In light of all the talk about the apparel industry moving in a casual direction, it seems odd that we’d discuss tie width. With a surge in COVID-19 cases extending our work-from-home situations, who would even think to wear a tie nowadays?

We’ve largely transitioned away from a need to wear ties towards a desire to wear them. If you’re wearing a tie at this point in 2020, it’s more likely than not because you want to. This is commendable, and as tie width is one of those trends that gets caught up in the winds of fashion, we’d like to discuss tie width in 2020 and beyond.

Tie Width – The Rules & The Trends

First, let’s talk about how the width of a tie is supposed to work in a “permanent stylish” sense. It’s simple: the width of your tie should be roughly as wide as the lapel on your jacket. Your classic notch lapel is typically around 3 3/8″ wide, and classic ties are in that ballpark. They tend to be anywhere between 3 1/4″ and 3 1/2″.

Smaller men should avoid wide ties: we don’t typically advise men to wear neckties wider than 3 1/2″ unless he needs the width to balance his proportions. Skinny ties are most easily pulled off by slim men – again, keeping proportion in sync is key here. Be careful, though – if you’re even a little bigger than average, a slim tie could look comically slim.

Just as the fashion industry plays with lapel width every decade or so, so it does with tie width. In the seventies, exaggeratedly wide lapels had bib-wide ties to match. A decade before that, skinny ties with skinny lapels ruled the day. Slim ties have been en vogue for many years now, mostly with our younger clientele. Our prediction is that we’ll begin to see a return to classic styling, at least in the next couple of years, as the country recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.

How To Measure A Tie’s Width

If you’re curious to know how wide the ties in your collection are, you’re in luck – measuring tie width couldn’t be simpler. Just measure horizontally across the tie at its widest point.

Custom Ties

As we allude to earlier, it’s important to keep proportion in mind when you select what tie to wear. As it happens, some men’s proportions are rarer than others. Traditional retailers either don’t accommodate men of these sizes, or they do so with a limited selection of extra-long ties.

Custom neckties eliminate all of this difficulty. In addition to accommodating your frame, there are nearly endless fabrics to choose from and plenty of design options, including width. Handmade in New York, their quality is unsurpassed.

Conclusion

Though we’re not wearing ties like we used to, it’s important to know about tie width and how it works. If you’re ready to make yourself something truly beautiful, we invite you to give us a call and chat about custom ties. Call 215-310-0219 or email info@henrydavidsen.com to get started.