Men’s Ties: Fashion Tips For the Dapper Gent

Ties. We all have to wear them at some point or the other in our lives. Some of us wear them everyday for work, while others only slip one on for the odd formal occasion. Ties are, without a doubt, one of the best ways to achieve a formal look when paired with a suit and for those of us that choose it – a great way to accessorize. Today, we are going to look at choosing the right knot for your tie (yes, there is more than one!), as well as a few other tips on choosing the right tie in general. Let’s dive in shall we?

Men’s ties: Tying your tie & understanding the various knots.

For tips on tying a tie, we have an article on the topic, check it out when you can.  What we will focus on here are the main tie knots, and the various situations they could be ideal for:

• Four in Hand Knot: This is an asymmetrical knot. You are going to get most use out of this if you are wearing a button-down shirt. It is, without a doubt, one of the most popular knots out there. It is also one of the easiest to tie.
• Half Windsor knot: This is a symmetrical knot. You can use this for just about any situation. It will always go well with a dress shirt.
• Pratt Knot: This is another tie knot which is suitable for dress shirts. We, however, find that the neatness of it makes it far more suitable for formal occasions than the half Windsor.
• Windsor Knot: If you are wearing a spread collar, then this wide knot is ideal for you!

Tips: Choosing a tie for your wardrobe.

• Purchase a high-quality tie from a reputable vendor. High quality ties don’t just look good, but they are a whole lot easier to actually tie. The quality of the lining is going to make all of the difference. You want a tie that is 100% wool, at least the lining.
• When you try on a tie, you need to make sure that it is the right length for you. Tie it up the way you normally would. You want the top of it to just hit your belt buckle. It needs to fit well around your neck too. The last thing you want to be doing is making your tie too tight just so it looks good…can you say choked and uncomfortable?
• Think long and hard about the colour that you choose for your tie! As you know, there are thousands of patterns and colours to choose from. Don’t get too crazy though when building your base wardrobe! A good, solid colour tie is going to be suitable for almost every occasion. If you are dressing for business, then a dark tie is also good. We find black ties to be some of the most versatile. Younger folk may be able to get away with ties which are slightly brighter in colour, particularly if they live in a warmer climate.
• Think about the pattern on the tie! There are a few rules here. We won’t cover them all. Generally speaking, formal ties often have smaller dots…”generally” is the key word here! Certain patterns (i.e. logos) on a tie are going to be suitable for more casual environments. Checkered ties are suitable for just about every occasion where you really need to make an impression.

Do you have any tips for choosing a men’s tie that you think our readers should know about? Post below!