foulard. Paisley and polka dots work well for weddings and dinners; florals bring more colour, while checks add a graphic detail. Repp describes ribbed cloth; regimental describes a stripe design. Foulard is the small, orderly repeat; paisley is the curved teardrop.
Choosing the palette as well? Our tie colour meanings compares shades for work, weddings and other occasions.
We’ve put twelve examples from our range under the lens, with original OTAA fabric close-ups, campaign photographs and short films. Use the formality guide to narrow the choice, then start with the shirt you already own. A plain white or pale blue shirt gives every pattern here room to work.
Tie patterns at a glance: formality and occasion
Our formality ladder starts with small, quiet patterns and moves towards bold, playful ones. Scale, contrast and cloth change the effect: a tonal paisley can look more restrained than a broad stripe. Use it as your starting point.
| Pattern | What to look for | Formality | Where we’d wear it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine stripe / repp | Stripes are bands; repp is ribbed cloth. | Business-smart | Office, interviews; ordinary stripes for an unaffiliated choice. |
| Foulard | Small motifs in an orderly repeat. | Business-smart | Office, meetings, a suit for dinner. |
| Pin dot / polka dot | Round spots, from tiny to bold. | Tiny: business-smart; large: more playful | Office or weddings; increase the scale for more impact. |
| Herringbone | A woven, broken zigzag. | Quiet texture | Office, dinners, a plain shirt and tailored jacket. |
| Paisley | Curved, decorated teardrops. | Versatile; tonal is quieter | Weddings and dinners; a muted version for work. |
| Club / small motif | Spaced emblems or small figures. | Traditional smart dressing | A blazer; check the affiliation of a genuine club tie. |
| Houndstooth | A broken check with jagged points. | Smart, graphic texture | Suit weddings, tweed or flannel tailoring. |
| Glen plaid / tartan | Layered checks or crossing bands in different widths. | Quiet to relaxed, depending on scale | A plain shirt; larger tartans for relaxed tailoring. |
| Gingham | Regular checks made by even crossing bands. | Smart casual | Daytime celebrations and an unpatterned jacket. |
| Floral | Flowers, leaves and stems. | Small: smart casual; bold: celebratory | Relaxed offices, daytime weddings and summer events. |
| Geometric | Diamonds, squares and other repeated shapes. | Small: business-smart; large: bolder | Office or events, chosen by scale and contrast. |
| Novelty | Recognisable pictures, animals or festive themes. | Playful | Parties, gifts and Christmas gatherings. |
Our striped example: Navy Stripe Yellow Twill Tie.
Repp and regimental stripes
Repp, also spelled rep, is a ribbed cloth often used for striped ties. Those fine ribs are separate from the coloured bands you see at arm’s length. A tie can have a stripe design without “repp” being its fabric specification.
Regimental ties use colours associated with a regiment; the wider regimental-style category borrows that diagonal, repeating-stripe format. Our Navy Stripe Yellow Twill Tie is a striped example: bold navy bands, a yellow ground and fine surface texture underneath.
Wear it: with a plain pale blue shirt and a navy suit. If your shirt is striped, make the tie’s bands noticeably wider so the two patterns don’t blur together.
Explore striped ties.
British vs American tie stripes
Traditional British stripes run from the wearer’s left shoulder towards their right hip. Traditional American stripes run the other way: from the wearer’s right shoulder towards their left hip. Always read those directions as the person wearing the tie.
The British convention is also familiar in Australian and Commonwealth menswear, often remembered as “heart to sword”. The Navy Stripe Yellow Twill Tie photographed above follows that direction: facing the tie, its navy bands rise from your left to your right.
American makers reversed the direction in the early 20th century, so their striped ties wouldn’t copy British regimental and school designs. Brooks Brothers is usually credited with the change.
Wearer:
Left shoulder → right hip
Facing them:
Stripes rise from your left to right.
Wearer:
Right shoulder → left hip
Facing them:
Stripes fall from your left to right.
Modern ties use both directions, and exceptions exist in traditional British designs too. Choose ordinary decorative stripes in either direction; with a genuine school, club or regimental tie, check the association and wear it when you have that connection.
A decorative bee motif in a club-style arrangement.
Club ties and small motifs
A club tie can identify a school, sporting club or other institution through its colours or emblem. In everyday menswear, “club-style” also describes the look of small repeated figures set apart on a plain ground.
