12345Michael54321
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2008
- Messages
- 1,572
- Reaction score
- 514
Need you really ask? No, your tie is not supposed to hit 4" above your belt.
I suppose that maybe you could get away with it if you're wearing a sweater or something, so nobody sees how far down your torso your tie extends. But let's not nitpick, the basic fact is that it sounds like your tie is simply too short. And ignore people who tell you that "It could look okay," or who point out that in 1953, on "I Love Lucy," the character of Fred Mertz often wore neckties that fell about half a foot short of his belt line, and he looked great. Because it doesn't look okay, it's no longer 1953, and while Fred was my favorite character in "I Love Lucy," and I like to believe that Al Bundy, of "Married With Children," was his illegitimate offspring, Fred was not a sartorial icon.
Possible solutions include:
1. Not tying a double four-in-hand. A single four-in-hand, for example, would give you a little more length. (It'd give you a smaller knot, too. But this may not be an issue, especially when dealing with a beefy necktie which yields a substantial knot even with a single four-in-hand.)
2. Buying longer ties. And yes, I realize that can mean a more limited selection, and higher price. (FWIW, while I've never purchased anything from them, I understand that Big Shot Neckwear offers a large selection of silk ties, priced at a penny under $40, in 67" length.) (At a somewhat higher price point, Sam Hober will give you several inches of extra necktie length, for an extra 15 or 20 bucks. His ties are pricey, but they tend to be of excellent quality. Even if most of your everyday ties are from a place like Big Shot Neckwear, getting a couple of "special occasion" ties from Sam Hober might be worth considering. His grenadines are particularly nice.)
3. Bow ties.
Anyway, I feel for you, man. I truly do. You've got certain wardrobe challenges due to your size, sort of how a little guy who wears a size 35S suit faces his own wardrobe difficulties. But believe me, 67" neckties can be found. At not just hideous ties at the local Big & Tall store, either.
--
Michael
Need you really ask? No, your tie is not supposed to hit 4" above your belt.
I suppose that maybe you could get away with it if you're wearing a sweater or something, so nobody sees how far down your torso your tie extends. But let's not nitpick, the basic fact is that it sounds like your tie is simply too short. And ignore people who tell you that "It could look okay," or who point out that in 1953, on "I Love Lucy," the character of Fred Mertz often wore neckties that fell about half a foot short of his belt line, and he looked great. Because it doesn't look okay, it's no longer 1953, and while Fred was my favorite character in "I Love Lucy," and I like to believe that Al Bundy, of "Married With Children," was his illegitimate offspring, Fred was not a sartorial icon.
Possible solutions include:
1. Not tying a double four-in-hand. A single four-in-hand, for example, would give you a little more length. (It'd give you a smaller knot, too. But this may not be an issue, especially when dealing with a beefy necktie which yields a substantial knot even with a single four-in-hand.)
2. Buying longer ties. And yes, I realize that can mean a more limited selection, and higher price. (FWIW, while I've never purchased anything from them, I understand that Big Shot Neckwear offers a large selection of silk ties, priced at a penny under $40, in 67" length.) (At a somewhat higher price point, Sam Hober will give you several inches of extra necktie length, for an extra 15 or 20 bucks. His ties are pricey, but they tend to be of excellent quality. Even if most of your everyday ties are from a place like Big Shot Neckwear, getting a couple of "special occasion" ties from Sam Hober might be worth considering. His grenadines are particularly nice.)
3. Bow ties.
Anyway, I feel for you, man. I truly do. You've got certain wardrobe challenges due to your size, sort of how a little guy who wears a size 35S suit faces his own wardrobe difficulties. But believe me, 67" neckties can be found. At not just hideous ties at the local Big & Tall store, either.
--
Michael
