An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Whether it’s a shiny set of cufflinks, a vibrant pocket square, or a stylish chronograph watch, it’s the little things that make a man a gentleman when he dresses up for work or a special occasion. If you’ve already mastered how to tie a tie, consider stepping up your style game by adding a subtle dimple, sure to make you stand out in a room of flat Windsor knots.

Illustrated by Ted Slampyak

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An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Scarves are a great way to stay toasty warm when the winter winds come biting. But many men don’t know how to tie a scarf in a masculine and confident way. There are actually a bunch of options to avail yourself of, the five best of which we’ve illustrated above.

The first three ways are for medium-length scarves and will serve you well in cool temperatures — above freezing and up into the 50s. The final two methods are for longer scarves and are better for days when the thermometer dips below freezing and things feel downright frigid.

Sport any of these different styles, and you’ll be a dapper fellow about town. For more details on them, as well as two additional tying methods, check out this article.

Illustration by Ted Slampyak

Help support independent publishing. Make a donation to The Art of Manliness! Thanks for the support!

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

The Half-Windsor is the first necktie knot men should learn. While the Four-in-Hand is the easiest knot to tie, the Half-Windsor looks more symmetrical and formal, while being less bulky than the Full Windsor. It’s a very versatile knot, appropriate for all occasions, and goes well with nearly every collar type, except narrow collars.

Once you’ve mastered the Half-Windsor, branch out and learn how to tie other necktie knots, and the bowtie as well.

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

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You may not wear a tie very often, and when you do, you’re likely apt to layer it over a white dress shirt and call it good.

That’s certainly a safe option.

But it’s also a rather boring one.

A lot of guys are intimidated by the idea of mixing different color/pattern ties with different color/pattern shirts. But once you learn some basic guidelines, it’s not so difficult to do, and can result in your making a much more stylish and striking impression.

Here’s how to work your way up with mixing shirts and ties, from the easiest combos to more advanced pairings:

Beginner: Match solid shirts with solid ties. Use analogous colors, contrasting shades of the same color, like a light-blue shirt with a dark-blue tie, or two contrasting colors, like a light-pink shirt with a navy-blue tie.

Intermediate: Match a patterned tie with a solid shirt or vice versa. The trick is to make sure there is a unifying or matching color between the shirt and tie.

Advanced: Match a patterned tie with a patterned shirt using these rules of proper contrast: One, when mixing the same pattern styles, make sure they contrast in size, e.g., pair a broad-striped tie with a thin-striped shirt. Two, you can mix two different patterns that have a similar scale, e.g., a small-polka-dotted tie with a thin-striped shirt, but avoid combinations where both shirt and tie have a small pattern size that blends the two pieces together, e.g., don’t match a tie with tiny polka dots with a shirt that has a tight plaid pattern. Three, ensure there is a unifying or matching color between the tie and shirt.

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Men’s magazine writers and cultural observers have been predicting the demise of the necktie for nearly a century now. Way back in 1921, the Associated Press reported: “Neckties Doomed.” Flip through archival issues of Esquire, and you’ll find at least one article in each decade of the 20th century prophesying the death of this sartorial accessory. 

But these obituaries were premature; the necktie kept on beating the odds.

In fact, sales of ties increased in the late 2000s and early ‘10s. For a while there, the tie wasn’t just surviving — it was thriving.

Then, the pandemic happened. The world shut down. Men started working from home. Instead of putting on a dress shirt and tie, they could put on a t-shirt and hoodie. If they needed to appear presentable for a Zoom meeting, they’d throw on a dress shirt, with naked, unadorned collar, and call it good.

Most in-person events were canceled too. Goodbye to nice dinners. Goodbye to swanky weddings. 

As the work-from-home, recreate-from-home era dawned, comfort and informality took the field, while formality and dressed-up style were temporarily sidelined.

I say “temporarily” because I think there was, at least at first, an unspoken assumption that once the gears of “normal” life fully started up again, the tie would make a comeback. After all, that’s just what you’re supposed to wear when you work at a respectable office or show up to a classy shindig.

But will the necktie really make a return? Or has the pandemic accelerated an already extant trend towards sartorial informality, making men increasingly intolerant of any get-ups that don’t allow for an elasticized waistband and putting the necktie, at long last, on its final silky legs?

I reached out to six menswear writers to get their takes. Here’s what they had to say as to what the future of the necktie holds. 

Tanner Guzy is a men’s style coach and the author of The Appearance of Power: How Masculinity Is Expressed Through Aesthetics. 

“Five years ago I would’ve told you it would take a major cultural revolution to fully and effectively kill off the tie — the kind of revolution that really only comes with war or major regime changes. But now that we’ve been through COVID and seen most white-collar environments — the only ones that still really require a tie — move to remote work and a more casual aesthetic, I think we’re nearing the end of its ubiquity.

Which isn’t to say we won’t still see men wearing ties — there will be certain professions or scenarios in which it will still be both appropriate and expected — lawyers in a courtroom, politicians giving speeches, etc. But, just like we saw the tie and collared shirt stop being standard in the blue-collar world, I project we’re near the end of it being a normal part of white-collar environments as well.”

