Surprising Ties from Suitsupply
I'd never considered Suitsupply for anything but suits and jackets. Along with their other wares, they also have a really handsome collection of ties.
Affordable Grenadine Ties from Chipp Neckwear
My favorite ties in the world are silk knits and grenadines. Their dress-to-casual versatility is unmatched by any other necktie I can think of. I could easily survive with a four tie collection consisting of two of each, with one in black and one in dark navy. In fact, since I actually have that four tie collection, I could happily “tie die” now.
As I wrote in an earlier piece about grenadines, these ties were a stock item in Sean Connery’s Bond wardrobe. They’re classic, simple and irrefutably elegant no-brainers. I also wrote that the complex weave of the grenadine fabric can make them more expensive, often blowing past the $100 mark with higher end brands.
The Sartorial Illiteracy of the American Television Host
It’s a good bet that a lot of American men get their cues about wearing suits from television. Unfortunately, most TV personalities wear their suits poorly, spreading bad information to the masses.
Left to their own devices, male on-camera personalities would likely make even bigger sartorial mistakes than they already do. It’s not totally their fault. Their main job is to be informed, intelligent, engaging and entertaining, which is a genuinely difficult full-time job. Other than a few hosts who actually have a sense of style and a knowledge of what to wear and how to wear it, these men need help. To get dressed appropriately and look right, they retain the services of a stylist, designer or dresser whose job can range from advising and consulting to an all-out dictation of what otherwise clueless talent should wear. This is where the problem lives.
The Understated Elegance of the Grenadine Tie
If someone put a gun to my head and told me I could only wear solid grenadine ties for the rest of my life, I’d manage. Quite well, in fact. Other than silk knit ties, grenadines are my absolute favorites.
The Exquisite Neckwear from General Knot & Co.
When it comes to ties, we have a fantastic resource in The Tie Bar for affordable and chic basics for a ridiculous $19. For a well-rounded wardrobe peppered with more unexpected splendors, one must get more esoteric for more rarified accoutrements. Fine & Dandy right here in my neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, has wonderful unique ties and accessories. Another resource I’ve come to love is General Knot & Co.
Handsome Gems from The Tie Bar’s January Collection
I subscribe to the email lists of all the brands I like. Most of the time I delete them after a cursory glance since I don’t really need anything. But when there is a worthwhile sale or something new, I’ll investigate.
Such an investigation happened this morning with an email from The Tie Bar, which touted their new January offerings. I found a few ties that just might make it into my rotation…
Sponsored: Handy Tie & Sock Sets from ShirtCycle
I’ve written before about uniforms of powerful men – men who don’t have the time to figure out which tie goes with which suit, shirt or pair of socks. President Obama got rid of all of his suits except the navy and gray ones (and that tan one) because it meant one less decision in a day filled with far more important decisions. Extremely busy men who pull serious power levers in their lives need to be able to reach into their closets blindfolded, not screw up and be dressed and out the door before many men have decided on a pocket square. As someone who really doesn’t like to belabor the what-goes-with-what process, I really appreciate such efficiency.
For busy men who like a little color and flair with the daily suit and tie, my friends at ShirtCycle have created a smart solution. To supplement their handy and well-executed custom shirt subscription service (my review here), ShirtCycle has added coordinating ties and socks to their offerings.
Sponsored: Affordable and Stylish Solutions from CombatGent
A reasonable and experienced person would look at a $150 price tag on a suit and see a huge red flag. The fabric must be cheap, the construction has to be horrible, the buttons and lining probably melt near an open flame, and the people actually making the suit are likely grinding out an 18 hour work day with a 10 minute lunch break in an un-airconditioned fire trap in eastern Asia.
I get bludgeoned with emails from startups in the over-saturated menswear world looking for free promotion in the blogosphere. At best, some of these brands might have fine ideas that are poorly executed. At worst, they’re amateur gimmick magicians who wouldn’t get past the first audition for Shark Tank, offering an ill-conceived fix for something that was never broken just to make a buck. Then there is the rare diamond in the ruff, compentently presenting an elegant solution that meets my four criteria, which dictates that the product or service be 1.) handsome, 2.) well-made, 3.) affordable and 4.) workable, i.e. have an actual application in one’s life. Combatant Gentlemen is one of those rare diamonds in the ruff.
The Tie Bar
In terms of colors and patterns, I tend to walk on the quieter side, going with more subdued choices in clothing. I'm not a sartorial screamer looking to get noticed from 100 yards away. My suits are mostly dark, either…