Thursday, November 8, 2012

We will start with the last-Ties!

Ties can kill a great suit. A lot of people do not put enough thought into the tie and think of it as an afterthought, but ties are so important. It's best this day and age to wear a tie because we want to stand out from everyone else and not everyone wears one. Ties can give a hint to your personality, or make a nod to a hobby you enjoy, like sailboats, golf, or vintage cars. Just do not get carried away and get a tie that has toy trucks all over it or Christmas trees that light up. No. Instead, take care with picking out your tie and make sure that they're good-looking and smart. Start with a sold navy tie. Remember to get a conservative dominant color: blue, brown, red, or even yellow. Buy some ties with stripes in two colors, then branch our into some basic patterns.

The right length:
Bigger isn't better when it comes to ties. Rule # 1: The bottom of your tie should never extend below your waistline. It should hit in the middle of your belt buckle.

The right knot:
Spread collars need a larger knot to fill the gap so you can probably use the windsor. Otherwise, there is only one knot that really matters. The four-in-hand is the basic, and best, knot, one that can be worn successfully with all collar types. Windsor knots are overrated, and should be avoided.



The right craftsmanship:
A properly knotted tie is meant to arc from the neck a bit. It's easier to accomplish this with a well-made silk tie, but a tab collar or tie bar will assist in achieving the same effect. A tie is only as good as the fabric it's made from. A good tie is made from thick, strong silk and lined with minimal material to give it a good "hand." The best ties are called seven-fold ties. They are made of one piece of silk folded seven times and sewn into a tie. Do you need one? Not really, but it's nice to know that they are out there.

The right width:
Tie widths tend to vary from one year to the next. You can try to keep up with the comings and going of a fickle fashion flock, but with miles f ties out there -- and the fact that a well-cared-for one can last a lifetime -- you are better off finding a style that fits your face and frame.

The dimple:
Much overlooked is the dimple, which should lie directly below the knot. A tie without a dimple is like pants without a fly. It absolutely needs to be there.