David Coggins is the author of several books, including Men and Style, and regularly writes about culture and menswear in his newsletter The Contender. 

“​​For a relatively small piece of fabric, the tie receives a lot of attention. That’s because it’s the easiest barometer of formality. If an event requires a tie then that tells you something. As we know, there are fewer and fewer places that ask for a tie. I think that will mean that the people who wear them will wear them by choice, not by default. So a tie, and a suit for that matter, will not indicate a depressed middle manager, but a more dynamic sense of expression. At least that’s my hope anyway. I still hold out hope for a few bands of well-dressed iconoclasts.” 

Russell Smith is a writer and the author of The Thinking Man’s Guide to Style. 

“For the first two weeks of August I watched coverage of the Olympics on the CBC, Canada’s national broadcaster. One of the two anchors was a well-dressed guy called Andrew Chang, who is also one of the anchors of the national nightly TV news. Throughout the coverage he wore an elegant, tailored three-piece suit, shiny shoes, and cufflinks. 

And no tie. 

This struck me as obviously incongruent: the suit — especially the suit with a waistcoat — called out for a tie. It looked as if he had simply rushed out before finishing dressing. I could see maybe a sports jacket with no tie, or a casual, less constructed suit, with maybe suede shoes, and no tie, but this just looked wrong. However, I am sure it was a conscious decision made by highly-paid stylists who had obviously decided that ties were out, even with the most formal of suits. Maybe they had been listening to all the interviews with men’s clothing store owners who are desperate to get people back into their stores and are promising that there will be plenty of casual wear on offer so as not to scare people off. So maybe this will be a new look. But I think not. 

Personally, I think that they are wrong about the public mood — after so many months of dull clothes, when office work returns, people will be eager to indulge the sensual and theatrical side of personal style again, and will bring their beautiful ties out of the closet with a great sense of relief. We all miss nice clothes.”

Antonio Centeno is the founder of Real Men Real Style and a popular menswear YouTuber who has contributed many an article to AoM’s own style archives. 

“The necktie has been a men’s wardrobe staple for 400 years. Its historical purpose has always been to support the more prominent garments, jackets and more recently dress shirts, by introducing interchangeable color to an outfit. Functionally, it also helps to bring the collar together and draw attention to the wearer’s face.

Over the last twenty years, workplaces have relaxed their dress codes, and we’ve witnessed the rise of athletic-leisure as a style in itself. All of this seems to indicate that the necktie is obsolete and near extinction. My take, however, is that this is just a swing of the fashion pendulum. 

Human beings, as social creatures, defer to visual cues to determine rank and status among strangers. For this reason alone the necktie will survive, as no other accessory so prominently sends the message of professionalism as a well-tied necktie. The wearing of neckwear as a symbol and tool will be with us until we no longer have necks to adorn.”

Joe Weber is the owner of Dappered, a blog that highlights affordable men’s clothing for the average dude. 

“I think there’s a real chance that while neckties will be seen less and less in all but the most conservative workplaces, they could very well become a new status symbol. While those in middle management who begrudgingly wore a tie will now ditch them, those at the top will still wear them. Neckties will still be worn by those in charge, especially when they need to take charge. Why? Neckties are a lot like suits and dress shoes. They’re items of clothing that have evolved over time to project competence and power. The world of professional soccer is a perfect showcase for this hierarchy. The head coach is often in a coat and tie (especially for a big game), while his assistants are all in tracksuits (read: athleisure). He’s the boss. And everyone knows it. 

Yet even if you’re not at the top of a corporate food chain, you should still own and wear a couple of good neckties. Because one day you’ll need to wear one. And if you’re not used to something, it’ll show. You’ll be uncomfortable, and that will totally negate the intended purpose of the suit, the shoes, and/or the tie. Practice. Even if you don’t have to. Just do it. Because when things get big (wedding, appearing in court, aliens have landed), not just wearing the uniform of competence, but also looking at ease in it, can make all the difference. I’m not saying it’s fair. It probably isn’t fair. I’m just saying it is.” 

Sven Raphael Schneider and Preston R. Schlueter are, respectively, the founder and content director of The Gentleman’s Gazette, a website and YouTube channel that specializes in classic menswear. 

“WWI and WWII, major global events, casualized menswear — so it’s fair to ask, will the COVID-19 pandemic have the same effect, especially on the tie? Either by mandate or by choice, fewer men are attending the office or social events today, and thus have less occasion to wear a tie. Remember, though, that WWI was followed by the Roaring Twenties, wherein people savored the opportunity to dress up and enjoy themselves after a dark chapter in human history. And while prosperity following WWII was less universal, Americans certainly displayed a renewed appetite for consumption and entertainment in the 1950s.

We believe that in the years and decades following COVID-19, fewer men will wear ties overall, simply because they won’t be forced to, and because many will find it uncomfortable. At the same time, thanks to the internet, clothing enthusiasts can now educate themselves much more easily than they could 50 years ago, and can readily find like-minded peers. Because of these factors, we believe that a certain niche group of men will embrace the tie, and wear it not because they have to, but because they choose to.

