The Open Question from Steve’s site:
Ties seem to be vanishing as a part of daily dress. Do you still wear ties/like people who wear ties? What occasions are tie-worthy? How do you select your ties? Do you have a tie collection? Do you have any memorable ties?
Our company has gone through a number of evolutions on the whole dress code thing. The current rules are (a) if you’re meeting with a client, or (b) in an office where it’s expected, then you wear a tie. In case (b), that means mainly the corporate office in California. I’ll tend to err on the side of caution if there’s a question as to whether a work event (or other) requires a tie, but most offices are in a dress shirt/polo shirt kind of mode (though no blue jeans).
Outside of work, I’ll wear ties to formal events — weddings/funerals, formal parties. I’ve worn them to church on occasions when I’m doing something signficant but in mufti (as opposed to wearing some kind of vestments).
I have a love-hate relationship with ties. I hate wearing them, both because of the whole “choking me to death” thing and because it’s usually a lot hotter than not wearing one. Plus there’s that scrap of expensive cloth flopping around in front of you, getting into the soup, etc.
That said, they can be a lot of fun, one of the few “decorator accents” that guys get these days.
I have a pretty large selection of neck ties — maybe 40-odd on my tie rack, about the same number tucked away and occasionally rotated out. It’s such a large number (relatively) because I used to wear ties to the office all the time. So I don’t do a lot of tie buying these days, but when I do, I look for something that’s attractive, even noteworthjy. I’m not looking for something that’s garish, but I don’t want something dull, either. I have my set of “power ties” with various red
stripes, and some conservative ties with little patterns on them in various conservative colors, but I prefer things with a bit more zip.
My favorite ties (and the ones I get most comments on) are the “Jerry Garcia” collection sorts (though the relationship between his sketches and the tie patterns are fairly tenuous). I have some similarly zingy ties that were put out a while back with patterns derived from alcohol molecules or crystals or something (I think it was a MADD thing).
I like small patterns, then stripes, then solids or large patterns. Not much into “commercial” ties, though I have a fun Tabasco one I’ll wear sometimes to Houston or Baton Rouge, and I have a set of more subtle Disney ties (little Tigger or Mickey patterns) that I like. And, of course, it’s important that it’s a color that will go with stuff I actually wear.
Most of the tie buying and wearing I’ve done of any note in the past few years have been Christmas ties. There are usually multiple occasions over the holidays for me to wear them (parties, office visits), so it’s nice to have a decent collection thereof (stashed at the Ks).
I am 22 and wear a tie most days just out of choice because I want to. Mt work dress code doesn’t require it but most of the men there do wear one and we often compare and even try and out do each other at certain times like Christmas eg- who can wear the most wackiest and craziest. It’s all good fun. I also wear a tie when not at work just because I like looking smart really and I actually find them pretty comfortable to wear which some people find hard to believe! If I turn up at a bar or at the cinema and people ask me how come I’m wearing a tie, I just tell them I like to and that normally surprises them but they always comment on how nice it is to see somebody my age making the effort to look smart. I love all types – snazzy, jazzy colourful ones, bold, striped, checked and of course fun, novlety ties for occasions such as birthdays, office parties or charity days. I don’t care if people think they are cool or not – I like them and that’s all that matters – as well as looking smart of course!