Your Most Essential Ties

[nicholascrawford]

I struggle with ties for a lot of reasons. In large part, I don't wear them because I don't have any that are less than suit-worthy formal or are unfashionably wide...or, well...I don't own many ties, and I don't like the ones I have.


I think it would be a great resource for tie shoppers like me to see what your favorite, most useful ties are. If you would be willing to take a picture of your ties - no more than 15 - and offer some insights into what and why, I would really be helped by that. Another route would be to lay out 2-3 outfits with one tie to demonstrate how that same tie can work in multiple instances.


From there, I'd work backwards trying to find a match on www.thetiebar.com and hopefully do some much needed CPR on my tie rack!

[Lib]

Here to express my gratitude in advance to all who participate in this. Every time that I log on to tiebar and fill my shopping cart I second-guess all my decisions and wind up with no ties at all.

[pratyk]

Let's keep it to this thread, let everyone post it and once we have sufficient postings, translate it to a google doc or a bookmarkable entity..


Any idea on potential brands: TieBar, Knottery, CK, Tommy, Land's End, Express,...?


I'm just beginning to get into ties but here are a few entries from me:


Knit:

Tiebar Tipped Red knit: http://bit.ly/LYruA2

Tiebar Navy silk knit: http://bit.ly/LYrFLE

Knottery Aubergine: http://bit.ly/LSMpDf


Plain/Solid:

Knottery Jetsom Oxford Cotton - Light Red: http://bit.ly/MHkweE

Tommy Solid - Black + Navy (Staples): http://bit.ly/MWoyRa

Tiebar Solid Gray Wool: http://bit.ly/KTIeUi


Stripes:

Tiebar Wool Light Blue on Eggplant: http://bit.ly/LYrVdI (available in black as well)

Tommy Slide Stripe - Navy/ Green: http://bit.ly/KdolYO

Tiebar Slide stripe (similar to Tommy): http://bit.ly/LYGT3a

Tiebar Tradtional Stripe - Navy/Red: http://bit.ly/LYH6mX


Pattern:

Tommy Satin Dot (light blue dots on dark red tie): http://bit.ly/Lv3bYt

Tiebar Satin Dot - Navy/White: http://bit.ly/LYwa92

Tiebar Mini Dots - Navy/Red: http://bit.ly/LYDb9H

Tie Bar:


Black Tie Bar - 1.5": http://bit.ly/LYtPuM

[jose_jackson]

I have an old navy blue LE (proper, not canvas) knit tie that I borrowed (stole) from my dad. It's 50% silk, 50% mohair. It's my favorite tie because it can be worn with a suit (a more trendy, non-traditional pairing, admittedly) or with something more casual.


It's also unique and imo timeless. Despite what style blogs/GQ want you to believe, knit ties and textured ties aren't that much of a trend for a couple of reasons: 1) they have a solid place in traditional American prep/sportswear, 2) honesty how many regular people have you ever seen wear a knit tie (or wool, etc.) irl.


I'm a little confused, I guess, as to what your difficulty is with ties. If you have wide/out of date ties, then by a new one. I don't mean this to sound sarcastic, but that's the only way you will get comfortable with it. I would pick your favorite easily matchable tie color (probably navy or a darker red), find that knit tie on the tie bar (or cotton, or wool if winter), and wear it all the time at home until you are comfortable. The key is, I think, to buy one that will match everything--navy and red will do that.

[jose_jackson]

That seems like a pretty good list from pratyk.


After thinking about it for a second, I think I know what you might be getting at, nc. I, too, have just recently realized how formal most folded silk ties are. It can be hard to wear them with just a blazer (especially if it's cotton or unstructured), and many people would say you shouldn't.


Any of those textured ties pratyk posted would be good to start with, I think.

[LesserBlackDog]

I've been wearing ties to my work 5 days/week for a while now and here's what I can tell you:


I have two ties that I wear a LOT more than all the others. They just go with everything, and they're conservative but not boring.


The first is a simple navy with small white pindots. The second has thick, alternating stripes of charcoal, navy, and dark red. Both are matte silk with very little shine. Each goes with pretty much everything I own. I have about 20 ties but I these two at least once a week.


Here are some old photos:

[bruschetta]

1. A solid navy textured tie. You can wear these with a white, blue, or pink shirts. They work equally well with solid and patterned shirts. Pair them with navy or grey suits. Some options:


TheTieBar Grenafaux Midnight Navy 3": http://goo.gl/vRhBS

TheTieBar Skinny Solid Midnight Navy 3": http://goo.gl/1wrDU

TheTieBar Solid Texture Midnight Navy 3": http://goo.gl/lovlX

TheTieBar Skinny Solid Navy 3": http://goo.gl/9dhg0

Charles Tyrwhitt Navy 3.3": http://goo.gl/gEBrF

Charles Tyrwhitt Navy 2.75": http://goo.gl/Quak8


2. A navy tie with thin stripes or dots that match the color of your shirt. They work equally well with navy or grey suits. Keep in mind that these ties paired with white shirts are considered power ties.