In a similar fashion to how devoted subgroups of men uphold the traditions of “hat culture” with their fedoras and flat caps, and to how the suit is shedding its reputation as a symbol of corporate conformity to be a canvas for personal expression, the tie will be kept alive by enthusiastic wearers.” 

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One of things that I’m most drawn to about clothes is their texture, their tactile qualities, and this is especially true of ties. I like picking a tie up from the display table in a department store and feeling it. I started this habit way back when I was a teenager and began wearing ties to church. When I’d hold a tie in my hand, I’d intuitively feel for its quality. I never quite knew what it was I was feeling for that allowed me to deduce that a certain tie was high quality or garbage. It was just a tacit, embodied kind of knowledge that I’d developed over the years, and which consistently steered me right. 

But I recently decided it was time I take this implicit knowledge of how to quickly recognize a quality tie and make it explicit. To learn how to get an even more accurate read on the qualities that distinguish high-caliber neckwear from its inferior lookalikes. Below I share seven things to check for in a tie when you pick one up and heft it:

1. A “Hand” With Texture and Weight

There’s actually a term in the clothing world that describes the feeling of the fabric that’s used on the outside of a tie (also known as the “envelope”): hand. When you pick up a tie, check its hand, feeling for its texture and weight. Quality ties feel hefty and the fabric — even on the finest silk ties — has a coarse texture thanks to its large weave. Heftier ties will be able to withstand the torture of being knotted over and over again. They bounce back faster and last longer. 

While heft and texture are usually signs of good craftsmanship, don’t automatically dismiss a tie if it lacks these qualities. Cotton and linen ties are lightweight, but in the right style context can be a perfectly appropriate choice.

2. Bias Cut in the Envelope’s Fabric

Envelope fabric is said to be cut on the bias if it’s cut at a 45-degree angle to its warp and weft. If your tie fabric isn’t cut at this angle, then it will twist on itself while you’re wearing it. 

There are a couple ways to test the fabric of a tie to see if it was cut on the bias:

The stretch test: First, stretch the tie length-wise. It should stretch. Second, stretch the fabric at a 45-degree angle. It should NOT stretch. If your tie passes these two stretch tests, the fabric was cut on the bias. 

The hang test: Simply drape the tie over your hand. If the fabric was cut on the bias, the tie shouldn’t twist as it’s hanging. 

3. Tip Is Same Material as Envelope

Ties can either be tipped or untipped. Tipping is the piece of fabric that backs the triangular point of the tie’s main lower section or “blade.” Lower quality ties use a piece of polyester fabric instead of silk for the tipping, so look for tipping that’s made from the same material as the tie’s envelope. 

Untipped ties aren’t a sign of lower quality. Your tie will just lack some heft at the bottom compared to a tipped tie. Some describe untipped neckwear as airy, and it’s an appropriate choice for spring and summer suiting. 

4. Complementary Lining

The lining is a piece of coarser, thicker fabric (usually wool) that tie makers use to give a tie structure and durability. It also helps a tie maintain its shape and gives you a handsome, full-looking tie knot.

The lining of a tie should complement the tie’s envelope fabric: If a tie is using a hefty, textured fabric for its envelope, then the lining should be lightweight; if the tie uses a lighter weight envelope fabric, the lining should be heftier. 

Also, check to see if the lining runs all through the necktie. If it doesn’t, you’re going to have a limp tie that doesn’t last as long. 

Checking the lining is possible if a tie is untipped; if it’s tipped, you’ll want to ask the merchant for details about the lining. 

5. Rolled Edge

Check the edges of your tie. They should have a “rolled edge” with a slight curve that gives the tie more fullness. The edges of the tie shouldn’t look flat and crisp. Round is what we want. 

6. Hidden Slip-Stitch

The slip-stitch is a thread that’s stitched along the entire length of the tie, which keeps its two sides together and helps it maintain its shape.The slip-stitch on quality ties will be hidden, while on lower quality ties, it will show.

7. Two Bar Tacks

Bar tack is a piece of thread stitched across the main seam of a tie which reinforces the slip-stitch. Your tie should have two bar tacks. One near the big point of the blade, and the other near the smaller point of the “tail.”

Read more on ties:

• Here’s What Happened When I Wore a Tie to Work Every Day for a Year
• How to Tie 5 Tie Knots
• How to Put a Dimple in Your Tie
• How to Match a Tie With a Dress Shirt and Suit

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With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Friday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in December 2017.

Men have complained about ties for ages. They can feel binding and hot, and seem a little strange, a little pointless, and a little like a colorful noose.

If you’re a man who dislikes ties, is it advisable to wear a suit without one? Can you do so and still look stylish and appropriately dressed?

Today we’ll provide the answers to these questions.

Should You Wear a Suit Without a Tie?

Most generally, the answer to this question is no.

