Men's accessories: necktie
Neckties are classy and stylish accessories; an elegant suit would be unthinkable without them. The newest trends show, that they are not only preferred in combination with business wear but also with casual outfits. You rather fancy a laid-back style? Excellent! Then choose bright coloured neckties with uncommon patterns; it will not only appear decorative but can also freshen up as well as individuate everyday outfits.
Fabric
The lifespan and lasting good appearance of a necktie usually depends on the quality and thickness of its fabric, which is mostly made of silk, wool or cotton. However, when it comes to choosing the right necktie, we will have to take the season into account as well.
Silk ties
Most of the neckties for business purposes are made of silk, which is considered as the traditional fabric for necktie production. Silk ties are not only best of class but also very practical, since you can wear them in every season.
Cashmere ties
Cashmere is still quite underrated compared to other fabrics. Nevertheless, it is a perfect choice for autumn or winter; besides its softness it also lends your looks a touch of elegance.
Cotton ties
Cotton is principally regarded as a plain, ordinary material; ties made of cotton are mostly spring and summer wears, since they are very light. On the other hand, they don’t go that well with more official, business outfits such as strict suits.
Linen ties
They can be easily combined with cotton shirts; an excellent choice for the summer months.
Necktie size
The length of a classical necktie is somewhere between 130 and 145 cm; just that it covers the belt buckle. It is advised to adjust tie width to the size of the suit’s collar; the wider the collar is, the wider the tie should be as well. However, note that a man’s height as well as figure is the first thing to consider when it comes to buying a tie – longer ties suit taller men better.
Stylists recommend to pair neckties with shirts and waistcoats and wear them combined with a cardigan, coat, bomber or leather jacket. You can spice up your outfit with other accessories as well; the point is to leave the conventional, accustomed colours, textures, forms and fabrics behind and to start experimenting with something new.
Colours and patterns
Don’t forget that your necktie colour must always match with the tones of your shirt or suit. Although black, grey and blue ties are still considered as number one choices in general, you shouldn’t be afraid to try out other, more unconventional colours as well. Men, who prefer rather bright and markable accessories should probably decide in favour of a purple, light blue, orange, yellow, brown or red necktie.
Checked ties, ties with small dots or a pea pattern never go out of fashion either, since they are casual and official at the same time. Unusual, contrasty ties with ornamental, abstract or exotic patterns reflect a more romantic and daring style and they are usually picked by men, who like to experiment. These accessories will not only draw attention, but they also emphasize masculinity.
Tie bars: types and how to wear them
Tie bar
Tie bars can have all kinds of shapes and be made of different material. In most of the cases they serve as a decorative item or a sort of trademark, nevertheless, they may have a distinctive function as well. We can distinguish two kinds of tie bars: namely tie clips and tie slides. Tie clips are more likely to clasp onto your tie and hold it in place, on the other hand tie slides look better with more expensive, elegant neckties.
Tie stud
The pin consists of two parts; first to be attached to the shirt and the second to fixate onto the tie. Pins with studs often depict design elements, logos or they can be even decorated with gems.
Collar clip
The collar clip undersets and lifts the tie being hidden behind the tie besides keeping the collar lapel in its place.
Generally, tie clips are very small – it is known as a golden rule, that they shouldn’t be wider than three-quarter of the tie itself. Their right position is either in the middle of the breast pocket or between the third and fourth shirt button.
How to take care of your neckties
Such essential accessories of men’s closets like neckties need special care and protection. However, if you look after them well enough, you are going to be able to wear them like they were still brand new for a very long time. If a tie is part of your daily outfit, its lifespan will also be limited because of the frequent use. Unfortunately, neckties get worn out pretty quickly, especially if they are made of low-quality fabric. In order to be able to keep a tie longer than a month, take these tips.
Some people try to make their lives easier by leaving the necktie knot tied after taking the tie off, in order to save a little time with this trick. Nevertheless, it is surely for the best, if you stick to this simple rule: always untie your tie completely after wearing it. It is important, because this way the threads in the fabric won’t get tangled up just as your tie will not lose its shape. Otherwise the necktie and its padding tend to deform easily, therefore it will be harder to knot.
As you are probably aware, there are many different methods to tie a knot but each of them can be untied only in one way. In order to loosen a knot, you will have to do it the other way around. It is incorrect, if you untie the knot by pulling on the narrow end of the tie, since that way you can cause undesired creases, not to mention that the fabric will lose its elasticity and shininess.
To store your ties properly, it is recommended to use special hangers, on which you can keep several ties at the same time. American experts suggest leaving a necktie on the hanger even two or three days in a row, so it can “regenerate” a little bit. You can also store your ties carefully rolled up, horizontally.
Experts agree on one thing for sure, namely that washing ties is not recommended at all. After washing the tie loses its shape and its original look. If it is absolutely necessary to wash your necktie, you should take it to the dry-cleaner’s. Ironing your ties is also unadvised: you can easily make creases disappear by steaming in a vertical position. During travel you can store your ties in special boxes.
The appearance of a necktie tells a lot about its wearer immediately, therefore it is important to handle it with special care. Don’t forget, the look of your tie is crucial for making a good first impression!
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