Ties are easier to purchase than most other menswear items, but there’s still plenty you can read up on to help make a better purchase. There are at least a few good bricks-and-mortar tie sellers in most capital cities (even in Australia eg Ralph Lauren, Herringbone etc), but if you’re looking for more unique, classic or cheaper ties, you’re going to have to look online.

There’s a fair whack of background information to help better buy ties here, if you already know this stuff, or don’t give a shit, skip past it to the recommended sellers.

What you need to know

Obviously, the risk when purchasing ties online is much lower than suits or shoes as sizing is pretty easy to understand and pretty hard to stuff up. However, you should quickly check that the tie width matches what you’re after. For most people, the optimum tie width is about 8 cm, or ~3 inches. Many older ties (70s and 80s) are wider at 3.5 inches, but at this width or wider you risk looking like this:

Skinny ties go in and out of style, I personally hate them but each to his own. Regardless, if you’re looking for something which isn’t going to look like you’re the intern at the office (even if you are the intern!), go for around 3 inches. You should also be keeping in mind that the width of a tie should look in proportion to the width of your lapels.

If you’re quite a bit shorter or taller than average, you might need to look at a shorter or longer length tie, which can be difficult to find. There are some tiemakers which cater specifically to this, more on that later. The length of the tie you need might also be affected by the knot you’re tying. There is a big difference in how much tie is used up in the knot between a four-in-hand and a half windsor.

If you tie an Elderidge knit you’re going to need heaps of tie. You’re also going to prefer it made of premium shiny 100% polyester and want to pair it with a Fedora and a waistcoat. Yeah if this is you, probably stop reading now:

Types of ties

I’m going to split ties into four categories for convenience: woven ties, printed ties, grenadine ties and knit ties.

Woven silk ties

These are the ties you’re probably used to if you’re a beginner. Your Dad probably wears/wore these. They are quite thick, almost always lined and probably account for about 90% of ties sold worldwide. The material (almost always silk) is woven in various patterns and colours to create different textures. Many of them come in an obvious twill weave, which is where the texture of the tie looks like lots of parallel lines that run diagonally.

Many woven ties look very thick, they tie massive knots and there are many horrible patterns out there (think five colours of stripes, all in different widths, each with a different texture, Ughhh.) But, because these ties are the most available, they’re good to start off with and there are absolutely plenty of fantastic woven ties.

Printed silk ties

These go by various names, the most common of which is foulard silk ties. Strictly speaking, these are still “woven” silk but there’s a big difference. Printed ties are a better sartorial option if you are looking for something conservative, but still want to wear something a bit different to your colleagues or friends. All printed silk ties have the same texture and the type of silk used is generally lighter and nicer to the touch. Foulard ties are commonly characterised by some sort of repeating geometric or animal pattern.

The two sellers who really popularised (most stereotypically amongst investment bankers) these ties are Hermes and Salvatore Ferragamo. But, they don’t offer the best and they certainly don’t offer the cheapest. Foulard ties just look so sophisticated next to a standard woven tie, once you’ve started you won’t go back. However, printed ties are a CBD/formal option only; they aren’t “soft” enough looking for less formal or casual getups.

Knit ties

Known to most already, knit ties are extremely textured ties made of a material which has been knitted together, rather than woven. At some stage in your life, and potentially still, you thought of these ties as those fugly rough sock ties with the stupid square end.

Hopefully you don’t still think like this though, because knit ties are an awesome option for adding more texture to an outfit. Although they appear a more casual tie, dark coloured knit ties can definitely be added to a suit and remain relatively CBD-ish.

Most knit ties have a square end, but if this doesn’t do it for you there are some makers who offer a pointed end. Because everything has to be knitted rather than woven or printed most knit ties come in pretty simple patterns; plain, thick stripes or pindots.

Grenadine ties

It’s easiest to think of these as halfway between a printed or woven tie and a knit tie. Grenadines are an acquired taste for sure, but they are a classic sartorial option. Grenadines almost always come in just plain colours, likely because the combination of the unique weave and colourful patterns would be too much. But for the same reason, where a plain woven silk tie might look plain or shiny, a plain grenadine looks understated and sophisticated. Be aware grenadines are super easy to pull, you will look less classy if you are hurling expletives at your tie after catching it on the spacebar when typing at work.

Even more background

Construction

Most ties are sewn around an interlining or inlay, which is a separate piece of fabric which provides the shape and weight of the tie. Some ties have no lining, for example a seven fold tie, so named because of the seven different folds used to make them:

What’s the benefit? Well some will say they tie a better looking knot,but it’s also often harder to tie this knot, as a tie’s lining makes it easier. Overall, like many strange things in the men’s clothing world, it’s just so you know the tie you are wearing is a seven fold yo, traditional Italian construction yo. If that’s important to you, get one.

Six fold ties are also common, most of which are lined but usually not to the tip as normal woven ties are. Some ties can be five folds, most are three folds. I have heard of twelve fold ties, which is a bit…

Tipped vs untipped

Most ties are tipped, meaning there is extra material at the end of the tie, or at least two layers of the tie material. If a tie is “self-tipped”, that means the same material is used as the tipping material as the rest of the tie. An untipped tie looks like this:

It’s pretty obvious what the difference is. Untipped ties are very light, but also quite delicate. They probably aren’t a good idea for regular business wear and are more of a spring/summer tie.