An entire traditional suit get-up — pants, jacket, shirt, and tie — is not a system of independent pieces, but rather interconnected parts that are designed to be worn together. A suit jacket shouldn’t be worn with different pants than the ones it came with. A dress shirt and tie don’t look good without a jacket. And the full suit doesn’t look complete without a tie. The suit itself is in fact designed with the tie in mind; its lapels, along with the collars of your dress shirt, serve as frames to the neckwear which runs down the center of your chest.

A tie then pulls the suited look together and adds a bit of finish and authoritativeness to your outfit. Not to mention, it simply adds a nice bit of color and visual interest to what is otherwise a fairly monochrome ensemble.

Wearing a tie with a suit is thus a must for all professional and more formal events and environments. Showing up tieless to a place where everyone else is wearing a tie will make you look kind of dopey — conveying that you’re either lazy (the kind of guy who prefers his own comfort to showing respect for the occasion), superficially rebellious (“Okay, I consent to wearing a suit, but I draw the line at putting on a tie!”), or sartorially clueless.

Even for more business-casual occasions, if the event is dressed-down enough to forgo the tie with your suit, you’ll typically be better off wearing a sport coat without a tie, as those two style elements better complement each other.

However, all this being said, wearing a suit without a tie actually isn’t a bad look. There are times where you don’t want to project conventional authority, or even look entirely “complete,” and ditching the tie can be a fine, stylish way to dress down a suit. It’s a viable option for certain occasions and events like a casual outdoor summer wedding (hot weather in general makes the tieless suit a more acceptable choice), cocktail party, or art gallery opening. It can also work in environments in which you normally wear a suit but have been called into an emergency meeting or sent into the field to work on a project outside the norm. It’s notable that politicians seem to increasingly be forgoing the tie outside of more formal campaign events, perhaps to offer a more open and accessible look to voters and constituents.

To pull off the look yourself, you’ve just got to keep a few guidelines in mind.

How to Wear a Suit Without a Tie

The main issue with skipping the tie when wearing a suit is that it’s apt to be read either as an unintentional omission — you forgot a tie or didn’t understand the dress code — or as a merely comfort-driven decision — you’ve been drinking too much, and are feeling flushed and like you need to tear off your tie to better get down on the dance floor.

The corrective to this issue, naturally, is to take steps to ensure that going tieless seems less like a sloppy oversight and more like a deliberate style choice. You know how to dress, and you’re ditching the tie on purpose.

Nail the fit. Fit is always key, and it’s even more important in the absence of a tie, when your get-up runs a greater risk of going sideways into sloppiness.

Wear a more casual/stylish, non-business suit. Skipping the tie while wearing a more formal, structured, conservative, dark-colored business suit just feels like you were willing to start something, but didn’t want to go all the way; it exudes that “incomplete” feel that mars the tieless look.

Instead, forgo the tie only when you’re wearing a more casual/stylish suit that fits better with dressed-down social occasions. Think lighter colors and fabrics, less structured, slimmer notch lapels.

Wear a less formal shirt. Same idea here. Your shirt choice will come into greater focus in the absence of a tie, and a more casual shirt telegraphs that this absence was an intentional choice. Go with a classic Oxford, or a button-down in a chambray, denim, or patterned fabric.

Mind the collar. The collar of your dress shirt acts as an important and flattering frame to your face. But without a tie to hold it together, the collar of your dress shirt can flatten and flop around underneath the structure of your jacket and look incongruous and sloppy. So don’t wear a shirt where the collar is going to spread out excessively and lie horizontally. Rather, you want the collar to stand up fairly straight and keep a nice vertical orientation. To accomplish this, make sure your shirt is well-ironed (add starch as needed), and use collar stays. A button-down is a good choice as its collar will better maintain its shape.

Undo two buttons. The tieless suit is not a buttoned-up look, so neither should your shirt be. You’ll definitely want to unbutton at least one, and typically two of your shirt buttons to evince the right level of casual nonchalance. Make sure your undershirt isn’t showing; if you wear one, you’ll want to opt for the v-neck style, rather than a crewneck. Undo any more than two buttons, and you’re entering gigolo territory.

Add visual interest with other accessories. A tie contributes a good deal of color and visual interest to a suit. In its absence, add some other accessories that will snazz things up and attract people’s eyes. A nice watch, lapel pin, and/or a pocket square will do the trick. A white, square-folded pocket square may be a bit too formal for wearing with a tieless get-up; consider a colored or patterned pocket square, tucked in with the puff fold (click here to learn the different pocket square folds).

Shine your shoes. Without a tie serving as a suit’s focal point, more attention will be paid to other details of your outfit, so make sure you’ve got them all right. That includes making sure your shoes are looking spiffy; you can find a complete guide to shining them here.

Generally speaking, wearing a suit with a tie simply looks better. So when you’re in doubt, put on a tie; if the occasion doesn’t turn out to call for one, you can always take it off. Nonetheless, in the right environment, worn in the right way — that is, with confidence and stylish intention — wearing a suit without a tie can certainly work.

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Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Mark Richardson.

