This article is a part of series called ‘Ironing the Curtain‘ by our guest contributor Maksym Stetskov. If you liked this one, make sure to check out his other articles at https://ironingthecurtain.substack.com/
At the first instance, this simple question poised may seem like a no-brainer. Even in the 21st century, ties are still a staple – and often the centrepiece of a formal wardrobe. As such, they are (sometimes justifiably) viewed as conservative, stifling and uncomfortable to wear. However, what can we learn from an era gone by, where all social classes and professions sported a tie or neckwear of some sort? Well, longstanding principles that guide levels of formality in menswear stand to this day, and you most definitely can still incorporate these more “formal” garments into your wardrobe even if you consider yourself a casual or quite modern dresser.
The basics…and what many get wrong!
The most basic prerequisite of wearing a tie should be a collared shirt, at least in the classic Western canon. Nowadays, with the advent of fast fashion, collared shirts are quite widely proliferated and you can acquire them at any department store, whether they are focused on formal wear or not. Of course, such shirts come in different configurations, most crucial of which to us is the collar. This is particularly an issue with shirts produced by fast fashion brands, as collars made by dedicated shirt-makers, despite their variance in design and types, are still designed to be worn with a tie. With fast-fashion brands though, you must practice more diligence, as quite often, the collar is made in a straight-line form, without any curvature to the form. This has the result of creating a boxy collar which is ill suited to accommodate a tie underneath. In fact, the tie fabric pushes up against it, creating a mushy and generally undignified look, a mistake I have committed in the past.
In contrast, collars that have been designed for ties, can come in different shapes and colours (sometimes in contrast to the main body in what is known as a Winchester shirt), which allows you to be playful with the otherwise dull selection of white and blue dress shirts that are worn by individuals sporting the business casual look – often ridiculed as being soulless and attire of compulsion rather than choice. Playful colours such as pastel pink, striped blue and straw coloured shirts in a desaturated hue, are all equally plausible options that create a sense of visual interest. Different patterns or different texture as well serve to create a different sense of appearance – for instance a fine cotton white dress shirt with double French cuffs would epitomise formality whilst a denim shirt would convey a casual ruggedness that the wearer would wish to highlight.
The ties themselves
I think that for the average person, or someone not particularly interested in menswear, it would be a bit of a surprise to learn that ties do not come in one shape and size. When considering accessories, we tend to write off smaller details off to the skill of the wearer, and not the properties of the garment themselves – at least I was guilty of thinking the shape of a tie knot was more determined by how well I tied the tie and not whether not the tie had any interlining.
Most modern ties today are made with some form of interlining – such are the properties of manufactured ones which are cheaper and easier to make. Historically, as ties were made with a large amount of handiwork involved and as such it was easier to produce them unlined. As a result, the tie knots of that era were more defined and elegant, whereas today they may perhaps be too small, too big, or lacking definition.
Likewise the fabrics out of which the ties are made out of are not of a single type but vary wildly. Apart from the typical silk (which has several different sub-types itself), other fabrics such as cotton, linen, wool, cashmere or even such rarities as vicuña! Of course, the type of fabric of fabric determines formality – for business you would presumably wear a lined or unlined silk tie (though stay clear of those cheapish satin silk ties!) while in a more casual ensemble, one could consider a knit tie, perhaps in wool or silk. The point is – ties do not have to be confined to boring monotones with a uniform texture or be worn with worsted wool suits – they can be colourful and expressive.
What to avoid
Obviously, not all ties are the same, and there is a fair amount of bad lemons. The first category that you should avoid are cheap ties made out of satin silk that have that ugly, monotone gleam. Likewise, ties made out of synthetic fibres such as polyester or polythene, are better to be avoided. They knot poorly, are less comfortable to wear and cause unnecessary perspiration.
Another category of ties to avoid is ties with odd or grotesque patterns or shapes that are kitschy and exist more so as gimmicks rather than something that exudes a seriousness of purposes or signal some sort of coordination in an outfit. Likewise, if you wear a tie with a suit jacket or a sport coat – make sure that it complements your lapels. Too skinny or too wide ties (Rishi Sunak being a notable wearer of the former) also are best avoided as often they clash with the outfit and serve only to distract rather than complement.
Conclusions
Ultimately then, the main question still persists – should you wear a tie? Well obviously I may be biased and somewhat one-sided in this, but I believe the definitive answer is yes. Obviously they are not something you’d usually wear everyday, but they work charmingly regardless of whether not you drift towards more casual styles or epitomise formality. On the flipside – it doesn’t even matter if you are a man, as this stereotype of it being a male-only garment has been long broken. In spite of some longstanding prejudice against this garment (called sometimes the “corporate noose”), I certainly believe it will persist and live on.
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