Neckties: A Discussion Thread

[Claghorn]

My one tie would probably be a brown silk knit. A black silk knit would not be in my Top 100. I say this with the absolute certainty of a man with a three figure tie collection and no black knit.

But if I were to recommend 10 ties to someone, a black knit would certainly be in there.

I own a black grenadine. Perhaps I should be on the lookout for a nice black knit.

 

[poorsod]



Well ok, let's talk about silk knits.

I'd like opinions and pics. Issues to note

Decent width (2.75 " is minimum for me)
Coarseness of weave
Density of weave
The hand (crunchy, soft)
Pointed end or not (options: I prefer point but square end has its place)
Quality of knot (big issue)

Please provide sources and links.

I'm pleased with Cantabrigians WAYWRN post as demonstrating a very good knot for a knit, from Kent Wang.

I own two: Lands End and Eidos. Will post pics and comments later.

This was a good thread about knit ties. #4 is clearly superior for me and is the one made in Germany.

Fair enough. I actually didn't buy any knits when I was in Charvet last spring because they seemed identical to some middle-market ones I have from various brands (e.g. Howard Yount -- but maybe this is a recent development), and costed more (btw, most of the other ties in Charvet are shiny monstrosities). Excluding the completely flat Jersey weaves (which are a different style altogether), it seems to me that there are four different kinds of silk knits:

1 - Almost flat and light, a sort of piquet weave. These are sold by cheaper retailers such as TM Lewin, and I consider them too ugly to wear.

2 - Crunchy and airy: I have some of these by Borsalino, Les Copains and Polo. I really like them.

3 - Crunchy and loose: this is the Howard Yount variety. Many other brands sell these. They're not bad at all and I wear them happily.

4 - Crunchy and tightly woven: this is the Drakes variety. I consider them a better version of (3) and slightly more formal than (2) and really like them.

I wear 2, 3 and 4 (and the odd jersey weave), but 4 give me that little extra satisfaction when I tie them. I don't claim that this in any way reflects an objective superiority of those ties.

As requested, here are some clumsy photographs of my three favourite kinds of knit tie.

From top to bottom, types 2 (crunchy and airy), 3 (crunchy and loose), and 4 (crunchy and tight):

Close-up:

 

[EliodA]

People need to post their knit knot pics.

Words will not win arguments here as you'll need at least 1000 of them.

 

[sprout2]

Everyone in this thread should get black knits and we can do a tie circle

 

[sprout2]

I don't like crunchy and loose for a square end kit tie (looks cheap), but I do like crunchy and loose for a pointed knit tie. The latter are almost always of this variety, and wider. I think the wider pointed ones would be too much too handle if they were super crunchy. The jersey weave ones are just creepy and resemble a sock.

 

[poorsod]

I think it makes sense for Claghorn not to own a black knit tie because he doesn't do a lot of high contrast looks. I think his complexion it is better with lower contrast and warm pairings, thus the brown knit is best for him. The black knit tie is great for high contrast looks and is best for evening events.

 

[sugarbutch]

Well, who makes knits that knot (well)?

Land's End knits have a nice crunchy hand and tie up beautifully but availability is spotty.

The LE knits are pretty long.

My one tie would probably be a brown silk knit. A black silk knit would not be in my Top 100. I say this with the absolute certainty of a man with a three figure tie collection and no black knit.

But if I were to recommend 10 ties to someone, a black knit would certainly be in there.

I own a black grenadine. Perhaps I should be on the lookout for a nice black knit.

I don't see black as a great compliment to your wardrobe. It could work, but wouldn't be ideal.

 

[sprout2]

@EliodA , we never established if those knits of yours are silk. Are they?

 

[Claghorn]

I'd wear it with the following outfit: blue jacket. White or blue shirt. Gray trousers. Black shoes. Pretty much as I use my grenadine.

---

I'm envious of Elio's lighting and his ability to take advantage of it.

 

[EliodA]

@EliodA , we never established if those knits of yours are silk. Are they?

Yes, I only wear silk knits. I've had a few in wool and cotton, but that feels too much like wearing a sock around your neck.

 

[heldentenor]

Those knot beautifully, Elio--are they pointed or square ended? May I inquire about the maker?

 

[Coxsackie]

Here's some more knit pics. Please feel free to nit-pick.




^ Black knit, very dry and crunchy. Surprisingly, it's from Canali. Equally at home in autumn and spring; I'm not sure I would flaunt this one in midsummer or midwinter.




^ A cheapy from Joe Black. Very soft, verging on flabby. Burgundy colour makes this an A/W tie in my book.




^ Henry Carter. Very summery.




^ Burgundy Sozzi knit, also HC. A tricky one, as the colour says "cold weather" but the fabric says "hot weather". WTF just wear it Coxy.


Now, I'd like to re-direct the thread's attention to A/W ties, which I'm sure is what most of you will be wearing for the next six months; I'm surprised they haven't been discussed at length yet.

I love texture, and for this reason I favour wool, cashmere and even more exotic materials in the cooler seasons. I also like earthy/woody colours. Finally, I'm a sucker for unusual patterns. Some of the ties below may not receive much love round here, but that won't stop me from wearing them - next year.




^ Wool, from Tie Your Tie.

^ Wool. Must admit, I'm struggling to remember the brand on this one (and it's not to hand right now). But I'm pretty sure it's Italian. Probably doesn't go with this suit.




^ Wool ... (/silk blend? I forget) from Henry Carter. Clags has this one too. Surprisingly versatile. I think this will be a popular look this year.




^ A real oddity, this one: corduroy cotton (yes!) from Frui, purchased at the BnT atelier. Bugger of a thing to tie and untie, as cordoruy is the ultimate non-slip fabric.




^ Three-colour wool rep from Paolo Albizzati. This could almost be a spring tie too, due to the cool palette.




^ Finely-woven wool tie from Henry Carter. One of my favourites. IRL it's almost British Racing Green but with a touch of teal.




^ Wool-cashmere blend from Zegna. Unusual in that it's a woollen neat.




^ Pure cashmere rep. Also Zegna. Not versatile, but works in a low-contrast fit.




^ Woollen herringbone. My very first purchase from Henry Carter. Please forgive the shirt.




^ Olive silk grenadine from Drake's. Maybe could even pass for a summer tie if matched with the right clothes.




^ Conrad Wu shantung. Colour and slub make this an autumn special.

Hope you enjoyed.

 

[sprout2]

Very enjoyable, Coxsackie. I have never liked checked ties, as I feel the pattern should be reserved to a sportcoat, and there is something optically jarring about diagonals going in both directions. I like the look of checked ties as objects, but I really don't like to wear them. They do have a super casual atmosphere that could be in place in certain contexts, though. Truly for the man who has every type of tie. If I were to wear a checked tie, I would just as soon were a sweater, tbh. It is super casual.

 

[Coxsackie]

Actually now I'm unsure whether that last Conrad Wu tie is shantung or just raw silk.

 

[Veremund]



I think it makes sense for Claghorn not to own a black knit tie because he ...

Shouldn't everyone have one? All hail the black knit!