Optimal Tie Wardrobe (Monthly Rotation)

Sure - Ben Silver, Drakes, Ben Silver, Drakes, and Brooks Brothers respectively. Of course, you already knew that, didn't you? Four other ties are struggling to find their way into my rotation and I'm having a hard time keeping them out. This orange & blue foulard is surprisingly sharp with either blue or grey suits. And these two repp ties (the Sherwood Foresters regimental - perfect for my midnight blue suit - and the 11th Hussars regimental and the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars- goes fine with everything, the former especially on Fridays at the office before Redskin games) are likewise "must haves." Well, I have them, but can they work their way into the rotation? The three repps didn't make the cut because I didn't want the wardrobe to be unbalanced in that diagonal direction. But damn, they are fine! The Brooks Brothers foulard will probably elbow its way in though.

Solid black? How do you use that? Also, don't you like flimsy Hermes ties, with weird patterns? Could not live without them in my tie rotation

Solid black? How do you use that?

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A powder blue shirt and solid black tie goes with absolutely everything. Everything! You can also wear it with a pink shirt and grey suit. Or a white shirt and copper camel hair jacket. Or white shirt and marine blue, royal blue, or french blue suit.

Easier to ask, "how can't you use that"? If you're too put-off by the funereal connotations of a solid silk black tie, try grenadine.

Also, don't you like flimsy Hermes ties, with weird patterns? Could not live without them in my tie rotation.

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I could wear them. But then I'd have to drink Drain-o.

Seriously, If somebody walked into my office wearing those ridiculous ties, I would say, "hey, check out the new secretary!" When he turned his head, I'd cold-cock him with the heaviest metal I could find.

But that's just me.

Originally Posted by J. Cogburn

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Seriously, If somebody walked into my office wearing those ridiculous ties, I would say, "hey, check out the new secretary!" When he turned his head, I'd cold-cock him with the heaviest metal I could find.

But that's just me.

Personally speaking, I prefer to lecture my victims on the merits of Phil Collins before committing my acts of unspeakable violence. But different strokes, I guess.

A lecture extolling the virtues of Phil Collins is an act of unspeakable violence!

I like all of your choices. I'd pick similar stuff if I was doing over from scratch. I myself am begining to edit my wardrobe not that it is (almost) of sufficent size and quality to do so. I can't wait to get the job done.

Question: why do you need it to be optimal? Since most ties you got are of the higher ends, I don't think money is a problem here.

Just because I'm willing to spend $150 on a tie does not mean that money is no object. The four-week rotation is largely there as a matter of financial self discipline. Without it, I just keep spending. And we can't have that ... not if I'm going to get a new pair of Gaziano & Girling shoes this year!

There is also a sartorial benefit here. If I am wearing 16 ties that best suit my taste and style, then a one month rotation allows me to wear the best without anyone noticing they've seen that tie before (probably). Wear "favorite tie no. 17" and there are 16 ties you like better hanging in your closet that you could have wore but didn't.

That is a shame sir ... a shame! Why go about depriving others of seeing you in all your glory simply because you can't keep your credit card in your wallet?

The common denominator to both of the above arguments? Opportunity cost.

Originally Posted by J. Cogburn

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Just because I'm willing to spend $150 on a tie does not mean that money is no object. The four-week rotation is largely there as a matter of financial self discipline. Without it, I just keep spending. And we can't have that ... not if I'm going to get a new pair of Gaziano & Girling shoes this year!

There is also a sartorial benefit here. If I am wearing 16 ties that best suit my taste and style, then a one month rotation allows me to wear the best without anyone noticing they've seen that tie before (probably). Wear "favorite tie no. 17" and there are 16 ties you like better hanging in your closet that you could have wore but didn't.

That is a shame sir ... a shame! Why go about depriving others of seeing you in all your glory simply because you can't keep your credit card in your wallet?

The common denominator to both of the above arguments? Opportunity cost.

Restricting oneself to a set of rather conservative ties "might" (just might) limit him from many other occasions. I love wearing ties (yes I really do), but I would not wear those ties to a casino, family Christmas party.

It seems to be wearing ties for you is simply out of obligation. No?

I'll go against the SF groupthink here: knowingly wearing 'unearned' school/regimental ties is tacky.

It is not something that offends me greatly but I do roll my eyes when I see SFers doing this.

Restricting oneself to a set of rather conservative ties "might" (just might) limit him from many other occasions. I love wearing ties (yes I really do), but I would not wear those ties to a casino, family Christmas party.

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Agreed. This is an office rotation that I offer. If you re-read the original post, you'll see that I've left my ties for garden parties, bachelor parties, Capitals hockey games, dates with my mistress, dinner's with my wife, etc., out of this discussion. That's a different basket of silk altogether.

It seems to be wearing ties for you is simply out of obligation. No?

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No! I'd wear a tie every day if my wife wouldn't go into a conniption about it.

I'll go against the SF groupthink here: knowingly wearing 'unearned' school/regimental ties is tacky.

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I would agree if there were a measurable chance that, here in the U.S., (1) someone might notice - actually notice - that I am wearing a British regimental (or club tie, or university tie, or whatever), and (2) think that I was trying to suggest to third parties that I had indeed earned the right to said tie when it was clear to Mr. Observer that I had not. I'm going to guess here that the chance of running into anyone who would recognize a British regimental if it slapped him in the face is well less than 1% a day. I'm going to further guess that, of those odd, once a year or so encounters, the chance that offense might be taken is likewise quite small - probably >10% of the 1% sub-population.

Hence, I opt for wearing the tie because I like the looks of it. If those numbers were higher, I would re-think the matter.

It is not something that offends me greatly but I do roll my eyes when I see SFers doing this.

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Sorry dude.

Originally Posted by J. Cogburn

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Agreed. This is an office rotation that I offer. If you re-read the original post, you'll see that I've left my ties for garden parties, bachelor parties, Capitals hockey games, dates with my mistress, dinner's with my wife, etc., out of this discussion. That's a different basket of silk altogether.

Oh, I must missed that. Understandable then.

Originally Posted by J. Cogburn

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I would agree if there were a measurable chance that, here in the U.S., (1) someone might notice - actually notice - that I am wearing a British regimental (or club tie, or university tie, or whatever),

I was referring to regimental/school ties from all nations. The concern isn't being outed as a fake, but losing my precious iGent points (-5).

Originally Posted by R-H

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I'll go against the SF groupthink here: knowingly wearing 'unearned' school/regimental ties is tacky.

It is not something that offends me greatly but I do roll my eyes when I see SFers doing this.

I agree. I find the practice not only tacky but thoroughly contemptible.

On the broader level, since one can usually acquire fine ties at comparatively modest cost, I don't know why anyone would expend any mental effort at having a "rotation" of only 16 or so ties. Hell, I'm not a wealthy man, and I've got somewhat more than 100 ties, including quite a lot of good stuff--Kiton, Charvet, Brioni, Canali, etc., nearly all of them acquired on the cheap.

Thoroughly contemptible? You have a rather low threshold for disgust.

What gradations of disgust are left for acts a bit north of mine - say, smacking one's kids around, outright theft, material misrepresentations, etc.?

My hat, however, is off to you and your 100+ ties.