July 14th, 2010

The Tie Tuck – Yes or No?

The days of waistcoats are gone. Men frequently wear jackets unbuttoned, or forgo the jacket completely while sporting a tie. This leads to a predicament: What to do with a tie that flops around in the wind and potentially endangers you?

The American answer is the tie clip, formerly emblazoned with logos and colors, now delegated to simple gold and silver designs. Other accessories include the tie pin, which punctures the tie, the tie bar, which, unlike the tie clip, extends completely across the tie, and the tie chain, which attaches the tie to a clip on a shirt button.

Sans hardware, the final option is to tuck the tie in, which has jumped from practicality to fashion statement. Moderate dressers can get away with solely tucking in the narrow end, especially if its longer than the wide end. However, tucking entire ties into pants or shirts has been creeping in popularity for the past couple of years.

Derrick Miller and his tie tucked into his pants
A skinny black tie tucked into a shirt
A man with a tie tucked into his pants

Tucking ties into pants has been the subject of much debate among menswear enthusiasts, as Sartorially Inclined attests. I’m not a big fan. In all these pictures, the ties appear too long. Moreover, the tucking makes the tie poof out, and not the stylish poof formed by a tie clip. It’s a saggy poof, a roll, that forms at the waist.

Sean Connery with his tie tucked into his pants

So here’s my say: If one’s pants are at the natural waist (like Connery, pictured) and one’s shirt fit and waist is slim enough to avoid any unsightly rumples at the bottom (unlike Connery), a tie tucked into pants may be acceptable. Nice skinny tie, Connery.

Now onto the second question…Is it ok to tuck your tie into your shirt?

A tie tucked into a shirt

Tucking ties into shirts is a slightly different matter. On one hand, unlike the pant tuck, I don’t think the shirt tuck can ever look good. It looks abrupt and unfinished. On the other hand, tucking a tie into a shirt is actually practical; it can save your tie at hazardous lunches. Men’s style should never be handicapped by practicality. One shouldn’t be punished because the lunch one’s being served, or the distance between the table and the booth one’s sitting on. However, I would refrain from tucking ties in shirts anywhere outside eating establishments.

Are there any other options? Like the answer to a prayer, I found a post at Permanent Style that detailed his “dreamed up tie tuck.” Simply fold the narrow end in and out of a button, then thread it through the label loop as normal. Conclusion? There are many alternatives to tucking your tie into your pants or shirt. Try them before you try the tuck.

Photos #1-3 and #6: Sartorialist

Photo #4: Sartorially Inclined

Photo #5: Brandish.tv

Photo #7: Put This On

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July 3rd, 2010

Tie Storage: How To Store Your Ties

Whether to roll or hang ties is a topic of hot contention among tie enthusiasts. Blood has been shed; friendships, destroyed; ties, ripped. Ok, slight exaggeration. But for those of you who wonder, there are pros and cons to each:

Rolling ties eliminates wrinkles while preventing permanent ones from forming. However, rolled ties take up more space and are harder to take in and out, and try on than hanging ties. Make sure to roll from the narrow to the wide end.

Hanging ties is said to cause permanent wrinkles.  On the other hand, hanging ties is a good way to organize space and access all your ties at once.

An automatic tie rack.

If you want to hang ties, you can buy the racks that hang from your closet, a rack that you can screw to the wall or a motorized rack that allows you to easily peruse your neckwear. (like the one pictured) Be mindful of how much space you have, and how many ties you need to hang.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your commonly used ties on a tie rack in your closet, while storing the less used ones rolled in a drawer. When hanging your ties, don’t opt for a simple hanger; hanging ties on a hanger practically invites them to slip off and wrinkle. Either way, make sure your ties keep out of sunlight as well.

You might consider rolling a tie up for a day after wearing, in order to lose the wrinkles, then hanging it back up. Don’t wear a tie for two days in a row; it needs time to lose the wrinkles from the knot.

If you wear knit ties, be sure to store them flat, instead.

And please, please please please, untie your tie when you take it off. Don’t simply pull the narrow end through the knot; instead, undo the knot in the opposite order you tied it in.

Photo credit: Elitong Electronic

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June 29th, 2010

Try A Wool Tie On For Size

I admit, wool ties are more of a fall trend. But hey, fall is only a couple of months away. Better to buy them when they’re not in such high demand, right?

Moreover, summer is a time for casual dress. Casual dress can be difficult for some guys, who are afraid of anything beyond khakis and polos.

