Although I don't often talk about men's fashion on the blog, I do give a fair amount of style advice to my male friends. Earlier this week I went tie shopping with a friend who had recently lost his entire tie collection while travelling overseas. We hit up The Tie Bar, which is my favorite men's accessory shop because of the wide variety, good quality, and low prices. Plus, their flagship store is just a short walk from my apartment so it is the perfect outing on a sunny day!
Men's fashion can often feel formulaic (though if you want to break out of that rut, be sure to check out my Pinterest board of men's style) and a great tie can make an outfit more fun to wear. Whether you are building a tie collection from scratch or simply adding to the ones already hanging in your closet, here are the four ties every man should have:
Men's fashion can often feel formulaic (though if you want to break out of that rut, be sure to check out my Pinterest board of men's style) and a great tie can make an outfit more fun to wear. Whether you are building a tie collection from scratch or simply adding to the ones already hanging in your closet, here are the four ties every man should have:
 The Tie Bar Wool Herringbone in Grey/Silver $19 | Something Somber Although it is generally more fun to shop for bright and bold ties, everyone should have a somber option in the wardrobe for funerals. I'm partial to a grey herringbone because it is versatile enough to be paired with a navy, black, or grey suit. Something Classic Think of this as your interview tie. Choose a subdued color palette and a simple pattern, such as diagonal stripes. This is the tie you pull out when you need to look professional and want to err on the side of dressing conservatively. Your tie collection only needs one or two classic ties. |  The Tie Bar Silk Academy Stripe in Light Blue/Navy $19 |
 The Tie Bar Silk Moroccan Tile in Light Cornflower/Pink $19 | Something Fun "Patterned tie" might bring to mind novelty ties with patterns of tiny pumpkins or candy canes. However, there are lots of fun prints in bright colors that are modern and stylish. This is the part of your tie collection where you can really let your personality shine through. Break out your fun ties for dinner parties, weddings, and to add pizzazz to your work clothes. Something for Summer You have a lightweight suit (perhaps a linen-cotton blend in tan), so why wouldn't you also have a lightweight tie for the warm weather? Seersucker is a great investment because it screams summer and won't go out of style. |  The Tie Bar Cotton Seersucker in Blue $19 |
When you are choosing ties, be sure to think about what suits and shirts you have at home. If you only own or wear black suits, you don't want to buy only navy ties. (However, if you are consistently attracted to navy ties, you might want to think about investing in a navy blue or grey suit.) The same issue can arise if you only wear patterned shirts and also mostly buy patterned ties. While you definitely can mix patterns, you will want to be more discerning when buying your shirts and ties. It is always frustrating to buy an item of clothing that you love and then realize that it doesn't look good with anything you already have in your closet.
Do you have a go-to tie pattern or color palette? Share your favorites in the comments!
Do you have a go-to tie pattern or color palette? Share your favorites in the comments!
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