Nothing in the history of giftdom has been so ridiculed as the giving of ties.
Often seen as a stereotypically "easy" gift, the tie is actually a fashion statement with a rich ancestry.
After all, it is the one lasting male apparel item which serves no obvious function other than adding zip to the wardrobe and a touch of personal style.
Knotty Facts
- Neckties are a century-old fashion statement, an evolved version of the Croatian's cravat and the worker's bandana.
- In surveying the width of ties, there is some indication of a correlation between the length of women's skirts and the stock market indices, according to "The Darwinian Theory of Neckwear."
- A quality tie should be cut on the bias (across the fabric) to make it lie smoothly once knotted. How to tell? Hold it in the air and if the tie starts to twirl, it's not on the bias.
- For grease stains on a tie, apply corn starch and leave overnight.
Tie Trends
- Get Political: Let Dad show sport an elephant, donkey or just stars and stripes from the company favored by Democratic hopeful John Kerry, Vineyard Vines. The classy, but catchy prints will set you back about $65, but there's enough novelty there to justify the price.
- Brights: Let Dad's inner peacock shine with summer brights from companies like Polo.
- Modern Man: Look for a slightly wider tie: 3 1/4 inches wide is a classic, but a natty Dad could carry off something up to 4 inches.
- The "Regis" look of monochromatic shirt and tie is over. Go for a shirt-and-tie combo that complements, but doesn't match.
Prices and Designers
- A truly great tie, like one from French shirtmaker Charvet, can be had for around $150 from Saks Fifth Avenue (Forbes rates the Charvet tie as top of the line).
- Under $150 are menswear designers like Burberry, Zegna and Ferragamo.
- Bluefly.com is a great resource for off-price designer ties like Hugo Boss.
