Skinny vs. Standard Ties and Everything In Between: Determining The Right Size For Your Suit and Body Type

One would be hard pressed these days to find a suit that isn't advertised or showcased in conjunction with the ubiquitous necktie, and from a style perspective, we're all very glad that's the case.  In its modern form, the necktie has the innate ability to add nearly infinite style permutations to any suit configuration, whether it's a traditional two-piece, sleek and uniform three-piece, a more casually matched sport coat and trouser pairing, or anything in between.  While neckties come in many different colors, patterns, and styles, they're offered in almost as many size variations, as well.  Although the effect tends to be subtler than a given tie's pattern or color, its length, width, and the degrees to which it tapers can all have a profound impact on rounding out a person's individual style.

            The necktie works so well as a suit accessory mainly because of its relatively rudimentary design. In a counterintuitive fashion, this feature allows for greater style flexibility.  With so many different ways to even tie a necktie, the same one can look drastically different depending on the knot as well as the suit with which it is paired.  The same goes for a tie's size.  While it doesn't seem like it would make much of a difference, tie size can add (or take away) balance and symmetry to a gentleman's formal attire.

            As fashion trends tend to ebb and flow, it seems that in the coming years wider ties will be more popular as opposed to skinny, narrower ties that were in vogue not too long ago.  But as fashion trends tend to also be very subjective, opting for what is popular isn't always the best thing to do from a style point of view.  In this article, we'll give you the rundown on the perfect tie sizes to not only match your body dimensions but also complement your individual style concerns and suit-type preferences.

--Tie Size Overview--

            While most ties fall between a particular size range, the exact dimensions can vary considerably between manufacturers.  Typically, the width of a tie is measured between the outside points just above the bottom triangular tip, and this range falls generally between 2 and 4 inches.  The standard skinny tie is usually closer to the 2-inch range, while what is considered a wide tie is normally going to have a width greater than 3.5 inches.

            As far as necktie length goes, most ties are going to be about 58 inches long, and this is measured from the triangular tip at the bottom of the tie all the way up to the narrow point on the opposite skinnier side of the tie.  For gentlemen with taller builds, a tie closer to 64 or even more than 67 inches might be more appropriate; the only downside is that these longer ties are a bit harder to find.

            While body type is certainly the most important aspect in determining the right tie to match your formal wear, it is far from being the only factor.

--Suit Style Considerations--

            One thing that is often overlooked when trying to determine the right tie to pair with formal attire is the lapel size on the jacket.  Since a tie is going to be centered directly between each lapel, the rule of thumb here is to match the width of your tie as closely as possible with the width of your lapels.  A wider tie will look better with wider lapels, skinnier ties will look better with lapels that lean toward the narrower side, and so on and so forth.  Since many fashion dos and don'ts are highly subjective based on individual style, this rule isn't set in stone or unbreakable.  But you should be able to eyeball it pretty easily with a quick glance in the mirror.  If there's too much shirt space or conversely not enough, your tie is probably mismatched for your jacket.  This guideline is yet another important reason why it's good to have plenty of ties on hand; sometimes the difference that can make or break an outfit comes down to less than half an inch with regard to tie width, so keeping a plethora of neckties that not only vary in color and style but also in size is very good for boosting wardrobe utility.

            Your suit's color can be almost as important as lapel size when determining the type of tie you should be wearing with a given outfit.  Before we delve into the finer points of tie size, it's best to always go with a tie that's darker than the shirt you're wearing, as a tie is one of those articles of clothing that should stand out to a certain degree rather than get lost in the background.  As far as the color of your suit goes, it's better to wear a tie that's more or less in line with the same tone as your jacket and trousers.  Some contrast is perfectly fine, but you don't necessarily want too much.  While opinions may vary, skinny ties tend to work better with darker colors whereas wider ties are better for balancing less heavy shades.

            Aside from lapel size and suit color, the overall structure and type of suit can also make a difference as to which tie size pairs best.

            Skinnier ties will look better with suits that are tapered, tailored, and contoured very closely to a specific set of body dimensions, such as Italian- and British-style suits that tend to have a slimmer fit overall.  Conversely, American-style suits that tend to have a looser fit and broad shoulder width might fare better with wider ties.  Some exceptions apply to this general rule, however.  Whether the suit is a two-piece or three-piece can also have an effect on the ideal tie size.  Since three-piece suits are worn with a vest underneath a jacket, there is by default going to be less open space visible on your shirt, so a narrower tie can help balance out the encroaching vest.  A wide tie in this situation might leave hardly any space at all for your shirt to shine through, making your overall outfit appear too busy and cluttered.  

            As two-piece suits are not worn with a vest, wider ties can sometimes provide more balance than a standard or narrow tie, since more of your shirt will be exposed and therefore leaves more room for something to fill all of that open space.  This is especially true if you opt to wear a two-piece suit with a white shirt.

            When it comes to double-breasted suits of any kind, the judgment call over your tie size can be a little trickier.  While the lapels and the appearance of the shoulders on double-breasted suits tend to be wider than their single-breasted counterparts, double-breasted suits usually leave a little less room for the center shirt placket, in which case there will also be a little less room for a tie.  However, contrary to the logic here, a skinny tie will almost always look out of place on a double-breasted suit, as it's too narrow to complement the lapels and shoulders.  The best thing to do here for this style quandary is to start off with a standard tie, see how everything pairs in the mirror, and if something seems to be a little off, go up or down a few notches in width.  A wider tie will normally look better with a double-breasted suit, but variations in the lapels and shoulders can occasionally make a wide tie look like it's taking up too much room.  When in doubt, trust your eyeballs and a small amount of trial and error.

--Body Type Considerations--

            Just as suit style, type, and color can make or break the appearance of a skinny or wide tie, the same is true for individual body dimensions.  Neckties have so far remained one of the most popular suit accessories since they more or less act as powerful equalizers that have the innate ability to level out the overall contrasts and symmetry of a given set of formal attire.  Bearing this in mind, from a style standpoint it's important to choose a tie that will accentuate your personal design sensibilities in all the right places without drawing too much attention to one particular element or skewing the proportionality of your appearance.

            Gentlemen with slimmer builds will generally do better in sporting a skinny tie than others with average or broader body types.  As suits tailored for slighter builds will have less surface area, a skinny tie will appear more proportional than it would on a person wearing a suit made for larger builds.

            As you can imagine, gentlemen with broader body types will do better with wider and longer ties to balance out the extra space on the exposed shirt placket.  Keep in mind, however, that the length of a tie is easier to fix than the width, as the point at which a person ties a tie will impact how low or high it goes.  Before you tie it to your liking, keeping the narrower end of the tie shorter will result in a longer appearance, and vice versa.  Just make sure that the narrow end of the tie never droops down below the wide end when the tie is tied; if this happens, your tie is probably too long and you should opt for one that's a few inches shorter in overall length.

            By keeping several ties on hand of varying widths and lengths, over time you'll be able to more easily determine the best tie to match with whatever suit you decide to wear on a given day.  As with most fashion nuances, it comes down to a judgment call based on your own two eyes so long as you don't stray too far from general guidelines.

            Whether you're ready to upgrade your wardrobe with a new collection of ties or need to add another custom suit to your weekly rotation, Enzo Custom has you covered.  Step into one of our showrooms, or make an appointment with one of our expert clothiers via videoconference.