Our Bumble Bee Tie demonstrates that spaced-motif format. The bees are a decorative design, with no club membership implied. From a distance, the navy does most of the work; up close, there’s a little more personality.
Wear it: with a white shirt and a navy blazer. Keep the pocket square simple and let the tiny figures be the detail someone notices second.
For decorative motifs, explore novelty ties.
The curved teardrop is paisley’s identifying shape.
Paisley ties
Paisley is the pattern of curved, decorated teardrops, often surrounded by curls and smaller ornamental shapes. Its Western name comes from Paisley in Scotland, which became a centre for shawl production; the earlier shawl tradition includes Kashmir.
Scale makes the difference when you wear it. Large, high-contrast paisley draws the eye. Tonal paisley, like our Emerald Green Paisley Necktie, lets the shape show through a narrower colour palette.
Wear it: with a plain white shirt and a navy or charcoal suit. For a wedding, let the green carry the colour and choose a quiet pocket square.
Explore paisley ties.
Small motifs, repeated at a steady interval.
Foulard ties
In tie descriptions, foulard means a small, regularly repeated motif. It might be a geometric shape, a tiny flower or a compact ornamental figure. The useful clue is the orderly spacing.
Our Admiralty Foulard Necktie shows small blue motifs across a navy background. Compare it with paisley: the foulard’s neat repeat feels quieter than a large design of flowing teardrops. A tie can also use tiny paisley shapes in a foulard arrangement, so the terms can overlap.
Wear it: with a white shirt for work, or a pale blue shirt under a grey suit. It’s a useful choice when you want more detail than a plain tie without making the tie the loudest part of the outfit.
Foulard vs club: a foulard is defined by its neat repeat, often geometric or floral; a club tie usually repeats a recognisable emblem or small figure. The pale blue shapes on our Admiralty are a foulard; the bees on our Bumble Bee Tie show the club-style motif arrangement.
For more ordered shapes and repeats, explore geometric ties.
Flowers and leaves make this a botanical design.
Floral ties
A floral tie takes its pattern from flowers, leaves and stems. Tiny, evenly spaced blossoms can sit quietly against a dark background. Larger blooms and stronger colour contrasts ask for more attention.
Our San Pietro Orange Floral Tie makes the point with orange and white flowers and green leaves. With several colours already in the pattern, a plain shirt gives it a clean setting. The opening campaign photograph shows how a white shirt lets a floral design stand out.
Wear it: to a wedding with a plain navy or blue suit and a white shirt. For the office, keep the rest of the outfit restrained and choose the scale your workplace suits.
Choose by season and scale. Florals feel most at home in spring and summer; for autumn, look for warmer reds, rusts and browns. The smaller the blossoms, the quieter the tie: a small, evenly spaced floral can work at a relaxed office, while large blooms belong at daytime weddings and summer events.
Explore floral ties.
Round dots make a clear, simple repeat.
Polka dot ties
Polka dots are round spots repeated across a contrasting background. The smallest are often called pin dots. Tiny dots make a restrained business choice; larger dots give the same simple shape more presence.
Our Navy Blue with White Polka Dots Tie has a restrained two-colour palette. The white dots connect naturally with a white shirt, while the navy works with grey or blue tailoring.
Wear it: with a white shirt and charcoal suit for work. If you’re adding a pocket square, choose plain white or a different pattern at a clearly different scale. You don’t need a matching set of dots.
Explore polka dot ties.
See how a small dotted repeat gathers into the knot. Explore polka dot ties.
Video description and text guide
An adult in a white shirt demonstrates a knot with a navy dotted tie: cross the wide end over the narrow end, take it behind, bring it across the front, then up through the neck loop and down through the front loop. Hold the narrow end, slide the knot up and straighten it. The clip includes on-screen English captions. For illustrated steps, use our tie knot instructions.
The jagged edges distinguish houndstooth from a simple check.
Houndstooth bow ties
Houndstooth is a broken check with tooth-like points. Look closely at the edges: they step out in little jagged shapes, unlike the clean crossing bands of gingham.
A houndstooth bow tie concentrates that detail in a small area. Our Burgundy Houndstooth Bow Tie is pre-tied, and its burgundy-and-navy design reads clearly in the close-up. A plain shirt helps the outline of the bow stay distinct.
Prefer a classic black-and-white check? Our Black Houndstooth Pattern Bow Tie is the easiest place to start, and there’s a self-tie version too.
