The Noose 3.18.23: How wide is too wide?
A feeble gesture in the direction of Reader Service
Hello Dandies!
Reader Gavin wrote in with the following question:
“Tie width is something I am catholic about, but some people are very picky (and critical of the ties of others). A Web search didn’t really help me, although several sources said three inches is very 2023. Michael, what tie width would you be happy to dangle around in public?”
Gavin, the first thing that must be dealt with is that my proportions are (I hope) not the same as yours. My upper half is proportioned averagely—probably 5’9” or so—but I have short legs from my cerebral palsy, so I’m about 5’5”. So I find that a tie that’s too wide can give me “the little fat guy” look which I will not chance…unless I really love the tie. Then I am “the confident little fat guy” which, just sayin’, works.
Wider ties often tend to bunch at the knot, because I’m not tying them as far up the narrow end as if I were six inches taller. I can finesse this somewhat by taking extra time adjusting the knot, but I must be honest, I’m usually tying my tie on the trot because someone is calling me RIGHT NOW or the magazine has to be finished BY THREE or some other nonsense.
So if you see me, try not to judge, and just bask in the confidence.
But for the more average-sized fellow, let’s hear from Henry A. Davidsen, a custom suitmaker in Philadelphia:
It’s simple: the width of your tie should be roughly as wide as the lapel on your jacket. Your classic notch lapel is typically around 3 3/8″ wide, and classic ties are in that ballpark. They tend to be anywhere between 3 1/4″ and 3 1/2″.
Smaller men should avoid wide ties: we don’t typically advise men to wear neckties wider than 3 1/2″ unless he needs the width to balance his proportions. Skinny ties are most easily pulled off by slim men – again, keeping proportion in sync is key here. Be careful, though – if you’re even a little bigger than average, a slim tie could look comically slim.”
I realize to my contrarian’s delight that the tie I wore Wednesday was a full 4” (to be honest, it looked a little wide) and the one I wore Friday well within recommended limits at 3”. I felt loads better in the former tie, because I liked the color and pattern; I felt good about how I looked, and I suspect that’s the trump card in most cases.
To be frank, I actively dislike any tie that could be considered “skinny.” Partly because I associate them with ska bands (see above), and partly because the people I see in them are invariably young men. I like young men. Once upon a time, long ago, I was a young man. But the fashion industry punks young men constantly, by convincing them that their attitude towards classic fashion should be disruptive.
What idiocy. Go disrupt world hunger, and leave ties alone.
There is one possible exception to my skinny tie hatred, which is the knit club tie. The Yale Record magazine had such a tie for many years, which was black wool with cream horizontal stripes with a thin line of light blue.
By the time I resurrected the magazine 34 years ago, no one on The Record wore ties. We barely wore pants. At one point a kindly alum offered to mail me his old one, “…provided there’s no vomit on it.” Strangely, I didn’t not take him up on his offer.
So: if you are back at Reunions, or engaged in any other form of 1920’s cosplay, then skinny is fine. Otherwise, match your lapel—somewhere around 3-3.5 inches at its widest point. Quoth Ben Silver, via Ivy Style in 2011: “All our neckwear is at 3.25 inches or less.” And J.Press, in 2018: 3.25.
Or…confidence.
* BORRELLI * Napoli Luxury Pink Stripe Handmade Silk Tie ITALY EUC—Love me some ice cream colors.
Borrelli Napoli Cappuccino Silk Mogador Double Blue Stripe 7 Fold Silk Tie Italy—One good Borrelli deserves another
Salvatore Ferragamo Men's Tie Floral Print Light Blue Silk Italy 3.75" x 58.5"—It’s spring here, so…
#1 MENSWEAR E. Marinella Napoli Navy Heavy Twill Pink Blue Neat Diamond Silk Tie—My picks are a little more sedate this week, I’m noticing.
LE SCHANS Silk tie F41909—Just so they aren’t ALL Italian makers this time.
The Italians
All Ferragamo
All Gucci
All Armani
All Brioni
All Fendi
All Borrelli
All Marinella
The English/Preppies
All Brooks Brothers
All J. Press
All Chipp
All Liberty
All Turnbull & Asser
The French
All Hermes
All Dior
All Chanel
All Le Schans
…more will be added as I think of them.
Got friends who have to wear a tie to work? Let ‘em know about The Dandy’s Noose. NB: All these are affiliate links, to subsidize my necktie habit. Until next time…
Thank you. Sounds like, all else being equal, 3.00 to 3.50 is the sweet spot. Plus I would always favour a slimming tie width. Thank you for the warning about the narrow tie, which was popular in my formative young adult years. Madness!!!