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Are Tie Bars "back"???

Holdfast

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Originally Posted by upncomer
Where can a conservative yet ageless vintage tie bar be found? In NYC, particularly?

I don't know about NYC specifically, but independent jewellers often have a few vintage tie bars knocking around for moderate prices.
 

Brownshoe

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Love them, especially when wearing something particularly redolent of the mid-twentieth century.

J Press has some very nice, plain, inexpensive options.
 

Sator

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I must say I am rather indifferent to tie bars for quite a different reason. Tie bars are rendered redundant by something even more primordially a part of the man's wardrobe: the waistcoat. Men only started to wear tie bars when they started to wear two piece suits. I say bring back the waistcoat and forget tie bars.

princeofsagan1883df1.jpg


If you still want to sport a bit of jewellery get a pocket watch.
 

Manton

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Originally Posted by Sator
Tie bars are rendered redundant by something even more primordially a part of the man's wardrobe: the waistcoat.

I disagree. I always wear my tie bar with a vest. It helps maintain the arch of my tie (among other virtues).
 

Sator

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Originally Posted by Manton
I disagree. I always wear my tie bar with a vest. It helps maintain the arch of my tie (among other virtues).

The more classical thing is to wear a pin with a waistcoat.

I've never seen a tie bar worn that way. It just doesn't strike me as aesthetically balanced.
 

Manton

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Originally Posted by Sator
The more classical thing is to wear a pin with a waistcoat.

I've never seen a tie bar worn that way. It just doesn't strike me as aesthetically balanced.


You can't see it at all, so how to aesthetics come into play?
 

Sator

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Originally Posted by Manton
You can't see it at all, so how to aesthetics come into play?

Aha! you mean you wear it underneath the waistcoat to keep the tie tidy? In that case, that's a new trick to me.

I thought you were saying you have it cut across the waistcoat's V zone, worn in place of a cravat or tie pin:

doublebreasted1906lw5.jpg
 

Chauncey Gardner

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I have to defend tie bars, since I do occasionally wear them, but only when I feel they'll give an outfit an unexpected lift. They can be very impressive, especially if they have some historical aspect. Likewise with other little pieces of jewelry, such as collar bars and lapel pins (which are higher on my list of favorites), I like the drama and sense of individuality, but I avoid wearing them every day.

However, I feel that most men I see with tie bars fail to carry them off; they look awkward and sometimes untidy, and I have to resist asking if the tie bar came with a matching tie and hanky set.

In short, if you can carry it off, then do it and enjoy it, but I would never recommend them as something that's automatically going to make you look better dressed.
 

eg1

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Originally Posted by Manton
I disagree. I always wear my tie bar with a vest. It helps maintain the arch of my tie (among other virtues).

Doesn't the "weskit" accomplish this on its own? At least I find it does for me.
 

nioh

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T for Tacky.
 

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