A perfect wearer of the suit is the one, who has mastered the art of choosing the right necktie. The necktie that not only completes his look, but also showcases his style as an artwork and communicates the correct message.
Various written sources online and offline attribute the origin of Necktie in Men’s fashion as early as 1700’s when French Prince found fancy in wearing one, inspired by the missionary.
Ties are what makes the formal look complete and adds style to the overall theme of the outfit. Yet the choosing of right ties is still a daunting task for many. Questions like, which tie for what occasion, which audience and what should it reflect about you as a person – keep floating around the head.
A well tied – tie is the first serious step in life
– Oscar Wilde
Here are some simple tips to overcome this confusion and plan your attire with a well-blended yet effectively communicating tie.
5 quick steps for the right Necktie:
- The Occasion
- Color of the tie
- Pattern
- Proportion
- Personal style
Let me break the above questions further for ease:
- The Occasion – Where am I going today?
Different occasions call for different choices of clothes. A business event such as a corporate townhall, a client meeting, a seminar / conference or any such professional event such as interviews call for formal dressing. Cluster of 3-piece suit and accessorized by neck tie can’t go wrong in such cases.
A life event such as weddings, birthdays, engagements, receptions, success parties etc call for dressy wardrobe while red carpet events with specific dress code usually include well fitted tuxedos, bow ties and cummerbunds.
A personal event such as a dinner with friends, extended family, date night etc can call in for easy semi formals or one may just put together denims, smart shirt to look more approachable and comfortable.
For every occasion that you wear necktie, it must be so chosen such that necktie not only goes along with the outfit, but also with the wearer and what he may try to communicate. Eg: Plain Strips, chevrons, angular patterns go well for formal occasion not to forget solid colour ties go well with traditional business setting.
Artistics and stylised ties with nouveau prints, smileys can be adorned for casual occasions where the setting is more fun and dress down.Ties with unique motifs or ornamental prints such as paisleys can be a great choice for dressy evenings or such occasions
- What color should my tie be?
The easy way to choose a tie colour is to first check the colour scheme of the rest of the outfit. Note what are the prominent colors of the shirt /suit ?Choose a tie that has accents of dominant colour there by bringing about the harmony of the overall outfit.
If it’s a solid colour, create a pleasing contrast with you tie, or throw in a tie with pattern to give a stylised look. Repeating colours present in the pattern can create an eye pleasing look.
For formal looks, choose darker colour ties, the contrast between your shirt, suit and tie, the cluster you make, should be pleasing to the eye. For interviews, please attempt to look formal and sharp with grey, back or navy-blue ties, with contrast coloured shirts / suits.
For casual occasions, a lighter colour shirt paired with brighter tie will create the accent in the outfit thus making you look out.
There are multitude of colours and patterns out there if you are keen to try.
3. Are pattern ties ok?
Hell yes, they are!
In fact, they can change the way a cluster looks.We have already spoken broadly on the kind of patterns that go well for certain occasions.
If you are a person with love for patterns on shirts, ties can create a very interesting and unique look if you play well along with them. Some points:
Size of the pattern should be complimentary. If your shirt has small patterns ensure your tie has bigger pattern and vice versa. Also mix patterns and solid colours this creates a very attractive look.
When working with patterned shirt and tie, ensure they come for same colour family. Contrast of pattern work well as a rule of thumb. Mix it up and create a unique look.
- It’s all in the proportions!
Longer ties make one look smaller and smaller ties can make you look weird / funny. The universally accepted fact is that a perfect tie does not go below the belt buckle.
The width of the tie should also be proportionate to the structure of your jacket / blazer:Ideally, the lapel of the jacket. Keep both the width of the tie and that of the lapel in mind when choosing the tie.
Another aspect to keep in mind is your physique, your face shape. Tie width, pattern and size of the pattern in the tie, should be complementing the overall physique of the wearer. You see, the tie is the knot that will keep the entire cluster you chose to wear in sync and should be also harmonious to the eye of the onlooker.
- Is your style in sync with your Personal Style?
End of the day, numerous may be the tutorial on choosing a perfect tie, but what matters is, does the entire outfit with your tie, reflect your personal style, the true you, as you are comfortable in?
Know first who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.”
– Epictetus
Knowing your true style i.e your personal style and the confidence with which you carry your outfit, the confidence with which you represent yourself is eminent in any occasion wearing any outfit. Also don’t forget to keep in mind the group of people that you will engage with while maintaining your unique sense of style when choosing a tie.
Choose tie that reflect your creativity keeping in mind the various elements of style to get that dapper look perfect.So go on, enjoy exploring and experimenting with neck tie and hear what each tie talks about!!
Let me know if the above post was helpful and also share your knowledge on the topic in comments so we can benefit as a community and make smart choices....
Redefining Transformaiton…..Redefining Learning
Yours Truly,
The Image Ally.
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