Neckties: A Discussion Thread

[TweedyProf]

@Sam Hober

David, can you explain the napping aspect a bit? Do you nap it when you cut a tie, and what determines why you might do this. Thank you, this is all very fascinating, feeds my obsession about details but I'm sure others find it informative too.

@Mr. Six

Those Bigi knots are fine. I've no problem with a grenadine I got from them, though in retrospect, the tie is a bit too formal (fina weave with thin stripes), so I only wear it with a navy blazer, and even then not so often. I think it's the wool that could be a wild card, depending on the weight. When I get serious about that tie, I'll ask Greg.

Of the block stripes, I think the multi-stripe works better for thin block stripes. It's high in energy admittedly, but in your configuration the brown and blue are in the same lightness (darkness) range so it creates, for me, an illusion of two irregular stripes. But the two equally spaced stripes feels, to my tastes, less desirably. I know, YMMV. We're not here to change anyone's tastes/preferences unless they want them changed!

For stripes, my preference is on irregular ones with thin stripes against a background (and as noted above, completely the opposite about shirts). Hmmm...see post soon in Lounge.

 

[TweedyProf]

My flecked stripe:



Perfectly happy with it, but I'd be happier a bit were the stripes wider. But maybe that's the fad talking.

I'm going to be in the minority, but I think what I like about the Wu is that while the contrast between stripes is large, it's also neutral in that its not chromatic (navy/silver I think). Maybe part of my problem is that I don't like the strong blocked colors where the two colors are distant from each other in the color solid. That's really true in Helden's case (navy/orange), less true in the one you are wearing (navy/magenta, so a bit more blue), and in a way less true (I think) in the Drake's I chose (brown/navy) though that might have more to do with brightness than hue.

Claghorn: what color is that jacket? Is it green or brown? Not sure about the pairing, but might just be the exposure.

 

[Claghorn]

Henry Carter. Brown (I did go with a green at first, but didn't like it)

 

[TweedyProf]

Green wouldn't work and it looks green in that pic above on my screen. Brown, yes.

 

[turkoftheplains]



@Sam Hober

Of the block stripes, I think the multi-stripe works better for thin block stripes. It's high in energy admittedly, but in your configuration the brown and blue are in the same lightness (darkness) range so it creates, for me, an illusion of two irregular stripes. But the two equally spaced stripes feels, to my tastes, less desirably. I know, YMMV. We're not here to change anyone's tastes/preferences unless they want them changed!

For stripes, my preference is on irregular ones with thin stripes against a background (and as noted above, completely the opposite about shirts). Hmmm...see post soon in Lounge.

On further consideration, I think I may only like multi-stripes when they are small and irregular against a background. I don't like the block multi-stripes I've seen.

A good summary of the striped ties I find acceptable would be:
1. Block stripe with two equally-spaced colors
2. Small stripe against a single-color ground
3. If multi-striped, only type #2 is acceptable

 

[turkoftheplains]



On further consideration, I think I may only like multi-stripes when they are small and irregular against a background. I don't like the block multi-stripes I've seen.

A good summary of the striped ties I find acceptable would be:
1. Block stripe with two equally-spaced colors
2. Small stripe against a single-color ground
3. If multi-striped, only type #2 is acceptable

And since this threak is useless without pictures:

From the left:
Very old silk repp of type #2, a bit smaller and shinier than I'd get now but still wearable. The green is a kelly green, not as bright as the lighting makes it look.
Donegaloid of type #1.
2 wool multi-stripes of type #3.

I'd love to see some more stripes from others to put these ideas to the test.

 

[turkoftheplains]

Lots of nice examples from @Mr. Six . Taking them one at a time:

Rule #3 violation multi-stripe, not a fan though this is one of the better examples of this kind of tie.

Type #1 with huge blocks--maybe too big for some--but I like it.






Type #3 multi-stripe. Nice pattern and texture, but would like a bit more contrast between the brown and the green.







Type #2 two-color tie, and a very nice one.






Type #3 multi-stripe, not sure I love that shade of brown and that shade of blue together, but it mostly works here.





I suppose this falls under type #3, but the two competing stripe motifs make this too busy for me.




Bigi

Heavily textured type #3 multi-stripe. SF groupthink seems to like these a bit more than I do, but I like this one.





