{"id":137380,"date":"2021-06-24T11:38:15","date_gmt":"2021-06-24T16:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=137380"},"modified":"2021-07-19T13:48:14","modified_gmt":"2021-07-19T18:48:14","slug":"how-to-recognize-a-quality-tie-in-60-seconds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/style\/how-to-recognize-a-quality-tie-in-60-seconds\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Recognize a Quality Tie in 60 Seconds"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of things that I\u2019m 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\u2019d hold a tie in my hand, I\u2019d 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\u2019d developed over the years, and which consistently steered me right. <\/span><\/p>\n

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:<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. A \u201cHand\u201d With Texture and Weight<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s actually a term in the clothing world that describes the feeling of the fabric that\u2019s used on the outside of a tie (also known as the \u201cenvelope\u201d): hand. When you pick up a tie, check its hand, feeling for its texture and weight. Quality ties feel hefty and the fabric \u2014 even on the finest silk ties \u2014 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. <\/span><\/p>\n

While heft and texture are usually signs of good craftsmanship, don\u2019t 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Bias Cut in the Envelope\u2019s Fabric<\/strong><\/p>\n

Envelope fabric is said to be cut on the bias if it\u2019s cut at a 45-degree angle to its <\/span>warp and weft<\/span><\/a>. If your tie fabric isn\u2019t cut at this angle, then it will twist on itself while you\u2019re wearing it. <\/span><\/p>\n

There are a couple ways to test the fabric of a tie to see if it was cut on the bias:<\/span><\/p>\n

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. <\/span><\/p>\n

The hang test: Simply drape the tie over your hand. If the fabric was cut on the bias, the tie shouldn\u2019t twist as it\u2019s hanging. <\/span><\/p>\n

3. Tip Is Same Material as Envelope<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ties can either be tipped or untipped. Tipping is the piece of fabric that backs the triangular point of the tie\u2019s main lower section or \u201cblade.\u201d Lower quality ties use a piece of polyester fabric instead of silk for the tipping, so look for tipping that\u2019s made from the same material as the tie\u2019s envelope. <\/span><\/p>\n

Untipped ties aren\u2019t 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\u2019s an appropriate choice for spring and summer suiting. <\/span><\/p>\n

4. Complementary Lining<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lining of a tie should complement the tie\u2019s 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. <\/span><\/p>\n

Also, check to see if the lining runs all through the necktie. If it doesn\u2019t, you\u2019re going to have a limp tie that doesn\u2019t last as long. <\/span><\/p>\n

Checking the lining is possible if a tie is untipped; if it\u2019s tipped, you\u2019ll want to ask the merchant for details about the lining. <\/span><\/p>\n

5. Rolled Edge<\/strong><\/p>\n

Check the edges of your tie. They should have a \u201crolled edge\u201d with a slight curve that gives the tie more fullness. The edges of the tie shouldn\u2019t look flat and crisp. Round is what we want. <\/span><\/p>\n

6. Hidden Slip-Stitch<\/strong><\/p>\n

The slip-stitch is a thread that\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Two Bar Tacks<\/strong><\/p>\n

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 \u201ctail.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more on ties:<\/strong><\/p>\n