Whoa. There's a pandemic still going, most guys are working from home in casual attire, and what's the topic that keeps coming up over email, DM or Insta live?
Ties.
Rather than just pick one, we've rolled up 5 of your recent questions around neckwear for a little rapid-fire-ish edition of Hey Sid (with a few videos to boot).
How do you tie your tie in that cool way you do? - @yourjuannandonly
It's probably most useful to just show you how I do it vs. trying to type it out. So I made a video from my closet at home. I tie a four-in-hand knot pretty much every day. It's super easy, 4 steps. Unless your tie is too long – then it's a whopping 5 steps (just repeat the "wrap around" twice for what's called a double-four-in-hand). I like to tinker with it a little, to make sure the length feels good (mine hits just above my belt buckle), and I pinch the tie a bit at the end to get a little dimple under the tie knot, which gives it some personality.
So what about the days when you AREN'T tying a four-in-hand? – followup
If the tie is a little thicker, I switch it up. My go to for grenadine or knit ties is what I call an Iranian Air Force Knot. This was taught to me by my friend Edward, who I worked with when I first got to New York in 1984. And while almost nothing is as simple as the four-in-hand... this one is. Again, a grand total of 4 steps. Note, you'll need to start with the tie on backwards, but once you get used to that, you'll have a knot that is beautifully symmetrical, yet has a little zip to it.
How do you wear a light-colored tie? - @adisjp
Don't over complicate it or be intimidated... light colors can be a fantastic way to give your outfit a little bit of a lift. For me, it mostly has to do with temperature. In the winter, I love a lighter colored tie in wool or cashmere. The texture makes it feel a little less slick. On the other hand, when it gets above 70 degrees or so, I like pastel ties in silk, linen, cotton, or some combination thereof. One of my summer go-tos is a charcoal suit with a white shirt and a light aqua silk matka tie. Chic as all get-out.
Favorite tie pattern, and why? - @Dhuge677 and Which type of tie is your favorite? - @Micah.t.m.
Club, knit, repp, donegal, grenadine, tartan... sheesh, @DHuge677 and @micah.t.m - this is like picking your favorite kid - I love them all! And part of the fun in wearing a tie is to mix and match based on season or occasion. So while this one is a tough for me to choose, I'd offer up that every guy should have one tie in his wardrobe that covers him for literally ANY occasion. To me, a solid navy grenadine tie (which is a non-pattern-pattern) is like prevent defense for ties... it can go from jeans all the way up to the most formal of suits. This gives you peace of mind if an important life event comes your way – board meeting, wedding, or even a funeral. Because in those instances, the last thing you want to worry about is your tie. I will say - when I look back at photos, there's a green/navy/sky striped repp tie kinda like this one that shows up again and again and again. Another one that gets a lot of action is my adapter club tie. But again – they're all great.
My sister is getting married this June, in Maryland. The groomsmen are set to wear navy suits, while the bridesmaids are going to wear a blush/pale pink color dress. Any thoughts what we should do with the ties? – Matt S. via DM
Love that you're thinking of this, Matt, and helping out your sister. You might want to just ask her... it IS her day. But if she's leaving it up to you, I'd lean into our philosophy of embracing the "second look" by finding a subtle way to work in the blush color into your get-up. (Read: don't try to make a solid tie match the bridesmaids' dresses.) So maybe it's a tie with some blush heathering, a repp tie with a pale pink stripe, or a pattern with some pink in it. What might be nice is to actually go quiet with the tie and have pocket squares act as your complement instead.
Thanks for the questions, y'all. The tie's alive!
