Neck Wear - Ties, Bows, and Scarves...Oh, My!

Why is Neck Wear Important?

Welcome, welcome! This week we are going to talk about, arguably, the most necessary staple of men's accessories - neck wear. When I say neck wear, I don't mean ONLY neck ties. Neck wear encompasses neck ties, bow ties, ascots (also known as cravats), and scarves. Neck ties and bow ties are tried-and-true in the men's fashion world, especially the formal wear, but ascots and scarves have been lost to the sands of time, much to my dismay.

The versatility of neck wear is only limited by the designer's imagination of designs/patterns/colors as they create them. A man's ability to pair a tie in his collection with various ensembles even furthers the accessory's usefulness. Be it formal wear, casual attire, or a bold "look at my snazzy tie" type outfit, a man can turn a drab, colorless, lifeless outfit into a work of art with a magnificent choice of tie!

I hold a strong belief that every man, when he has managed to broaden his wardrobe through the years, should have AT A BARE MINIMUM at least one tie of every color of the rainbow. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet are colors that can be used in an infinite amount of combinations with whatever suit(s) and dress shirt(s) one may own. If you only own one white dress shirt, and one black suit, changing the color of your tie from day to day can make your outfit look completely new (as long as you don't drip any ketchup on yourself during your lunch break)! 

Neck Ties

When shopping for a tie, it's important to ALWAYS keep in mind your personal style as well as what color shirts, suits, shoes, belts, or pocket squares you may own. Being able to remember all of those colors may be daunting, especially as your wardrobe grows, so a trick I like to use is to actually wear the shirt, suit, or accessory I am trying to match with my new purchase. A simple enough thing to do, but some often forget that shopping for clothes needn't be complicated or frustrating!

It's with neck wear that a man can add pizzazz, elegance, or a splash of color to any outfit. When perfected, choosing a neck tie or scarf, seems effortless and natural. "Oooh, this tie will go great with the shoes I just bought!"

All this talk about things to strap around your neck, but there's a big question that I haven't answered. How do you pick the RIGHT tie?

For the most part, neck ties are the only neck wear that varies in style - and even then it's a subtle but ever important difference. There's the "standard" tie that is about 3" (7.7cm) thick at it's widest point; then there is the slim/skinny/thin tie that measures in at about 1"-1.5" (2.5-3.8cm) wide at its widest point.

It's essential to know what tie looks best on your physique because a 1" skinny tie on a larger-framed man, just makes your frame look even larger. As a general rule of thumb, the shape of your tie should mimic the shape of your body. Slender men can more readily wear skinny ties than heavier set men, but the opposite is not true. Men of all shapes can wear the standard 3" tie and still look terrific.

Bow Ties

A bow tie comes with an outlandish and ridiculous stigma that all men who wear them are "nerds" or "eccentric" and looking for attention in all the wrong ways. That couldn't be farther from the truth.

Bow ties have a unique look among their neck wear colleagues and should be worn when you may want to add a pop of color to your outfit without drawing attention to ONLY the tie. Matching a bow tie with a great pocket square, watch, or snazzy new pair of glasses could make all the difference between looking like a computer nerd or a chic entrepreneur.

Scarves and Ascots

Scarves and ascots are near identical in use, but have a different look/appeal to them. Scarves are often used, and for good reason, during the chillier times of the year such as fall and winter seasons. Just like any other fall/winter garb, scarves aren't merely used to keep you warm (though important); they are a chance to make a fashion statement!

Add some color, add a pattern, or even add both! Keep your neck warm and your outfit looking even hotter! Keep in mind, though, that an ascot is almost always a silk garment that doesn't provide warmth, but rather gives the appeal of a scarf that you can use in warmer times of the year *cough* spring *cough*.

Wrap Up - (Pun Fully Intended)

A man's wardrobe defines who he is, how he views life, how he likes to be seen, and a million other attributes about his personality.  All too often, men rely solely on shirt, pant, and shoe choice (sometime the choice in shoes even escapes male thought) to define their image.  I implore men and women to join the campaign to help dress men for success!  Wrap a colorful length of fabric around their neck, tie it just right, and watch their confidence soar!  Below are some links that show various different ways to wear/tie neck wear.  I'd love to take the time to describe each knot, it's proper place of use and the like, but for you visual folk out there (like me), seeing diagrams is the way to go!

Tying a Neck Tie: http://www.neckties.com/content/howtotieatie.html/

Tying a Bow Tie: http://www.neckties.com/content/howtotieatie.html/

Tying an Ascot/Cravat: http://www.stanleygentlemen.com/how-to-tie-an-ascot-knot/

Ways to Wear a Scarf: http://www.kinowear.com/blog/how-to-tie-a-scarf-9-tying-techniques