White shirts:

TheTieBar Double Stripe Navy 3": http://goo.gl/qdtOA

TheTieBar Navy/White Satin Dot 3": http://goo.gl/aD9ec

TheTieBar Wool Stripe Navy/White 70% Wool 30% Silk 3": http://goo.gl/0iuAE

Charles Tyrwhitt Navy and White Stripes 3.3": http://goo.gl/D7JpW

Charles Tyrwhitt Navy & White Grenadine 3.3": http://goo.gl/fyUHD

Charles Tyrwhitt Navy fleur de lys 3.3": http://goo.gl/uYOaD

(TheTieBar has a version of this classic tie, but it's hideous. I'm mentioning it so that people can learn. Notice how the fleur de lis symbols are too large? They're spaced so that some of the symbols are partially off of the tie. Not good.


Blue shirts:

TheTieBar Solid Stripes Navy 2.75": http://goo.gl/opp8W

Charles Tyrwhitt Navy & Sky Herringbone 3.3": http://goo.gl/xQoxD


3. A classic red tie. Solid red ties can be paired with either a white or blue shirt. Some red ties should only be paired with their secondary color. They also work with navy or grey suits, but I prefer them with navy suits. I'll include examples below. These ties with white shirts are considered power ties.


White or blue shirts:

TheTieBar Grenafaux burgundy 3": http://goo.gl/ATg6O (More red than burgundy)

TheTieBar Solid Satin burgundy 3": http://goo.gl/2oXZn (More red than burgundy)

TheTieBar Herringbone burgundy 3.5": http://goo.gl/SvABT (More red than burgundy)


White shirt:

TheTieBar Satin Dot Burgundy/White 3": http://goo.gl/AkJM7 (More red than burgundy)

TheTieBar Wool Stripe - Red/White 70% Wool 30% Silk 3": http://goo.gl/vaElC


Blue Shirt:

Charles Tyrwhitt Red & Sky stripe 3.3": http://goo.gl/qAWyX

Charles Tyrwhitt Red & Sky herringbone 3.3": http://goo.gl/tPObc (I'm not thrilled with this tie, but it's a classic pattern.)


4. A classic gold tie. Choose one that is not too shiny, and not too light. A darker gold looks best. Light, shiny gold ties look cheap. These are considered power ties with white OR blue shirts. Some people consider these ties to be too aggressive. It takes confidence to wear them successfully.


White or blue shirts:

TheTieBar Travel Stripes 3.5": http://goo.gl/n5aAa

TheTieBar Solid Texture Marigold 3.5": http://goo.gl/bavMO

TheTieBar Big Tooth Yellow/Ivory 3": http://goo.gl/Ygx94 (Borders on being too light.)


White shirts:

TheTieBar walking paisley gold 3.5": http://goo.gl/Ulahi (This takes panache to pull off.)


Blue shirts:

Charles Tyrwhitt gold fleur de lys 3.3": http://goo.gl/HLqi6

Charles Tyrwhitt gold matte 3.3": http://goo.gl/TfsmK (I own this tie. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're exceptionally cocky. It's hard to pair.)

Charles Tyrwhitt gold and sky grenadine 3.3": http://goo.gl/7yaNh (This is not a power tie: the gold color is too muted. However, it is beautiful.)


5. A wine or dark burgundy tie. These typically go with white shirts and grey suits. I would be hesitant about pairing them with navy shirts or suits.


White shirts:

Charles Tyrwhitt berry plain grenadine 3.3": http://goo.gl/Igi5K

TheTieBar Solid Satin Wine 2.5": http://goo.gl/gdxB4 3.5": http://goo.gl/bjAnF

TheTieBar 70% Wool 30% Silk Burgundy 3": http://goo.gl/rf6qT

TheTieBar 70% Wool 30% Silk Wine 2.5": http://goo.gl/4G4PC (I own this)

TheTieBar Solid Texture Burgundy 3": http://goo.gl/6kNiM

TheTieBar Solid Stripe Wine 3": http://goo.gl/bR1fn

TheTieBar Satin Dot Burgundy/White 3.5": http://goo.gl/XcljZ (I am including this because it's an example of a bad interpretation of a classic tie. Notice how the dots are poorly spaced so that there is an extra column on the right side. Also, the dots should not go so low on the tie. It looks like a mistake.)


The 5 ties that I listed above are the classic staples in a gentleman's wardrobe. Styles beyond these five are a matter of preference.


I would recommend a dark Irish green tie with a white shirt and grey suit (http://goo.gl/aGvXa), a few paisleys, and some interesting stripes.

[pratyk]

One tip i'd like to add: If you're not skinny but want to for a slimmer tie, go for the 2.75" or 3" ties vs. the 2" ties. 2" ties don't look good at all on anybody who's got a moderate width on them.

[thmage]

I need way more ties. But fortunately, I feel like ties are one of the only style things that I actually "get" (shoes, on the other hand... not so much).


Here are some types of ties I plan to get when I can spend the money.


Knit - casual, pairs well with cardigans:

Navy with red horizontal stripes - Slightly nautical, very casual and will work over several shirts. They also have similar ones with slightly larger stripes.

