If you’re sick or tying your tie in the same old way every time, the way you’ve been used to for years, we’ve got something great to help you out. Check out our easy to follow guide for three incredibly stylish knots, don’t be afraid if they look a little complicated at first, practice makes perfect after all!
With summer finally here and the sun shining it’s about time to put away the darker shades and get out the lighter colours. With fantastic products available at Ties R Us we’re taking a look at which colours work well in the summer months.
Coral
It may take some work to pull off a coral tie, but the clean look certainly is a winner for the warmer months. We’d advise wearing a coral coloured tie in a prom or wedding setting, usually working well with a grey suit. Cream ties also look great as part of a the wedding ensemble, with the groom, best man and ushers all wearing the matching colour.
Mint
Mint coloured ties and bow ties come across as incredibly stylish and on trend, and go perfectly as a wedding tie. The contrast against a darker suit or white shirt really works well. Especially in the warmer weather, the mint colouring really gives off a summery feel and can be used to reflect a person’s mood. To give off an edgier, cool vibe try a mint bow-tie.
Peach
The quintessential subtle summer colour when it comes to ties and bow ties, it works great with whatever colour you put it with. In an array of different shades of peach, you can really customise your suit to how bright and bold of a peach colour you want, with different shades suited for different purposes. Try a lighter bolder shade for weddings, where a more toned down version for a formal parties, events and work.
Orange/Yellow
The bolder block colours of yellow and orange scream summer style. Ideal if your plan is to stand out or make a statement, these shades would work really well again within a wedding party. Paler shades of yellow and orange are not only the perfect representation of warm colours, but look superb when matched with the right colours such as greys and blues.
Obviously there are many more colours suited for summer wear out there these are just a few of our favourites. Don’t be afraid to go for ‘out-there’ colours that you usually wouldn’t mix with your smarter outfits and make them come alive, adding a splash of colour to black, white, blue or grey is never a bad thing!
The tie as we know it to be today has had a long history, with the modern design roots dating back to the late 1800’s. As we’re all about ties and bow ties here at Ties R Us, we’ve taken a look at ties and bow ties through history – the evolution, the rise and fall of certain designs and the very best and worst of the styles made famous by music, films and celebrities.
In The Beginning…
The back end of 1800’s witnessed the introduction of the familiar design we’re used to seeing today, but it wasn’t until decades later that ties and bow ties were prominently featured in everyday fashion. After the first World War is when the much more flamboyant hand-painted designs were introduced to the fashion world, leading to everything becoming much more colourful.
1920’s
The 1920’s brought about two very different looks in the tie fashion world. The introduction of the first ‘designer tie’ popped up in France, being inspired by cubism and art deco designs with bright obscure colours and designs. The iconic gangster prohibition look was all the range in America, suited up with a smart plain dress tie, which spawned the white tie on a black shirt look.
1930’s & 40’s
One of the most famous tie knots, that’s definitely the most stylish, was invented in this era of history. The Windsor knot, invented by the Duke of Windsor, or his father George V (no one really knows!) Towards the end of the 1940’s the colour of ties were becoming much more subdued and less decorative, thanks to the incredibly surge in popularity of jazz and swing music, with Frank Sinatra being the ionic ‘poster boy’ for the end of the era.
1950’s
The 50’s, the era where it all became much more stylish and suave. Thanks to legends such as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, the dark tie and bow tie came in with a bang, becoming every day attire. Of course bow ties were still only reserved for formal events or smart events. The era was leading towards a part in history where everything was becoming smaller and thinner, in regards to ties.
1960’s
In Britain ties and suits were getting skinnier, with everyday dress becoming more formal. The rise of the Mod craze in the UK, propelled by the likes of The Who, led to skinny ties being pushed to the forefront of fashion. A little band known as The Beatles were also sweeping the globe, keeping the dark coloured smart look ties in fashion with their legions of fans, especially in their early years.
1970’s
The era of the skinny ties continues, with up and coming bands such as The Jam keeping up the ‘mod’ trend. Thanks to the change in fashion the actual colour of the ties slowly started to creep back to becoming much more colourful and flamboyant. Another step was the invention of the kipper tie, which is where ties went bigger and bolder – with garish designs being prominently featured on most.
1980’s
In the 1980’s everything went a bit pear-shaped for fashion, the ‘kipper tie’ design was still out in full force and the decade also brought us the infamous piano tie. Fortunately the professional look ties were still intact, with many sporting subtle coloured striped ties, something which continued into the 90’s.
1990’s
Out with the garish and bright coloured ties and in with classy floral patterned and soft colour ties. The 90’s brought a wave of much more uniform and stylish wedding ties in an array of much darker colours. The pinstripe tie and polkadot bow tie, which were still only worn for formal events, had a massive surge in popularity which has stayed until this day.
2000’s – Today
Since the year 2000, the skinny or slimmer tie is still a massive choice for people around the world. Different materials that wouldn’t have been used for ties became popular, such as knitted ties in a variety of sophisticated stylish colours. Finally for it’s own turn in mainstream fashion the bow tie became an item of everyday fashion. Thanks to Matt Smith’s turn as Dr Who, whose portrayal of the Dr seen him choosing to wear a bow tie, he tried and succeeded to make this statement fashion cool again.
At Ties R Us we pride ourselves on staying ahead of the trends when it comes to ties and bow ties, take a look at our full range to find the perfect match for your wardrobe today.
Tying the perfect tie is an art form, it makes all the difference in how your shirt and tie combo look. A simple touch such as a dimple in a tie can add both sophistication and depth to one man’s outfit, whereas an unbalanced and rushed knot can make it look like a clip on.
There are a few different knots you should identify yourself with. These are great to know, as one of the best ways for a man to accessorise is with a tie. Some knots go better with certain outfits and others accent your body frame in a more flattering way. You should get to know at least ONE knot perfectly.
Today we’ll be taking a closer look at four of the most popular tie knots – the Windsor knot, the Half-Windsor knot, the Four-In-Hand knot and the Pratt knot – to ensure you’re prepared for any situation.
The Windsor knot is the most popular knot and the most used knots for shirt and suit combos. It is a thick, wide and triangular knot that projects confidence. It would therefore be your knot of choice for anywhere you need to look respectable, such as at work. Because of its size, the Windsor is best suited for wide spread collar shirts.
The half Windsor knot differs from the Windsor in that it’s not as wide, but still wide enough that you should make sure it’s not pushing your collar up awkwardly. You’ll come to rely on this knot pretty heavily as it works for almost every occasion. It is a lot easier to get the hang of than the Full Windsor.
If you’re looking for a knot to wear with casual clothing then the four-in-hand knot is ideal. It’s naturally going to be a little asymmetrical, so don’t be discouraged that it doesn’t look straight. The dimple is much harder to produce on this kind of knot, and sometimes will not form at all. This is a great knot for those times you’re in a rush too.
The Pratt is neither as large as the Windsor nor as narrow as the four-in-hand knot, it pairs well with most dress shirts and looks suitable on any occasion.
Now that you’re familiar with how to tie the perfect tie for every occasion, why not take a look through our men’s tie range here at Ties R Us and find the ideal tie for you!