Luckily, wool ties provide the perfect bridge between formal and casual. They’re neckwear, naturally formal, but they add contrast with their texture. There are two types of wool ties – knitted and woven.

knit ties are the perfect casual neckwear

Knitted is the perfect casual tie, as featured in Men’s Flair article written years before knit ties were “in.” If you want to break out of the khakis and polos mode, try blue jeans (without the rips), a more informal oxford and a knit tie. Substitute the knitted for woven and it becomes a little bit more formal. To find a good oxford for casual wear, make sure it’s not made out of worsted wool. One bit of advice – look for a collars with buttoned tips.

If you’re looking for a casual way to wear a sports coat, especially one  made out of a casual material like tweed, (as Will from A Suitable Wardrobe writes,) you can pair a woven tie with jeans, or with more “wrinkly” khaki pants. Just be sure to avoid suit coat jackets, especially wool. Look for sport coats, which will feature pouch pockets, instead of simple slits.

kobe bryant sports a formal wool tie

Woven ties can be worn with a suit; you just have to be sure to keep in mind its colors. If it sports “normal” silk colors, a look like Kobe’s is stylish.

an earthy ensemble with a woven wool tie

If it’s more earthy, stick to less formal jackets, like this one pictured in GQ.

Knit ties photo credit: Men’s Flair

Kobe photo credit: GQ

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June 26th, 2010

How to Buy Ties

When buying ties, there are some precautions one ought to keep in mind, lest one walks out with a bad quality tie, a tie identical to the rest of ones wardrobe or a tie that’s impossible to match.

To ensure tie quality, let the tie hang down from your hand, with the middle over your hand. Make sure it drapes smoothly.

Additionally, a “slip stitch” is a looped thread on the back of a tie. If you open the back sides up, it should be woven into the lining. how to show for ties Try pulling the “slip stitch.” The tie should wrinkle together.

To guarantee that each tie will be matched properly, alternate between solids, stripes and patterns. This way, you won’t be stuck to ties of one style because only that style looks proper with your shirt and suit.

Also, resist buying flashy colors or unnecessary prints. Though a pink and cream striped tie looks swell on display, it can be a real pain to match. Good matching colors are navy blue, red, black and gold.

If you’re wondering how much you should spend on a tie, keep this in mind: Shoes, ties and the fit of a suit are the most telling signs of luxury. Some fashion bloggers will advise you to spend as much as you can afford. I say, spend as much as you do on your shirts.

If you’re wondering whether to purchase ties online, remember that personally feeling a tie is key to determining quality.  If you’re building a wardrobe, concrete stores are your best bet. However, if you’re searching for a specific design and color, or are confident in the quality of an online tie boutique, shopping for ties online can save you money as well as time.

Photo credit: Doublebug’s flickr

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June 22nd, 2010

Wearing Bow Ties: Who, When, and With What

I’ve written previously about how bow ties are back “in.” However, many men still exhibit apprehension about tying a bow around their necks. In order to banish your doubts, here’s a practical, generalized, and possibly completely misguided guide to wearing bow ties:

Who should wear bow ties:

  • Anyone younger than 30 or older than 55. Sorry, but middle aged men dressing for work are forever doomed to neck ties.
  • Educators. If you’re a high school teacher, your dress code might include a tie. Since your bosses won’t judge you based on your neckwear, you might askanye west sporting a bow tie well shock your pupils with a decorative bow. If you’re a tenured professor, there’s no excuse not to wear unorthodox clothes.
  • Dandies. “Dandy” is a term for someone who takes clothing very seriously, always wears a pocket square, etc. Dandies completely disregard how people perceive them; instead, they heed only the clothes themselves. Bow ties are awesome clothes, so dandies should wear them. They probably already are.

When should you wear bow ties:

  • To proms and fraternity/sorority formals. Most of the attendees will have no clue how to dress. Anyone wearing a bow tie will quickly achieve legendary status.
  • To dinner parties. If conversation is stalling, wait for them to mention your bow tie. It will be mentioned eventually.
  • To get your picture taken. 20 years from now, anyone who glances at a picture of you wearing a bow tie will label you a sartorial god. Especially those who’ve never met you, but are looking at your picture: Your reputation will precede you.

With what should you wear bow ties:

  • Boring white shirts. Regular bow ties are loud enough, forgo the striped and checkers.
  • Jeans and a casual white shirt. By casual, I mean slightly wrinkled.
  • Khakis and a blazer. Suits are conservative, bow ties aren’t.

Final piece of advice: Pre-tied bow ties are synonymous with clip-on ties. Avoid both.

Photo credit: dresslikekanyewest.com

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June 16th, 2010

Jonah Hill: Get Him Back To The Dressing Room

Jonah Hill stars in Get Him to the Greek, which came out last week among positive reviews, including a 75% score from Rotten Tomatoes. How can you resist watching a movie whose two male co-stars kiss? If you haven’t seen it (the Kiss Cam clip, and the movie), you totally should. Here’s the trailer for Get Him To The Greek, for your viewing pleasure:

YouTube Preview Image

As much as I love Hill as the big, nerdy and impossible-to-detest teenager/college student he often plays, I’m afraid he suffers from the same predicament facing his peers across the nation – unwise formal dress.

