The Right Necktie Sets You Apart from the Competition

While a necktie no longer serves the purpose it did in the past of protecting the neck from an aggressor's thrust, nevertheless a quality necktie still sets you apart from your competition. With the myriad designer neckties available, how do you choose one that suits your style or situation? In this article, the DeCalo Fashion expert will introduce you to necktie fabrics, colors, patterns, and contemporary and classic styles.

Neck Tie Fabrics

Quality neckties are made of pure silk or wool. Worldwide, woven silk Italian neckties are crisp, appropriate formal wear. Woolen neckties are considered less formal than the silk varieties, and are considered ideal for less formal events.

Tie Colors & Patterns

Today's dramatic styles

There is undeniably a tendency toward dramatic combinations in menswear. If your style could be described as Austin Powers shagadelic, the best approach is "harmonic discord": choose a loud necktie (such as stripes, blobs, or checks, a hot pink necktie, or an orange tie) with a shirt that has over-riding colors that match.

Your bold style should then become progressively subdued from necktie to yoru dress suit: a large pattern on the tie should be balanced by a small pattern, or solid, on the shirt. Your suit should in turn be lower key than the shirt.

Classic business style

While we have seen a variety of interesting, even artistic tie patterns come and go, the classic business necktie pattern is unoriginal, and apt to stay that way. Both businesspersons and politicians lean toward understated neckties. When you're serious about doing business, understated is the way to go. Conservative checks, paisleys, and stripes are recommended business necktie patterns.

Anyone doing business in the UK, however, should be aware that striped patterns indicate social status; in particular, institutions such as regiments or riding clubs have their own stripes and colors. A faux pas is easily committed by the uninformed due to the wide range of combinations that have been adopted by institutions, so the foreigner in the UK may be wise forego necktie stripes in favor of other patterns.

Select the necktie fabric, colors, and patterns appropriate to your style and situation. A quality necktie is central to presenting the image you intend, whether it be contemporary, dramatic, or business classic.