Put This On

(Re)consider Buff

Ethan Desu recently took some wonderful photos of his colleagues at The Armoury and they reminded me of a post I wrote last month. Here we see his colleagues wearing buff-colored ties against their soft brown and grey suits. The color is more unique than your standard navy, brown, and burgundies, so they help attract just a little more attention. However, everything harmonizes quite well. Nothing stands out too loudly on its own and everything is pulled together very elegantly. As a result of having a slightly more unique tie set along gentle and conservative ensembles, the men here look a bit more rakish but still remain tasteful. 

What a wonderful color for a tie. 

Photo credit: Ethan Desu

Part two of my interview with Michael Hill is now up at StyleForum. You can also find part one here. I had a great time chatting with Michael, and it was a particularly special opportunity for me since he designs most of my favorite ties. Here’s an excerpt from the second half of our conversation:

“The only thing I always say is that of course there are rules, and it helps to know the rules in order to break them, however subtly one intends to do that. But I always stress that whilst we have all these rules, one should have a degree of spontaneity and intuition, and even individuality, about how we wear our clothes. So yes, most of us like to have a dimple in our ties, but that isn’t the only way, and there are certainly other far more important things in life. So long as someone has their own take on things and is enjoying it, I think that’s the most important thing. I think we can sometimes get a bit too huffed up about these things and I suppose in some ways, following the rules too closely can make things a bit boring.” - Michael Hill

Go give it a read!

Oh daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang

Drake’s Flash Auction

This seller just listed about two dozen Drake’s ties on eBay. The auctions end in eight hours and there haven’t been any bidders yet. Prices start at $40. 

The Put This On Club Tie Returns

Kent Wang sends word that our collaboration, the Put This On Club Tie, is back in stock in his shop. We sold out our first two runs of this handsome little devil. It’s available in two widths - 3” and 3 1/2” - and is made with a luxurious six-fold construction.

It’s the tie that gets you into the only club that will have you: Put This On. Suitable for business, casual, dancing, swimming, ditch-digging, spelunking and television hosting, among other activities.

Best of all, a portion of the purchase price supports the editorial content here at Put This On.

Join the club.

Vanda Fine Clothing

I received a special package last week containing an order from Vanda Fine Clothing. Inside was a selection of items from their first official production run - a brown wool necktie, Japanese kimono silk pocket square, and two orchid lapel pins in my university colors. The pocket square and lapel pins are really nice, but the showpiece for me was the tie. It’s a six-fold, unlined necktie made from an English, Huddersfield wool. It has a dark brown glen plaid pattern with a faint blue overcheck, and it goes wonderfully with my grey flannel sport coat or navy blazer. 

Since Vanda’s ties are all either unlined or made with just a light interlining, they drape and knot very uniquely. Hardy Amies once said that “Good design and making of clothes must always honour cloth; must disturb cloth as little and possible … Undisturbed cloth makes the wearer appear at ease and is pleasing to the eye of the viewer.”  Vanda’s ties strike me as very much “honoring cloth.” Their silk ties feel lighter and airier than other silk ties on the market, and their wools have more heft and drape. The edges aren’t pressed, so they naturally roll, as you can see above and on their website. The result is a very unique tie that indeed feels more at ease. 

Granted, an unlined tie isn’t for everyone, but if you’re an enthusiast for this kind of stuff, you’d be remiss to not try it at least once. I’m already looking forward to my next order. 

Consider Buff

In classic men’s style, it’s often easier to wear darker ties because a man’s tie is supposed to be darker than his shirt. There are a few exceptions, however. Take for example, ties with a buff-colored background. Buff is a kind of pale yellow-brown color that got its name from buff leather. The color is mostly seen on formal and informal waistcoats, but every so often, you’ll see it on ties as well. 

The picture above is from Patrick Johnson. It shows a man wearing a buff colored tie with a navy striped suit and light-blue dress shirt. The two tones of blue are subdued and conservative, and they contrast and complement well with the brightly colored tie. This would work just as well with a dark brown sport coat and a white and grey striped dress-shirt, especially if you were wearing it during a cool autumn or cold winter season. 

The most versatile ties will always be in dark blues, browns, greens, and reds, but it doesn’t hurt to have a little variety here and there. Buff colored ties can help you stand out without being loud or obnoxious, and they look great if you pair them with the right colors. You can get wool challis ties in this color right now from Drake’s, but if you want something a bit more affordable, there are also these options from Ralph Lauren and E. Marinella on eBay, as well as this Madder print from Sam Hober. Land’s End and Brooks Brothers have some that are a bit more yellow in tone, but I suppose they could also work in the same way. 

Q and Answer: How Formal Are Bow Ties?

Ken asks: Is a bow tie more, less, or equally as formal as a long tie, or does formality depend on pattern/texture etc? What about a diamond tip bow tie v. a traditional bow tie?

Bow ties aren’t really more or less formal than long ties. They’re different.

The most formal occasions call for bow ties. For black tie or white tie events, the black or white tie in question should always be a bow. These ties, of course, are very specific - either satin or grosgrain, in solid black or white.

Because of this association with evening and dinner clothes, any color bow tie is particularly at home after dark. It’s a little more fun than the long tie, and so it travels well to parties, openings and the like.

During the day, though, I’d describe it as a more casual choice. It’s certainly more eccentric. You can wear a bow tie in a business context, but only in a business context where it’s appropriate to stand out. Because stand out you will, even at a meeting of Republican thinktank employees or popcorn magnates.

One aside: when wearing a bow tie, remember that it will leave much more shirt visible on your chest. For this reason, the bow looks best with a three-button coat, or a waistcoat. Without that higher V, the expanse of shirt will make the outfit look unbalanced.

Ties with Contrasting Blades

I’ve been enamored lately by ties with contrasting blades. That is, ties with one color or design on the front and another on the back. The constrasting tail peeks out a little bit when you wear it, especially if you don’t use the tie’s keeper. This helps set off the front blade as well as add some visual interest.

The large photo above is a Drake’s raw silk tie that I have with this feature. The front has thin yellow and white stripes set against a green ground. The tail has alternating green and blue stripes, as well as a gold linen thread running through. It’s a very subtle difference when worn, but I think a nice one. The other tie is a Drake’s bicolor knit with a solid-colored tail. Zegna does these designs with knits every season, but they’re incredibly expensive ($250-500 per tie).

These aren’t the sorts of things I would wear to a serious business meeting, but I think they’re enjoyable in very casual settings. I’m currently in the middle of having Sam Hober make one for me. He sent me some fabric swatches and I’ve been mulling over different combinations. I think if I stick to basic colors and play more with textures than prints, then it should turn out well. I’ll post a picture of it here when I get it.