I’m a collector of Ties, and as an Englishman the term tie is correct, Necktie as a term was brought in by the Americans a little later in history, I digress, as a collector of ties, I thought it only right and proper to address my feelings on this wondrous coloured material that complements our shirts and suits so perfectly.
As I have mentioned in my earlier post, In my opinion, a decent selection of ties is key to every mans wardrobe, and is a vital and important part of mens fashion, this marvelous invention allows men to get a little more outlandish with patterns and colours that would otherwise not work on any other type of clothing, the floral tie springs to mind, men should not be seen in floral prints, unless it’s on a tie, the inside of your shirt collar, or the lining of your Paul Smith suit.
Some men among us, don’t seem to have grasped the fact, that a tie is a piece of clothing, and will go out of fashion, I wrote before about the monstrosities that I have encountered, and have had to endure on a long journey trying not to look at, paisley 1970′s 3ft wide orange and brown special is not on, not then and not now, my advice for choosing a tie that will last the test of time is simple, if your a gent that would rather play it safe, then the spotted tie is always a good way to go.
Spotted Silk & Linen
Choose light coloured spots on a light background, my reason for this choice and advice, I’ve had a sky blue and white spotted tie for the last 10 years, yet every time I wear that tie it garnishes yet another comment, with the first question always the same, where did I get it, indeed this tie is still in print by it’s designer (refer to my pictures)
Block Colours
I mentioned in my earlier post about block coloured ties.
I think at least a few different colours are a must have, changing the tie along with your shirt everyday can make your suit look completely different from 1 day to the next and as some men find wearing a tie a rather tedious task, this can make the chore fun and interesting.
Having a few block coloured ties will give you range against your selection of shirts and suits.
Large Floral Silk
Although I would love to stir you away from designer ties, and with prices varying from £50-£125 you’ll know why, however I have found that the quality we seek can only be found by paying good money for a tie.
My earlier comment about the type of tie to choose will see you in good stead when spending that extra, personally I love floral patterns, large flowers mostly, however these must not contain an array of colours, smaller floral prints however can in my opinion contain more color.
I do try to stay away from brand printed ties, although I do own a few and they always get attention, especially from the ladies. I’m not totally stuck on floral patterns, I think the right checked tie can sing volumes on the right coloured suit, aquascutum and the Burberrys house check are both extremely nice, and come in a variation ofcoloursand styles.
Harris Tweed
Of course this post would not be complete without A Harris Tweed tie.
Due to the fact these are hand made and no 2 are the same, however I do find them to be made slightly long, bare this in mind, but that pure wool affect is a wonderful addition to a crisp white shirt, and are inexpensive.
Very bright coloured tie’s of course, can be striking and fantastic against the right color suit, however one must be extremely careful when displaying the high coloured tie, the line between super cheesy and a solid, well executed fashion statement is hairline thin, you’vebeen warned. 
Lets take Jon Snow from Channel 4 News in the UK, he is usually wearing the designer Victoria Richards, beautiful hand painted silk ties, again no 2 are the same, I don’t think that Jon pulls it off particularly well, his shirts are generally too baggy, but the ties are fantastic, and is indeed a wonderful display of art, style and color.
Duchamp Floral
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Other designers to look out for in my humble opinion would be Duchamp London, again the variations in styles and color displayed by this label are particularly Striking and beautiful, all hand woven in England, using the finest English woven silks.
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Shop around before choosing a tie, be adventurous, TM Lewin and Tie Rack are great, but the patterns will be available to everyone no individuality there, there are many avenues for buying a tie, second hand and charity shops are fantastic places to start a collection, or even a well known auction site, however be careful if buying ties online, your screen resolution will in most cases never show the true color of the material, always bare this in mind, if purchasing second hand ties always check for stains, wear marks, or pulls in the material.
Have fun wearing ties, it’s the only chance to get a real splash of color in an otherwise drab office, at the very least, your tie will be the talking point among the ladies in the workplace.