Has the same two-stripe-motifs issue as #6, also a bit too crowded. I think I'd like this with just the single pencil stripe with the same spacing, though.

Is this is a fina grenadine? The more I look at this, the more I like it. My only issue is that it kind of straddles type #2 and #3 and consequently makes it harder for me to impose arbitrary order on the world.



Bigi

Color, texture, and scale are great but I'm realizing that these (type #3) kinds of contrasty multi-stripes tend to look incomplete without a repeat of the top color on the bottom.




Bigi

Type #3, again I just really want another black stripe below the white. It's like an unresolved chord.




Bigi

Type #3 with appropriate resolution, nice fall/winter tie.

 

[TweedyProf]

Pics are always good. Here are my favorite striped ties, none of which are simply blocked though the first comes close.









The BB2 below is ok, and I prefer to it with a DB. That's how I would wear wide block stripes as well, if I owned any.

 

[dimitrioup]

Its official: i dont like stripes! Any stripe on a tie puts me off. Dont know why, wasnt always like this. I actually have a few stripes but cant wear them any more. I like them on the hanger but when i put them on....

anyway, anyone seen the Berg & Berg massdrop? Thoughts? I like the two grey ones but im not sure about the lighting and acutal shades.

 

[turkoftheplains]

@TweedyProf :
You seem to be a fan of Type #3 ties.

#1: Like you said, almost a block stripe but really benefits from the thin white stripes to distinguish the blue from the brown. I like this tie a lot.
#2: This tie is awesome.
#3: Don't like the 2 alternating stripe motifs-- I'd like it better if it were just the gold-white-gold one. Seems like a tough colorway but very well-deployed here.
#4: If @Mr. Six 's ties were unresolved chords, this is ending on a tritone. I think these unbalanced multi-stripe motifs just don't work for me.
#5: Pretty good, but I would actually like this better as a block stripe without the white.

I agree that block stripes work well with DB. This might be a corollary of my previous idea that large-scale patterns work better when less shirt is showing.

 

[turkoftheplains]

Its official: i dont like stripes! Any stripe on a tie puts me off. Dont know why, wasnt always like this. I actually have a few stripes but cant wear them any more. I like them on the hanger but when i put them on....

anyway, anyone seen the Berg & Berg massdrop? Thoughts? I like the two grey ones but im not sure about the lighting and acutal shades.

I'm sure the mid-grey one is going to get a lot of love here, but it doesn't do much for me. It looks too jacket-like and seems like it would be hard to wear. The navy and bitter chocolate look nice, but I agree that there are serious lighting issues with those pictures.

Obviously I feel differently about stripes although I don't actually wear them much. I'd estimate that the actual percentages of time spent wearing each type of tie would be 70% solid/20% neat/10% stripe.

 

[MrTRC]

Barbera's entry above violates a few rules but i think the stripes work well here.

Greg is on the ball.

This makes a mockery of the hypothesis: block stripes work best in a vest or a DB.

I don't wear much stripes because of my English sensibilities and i generally find other choices better for me. As ever, the eye has it.

PS

I saw the Berg& Berg massdrop but at a mere 3inches, i am out. Besides, the offerings are not to my taste aesthetically.

 

[turkoftheplains]

#1: Like LB's stripes, and a good example of a "resolved" multi-stripe. The pattern scale is a bit close to the shirt, but I think it works.
#2: Hard to argue this.
#3: I'd like this much better with a solid shirt and as a 3-piece. There is also some SquareFail here. The color combination (barring the square) is great, though.

 

[TweedyProf]

@TweedyProf :

#3: Don't like the 2 alternating stripe motifs-- I'd like it better if it were just the gold-white-gold one. Seems like a tough colorway but very well-deployed here.
#4: If @Mr. Six 's ties were unresolved chords, this is ending on a tritone. I think these unbalanced multi-stripe motifs just don't work for me.

That's why I like them, actually, and why I got them. They are distinctive stripes but of course, tastes will differ. They seem to me very nice for casual summer fits.

On Berg and Berg, I can't recommend them alas.

 

[turkoftheplains]

That's why I like them, actually, and why I got them. They are distinctive stripes but of course, tastes will differ. They seem to me very nice for casual summer fits.

On Berg and Berg, I can't recommend them alas.

Though they're not exactly to my taste, I think you're wearing them both well in those pictures.
In case I haven't already made it abundantly clear, my tie taste skews very, very boring.