Fashion

A necktie is a showpiece of a man's attire. The eye is instantly drawn to an attractive necktie, and it not only embodies the personality of the wearer – when matched perfectly and tied correctly – it also establishes a professional and competent image.

Shape
Like women's fashions, the necktie industry changes designs regularly so the public will be forced to purchase new ties to be "in fashion." For instance, the fashion industry will have you to believe that skinny ties are the latest trend. Of course trends are cyclical, and the return of the narrow necktie to the forefront of fashion is one of those trends. Popularized in the 1950's and 60's, thin neckwear reappeared in the 80's and they are here again, worn by the hippest celebrities and now the general public.

But for a classic look that never goes out of style, the right choice is a bottleneck or half bottleneck shaped necktie – one that’s 3.75” to 4.25” wide at the bottom. Plus, the attributes of this shape produce a more attractive knot than a skinny, uniform-width necktie.

Design
Depending on the occasion, certain designs will be more appropriate than others. Wearing a tie for a work-related presentation is much different than wearing a tie for late-night socializing. In general, you should use the more subtle ties (i.e. small patterns, dark colors) for everyday work situations, and save the more intense ties for social activities.
The six most basic categories of tie designs include:

• Solid – Whether light or dark, bright or subtle, shiny or flat, this tie is just one color. Solid colored ties are excellent for pairing with striped shirts in order to create contrast. The disadvantage of solid colored ties is that many are very plain.

• Striped – This design is easily matched with solid suits and shirts by selecting a stripe that complements. In the case of a patterned jacket, shirt, or both, the key is to maintain colors that complement and attend to diversity of scale. A finely pinstriped suit calls for a boldly striped tie, while a strong checked shirt would be better suited by a more subdued stripe.

• Dots/Paisley – Small repeating images have become much more common over the years. If kept in good taste, avoiding flamboyant colors and designs, these ties can liven up any solid or striped suit. Such ties are matched to an ensemble by their primary color, with attention paid to avoiding secondary colors that visibly clash with the shirt and suit. As before, when the shirt, suit, or both are also patterned, the key is to maintain a difference in scale between the patterns.

• Plaid – A plaid design is a great way to embolden an otherwise plain outfit by creating the illusion of dimension. Plaid draws attention to itself so it’s best paired with solid colored suits and shirts.

• Picture – This is a single photo, painting, drawing, or other piece of visual art. This category is typically associated with novelty ties and is best reserved for social occasions.