The Necktie

Neckwear, the symbol of traditional business dressing, is making a comeback. A recent survey of 200 companies with sales of more than $500 million, conducted by the Men's Apparel Alliance, indicated that one in five companies has reinstated a suit and tie dress code during the past twelve months. Many men today are out of practice and others are just getting started in the skill of selecting and wearing the necktie; therefore, we have chosen to devote this week's column entirely to the necktie.

Silk is the fabric of choice for most neckwear manufacturers, and we strongly urge you to do the same (silk simply look betters than anything else). Regular neckties are approximately 57 inches in length, allowing a man of average height to knot the tie and have it hang down slightly below his belt buckle. Long ties provide an additional 5 inches in length for those who require it.

Silk neckties are manufactured one of two ways. Woven ties utilize pre-dyed silk threads, and weaving the different colored threads together creates the patterns. Woven ties are typically a bit thicker and heavier, and are generally more prevalent in fall designs. Print neckwear is also woven, but prints are woven before the silk is dyed. The undyed silk is sometimes woven into some type of simple pattern, such as a twill or jacquard. The woven fabric is then colored by printing a design on it. Print ties are typically more brightly colored, and are often used to complement spring and summer wardrobes.

Knotting a necktie is a combination of art and science, and the more you practice, the more accomplished you will become. Although there are countless ways to knot your neckwear, we will limit our discussion to the three most common methods. The four-in-hand is by far the most popular knot. It can be worn with any type of dress shirt collar, and it requires less "tie length" to execute, making it most practical for even thicker woven neckwear. The Windsor and half-Windsor knots are the other most common choices. These knots require more of the tie to execute, and they are fuller knots, making them most appropriate with spread collar dress shirts. If you choose to use a Windsor knot, especially with a woven tie, you might consider purchasing neckwear with additional length.

Neckwear color and pattern combinations are virtually endless. We encourage you to express your individuality with your choice of necktie. If you are wearing a solid color dress shirt, your options are wide open. Even if you are wearing a patterned shirt, however, you are not limited in your choices. Simply combine a large patterned tie with a small patterned shirt, or vice versa. For example, if you are wearing a bold striped dress shirt, select a pin dot necktie to complement it. Or, use a bold paisley necktie to complement a tattersall dress shirt.