Keeping A Broad Selection of Ties On Hand: How Many Is Too Many?

Since the beginning of the 21st Century, it is true that neckties have lost a little of their former ubiquitous popularity in the workplace, as many office dress codes, even ones that lean toward the more formal side of expectations, no longer mandate them.  Bow ties also tend to be less common these days, only seeming to make an appearance at black-tie dinners and formal weddings.  In spite of this trend, however, the necktie is still strongly associated with custom suits and formal wear, and any modern gentleman should always keep some of them on hand for those occasions that call for one.

            Out of all the accessories one may have in their wardrobe at their disposal, neckties along with bow ties have many benefits and versatile uses.  Barring maybe cufflinks and extra buttons, ties take up the least amount of room as far as accessories go, so even if you're limited on closet space, your wardrobe should be accommodating even if you have close to a hundred ties.  As far as their versatility is concerned, ties can change the overall vibe of your outfit if the occasion calls for it.  If you find yourself overdressed for something, simply take it off; if you need to class up your look a little bit, you can put one on in a matter of seconds.  Most of all, the greatest benefit of the tie by far is its endless style possibilities.

            Just like any other fashion accessory, ties do have occasional drawbacks.  If you have a fair number of them, they can sometimes be hard to sort and organize, and while they almost always add a bit of pizzazz to one's ensemble, they have the potential to make your outfit look sloppy if you don't tie it properly.

            So as far as your wardrobe goes, just how many ties is too many?  Save limited closet space, our take is that there really isn't such a thing as too many ties.  But as you amass a sizable collection of them, you may want to keep them organized in any way you see fit that streamlines your morning workday routine.  We've all likely been there before, but the last thing you want to do is show up to an important business meeting only to find that the tie you grabbed out of your closet at the last minute is riddled with hot pink polka dots or lights up with singing fish.  In this article, we'll cover some style tips and organizational pointers so you can really refresh your wardrobe for the New Year.

--Style Tips--

            When it comes to custom suits themselves, it's important that all components of your ensemble gel or match in some way.  With ties, however, much more leeway can be taken in terms of style.  In professional settings, the rule (or guideline) that's important to follow is the idea that less is more, although you can offer yourself a little more wiggle room with patterns and colors than you can with dress shirts, vests, or overcoats.  Do your best to stick with solid colors or subtle patterns, such as pinstripes, smaller dots, and narrow lines.  Accenting your outfit is always going to be better than huge contrasts where an outrageous tie might detract from your style rather than complement it.

            Moving out of the professional realm, weddings are great events to showcase a spiffy tie.  It's best to follow the general rules you would otherwise follow for your ties in a professional environment, but a wedding allows you to further expand your style options.  You're better off going with brighter colors to keep the mood of the event vibrant, jubilant, and joyous.  Consider shades of red, blue, purple, or green.  Any variations within the realm of pastel colors will suit you well for weddings and other events that call for celebration.

            In contrast to weddings and formal office settings, cocktail parties will give you the most freedom at your disposal in terms of what you can get away with in a tie, with the exception of strictly black-tie affairs.  As far as style is concerned, feel free to go as wild—or restrained—as you want.  It is said that rules are meant to be broken every once in a while, so if you feel like rocking that bright striped neon orange tie that's been sitting in your closet ever since the iPhone first debuted, it might be time to break it out from its hibernation.

            But before you set out to your next meeting or evening soirée, you may want to take some time to refresh your memory on the different ways in which you can tie your tie.  If you remember from one of our previous articles, the most common way to tie a tie isn't always the best way, depending on the event you plan to attend.  For weddings and other formal events, your best options are to go with the Full Windsor or Half Windsor knot, as they add symmetry and prominence to your necktie.  For everyday office settings, the common Four-In-Hand is acceptable, but you might want to consider a Half-Windsor as well, just to add a bit more uniformity to your style, as the Four-In-Hand is an asymmetrical knot.  Just remember to save the more exotic knots we covered for less official engagements, as their practical everyday use is limited.

--Organizational Tips--

            It's getting close to that time of year again where many of us will be in spring cleaning mode, and what better way to kick it off into full gear by getting your wardrobe organized.  While ties hardly take up any room at all, it can be quite tempting to just throw them onto a shelf or chuck them onto your closet floor, but we would advise against this, especially if you want some semblance of efficiency.  At the bare minimum, it's best to at least keep your ties in their own separate space for easy access.  Ideally, you want to either hang them up or lay them flat.  If you're short on room, folding or rolling them is also acceptable.  Just make sure that you do it in such a way that is uniform to avoid wrinkling or bunching.

            For those of you who are more meticulous and detail-oriented, consider color-coding them or sorting your ties by pattern or style.  You might also opt to sort them by appropriateness for event or even length.  No matter how you choose to organize them, settle on something that you'll be comfortable with and easily remember.  By doing this one simple thing, you might even find that the amount of time it takes you to get ready in the morning will decrease, since you will no longer have to rummage through drawers or bins to find that perfect tie for any given day.  This principle can be applied to anything else, really.  Belts, socks, scarves, and even cufflinks can all benefit from even the most rudimentary forms of organization.

            One final thing to consider is the benefit of using tie racks.  Some are wall-mounted, while others can simply be hung right onto your closet rack.  This eliminates the need to fold them as your ties can hang down without any creases in the material, and you'll save more room in the process.

--Cleaning Tips--

            It's one of those things that we don't always like to admit that we don't do very often, but just like any other article of clothing, ties do need to be cleaned from time to time.  While you certainly don't need to take them to the cleaners as often as suits, jackets, and shirts, it's always a good idea to give your ties a good laundering every once in awhile.

            The easiest way to do this is to take your ties to the dry cleaners along with your jackets, shirts, pants, and other sensitive items.  As many ties are made from silk, a professional dry cleaning service will know exactly how to clean them without damaging the material.

            If you're a little more budget-savvy, another acceptable option to utilize for cleaning your ties is a steam iron.  Not only will a steam iron keep your ties fresh and crisp, but also take away any wrinkles at the same time.  Just be sure to use a steam iron only if you choose to do this; using a dry electric iron could potentially damage your tie's material and even burn some of the fibers if you're not careful.

            While some people swear by laundering ties so long as the material can handle a washing machine cycle, we would strongly advise against doing this at all, even for ties made from cotton or blended materials.  Laundering ties in this way can degrade the structural integrity of the material, so if you insist on cleaning them yourself, at the very least hand-wash them and never put them in the dryer.  It's also a good idea to check the material tags on your ties before cleaning them, but when in doubt, the safer bet is to let your professional dry cleaning service do it for you.

            It is said that prevention is the best medicine for many things, and keeping your ties clean is no exception.  Try to be more attentive and careful when you eat or drink, and if you're enjoying your lunch hour offsite, you might want to remove your tie altogether and put it back on later sometime before you arrive back to your office.  You can also use a tie clip to keep your tie fastened to your shirt, as this will not only prevent it from flapping away in the wind but also keep it from ending up as the primary starch in your soup.

            While our main area of expertise has always been custom suits, our selection of ties can offer the perfect complements to your next formal ensemble.  At Enzo Custom, our expert clothiers will provide you with accurate measurements, as well as fashion tips to maximize your personal style to its full potential.  Book your private appointment online today, step into one of our showrooms, or schedule a consultation via videoconference.