LITTLE ROCK — Q. A few weeks ago in a column about neckties and how important they are to a man’s appearance, you wrote, “I have so much to say on this subject that it may take two or more columns.” In that article you explained the differences between the four types of knots and when each is appropriate. I found it helpful and would welcome more information.
What else should I know on the subject, such as which color ties go with what? Also, are some ties dressier than others?
A. Color and pattern are two important elements in dressing well. The more you know about them, the better dressed you will be. Nowhere are they more important than in a man’s necktie choices.
Wearing two colors is the top executives’ way of dressing. It is expected; it is always correct and it never goes out of style. Also, it is the most striking. If you are walking down the street and notice someone who is exceptionally well-dressed, you may turn around to see what he has done to catch your eye. Almost always he will be wearing only two colors. A navy suit, blue shirt, and redand-blue tie is an often-seen, super-safe example.
Two-color dressing is not only reliable, it is also easy. It offers possibilities for dozens and dozens of elegant combinations. An essential rule is “The 1-2-3 of Color.” I recommend it because, once you have the hang of it, you can practically never go wrong. It becomes second nature.
1. Start with the suit. It is your base color.
2. Add a second, contrast color with the shirt. It is your accent.
3. With the tie, you tie it all together by repeating some shade of the two colors.
Your suit, let’s say, is dark gray, making gray your base color. Next you add a shirt in acontrasting light color, perhaps a pale yellow. Now you have two colors - gray and yellow. Your third selection is the necktie.
Since what you want to do is tie the color combination together, you choose a grayand-yellow stripe or a blackand-bright-yellow small print. Your three-piece combination is complete and you have stayed with just two colors.
A pattern’s size is important. The rule: The smaller the pattern, the more elegant the look. A small pin dot is formal; a medium-size dot is less so. A large, over-scaled polka dot looks like part of a clown’s costume. A small paisley print is dressy and always correct; a large paisley is casual. Larger patterns are at the extremely casual end of the acceptable businessrange.
When it comes to dressiness, yes, some specific tie patterns are dressier than others. In my book, Dress for Excellence (currently out of print, but many readers have found it on Amazon and elsewhere online), I have a very useful chart, “Tie Patterns, Formal to Casual.” It describes necktie types ranked from the most formal to the most casual. I’ve never seen anything similar in other how-to-dress books. It is guaranteed to be helpful.
Another element that affects a tie’s formality is its fabric: Smooth-to-rough fabric equates with elegantto-casual. This progression begins with smooth silk and proceeds through heavier woven silks and then to silk knits. The next fabrics down on the formality scale are silk/ cotton blends, then all cotton or linen. The least dressy necktie fabric is wool. Tiefabrics with a heavy “hand” - a woolly fuzzy touch - are best worn with heavier, winter-weight suitings and casual Harris tweed types of sport coats.
Please notice that I have not included polyester ties. I believe the fabric should be avoided because it is not an adequate substitute for silk, it is never elegant, and it does not make a good knot. It also pills from rubbing against a man’s beard. Just as wool is the best fabric for suits and cotton is the cloth for shirts, the best ties are made of silk.
As a quick summary for those who did not see the earlier column on Necktie Knots: The most versatile and traditional is “the four-in-hand”; the most formal is “the half-Windsor”; the one that is too bulky and now rather passe is “the full-Windsor”; and the one almost no one knows is “the Shelby.” Send your questions for Male Call to:
lois.fenton@prodigy.net
High Profile, Pages 44 on 02/27/2011