The Experiment

Just over a year ago, I started an engineering job at a local company where typical daily dress is a collared shirt and slacks. While scouting for something to wear on a random day in the first few weeks, I noticed a large number of ties in my closet. My wife and I had recently moved and made an ardent effort in packing and unpacking these clothing articles, so I decided to make these efforts worthwhile by knotting one on my neck for the day and determining to wear one the rest of the week. Around the office that week, I received the typical, sarcasm-laced questions of “When’s the interview?” and “Why are you dressed like that?” numerous times.

The next week, I was running late on Monday and decided to skip the tie in favor of regaining a few much-needed minutes. A peculiar situation occurred later in the day when the president of the company, whom I rarely interacted with, poked his head into my humble cube and asked where my tie was. I was floored and unable to answer, but his question made me ponder my wardrobe decisions. I had worn a tie for a single week and, as a result, the head of the company was keenly aware of my presence and appearance.

Consequently, I decided to run an amateur social experiment to see if one tiny strip of colored fabric could truly make a difference in my professional life. My experiment was simply to wear a tie to work every day for a year while occasionally donning a sport coat or blazer for good measure. As a non-senior engineer, I knew I was unable to change my years of experience immediately; however, I did have the ability to quickly change my appearance for the better.

The Results: The Benefits of Wearing a Tie Every Day

Before diving into this list, I would like to add that this was my personal experience with wearing a tie every day; I, of course, can’t guarantee this will happen to every reader. In addition, tie-wearing must accompany good work. A well-dressed sloth will never exceed the value of a shabbily-dressed industrious worker. That said, here are the benefits I recognized over the course of the year:

Increased Recognition Among Coworkers

A tie is a relatively small piece of clothing. And yet, the presence of one around your neck immediately separates you from the sea of unbuttoned collars. Even if your name is relatively unknown around the office or in departments you rarely frequent, others will notice and identify you by your clothing choice. Of course, recognition can be a double-edged sword. Some coworkers, especially aspiring managers, could see your upscaled dress as a threat — as a sign of your ambitions. Be aware of this, but take courage in knowing that as long as you don’t act in a pompous manner, these feelings will soon pass. In fact, instead of provoking antagonism, you may inspire your coworkers to dust off their own sport coats and ties to wear into work.

Greater Personal Confidence

The first day I came out of our bedroom sporting a tie, my wife did a double-take and said, “Wow you look nice!” Naturally, that made me feel marvelous and I held my head high the rest of the day. At work I received some comments as well, some sarcastic and some genuine, but the former gradually went away as I continued to wear the tie, and overall, I found that wearing a tie every day made me feel a greater sense of self-respect.

I soon realized that it wasn’t only the affirmations of others which constituted a change in my self-esteem. The self-discipline of willingly going the extra mile in my wardrobe choices and knowing I stood out among my peers and coworkers was enough to make me stand taller and walk straighter. In my experiment I felt a draw of prestige harkening back to the power suits of the 50s and 60s. While I offer no scientific proof, I can assure the reader that a man who feels he looks exceptional will exude confidence and dignity. On the flipside, a major drainer of confidence is having to acknowledge yourself as the most underdressed person in the room. With a tie, you’ll rarely be put in that situation and you can proudly and comfortably attend any client or internal meeting — even when it’s last minute.

While this article is directed at ties, I would like to put in a plug for the sport coat too. A well-fitting, waist-slimming, shoulder-broadening coat will enhance your appearance and make you stand out among other men around you (even ones who have a better physique but aren’t dressed as well).     

Heightened Responsibility

Not only can a tie, especially paired with a suit or sport coat, help you feel more confident yourself, it will also lead to others placing more confidence in you. This confidence can materialize in different forms, but it will commonly emerge in being given new responsibilities that lie outside your typical role or position. Perform these new obligations well, and the greater confidence lent you, born from wearing a simple tie, can quickly and easily set you far ahead of your peers.

Exposure to New Opportunities

Throughout my experiment I noticed I was picked among my peers to attend important client meetings and take on new projects. When I finally asked a supervisor why I was being chosen, he simply answered, “We know you will always be dressed appropriately to be in front of a client.”

Monetary Gains

Yearly performance reviews and raises came about midway through my experiment. A meeting with the office leader disclosed that I was getting the maximum raise percentage, which was only awarded to three people that year. This outmatched all my peers and some direct managers who outrank me. The office leader cited my “professionalism” as one of the main reasons for bestowing this sizable raise.

During the experiment, my company was going through some growing pains from their recent buyout. In my department, this meant an exodus of coworkers leaving for other firms coupled with large layoffs. As my experiment came to a close, I looked around and realized everyone with my title had either left the company or been laid off. I took this observation to the president of the company, wondering why I was left standing, and received the response of, “You’re the last person we would think of laying off.” As before, my “professionalism” was stated as a major reason for keeping me with the company.  

How to Wear a Tie Effectively

If you’re intrigued by my experiment, and considering wearing a tie more regularly yourself, here are some tips on how to do so with style, dash, and modesty.

