Starting a tie-wardrobe

[hentaisan]

I don't have very many ties (and the ones I have are mostly gifts) and I need some guidance on starting my collection. I need some suggestions for a good basic color/pattern/texture/material combinations that will serve me for business and formal situations.

What I know about ties is to not have all silk and have some grenadine textures, etc. Also, it's good to have a patterned tie for a plain shirt, or vice versa but not both. However, I know nothing about colour coordination or what patterns to choose. I also need guidance on width, i.e, what is a suitable width for business and casual, and if it is dependent on body size, etc.

I also don't have very many shirts, so buying shirts to match ties isn't out of the question to me. I mostly wear a charcoal suit and I never wear ties without a suit.

If you can give me some recommendations on what to start with, that would be the best. If there are any links that would help me increase my understanding, that would also be appreciated.

Cheers

 

[ter1413]

I never buy ties to match shirts/outfits. I buy ties that I like. I probably have close to 100 and appr 30 shirts so mixing/matching is easy.
Buy ties that you like. Buy some more shirts.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Since you explicitly asked, there's an article if you follow the link below. It is business-focused and mostly address styles (colors, patterns, and such). Business width almost always should be between 3 and 3.75 inches and is dependent on body dimensions, an unknown at this point.

 

[PDandG]

http://putthison.com/tagged/The-Necktie-Series

 

[mensimageconsultant]

That series has a strange idea of "basics." None of those, aside from the "solid" regular silk, is needed for business.

 

[PDandG]

That series has a strange idea of "basics." None of those, aside from the "solid" regular silk, is needed for business.

A solid grenadine, a textured solid, a pindot, and a club(repp stripe) tie are "strange basics"?

 

[mensimageconsultant]

They're not "needed." Many respected business tie rotations have few if any of those items. The only right thing about that idea is textural variety, which barely requires any effort.

 

[PDandG]

They are pretty much the basic of the basic. In my mind, a good rotation of ties for work need to be versatile and not flashy. Those kind of hit the nail on the head.

I'm interested to hear what you'd consider a respected business tie rotation.

 

[OTM]

Buy solid navy blue ties, possibly with very small, repeating, white patterns/embroidery. Remember that ties with sheen are for evening wear.

Buy well-fitting light blue and white shirts.

Learn to tie an excellent knot.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Read the article on the website (if the site is functioning properly, grr). Unlike many articles (oversimplified, biased, or whatever), it doesn't strictly prescribe because everyone and every situation are different. In general, it's better to warn against doing specific things (e.g., satin for regular business) than to push specific things. Color and pattern (including enough variety) are more important (and easier-to-shop) starting points than texture. Grenadine, by the way, is a trend, a non-offensive one, but a trend nonetheless.

Edit: if anyone thinks the article should be more prescriptive, a line that might be added to is, Most men who wear ties to work five (or more) days per week should do that using at least three distinct colors (rather than, for example, just alternating navy and green).

 

[OTM]

http://web.archive.org/web/20120711...oughts-on-coherent-combinations-for-beginners

 

[PDandG]

Read the article on the website (if the site is functioning properly, grr). Unlike many articles (oversimplified, biased, or whatever), it doesn't strictly prescribe because everyone and every situation are different. In general, it's better to warn against doing specific things (e.g., satin for regular business) than to push specific things. Color and pattern (including enough variety) are more important (and easier-to-shop) starting points than texture. Grenadine, by the way, is a trend, a non-offensive one, but a trend nonetheless.

Edit: if anyone thinks the article should be more prescriptive, a line that might be added to is, Most men who wear ties to work five (or more) days per week should do that using at least three distinct colors (rather than, for example, just alternating navy and green).

I tried to read it, but your site is having some issues.

I understand your point about not being too prescriptive. Clothing is about personality and everyone is definitely different. However, emphasizing color and pattern can lead one down the road that so many go down when it comes to neckwear: poorly chosen colors and gaudy patterns. See 95% of the tie wearing population today.

For a young man building his business tie wardrobe, focusing on basics is extremely important. Dark colors like navy, grey, black, burgundy and dark greens serve the role of versatility and don't draw too much attention to themselves. Focus on these colors at the beginning and branch out as one gets more comfortable with new things or wears ties in situations other than work.

A repp stripe tie with a navy ground is good for odd jackets. A black tie with white pin dots goes well with grey and navy suits. A burgundy oxford tie goes with the odd jackets and the suits.

And a navy Grenadine goes with everything.

 

[PCK1]

solid navy reppe silk tie

chocolate brown grenadine garza grossa

burgundy neat & navy neat patterned ties


those four will get you pretty damn far...

 

[Madhouse]

I modeled my tie wardrobe after PTO's basic tie series, and I've never been in a situation where I didn't have a tie that went with everything else I had on.

 

[mensimageconsultant]



I tried to read it, but your site is having some issues.

I understand your point about not being too prescriptive. Clothing is about personality and everyone is definitely different. However, emphasizing color and pattern can lead one down the road that so many go down when it comes to neckwear: poorly chosen colors and gaudy patterns. See 95% of the tie wearing population today.

For a young man building his business tie wardrobe, focusing on basics is extremely important. Dark colors like navy, grey, black, burgundy and dark greens serve the role of versatility and don't draw too much attention to themselves. Focus on these colors at the beginning and branch out as one gets more comfortable with new things or wears ties in situations other than work.

A repp stripe tie with a navy ground is good for odd jackets. A black tie with white pin dots goes well with grey and navy suits. A burgundy oxford tie goes with the odd jackets and the suits.

And a navy Grenadine goes with everything.

Subtract "black" from that list and brighten it up a bit (yellow or pink would be better and optional), and it trumps PTO's advice. The MIC site is still having problems [time for a technical investigation], but that material is in the article. It tries to steer people away from the loud mistakes (in color and shine and tasteless patterns).