See, I don’t want to say stupid, because Jonah Hill, like any actor, must pay some substantial attention to his clothes. The suit above is a nice color. I just think his choice of untucked shirts and skinny ties isn’t appropriate for every single function he attends.

I hate to break it to you Jonah, but skinny ties are for skinny people. (Hill’s weight has been the subject of much blogging – see The Indie Eye, Hollywood Elsewhere, The Wrap) It’s part of the modern fit, like if you were wearing a trim suit. Second of all, you not only loosen the tie too much, seemingly all the time, (Try to keep it 2 inches from your neck) but with your large neck, the loosened four-in-hand sprawled across your chest looks out of place. Try a Windsor knot. You can still wear it a little loose, but, for goodness sakes, only unbutton the collar button. And are those sneakers? With a suit?

Next to Vanessa Hudgens, you look like the scrappy teen who spent two minutes getting ready. Maybe you’re going for the young, casual look; but if you’re going to do that, wear casual clothes. Don’t wear a suit with the shirt untucked. And sneakers again…

I like sport jackets over polos. It’s a good casual look. However, you don’t pair a polo with a suit. If you replaced those trousers with jeans, or the suit jacket with a blazer, you’d look great. Instead, you look misplaced. Like the rest of your suits, this one again sports skinny lapels, which complement skinny ties. But you’re not skinny – your clothes appear to belong to someone much smaller than you.

This screen from Get Him To The Greek demonstrates “good” casual. No tie, so the unbuttoned shirt is great, plus a tweed-looking jacket. However, I won’t pass judgment on your co-star, Russell Brand. I don’t even know what to do besides cry.

Here’s another good look for you, with costars from your upcoming movie, Cyrus: A proper-sized tie, tightened, and a suit with normal lapels. I’m willing to bet your shirt’s tucked in, too. Either go formal or casual. Stop mixing them; it makes you look like, pardon the language, a n00b.

Photo credit: IMDB

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June 14th, 2010

Consider Buying Zipper Ties For Your Boys

Kids and neckties don’t mix. Let’s face it, efforts to dress up a first grader with a tie usually end in tears or bad ties. When my little brother received his First Communion last month, it was the later case. In every picture, his tie is tied two inches below his collar.

It’s not like we didn’t try to fix it.  But once a tie is tied once around a young child’s neck, how a zipper tie works they try to avoid that harrowing deal in the near future. Unfortunately, not adjusting his tie caused the poorly placed knot to be preserved for posterity in the form of pictures. Oh well.

So for those of you who reject clip-on ties, a better solution is available – our zipper ties. This is how they work: The material tied around the neck is one end of the zipper. The other end is the skinny end of the tie. The actual zipper is in the knot. When you pull the skinny end, the length around the neck is shortened, just like a real tie. You pull the neck band to the size needed to get it over your head.

If only my family had bought a product like the Boy’s Silver Zipper Tie. different sizes of zipper ties We could easily adjusted the tie without having to untie it. Not only that, but it exceeds the traditional clip-on in style. (It looks just like a real tie)  The tie comes in three different sizes. The sizes for boys range from 6 months to 10 years.

I tried on a men’s size. Though I was a little hesitant at first, zipper ties are easier to use than real ties, and look just as genuine. If one of your boys will be donning neckwear in the future, you should consider saving yourself a lot of heartache, tears and arguments by getting a zipper tie from our huge selection of zipper tie colors and patterns, fitting for any occasion. You’ll be happy with how it looks, and your little boy won’t be bothered by tying and adjusting it.

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June 12th, 2010

How To Travel With Ties

It’s summer, and, with summer, comes vacations. And, of course, the regular trips you may take for business and pleasure during the year. Regardless of how long your trip is, or for what purpose, you will almost certainly pack a tie. Here’s to how to survive traveling without spoiling or wrinkling your ties.

If you’re going to be gone longer, you’ll probably be packing several ties in your suitcase. Either store the rolled-up tie in a suit jacket pocket or inside a shoe. Folding your ties will wrinkle them. However, if your ties happen to become wrinkled, hang them in your hotel bathroom and take a shower. The hot steam will eliminate small wrinkles and reduce large ones. The Art Of Manliness demonstrates a way to fold ties without wrinkling them: folding them on top of a dress shirt. This eliminates the small crease that becomes a wrinkle.

