Originally purple was the rarest die available, and was restricted to use by royalty only. In conventional circles it is now considered vulgar or dreamlike, though in my opinion it can look quite stylish with a grey suit. Shows the least dirt. Other things going for brown are it exudes economy and earthiness. Tan and beige are the least communicative of shades, whereas reddish-brown is said to be effective both professionally and sexually.
Stripes express a desire for orderliness, dependability and conservatism.
A sufficiently bold wide stripe will indicate that you are outgoing and a pretty enterprising fellow, however. Beware of large checks unless you are a lumber-jack or plan to camouflage yourself on a table cloth. Small checks are just right for architects and engineers. Tartan has a long and colourful history, that has been known to get the odd Scot into hot-water. Due to the threat of the separatist movement in the 18th century, Tartan was prohibited by British Law in 1746.