Wear the Right Tie, the Right Way

Wearing the right tie in the right way is almost as important as wearing a tie in the first place. Neglecting to acknowledge the style considerations surrounding this accessory can result in an appearance that is immature, awkward, or slovenly. So read up on the following resources on how to wear a tie well:

• How to Tie a Tie
• Tie Tips: A Visual Guide
• How to Match a Tie With a Dress Shirt and Suit
• How to Put a Dimple in Your Tie

Wear With Comfortable Confidence

My father once told me, “It’s very easy to tell if a man is at home in a suit.” This observation can be confirmed at weddings, funerals, proms, and Easter Sunday church service. Shifting uncomfortably, walking awkwardly, tugging on various choke points, and/or evincing a general air of discontent evidences that someone does not feel at home in a suit. You don’t want that same air of disconfidence when wearing a tie. Inspect your shirts to ensure that none of the collars are too tight when buttoned up; if they feel like a vice grip on your neck, collar extenders are particularly helpful and will be covered up by your tie.

Adjusting your garments may help, but feeling and looking natural in a tie will mainly come with experience. The more you wear a tie, the more comfortable you’ll feel in one, and the more comfortable you feel, the more confidence you’ll exude. 

Humility

If you want to kill any of the benefits detailed above, be sure to act pompous about your new wardrobe change. The goal of wearing a tie is not to feel superior to others, but rather to boost your personal professionalism and confidence. No one admires a boastful jerk. Instead, you should carry yourself with both self-assurance, and humility. When you receive questions about your tie, especially during the first few weeks, use the essence of the responses below:

• “I have quite a few ties at home and I wanted to get some use out of them.”
• “My wife likes it when I look sharp!”
• “It’s just something I thought I’d experiment with.”

Don’t use answers such as these:

• “I actually care about the way I look, unlike some people who work here.”
• “People give respect to those who wear ties.”
• “I read an article on AoM and it says I’ll be promoted faster than you and make more money if I do this.” 

Be Counter-Cultural

Upon entering the workforce a few years ago, the first comments I heard about dress code in an office were, “Anything above a dress shirt and slacks is not really part of office culture anymore,” and “If you go in an (insert industry here) office you won’t find anyone that wears a tie or coat anymore so you shouldn’t either.” The truth is there’s a bottom threshold in office dress but there is not really an upper threshold (outside of formal wear). T-shirts and shorts are frowned upon in the workplace but rarely is a tie and sport coat. Do not be afraid to challenge the culture of your workplace by wearing a tie. You will create a new culture and people will either rise to meet it or you will stand out proudly.

I hope that reading this article will inspire you to wear a tie and maybe a jacket to work. Ties are a seemingly small piece of fabric in a man’s wardrobe but they can carry immense importance in a modern setting. A strip of silk hanging from the neck will naturally set the wearer apart from those around him. Handled astutely, this separation can lead to some surprising benefits. 

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Mark Richardson is a graduate of Texas A&M University, a civil engineer by trade, and a history lover in heart. His passion for presenting his personal best through proper attire was nurtured in the southern tradition in which he was raised. Mark and his wife, Victoria, reside in Katy, Texas.

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My family has roots in New Mexico going back for centuries. I have ancestors on my dad’s side of the family that immigrated to New Mexico from Spain back in the 1600s when the area was that country’s colony. Lots of Sanchez’s and Chavez’s in my lineage. Other ancestors of mine from Switzerland, France, and Nova Scotia also settled in New Mexico in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

My mom’s parents transplanted to Albuquerque when my grandfather took the position of Regional Forester of the Southwestern Region of the U.S. Forest Service. They lived there for over 30 years.

Needless to say, I spent a lot of my childhood in New Mexico. I love that state. The scenery, the smells, the food (green chili on all the things!), and the art. The state’s tagline is quite apt: it is indeed the land of enchantment.

Grandpa Hurst in one of his signature bolo ties.

One thing I noticed on my visits to New Mexico is that a good number of residents sport bolo ties. My Grandpa Hurst regularly rocked one himself and amassed an extensive collection of them over the course of his career as an Albuquerque-based forester. There’s a reason for the prevalence of bolo ties in New Mexico: it’s the state’s official neckwear. As it is in Arizona, too. American Indians living all over the desert Southwest are famous for making and wearing bolo ties.

For most of my life, I associated this unique type of neckwear with old men, New Mexican politicians, and the 1980s. Even though as an Okie the bolo tie isn’t foreign to my state, I never thought I’d personally sport one.

That all changed at my grandfather’s funeral.

When we laid him to rest, each of his grandsons who served as pallbearers sported one of Grandpa’s old bolo ties.

I picked one from his collection that stuck out to me. It’s a silver keystone with an oval piece of turquoise inlaid in it. Simple, but distinguished.

I was wearing a pair of dark jeans, cowboy boots, white shirt, and brown sport coat. It’s a getup my grandpa would have worn. Rugged, yet refined.

I put the bolo tie on and gave myself a look in the mirror. I was expecting to feel awkward and self-conscious wearing it, but to my pleasant surprise, I thought it actually looked quite sharp on me.

“With that mustache and bolo tie, you look like a character from a Cormac McCarthy novel,” said one of my cousins. Since I’m a fan of McCarthy’s Border Trilogy, that was a nice compliment indeed.

