A tie is something any man must need to have in his closet. A tie should always be handy and available when you need it. While different events require different ties, we think it’s important to have at least one tie for each type of event: a casual tie, a semi-formal one and a formal tie.
We’ve recommended brands before and it’s important to know a thing or two about buying ties on-line, so we wanted to share these tips with you because there are no guides to buying ties on-line, the only thing Google suggests is “buying tires on-line”. So, here it goes:
The “Lentini” by CT
1. The Fabric
Usually on-line shops give you a lot of details about the ties they are selling. If the fabric does not match your needs or mentioned as “a mix”, it’s probably not the best tie in the world. The best fabrics are of course, wool, linen and silk.
When you receive your tie, it’s important to check it out and see if you really bought what you think you did.
Silk ties are supposed to be the finest ties. When you are checking out a silk tie, look for flexibility and smoothness in the surface. If the silk is rough and it catches on your skin when you touch it, it means that it’s a cheaper product and that the fibers are already stiff and can lose their luster soon.
When you are checking out your tie, also check the tie’s lining. Fine ties are lined completely with wool. Such a tie would be very expensive and rare, since it would cost a lot to make it. This however, does not mean that a tie that uses blended wool cannot do the job. Another thing you can look for is the “bar tack”, which is a horizontal stich you will find on the back of your tie, where the wider end splits to create the tip, holding the two sides of the tie attached. This part usually lacks in common ties and seeing it is an indicator that you’ve done a good deal. The third thing you need to look for is the “slip stitch”. This is an extra stitch you can find down the central part of your tie. This helps the tie slide easily while you tie it. The “slip stitch” is to be found if you open the back of a necktie and see a loose black thread hanging down the inside.
2. The Construction
When you are purchasing a tie, you should also look for the tie’s construction. The best manufacturers use three panels. If your tie has three panels, you should feel two different seams when pressing your finger into the tie’s fabric and running it along the length of your tie.
However, many ties only use two lengths. A tie that has visible seams on the outside is of low quality and can be, in our opinion, skipped.
3. The Width/Length
The “Favignana” by Cruna Ties.
You need to make sure that tie you are buying is proportionate to your body. Most men are in the average range, so they should be alright with an average tie of 3 1/4″ (8 cm) in width, measured at the widest point.
If you are a very broad guys, you can go for a broader tie as well, something around 3 3/4″ (9,5 cm) we would say, while thin men can opt for either skinny ties or 2 3/4″ (around 7 cm) ties that still fall in the medium category, just on the slimmer side.
When it comes to length, most men are well off with a medium tie length, that falls between 57″-58″ (145-150 cm). Only really tall (and we mean really tall) men need “extra-long” ties, as some sites call them, and, only very short men need shorter ties. If you are a shorter guy, but not too short to get a short tie, and not too tall to wear a medium tie, you can get a medium tie and tie a more complicated knot that will use more of the tie’s fabric, and it will make you look better!
The rule of tie length is that when you are wearing it, the tip of the tie should touch your waistline (where your belt is). The thin end that isn’t very visible, should be an inch (3 cm) or so shorter.
4. The Price
The “Civitella” by Cruna Ties.
When you are doing on-line shopping, the price is very important. Because you can’t actually see the tie you are buying, some brands will try to scam you and offer you a bad product at a too big price. At other times, they will claim to have very high-quality ties at very low prices. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Before actually starting to buy on-line, you can go through some physical stores and take the pulse of the quality-price ratio. If the specs match with those of the on-line shops’, you can be almost sure that the e-store is trustworthy.
5. What others are saying
The great thing about going on-line is that you can search for product or brand reviews on forums or blogs. One or two opinions are too little to count, but if a brand or product receives too many negative votes and reviews, you should probably skip it too.
Additional information
If you like a tie from a store, but don’t find the information you need, don’t give up on it! Write an e-mail to customer service asking them the details about the tie. They normally respond and can go into a lot of detail when it comes to their ties. If they don’t, you should probably let it go.
Buying ties on-line can save you time and will increase the versatility of your ties and can set you apart from others. The only important thing is to make sure you go to the right place and buy the right piece.
Fraquoh and Franchomme
P.S. Do you buy ties or other accessories on-line? If so, what tips do you have? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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