Wear it: with a white shirt and a navy suit for a celebration that calls for a suit.
Explore houndstooth bow ties or houndstooth ties.
Even crossing bands create the gingham check.
Gingham and checked ties
Check is the broad family; gingham is a regular check built from even crossing bands. On a finished tie, the check can sit diagonally because of the way the cloth is cut.
Our Navy Blue Gingham Necktie shows the repeat clearly. Its straight lines give it a more graphic feel than paisley or floral, so leave some space around it in the rest of the outfit.
Wear it: with a plain white or pale blue shirt and an unpatterned jacket. If you’re wearing a checked suit, a quiet dot or textured tie is often the easier route than adding another check of similar size.
Explore gingham ties.
Herringbone’s broken zigzag is part of the cloth’s texture.
Herringbone and woven texture
Herringbone forms a broken zigzag in the weave. It gives a tie pattern without requiring a separate flower, dot or stripe motif. From across the room, a subtle version can read almost as a plain tie.
Our Cinnamon Herringbone Tie shows the texture most clearly in close-up. The warm brown colour is the first thing you notice; the woven detail appears as you move closer.
Wear it: with a pale blue shirt and a grey jacket. If you like texture, we cover the more relaxed surface of knitted ties in our knit tie guide.
Explore herringbone ties.
Glen plaid combines larger checks with smaller broken-check detail.
Plaid, tartan and glen checks
Plaid is a broad name for crossing lines and bands; tartan uses a repeating arrangement of coloured bands. Glen plaid is more intricate: larger checks contain smaller checks and fine broken-check detail.
Our Grey Glen Plaid Necktie shows that layered grid in grey and dark tones. Compare its close-up with the regular checks of the gingham above: a glen plaid has several scales of detail within one design.
Wear it: with a plain white shirt and a charcoal or navy jacket. Keep the shirt quiet so the tie’s smaller checks remain clear.
Explore checkered ties.
Small geometric shapes can also form a neat, foulard-style repeat.
Geometric ties
Geometric ties repeat shapes such as diamonds, squares, circles or interlocking figures. It is a broad design family: dots, checks and some foulards fit within it too.
Our Navy Blue Tie with Red Pattern repeats compact red diamond-like shapes with pale centres across navy. The small scale also gives it the neat, orderly effect associated with a foulard.
Wear it: with a white or pale blue shirt and a navy suit for work. Bigger geometric shapes make more of a statement; give those a plain shirt and simple tailoring.
Explore geometric ties.
The subject makes it novelty; the small repeat keeps the design orderly.
Novelty and festive ties
Novelty describes the subject: animals, hobbies, food or a festive theme. A tiny picture can be discreet; a bold or seasonal design makes the occasion part of the outfit.
Our Christmas Tree Necktie repeats green trees on navy, with small yellow and red details. Its spacing resembles a club-style motif, but the trees give it a clear festive purpose.
Wear it: to a Christmas gathering with a plain shirt and navy jacket. Choose the subject for the occasion, and let the rest of the outfit stay simple.
Explore novelty ties and Christmas ties.
How to wear patterned ties with shirts and suits
Keep a colour in common and change the scale. That’s the useful starting rule when two patterns meet. Your tie should be distinct from the shirt beneath it, with enough plain space elsewhere to let the outfit settle.
A plain shirt: choose the pattern you like
A white or pale blue shirt removes the pattern-matching problem. Try our navy and white polka dot tie with charcoal tailoring for work, or the San Pietro floral tie with a blue suit for a wedding.
A striped shirt: make the tie clearly different
Fine shirt stripes leave room for wider tie stripes, rounded paisley or a well-spaced motif. With a narrow blue stripe shirt, the broad bands of our Navy Stripe Yellow Twill Tie give the eye a clear change of scale. Avoid two stripes so similar in width that they seem to compete.
A patterned suit: give it a quiet partner
With a checked or strongly striped suit, begin with a plain shirt. A small foulard, restrained dot or subtle herringbone keeps the tie legible. Lay the pieces together in daylight and look at them from a few steps away: if every pattern asks for attention, simplify one.
For more pairings, use our shirt and tie combinations guide. When you’re ready to tie the knot, our tie knot instructions cover the steps.
Choose a pocket square that complements the tie
Pick up one colour from the tie, then change the pattern or use a plain square. With paisley, a white square or a quiet border gives the eye somewhere to rest. With a dot tie, use a different scale or shape instead of repeating the same dots.