Where to buy:

1) Henry Carter http://henrycarter.com.au/

Source: Henry Carter

Henry Carter is a small Australian labour-of-love that sells some seriously good value and quality ties. Stock can vary, but there’s usually a good selection of woven ties, knit ties and grenadines, even a few linen ties for summer all for $65-99. The best pick are the new printed silk ties for $85-90. Shipping in Australia is a massive $5, and $10 internationally. If you’re in Melbourne, hop into Ludlows where HC has a few models on display and in stock. Check here for the occasional sale notice and discount code: http://www.styleforum.net/t/294012/henry-carter-neckwear-accessories-official-affiliate-thread

2) Kent Wang http://www.kentwang.com/ties

KW is a good supplier of grenadines and knit ties. KW grenadines are quite an open weave, and susceptible to snags, but they’re good value at $75. Knit ties are a bit pricier than comparable options at $65-75. International shipping from KW is a bit inconsistent, be prepared to wait a few weeks.

3) Sam Hober http://www.samhober.com/

Sam Hober is a bespoke tiemaker. If you’re a bit on the small or large side, or quite fussy with width, patterns or particular construction details, Sam Hober is for you. Don’t let the shonky website put you off, this is the type of precision outfit that offers four different type of grenadine weaves. Most ties here start at around $80, plus shipping, and expect to wait a while as your tie needs to be made.

Plenty of inspiration here: http://www.styleforum.net/t/245529/a-sam-and-david-hober-tie-appreciation-thread

4) Howard Yount http://www.howardyount.com/collections/ties

HY has a frickin’ massive range of quality tie basics. I actually don’t understand why they don’t just cut back on some of the weirder ones and focus on the big sellers. Not just with ties either, check out this range of canvas briefcases: http://www.howardyount.com/collections/accessories

Is that really necessary? Maybe iron out a few of the kinks and creases on your products as well before you photograph them Mr Yount…eg:

God I just want to iron the shit out of that.

Anyway, at $105, HY’s grenadines are probably a bit overpriced but they look good and if you couple them with some of the cheaper knit ties at $60-70. If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere you can sometimes capitalise on the sales of the seasonal stock at HY, as they’re flogging summer stock at a discount at just the right time for us.

5) TM Lewin http://www.tmlewin.com.au/

TM Lewin sells some great starter ties and if you’re on a tight budget, they’re a good place to look. They’re also going to appeal to you if the lighter, more delicate styles of tie that I’ve mentioned don’t appeal to you. Most of their stock is thicker, heavier woven ties which are guaranteed to last a while if you’re wearing them regularly for work. Their multibuy offer brings em’ down to $50 a pop. I think TM Lewin’s best ties are the knitted ones, several of which come in a pointed tip if that’s your thing. These are heavier, quality knits that are less likely to pull than a lot of others. There are plenty of TM Lewin clones out there obviously, like Charles Tyrwhitt and Thomas Pink (basically TM Lewin with a 100% markup), but I think TM Lewin has the better mix of price and quality.

6) The Knottery http://theknottery.com

This is the place to look if you are in search of casual ties (knits and cotton) and are on a very tight budget (from $10-$40). The Knottery is also home to the cheapest grenadine there is, at $55US, but only in four colours (and out of stock at time of writing). Obviously great value, but there will be some sacrifices made compared to other grenadines so don’t be expecting these ties to last a lifetime.

7) Hightied http://www.hightied.com.au/

Finally, if you’re looking for some good knits, here’s a source of cheap colourful Italian made knit ties for $50 full price and $35 on sale.

But I have piles of money that I want to throw at ties? These are too cheap…

If you’re rolling in it, or want some inspiration, have a look at:

Drakes http://www.drakes-london.com/ Drakes makes some of the most beautiful ties going, for a cool $200 or so per tie.

E. Marinella http://www.marinellanapoli.it/en/ties.php - A woeful website and arguably the nicest printed ties you can buy for realistic budgets

EG Cappelli http://www.patriziocappelli.it/ - Another horrible flash based website, with more beautiful printed Italian ties.

The big Italian luxury tailors, eg Kiton, Isaia, Attolini, Brioni

Conclusion

As with any clothing purchase, start with ties that are versatile and will last before moving on to crazy prints or delicate designs. Try to build your collection slowly, in different styles and from different makers. This will mean you enjoy your ties for longer and allow yourself to work out what works for you and what doesn’t.

Try and go for quality over quantity. Three quality, simple ties will go much further than many loud patterns. Ties are called accessories for a reason, they are meant to compliment your outfit rather than be the centrepiece. You will actually save money with this buying philosophy. I have spent far more cash by amassing many non-versatile ties which always leave me a little unsatisfied (indeed, many other items as well) rather than just sucking it up and buying some nice ones at the beginning.

As always, don’t take anything you’ve read or heard too seriously (including opinions I’ve expressed) and enjoy yourself.

Thanks for reading, feel free to make suggestions (clearly this isn’t an exhaustive list) or point out errors.