Now that we’ve talked about what suit you should be wearing, it’s time to address an issue that is equally as essential to every dapper man’s wardrobe: the tie. Frankly put, it’s what separates the boys from the men. While your suit lays a solid foundation, your tie is the key to unlocking your suit’s full potential by coloring it with fun, charm, and most importantly your own personality. What’s more awesome is how radically a tie can transform the nature of your outfit – wear a sweater vest without a tie, and you’re wearing your grandpa’s clothes, but wear it with a tie and you’re Joseph Gordon Levitt. Here’s my philosophy on the tie: there will be the day when you will be throwing on a tie every morning, so why not start having some fun with it?

Why would you not want to be this guy?

The Basics

Before we get into building yourself a wardrobe of ties that suits you, I’d like to lay down some ground rules for nearly every tie that you’ll be owning. First of all, get rid of all your fat ties. As my friend Navin says sometimes, “you can get away with anything as long as it’s slim enough.” Fat ties, in an age where 60′s revival is in vogue and suits are increasingly fitted, any tie that is bigger than 3” just feels way too clumsy and almost a bit anachronistic. That’s not to say that your tie should be too skinny either, as anything between 1”-2” crosses into unprofessional territory and should be left to clubs and punk rock bands. The sweet spot is between 2.25”-2.75”, where your tie is thin enough to be trendy yet still versatile enough to fit into a formal/professional setting.

Furthermore, get rid of all your loud designs. Yes, I am talking about all your crazy paisleys and your bold yellow ones with the weird square pattern (who even came up with that?). Your tie should complement the rest of your wardrobe, while these choices and many more only serve to distract.

Know Your Materials and Textures

Very similar to the black suit, the silk tie has become a bit trite and worn out in the sphere of men’s fashion, despite its classic stature. Yes, it’s classy, and it’s professional, but it’s also extremely limiting. The gloss of a typical silk tie is almost too formal, and it should really be left to weddings and evening events such as your high school prom. In order to discover that tie collection that truly reflects your personality, I heavily encourage you to get adventurous with material and texture.

For instance, meet your new best friend, the knit tie. Once you get over the fact that it has a square end (if you haven’t seen it before, it’s actually pretty cool), you will discover that the unevenness of the knit tie is awesome at creating a contrast of textures, which you’ll notice that I’m really big on. A solid knit tie works well with every shirt, from a classic solid white to a spring season gingham like the picture shown here.

That’s not even nearly where it ends. There are wool ties, which have an aged prep cool that makes the gentleman when paired with tweed, there are cotton and linen ties that are more evocative of springtime, and there are even different kinds of silk ties. Have you heard of Grenadine? Twill? Shentung? Go find out, my man! Trust me, you will never want to go back to regular solid silk.

Two Ties to Start You Off

1. A Black Tie

If you are looking to start a tie collection, there really is only one place you have to start: a black tie. There is no tie more essential and more versatile. I know what you’re going to ask: “But Jason, isn’t black a little too formal? Or boring?” Well, yes and no. As the term “black tie event” would suggest, a black tie is most appropriate for evening events, but it does not have nearly the same overwhelming formality that a black suit does. However, a solid black tie would indeed be a bit typical and boring. But who said we were going for a regular solid black tie? Since I’ve already mentioned knit ties, how about a black knit tie? A black knit tie is very reminiscent of iconic American celebrities such as Cary Grant as well as the modern day sartorial genius of Tom Ford. Beyond black knit ties, you might even consider a black paisley tie which turn the garishness of paisley into 100% brilliant texture, or a black pin dot, whose high degree of symmetry leans towards a hip professionalism.

2. A Striped Tie

Whether you are going for the prep look or not, you need a diagonally striped tie if you don’t have one yet. The diagonally oriented pattern is the easiest way to create contrast with a shirt, which is ultimately the goal of every shirt-tie combo. Besides, while we’re on the question, why wouldn’t you want to go for the prep look? A tastefully striped tie paired with a blue blazer is one of the most iconic menswear looks I can possibly think of. Feel like an Oxford man with this tie with a perfect combo of royal shades of primary colors. If you’re feeling more daring, take prep from the Ivy Leagues and claim it for the West Coast with our very own Berkeley colors.

Go Thrifting

On a very last note, if you want to build a collection that is unique and personal to you, head down to the nearest thrift store. I have found all my favorite ties from the local Buffalo Exchange on Telegraph, from a Brooks Brothers tie with birds on it to an orange Ralph Lauren tie. For about two to five bucks a pop, depending on which thrift store you go to, you might get just as addicted as I am. With a good eye to separate the buys from the duds, you’ll begin finding a style that is truly your own.

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