When I got home, I put Grandpa’s bolo tie away in my treasure box. I had no intention of ever wearing it again because young guys just don’t wear bolo ties.

But one Sunday, a few weeks after his funeral, I was putting on my charcoal suit for church and reaching for my regular necktie, when the thought came to me: “Wear Grandpa’s bolo tie.”

I pulled it out of my treasure box and put it on. I thought it wouldn’t look very good with a traditional grey business suit.

“Well I’ll be damned,” I thought, echoing one of my grandfather’s catchphrases as I looked in the mirror. “This is a good look. A great look.”

I walked out to the kitchen to get Kate’s opinion. I thought she’d giggle and think that I looked dorky or was trying to be ironic.

“That looks way, way better than I thought it would,” she said.

The Mrs. was sold on the bolo tie too.

At church, I got all sorts of compliments from folks. And it gave me a chance to talk to them about my grandpa. The bolo tie was a big hit.

Since that day, the bolo tie has become a regular part of my wardrobe. They’re a great way for me to express my New Mexican heritage and remember my grandfather, and they definitely set me apart from the pack. Nothing makes a man stand out like wearing a piece of braided leather string held together by a piece of metal. It’s a statement piece, par excellence.

The bolo tie is not to be underestimated, my friends, and I think it’s due a comeback.

If you’ve been thinking about sporting one, but always felt a bit sheepish about it or weren’t sure how to do it without looking like you’re attending a Western or 1980s-themed party, consider this your guide to the way of the bolo.

A Bolo Tie By Any Other Name Is Still a Bolo Tie

A bolo tie consists of a braided leather cord with silver or metal tips. The cord is threaded through a slide or clasp made of metal, wood, or beads. The clasp is typically decorated or made in the shape of Western designs and motifs like bears, thunderbirds, horses, and cattle skulls. The clasps are often inlaid with turquoise or other precious stones. Some are embellished with Indian beading.

Bolo ties go by different names. Bola tie, cowboy tie, and string tie have all been used interchangeably. As long as it’s a braided cord clasped together and worn like a tie, it’s a bolo tie.

The History of the Bolo Tie

The exact origins of the bolo tie have been obscured by the desert sands of the American Southwest. Some historians say it was inspired by bandanas that Zuni and Navajo Indians wore around their neck and kept clasped together with a silver scarf slide. Someone got the idea to substitute a piece of a leather string for the fabric and boom! The bolo tie was born.

Historian Bill Krammer literally wrote the book on bolo ties: Bola Tie: New Symbol of the West. According to him, the origins of the bolo tie can be traced back to a serendipitous moment Arizona silversmith Victor E. Cedarstaff experienced while chasing wild horses in the 1940s. While on the chase, Cedarstaff’s silver-clasped hatband slipped off, causing his hat to fly away. He salvaged his hatband and slipped it over his neck for safekeeping. His companeros noticed and complimented his new “tie.” The rest is southwestern style history.

Cedarstaff created a line of ties inspired by the incident. He braided leather, placed silver tips on the ends to keep them from fraying, and then joined the strands with a turquoise stone to be used as an adjustable clasp. He applied for a patent, calling his creation the bola tie, named after the boleadoras cords used by Argentinian cowboys.

While the exact origin of the bolo tie is uncertain, we do know it indeed emerged in the American Southwest sometime during the 1940s. It’s served as an artistic medium for American Indian artists and Southwestern silversmiths ever since.

Bolo ties became Western style staples during the 1950s and 1960s. Businessmen and politicians living in the Southwest wore bolo ties to work in lieu of traditional neckties.  

The bolo tie jumped the pond to the United Kingdom in the 1950s and became a favorite style accessory among “Teddy Boys.”

The Boss got in on the 80s bolo tie trend, rocking it on the cover of his 1987 album.

During the 1980s, the bolo tie became a nationwide fad in the United States thanks to rockabilly revivalists like Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats, and New Wave artists who wore them in music videos on newly minted MTV. Bolo ties could also be seen around the necks of several television and movie celebrities during this time. For example, before he was the nerdy dad in Two and a Half Men, Jon Cryer was a hot 1980s movie icon thanks to his breakout role as bolo tie-wearing Duckie Dale in Pretty In Pink.

Like most things during the 1980s, the bolo tie was worn in excess and soon became a tired fad. During the 1990s and 2000s, it went back to being a style piece worn mainly by cowboys and Indians living in the American Southwest.

But in recent years, the bolo tie has been popping up again. San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers caused a stir and bolo tie shortage in San Diego when he started wearing them to press conferences. Bruno Mars is a fan of the bolo tie. Hell, even Snoop Dog will rock a quasi-bolo every now and then.

Where to Get Bolo Ties

Of course famous photographer Ansel Adam wore a bolo tie — the guy had an eye for aesthetics.

Bolo ties come in a wide range of prices, from a few bucks to a few thousand dollars.

