Neckwear is associated with business, special occasions and sophistication. Skimping on a quality tie or wearing an out-of-style tie can send the wrong message at an important time.

Neckwear Frequently

Asked Questions

Tie expert John Kammeier, who oversees the design and production of over 13 million ties per year, answers some common neckwear questions:

Q. Is my tie too short?

A. It can make you look like you're wearing a kid's tie and distract from any message of being considered seriously by an employer or a date. The point of the tie should extend to the bottom of the belt buckle. Make sure the tail of the tie does not hang below the front of the tie. If you are particularly tall, you need not sacrifice style; look for extra-long ties by Trafalgar, Geoffrey Beene, Van Heusen and others. Standard ties are approximately 57 inches from tip to tip and extra-long ties measure about 60 inches.

Q. When is a novelty tie with cartoons appropriate?

A. If you are a lawyer about to defend a client, confine the cartoons to your boxers. However, if it's the holidays and your family and friends know you as the life of the party, go for the American Greetings tie with the dancing reindeer or silly Santa.

Q. Which colors or patterns?

A. Neckwear fashion changes quickly. New trends can emerge in as little as 45 days. If you really want to be up to the minute with your neckwear, don't wait for a sale. A tie is relatively inexpensive-even from such fashion brands as Chaps or Donald J. Trump. If a tie is marked down, it probably means the store is seeing the sales of that pattern or color trending down, which means the colors and patterns of the full-price ties are still popular and possibly trending up. When it comes to color, the general rule is the tie should be darker than the shirt.

In addition, Kammeier, who's SVP Neckwear Merchandising for Randa Accessories, explains that many of the leading dress-shirt manufacturers work hand in hand with the neckwear companies to make it easy to find the right tie. When Geoffrey Beene introduces a new color in dress shirts, there is a minimum of six different ties that will be developed to complement the shirt.

To keep neckwear selection simple, think about "wear and where": What are you going to wear it with and to where?

For instructions on how to tie a tie and more neckwear frequently asked questions, visit www.randa.net. Ties give men the opportunity to make a personal statement while dressing for success.

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