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~ THE
PERFECT FIT
THE RIGHT LENGTH Bigger isn't better when it comes to ties. Rule# 1: The bottom of your tie should never extend belowyour waistline. Some men choose to tuck a tie into their pants, which is not a sin, but not recommended. If you're vertically challenged, you can let the tail-the thinner back portion of the tie-hang longer and tuck it into your pants.
WELL-MADE
A properly knotted tie is meant to arc from the neck a bit. It's easier to accomplish this with a well-made silk tie, but a tab collar or tie bar will assist in achieving the same effect. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . ... . THE WIDTH
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THE KNOT The knot you choose depends mostly on the shape of your shirt collar. Spread collars need a larger knot to fill the gap. While there are dozens of variations on the tie knot, if you can believe it, only one really matters. The four-in-hand is the basic, and best, knot, one that can be worn successfully with all collar types. Windsor knots are overrated, and as such, should be avoided. It's a myth that the Duke of Windsor tied a Windsor • knot. He simply had his haberdasher use thicker silk.
Tie widths tend to vary from one year to the next. You can try to keep up with the comings and goings of a ficlde fashion flock, but with miles of ties out there-and the fact that a well-cared-for one can last a lifetime-you are better off finding a style that fits your face and frame. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . THE DIMPLE
Much overlooked is the dimple, which should lie directly below the knot (se~ page 82). A tie without a dimple is like pants without a fly. It absolutely needs to be there.
Cambridge University physicists Thomas Fink and Yang Mao determined that there are 85 different ways to tie the conventional necktie.
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