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are a few of our favorite things: Seven-fold silk
tie, $125, from Countess Mara. Woven-silk chevron
tie by Joseph Abboud, $75. Solid silver herringbone
tie by Oxxford Clothiers, $125. Silk moire iridescent-stripe
tie by Joseph Abboud, $75. All ties courtesy of
Ashford. |
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"A
well-tied tie is the first serious step in life."
- Oscar Wilde
Buying a tie is one of the most important wardrobe
decisions a man can make. Unless you like the tie,
it'll feel like a burden around your neck, but the
right tie will make you feel like a prince. It's no
coincidence, then, that two-thirds of all ties bought
are bought by women, no doubt seeking to make the
men in their life less froglike. Heed our advice --
wear the tie she bought you. She probably has better
taste than you do, and you'll be assured of wearing
something she actually approves of.
But,
personal tastes notwithstanding, there are a few things
you can do to ensure that the tie you're being bought
is worth the money. Here are some pointers to make
sure your tie is highly crafted and not just highly
priced.
Better
made ties are "cut on the bias", or across the fabric,
which helps in creating better knots and allows them
to drape against your shirt properly. So how do you
test the cut of the tie?
Simple. Hold the tie up by its smaller end, and see
if it hangs straight. If it does, you have a winner.
If it twists, you do not.
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Next,
feel the fabric of the tie. Presuming that it's silk (and
most ties you buy should be), the finer and softer the silk,
the better the tie. If it's not soft to the touch, it has
probably been dyed too often -- a sure sign of lower quality.
The
lining to the tie is equally as important as the fabric,
as it holds the shape of the tie. The best quality ties
have a wool lining, and the finer the tie, the higher the
wool content in the lining. But beware - this doesn't mean
that the finest ties are thick ones, as a heavier lining
does not mean better quality. The bulk in a tie should be
because of the silk, and not the lining.
Next,
take a look at where the two sides of tie come together
on the back to form the inverted 'V' shape. A good tie will
have a small stitch joining the back flaps - this is called
the 'bar tack', and it helps maintain the shape of the tie.
Lastly,
take a look at the small content label on the tie - if it
is a handmade tie, it will almost definitely say so. These
are generally more desirable than those that are not, but
not always.
A
recently published book illustrates well over a hundred
different ways to tie a tie. You need to know only three
- the half Windsor, the full Windsor, and the four-in-hand.
The Windsor knot looks good only on spread collar shirts,
just as the great Duke of Windsor originally wore it. When
tying the knot, no matter which one, you should aim for
the smallest and most precise knots you can manage, Just
make sure there is a dimple in the center of the tie just
below the knot.
A
tie should always be properly untied, and this does not
mean slipping it off your neck without untying the knot.
Short of dipping your tie in paint, this is one of the most
surefire ways to ruin a tie. Hang the tie up immediately
after use, and the wrinkles won't be there tomorrow. And,
if you follow the advice above, you and your ties will have
hundreds of tomorrows to share
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