Solid red - Solid red silk would be quite hard to pull off, but the natural texture of a knit tie makes this a good pick. Again, a color that's pretty easy to match.


Wool - Semi-formal, pairs well with a blazer or vest:

Gray wool with chalkstripes - This is one of the best looking ties I've seen. Wool can be dressed up or down, while the stripes make it a bit more fun than a solid tie.


Silk - Formal, wear with suits:

Eggplant with texture - Cause (eggplant) purple is the best color ever. The slight texture makes it really pop. I have a tie similar to this and I love it. However, silk is for the most part limited to suits.

Patterned red - In my opinion, red looks best with a somewhat stronger pattern. This is the perfect professional tie to go with a navy suit. Pair with a gray square and make some money.


Cotton - Generally casual, pairing depends on the tie:

Cotton gingham - Perfect summer tie. Wear this with a well-fitting white shirt, rolled sleeves, and maybe a tie bar and you have a perfect summer barbeque tie. I'd have to see it in person, but I would lean toward the full-width one.


And a decent plain black tie goes without saying.

[pratyk]

I do like this solid aubergine/dark purple tie: Has a bit of a texture to it as well..


http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/calibrat...esultback=4358

[nicholascrawford]

Whoa, thanks a lot. This is a lot of great information to sift through.

[Kittiwake30]

Great thread. I really struggle with tie pairings and have arrived on the fact that you get a lot more mileage with subdued ties you can pair with a lot of shirts (I wear a suit almost daily.)


I probably have close to 30 ties but it’s really only a chosen dozen that get a lot of rotation. I have at least a half a dozen from the Tie Bar, which provides great value for the price point, but of late I took advantage of special promotions involving a free tie with Charles Tyrwhitt. They have thick, luxurious, well made ties and I can’t foresee myself buying from anywhere else for the foreseeable future.


With a suit, chances are you are wearing white or light blue so there’s plenty of flexibility with neutralish ties.


In the last month, I received these from Charles Tyrwhitt:


Pairs brilliantly with a white shirt

http://www.ctshirts.com/men's-ties/Royal-_and-white-puppytooth-woven-tie-?q=usddefault||TW736RWH|||||||||||||&page=2


Well made and can play all five positions on the floor

http://www.ctshirts.com/men's-ties/Navy-plain-woven-tie?q=usddefault||TW782NAV|||||||||||||&page=3


Color is a bit go to hell, but if you keep everything else simple and subdued, it rocks. Not sure if I can get away with wearing it out of summer season.

http://www.ctshirts.com/men's-ties/Strawberry-_and-white-spot-woven-tie-?q=usddefault||TW752RED|||||||||||||&page=4


I actually wanted a navy Churchill dot tie with more spacing on in the pattern, but this works out well enough.

http://www.ctshirts.com/men's-ties/Navy-_and-white-spot-woven-tie-?q=usddefault||TW749NAV|||||||||||||&page=6


For summer and dressed down, I have this one. When gingham inevitably goes out of style, I’m ruined.

http://www.thetiebar.com/order_page.asp?pn=13751&orderPageReturn=%2Fcategor yPages%2FRed%5FTies%2Easp&pg=0&categoryIds=31,24&o ptionValueIds=


I also heard somewhere that red conveys power. In the absence of chiseled pectoral definition, I compensated by getting these three in various shades of Satan’s Bicep/Angry Communist red.


http://www.thetiebar.com/order_page.asp?pn=13215&orderPageReturn=%2Fcategor yPages%2FRed%5FTies%2Easp&pg=0&categoryIds=31,24&o ptionValueIds=


http://www.thetiebar.com/order_page.asp?pn=12402&orderPageReturn=%2Fcategor yPages%2FRed%5FTies%2Easp&pg=0&categoryIds=31,24&o ptionValueIds=


This last one pairs really well with a light blue shirt, though some would claim that’s on the edge of matchy-matchy.

http://www.thetiebar.com/order_page.asp?pn=16032&orderPageReturn=%2Fcategor yPages%2FRed%5FTies%2Easp&pg=0&categoryIds=31,24&o ptionValueIds=


Also got this nautical number en route from LEC which will be deployed in the fall. Have high hopes for it.

http://canvas.landsend.com/pp/mens-s...s&origin=index

[pratyk]

How do you all store your ties?

[BB]

A quick note: I have ordered some ties from Tie Bar, and I think they are all of decent enough quality, but I have also ordered one knit tie from The Knottery and one Wool one, too. They are both of clearly higher quality than my Tie Bar ties, so for the types of ties I tend to wear most often (navy blue knit, black knit, grey wool, light blue cotton -- I like to wear bolder shirts or jackets and so tone it down with solid but textured ties) I will order the Knottery equivalents when and if they are available. About ten bucks more, but worth it in my opinion for a few of your key pieces.

[BB]

And, I heard that the Knottery will have some $50 grenadines soon -- I'll look forward to checking them out this fall when I return to coat and tie every day. But overall, I should restate that Tie Bar is a fantastic value.