If you’re just stepping your toes into the world of bolo ties and don’t want to spend too much money, thrift stores and eBay are your friends. There are tons of affordable, vintage bolo ties there. What I think happens is some old man who had a considerable collection of bolo ties dies. None of his kids or grandkids want them, so they get sold in an estate sale or donated to Goodwill.

The bolo ties you find online or at thrift stores will be a mixed bag. Some will have authentic turquoise made by Indian artists and craftsmen, while others will be Made in China pieces from the 1980s bolo tie craze. At this point, don’t worry about the authenticity, just buy the ones you like.

You can also find new bolo ties at most Western clothing stores in your area. These will be a mixture of handcrafted and mass-produced ties.

You may find that your bolo tie itch has been scratched by these affordable ties. But should you catch the bolo tie bug and want something much more primo, you’ll need to make a trip to the American Southwest where you’ll find craftsmen who create these ties as real works of art. They hand shape and hand pound the silver for the clasp as well as use authentic turquoise from the area. Instead of silver, some make clasps from intricate weaving and beading. You’ll find both new and vintage pieces made by famous artists in most jewelry stores in the Southwest. Expect to pay a few hundred to a few thousand dollars for these pieces.

How to Wear a Bolo Tie

So you’ve got your bolo tie. How do you wear it so it actually looks good? Here are a few tips:

Own it. Bolo ties are controversial. They’re like bow ties or seersucker suits: People either love them or hate them. So if you’re going to wear a bolo tie, you got to own it — people’s opinions be damned. If you look embarrassed or sheepish wearing a bolo tie, it’s just going to look goofy on you. Wear it boldly!

Consider your geography. Bolo ties are an American Southwest style staple, and are associated with cowboys, Indians, industries like ranching, oil, and gas, and more rural, frontier areas. If you have a connection to one or more of those things, the bolo tie will look more natural around your neck.

If you live east of the Mississippi and don’t have these connections, the bolo tie will look more out of place.

Westerners have a lot more freedom to wear bolo ties on a regular basis and even at formal occasions like weddings and funerals. If you want to sport a bolo tie on the regular, take advantage of that liberty.

Easterners are likely limited to wearing a bolo tie to a club or a night out on the town where being a bit fashion forward and breaking the style rules are accepted. Even then, unless you have some sort of connection to the American West, the tie will likely come off as ironic rather than sincere.

Wear with Western or buttoned-down shirts. Because of their rugged and casual appearance, bolo ties are best matched with a more casual dress shirt like a Western dress shirt or any shirt with a buttoned down collar like an oxford or denim shirt. Add a sport coat with some texture and you’ve got a real sharp look.

Some folks have taken to wearing bolo ties like a necklace, sporting them with t-shirts. In my opinion, this strays too far from the bolo tie’s classic Western roots and just looks weird. Stick with shirts that have a collar.

Wear it like a regular necktie for a more formal look. The bolo tie was originally made to be worn exactly like a necktie. Button all the buttons on the front of your shirt, including the top collar button, and then slide the clasp all the way to the top of your neck. Button down the collars to your shirt.

Keepin’ it loose.

Wear it looser for a more casual look. If you’re pairing the bolo with a more casual get-up, unbutton the top button of your shirt and wear the bolo a bit more loosely around your neck.

Wear it with a suit, if you wish. Can you wear a bolo tie with a suit? You bet. It takes some chutzpah to do so though, because of the casual nature of the bolo tie. You don’t need to pair a special Western suit with the bolo. You can wear one with a traditional suit that you already have. Just wear a buttoned-down oxford, and you’re good to go. A bolo would look really weird with a spread collar.

My go-to look for the bolo tie: A pair of dark denim jeans, white button-down oxford, a brown sport coat, and a pair of cowboy boots. Simple. Classic. And the perfect combination of rugged and refined.

That’s what I like. Experiment to find what works for you. And never underestimate the bolo tie, baby.

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You’re about to go into a big business meeting; your suit is perfectly fitted, your shoes are shined, your shirt is pressed. Which necktie knot do you go with? It has to make an impression, but not be flashy. It needs to convey power, confidence, and authority. The choice is simple: the full Windsor (also sometimes called just the Windsor or the bouble Windsor). It’s on the larger end of necktie knots, maintains a classic feel — rather than the bells and whistles you get with some modern knots — and shows that you know your business.

Because of this, it’s a knot that is to be worn for more formal occasions and meetings. Think weddings, very important business meetings or pitches, and for the next year, presidential debates.

Because it’s a large knot, it should be worn with a spread collar. For men who are stout, or have wider faces and necks, the Windsor will look appropriately proportional with your build and mug, and should be your go-to tie knot.

1. Drape tie around your neck. Cross the wide part of the tie over the narrow end, and start to bring it up through the hole between collar and tie.

2. After bringing it up through the hole, pull the wide end down towards the front.

3. Bring the wide end behind the narrow end and to the right. Then pull the wide end back through the loop again.

4. Wrap the wide end around the triangle by pulling it from right to left.

5. Bring the wide end up through the loop a third time, and pull it through the knot in front.

6. Tighten the knot and center it with both hands.

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Illustrations by Ted Slampyak

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