If the trip is short, if you’re going straight to the occasion which requires a tie or if you’re only taking a carry-on, don’t wear your tie on the plane. You never know if you’ll be sitting next to the messy baby. Plus, the close proximity of the tray to your chest makes eating without spilling food on your tie quite a test. Either roll it, from the short end, and store it in a suit jacket pocket. If you’re not wearing a suit jacket, (Good choice – it can get wrinkled sitting on a plane) the advice remains the same for the carry-on: Roll the tie up, pack it in a structured space. Shoes are the simplest choice.

If you’re forever plagued by wrinkly and dirty ties while traveling, consider two options: First, bring microfiber or knit ties. Microfiber ties are easier to clean and resist wrinkles, while wool knit ties, which are gaining acceptance as casual wear, will resist wrinkles as well. The other option, if you’re serious about tie care, is a tie case. With prices ranging from the upper teens to the lower thousands, based on the quality of leather, tie cases hold several ties and can fit in a suitcase.

Photo credit: Art of Manliness

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June 9th, 2010

John Boehner’s Love Affair with Bright Green Ties

When I think of green ties, one name comes to mind – John Boehner. Ok, the bronzed Boehner is probably not your idea of a style icon. But no one else on Capitol Hill wears green neckwear as religiously as the House Minority Leader, especially in these summer months. The first page of a Google image search shows Boehner wearing green in 25% of the photos showing neckwear. That’s high for the Beltway, where red and blue rule the Congressional aisles as well as the collars.

John Boehner Wears Green Summer Ties

My hunch is that his emerald obsession stems from his skin color. Boehner’s tan bod’ is notorious among political bloggers, who speculate about its source. The Washington Post could not come to a definite conclusion on John Boehner’s tanning habits after surveying DC skin experts. Regardless, bright green ties paired with a dark, low-key suit and ordinary white oxford provide substantial enough contrast for a lawmaker. During the summer, when I assume his skin takes a darker tone, bright summer colors like green suit even better. Blue-green eyes aid the cause as well.

Curiously enough, O’Hara Designs, a Sydney boutique, associates the color green with phrases like “resolving conflict” and “working effectively.” That’s not exactly what springs to mind when thinking of Obama’s opposition in the House. Regardless, Boehner’s got a unique look. Here’s how to mimic it.

You’ll need to acquire some bright and lime green ties for the summer season. I recommend a solid, one with small patterns and a striped one with secondary colors like light blue. ABCNeckties’ Mint Woven Grid Silk Tie is a prime example of the first. Solid green seems to be a favorite of Boehner. If the tie is bold green, all that’s needed is a white oxford and a dark suit. You can add more contrast with a striped white and blue shirt. If the tie is striped, try a shirt color in one of the tie’s secondary stripe colors. Light gray or blue works well with any of the designs.

Bright green is an especially suitable color for summer. Now’s the time to break out the khaki suits and jackets; a bright green tie is a suitable complement. (no pun intended) Moreover, you just might find yourself on CNN.

Boehner #1 Photo credit : Texas on the Potomac

Boehner #2 Photo credit: Vogue Republic

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June 7th, 2010

How to Summer-ize Your Formal Wear

Well, it’s that time of year again. No, not graduation. That’s over. I’m talking about summer. Plenty of advice is available online about dressing for the summer so I’m going to dole out some practical tips on summer formal wear, especially regarding ties. (duh) Four ways to summer-ize your formal wardrobe:

1. Give silk a timeout. You can experiment with wool ties, which, though they’ll be hotter, are better suited for the casual wear you might need during summer. cotton ties for summer Linen ties are cooler than both these materials. Linen isn’t limited to ties – the classic white handkerchief/pocket square is linen. When a silk pocket square is too glossy, or if you actually want to use your pocket square as a handkerchief, linen is the classic choice. Try cotton ties as well.

2. Speaking of linen…it works great with seersucker suits. No seersucker suit is complete without a white linen pocket square. Plus, if you want to avoid texture contrast, a linen tie provides a laid-back fit for your white oxford shirt and blue or gray seersucker suit.

3. Break out the pastel shirts. Pink/salmon, light yellow and green, even a light purple, are all great ways to summer-ize a traditional dark suit. Pair a pastel shirt with a tie in a bright shade of the same color. Exercise caution when pairing them with seersuckers.

4. Speaking of ties, now is the time for bright orange, green, and cerulean, all those colors of you were afraid to wear the rest of the year. They go great with gray suits. Escape the traditional red and navy stripes!

Think about what you wore for Easter – that’s the first occasion for summer wear. Get lighter and brighter, because that’s what the weather will be doing. No one should be stuck in dark suits and ties all year long. A couple quick pointers before I finish: Exercise caution when wearing sandals. Leather is the best. Summer is the time to break out brown shoes…and especially white bucks. Finally, shed the leather belts for stripes, and the stainless steel watches for straps.

Cotton Ties photo credit: GQ

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