A floral tie and a striped tie show two ways to add pattern to plain tailoring. Explore floral ties.
Video description and text guide
An adult in a plain navy suit and white shirt compares a red floral tie with a striped tie, then wears the floral option. The styling advice is to keep the tie simple when the suit has a strong pattern; with plain tailoring, let the tie carry more detail. Pick up a colour from the shirt or suit and choose a design that suits the occasion. The clip includes on-screen English captions.
Patterned bow ties: the same families, a different shape
Houndstooth, paisley and floral describe the pattern, whether it appears on a necktie or a bow tie. A bow concentrates the design around the collar, so a plain shirt is an easy starting point. Our featured Burgundy Houndstooth Bow Tie is pre-tied, so it’s ready in seconds.
Explore houndstooth bow ties, paisley bow ties and floral bow ties for suit weddings and celebrations. For a black-tie invitation, follow the formal dress code.
This film demonstrates a self-tie bow tie. Our featured Burgundy Houndstooth Bow Tie is pre-tied. Explore houndstooth self-tie bow ties.
Video description and text guide
An adult in a white shirt ties a burgundy dotted self-tie bow tie. Start with one end longer, cross it over the shorter end and bring it through the neck loop. Fold the shorter end sideways into the front bow, lay the long end over its centre, then fold that long end and push the fold through the opening behind the front bow. Pull the folded loops gently to tighten and adjust both sides. The clip includes on-screen English captions.
Tie pattern questions
What is a repp tie?
Repp, also spelled rep, is a ribbed cloth used in ties. Many familiar repp ties have diagonal stripes, but repp names the cloth rather than the stripe pattern. Check the fabric description before calling a striped tie true repp.
Is repp the same as regimental?
No. Repp describes ribbed cloth. Regimental refers to a design associated with a regiment’s colours; regimental-style describes the broader diagonal-stripe look. A stripe alone does not establish an affiliation.
Which way do British and American tie stripes run?
Traditionally, British stripes run from the wearer’s left shoulder towards the right hip; American stripes reverse that direction. Facing the wearer, British stripes rise from your left to right and American stripes fall. Modern ties use both conventions.
Can I wear a regimental tie if I did not serve?
Choose an ordinary decorative striped tie. A genuine regiment’s colours or insignia can imply service or membership, so reserve an affiliated tie for a connection you hold. The same consideration applies to school and club ties.
What is the difference between a foulard and a club tie?
A foulard uses a small, orderly repeat, often geometric or floral. A club tie usually repeats a recognisable emblem or small figure. Decorative club-style ties borrow that spaced-motif look without claiming membership.
What is the difference between paisley and foulard?
Paisley identifies the curved teardrop shape. Foulard describes a small, regularly repeated motif in tie styling. The categories can overlap: tiny paisley shapes can be arranged as a foulard repeat.
Are floral ties professional?
Small, muted or tonal florals can work in a relaxed office with a plain shirt and restrained tailoring. For a conservative business setting, start with a fine stripe, pin dot or small foulard. Save bold blooms for an occasion that welcomes more colour.
Which tie pattern is the most formal?
For business and suit occasions, pin dots, fine stripes and small, restrained foulards are our starting choices. A plain tie is another quiet option. Pattern alone does not determine formality: colour, cloth, scale and the dress code matter too.
Can I wear a houndstooth bow tie to a wedding?
Yes, when the dress code calls for a suit rather than black tie. A plain shirt and unpatterned suit give the check room to show; it also pairs well with tweed or flannel tailoring. Our Burgundy Houndstooth Bow Tie is pre-tied.
How do I wear a patterned tie with a patterned shirt?
Change the scale, keep a colour in common and choose a quieter jacket. Fine shirt stripes can work with a broader tie stripe or rounded paisley. If both patterns look equally busy, replace one with a plain piece.
What is the difference between gingham and plaid?
Gingham has regular checks made by evenly sized crossing bands. Plaid is a broader term for crossing lines and bands in different widths and arrangements. Glen plaid combines larger checks with smaller checks inside the design.
Are knitted ties a pattern?
Knitted describes how the tie is constructed. A knitted tie can be plain, striped or dotted. Think of knit as texture and construction, then identify any design on top of it.
Shop by pattern
Start with the shirt, choose the amount of detail you want, then explore the pattern that fits. A neat navy foulard, a green paisley and an orange floral each take the same suit somewhere different.
The Brothers at OTAA.
