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Ties |
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 If you wear a suit, at some point
you'll need a tie. A tie is one of the best opportunities for a man to
express his personal style. It offers men a world of possibilities, can
make or break a suit, and frankly, a lot of guys mess this up. If
you put a purple tie with a navy suit tells folks you've got
sophistication and style. If you step out in a purple tie and purple
suit, you're telling the world you think you're Prince.You don't need lots of ties — probably 6-10. Ties shouldn't be exorbitantly expensive,
but you're not going to find many good $10 ties. For the office, there
are neckties and bowties. These are the only options for work. If you
choose to wear a bowtie, you run the risk of being mistaken for a geeky
professor or a member of the Nation of Islam. If this is the look for
which you are going, rock on with your bow-tied self. For the rest of
you, neckties will suffice.
Buying a TieWe recommend buying a few darker solid ties,
a few with simple diagonal stripes, also known as repp stripes, and a
few with small patterns that aren't garish or loud.
Choose patterns and colors that complement your shirts and suits. Do
this by bringing a shirt or suit with you to the store (ideal, but
unlikely) or finding something similar there. If in doubt, ask the most
attractive woman nearest to you what she thinks.
Ties shouldn't be too fat or too skinny. We're talking about the widest end of the tie. Widths fluctuate with the times, but as a rule of thumb, 3" is a good width.
Woven silk is the fiber of choice. Wool
and cotton are viable as well; wool goes with heavier winter
suits, and cotton complements the breezier fabrics of spring or summer.
A knit tie? Sure, in black. That's a classic. Other colors and
patterns can be risky.
Pairing Shirts with Ties: A lot of guys get confused about which ties go with which shirts, so here's a list on getting paired up properly:
Muted shirt = bolder tieBroad stripes on shirt = small pattern on tie
Small stripes on shirt = bolder pattern on tie
Bold patterned shirt = muted, subdued tie
Avoid kid-print or other novelty ties, like
Mickey Mouse ties. They are not showing your "plucky and off-beat
sense of humor" or "refusal to accept the corporate uniform and
hierarchical structure." No one thinks those are cute, unless
you're 10.
Wearing a Tie
All you need to know about the length of a tie is that it should come to the top of your belt buckle.
Shirt and tie should not be the same color, no matter what Regis Philbin does.
Make sure the knot is tight and the tie is dimpled; it's just a more complete look. Use
your thumb and second finger to pinch around your index finger as it
makes the dimple. The knot should fill the space between the
collars. Don't loosen your tie unless you are taking it off, or she's leading you around by it. If somehow you have made it to this point with out learning to tie a tie,
shame on you. A man should be able to execute a full Windsor and a
four-in-hand. There are other knots, but these will take you most
everywhere you want to go. Brian once bought a black and white tie...
with
a twisted grid pattern and geometric butterflies. He wanted to
say "jazzy and edgy" to the people at his office, but in retrospect, it
said, "You're trying too hard, son." The plaid shirt might have had
something to do with that, also. |
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Good Stuff for Better Guys |
 Ray Ban developed these classic sunglasses in partnership with the U.S.
Armed Forces six decades ago. The metal teardrop shape works for most
faces and look great. Frames come in gold, silver and black, lenses in
green, blue, black, amber and grey. Available through Ray Ban and stores nationwide. |
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