How to measure a tie?

[jesbars]

Hi guys, I've been a lurker for some time in the forum.
Well, I am 23 just starting my career so I need to have some suits/tie etc.
I am 5'7 and weigh 155pounds so I need to use kind of a slim fit to look good.

I'm looking for slim ties the problem that I have is that I read about the measurements and they always say that in the widest part it should be around 3-3.5 inches or something like that, most of the ties that I have are way over that measurement, am I measuring it wrong?

Look at this photo of me measuring a tie and tell me if it's the wrong or right way, thank you.

http://img151.imageshack.us/i/20032011007.jpg/

 

[jrd617]

First of all, why are you starting measuring from the 1.5'' line? I could see estimation errors coming from that. Second, there is no standard width for ties. Here's a width spectrum for ties:

2.75'' and below'' = SKINNY (not a good look) 3.0'' = slim (see RLBL ties for reference) 3.25 to 3.5'' = most moderate; best for wear with business suits 3.75 and up = wide (not a good look, unless you're huge)​

The reason 3.25 to 3.5 ties look the best is that they fit the proportions of most suit lapels.

 

[Sanguis Mortuum]

Originally Posted by jrd617

First of all, why are you starting measuring from the 1.5'' line?
Yeah, judging by the image it looks like that tie measures somewhere around 3.75", which is on the wider end of the spectrum but hardly 'way over' the average width. I find it quite hard though to believe that the OP would actually be thinking that the tie measures 5.25" when he's measuring with the first 1.5" off the edge, but I may just be underestimating some people's capacity for stupidity.

 

[blahman]

Originally Posted by jrd617

First of all, why are you starting measuring from the 1.5'' line? I could see estimation errors coming from that. Second, there is no standard width for ties. Here's a width spectrum for ties:

2.75'' and below'' = SKINNY (not a good look) 3.0'' = slim (see RLBL ties for reference) 3.25 to 3.5'' = most moderate; best for wear with business suits 3.75 and up = wide (not a good look, unless you're huge)​

The reason 3.25 to 3.5 ties look the best is that they fit the proportions of most suit lapels.
Taking into account the height and weight of jesbars, I say those numbers can be reduced by 0.25". jesbar is a slim/small person and likely to wear a size 34 or 36 and proportionally, the suit would have slimmer lapels than say a 40. My height and weight are around jesbar's and 3.5" ties are entirely too wide on me especially when worn with slimmer shirts and suits. 2.75" ties would look slim but not inappropriately skinny on him, if my assumptions about his body shape are correct (I consider myself as looking a little bigger than what my weight would suggest so I imagine him to look a little slimmer than me). 5'7" also mean that a regular sized tie can be a bit too long for him and for the blade to end at the belt, the width of the tie at the knot is also a little bit wider than that of a taller man. That's my take on this matter, fwiw...

 

[Sam Hober]

Jesbars, It is very easy to make a mistake with measurements if you do not do it every day. The basic width measurement is at the widest point. Until recently 57 by 3.75 inches was the American standard. Matching a tie's width to that of your lapel is only one school of thought and I pay little attention to it instead we use a man's height as the primary indicator of what a tie's width should be. However, a tie's width is a personal choice. 3.5 to 3.75 is a standard American width

 

[John Daley]

you want my advise....DONT WEAR SKINNY TIES at the work place...that is unless you dont want to be taken seriously...DONT BE TRENDY...be Clasic...thats what your bosses are.