CLOSE TIES TO STYLE

I am pleased to see that many men today are taking a closer look at their personal fashion sense. I've noticed men are more stylishly refined than in years past. One classic touch that has re-invented itself in the recent past and one of my favorite sartorial essentials is the neck tie. The neck tie, more than any part of a man's ensemble, can be the center piece of one's stylish creativity.

But like all style essentials, there are rules one must follow to avoid looking like a fashion disaster.

I recently read an article in GQ magazine regarding the ill effects of the fat knot. I thought it was interesting because so many men swear by these gigantic knots. My lady friend happens to think, that the Windsor and double Windsor are the coolest things since sliced bread( partly because that's the only knot that she can tie). But as I told her, there is almost never a need for a god awful Windsor. Those morbidly obese knots look costumey, even with a spread collar shirt, and should therefore be banished from one's memory(or at least until the fashion revisits the 70's)!

The four in hand is not only the safest knot, but the most versatile. And if you can't kick your knack for neck tie obesity, opt for a slim tie. They are stylish and they make the four in hand practical.

Today's modern designers tend to design their their suits and dress shirts in smaller proportions. So to avoid looking like Michael Irving on NFL Sunday, take heed to the following
1.The "recommended" proportions are between 2 1/4inches and 3 1/4 inches for the widest part of the tie and from 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 to the thickest part of the knot.
2. One dimple will suffice( double dimples and twisting configurations appear calculated).

Although a significant part of one's ensemble, the neck tie as with most other style essentials is best done in a graceful, effortless manner. The point is to connote sartorial effortlessness.