Off the Cuff - Carson Kressley [32]
TIES AND POCKET SQUARES
There is nothing that can kill a great outfit, even if it’s a stunning handmade suit, like a bad tie. A lot of guys see ties as an afterthought, but ties are so important. If you are going to wear one, especially in this day and age when nobody’s wearing them—it better be sensational.
You really need to take care with your ties and make sure that they’re good-looking and smart, but ties can also be fun. They can give a hint of your personality, or make a gentle nod to something that you enjoy, like sailboats or vintage cars. Just don’t take that too far. You don’t want to get a tie that has toy trucks all over it, or Christmas trees that light up.
My Life in Ties
In 1991, right after college graduation, I got my first job and moved to New York. And my very first winter in the big city, I sold neckwear at Saks Fifth Avenue over the holidays.
Neckwear is the total bottom rung for men’s clothing. It’s the one place where all people who don’t know what they want come to buy a gift. They say, “I just don’t know. I’ll get him a tie!” It’s so lame. But I’m sure I touched many lives. I can just see them even now, in some tony apartment on the Upper East Side, opening that gift box to find hot pink whales on a green cotton background. And some guy in a tweed blazer would say, “Thanks for the tie, Joan. Where’d you find this one?” And she would answer, “This cute little blond guy picked it out for me at Saks!” I really got a sense of satisfaction from helping people find themselves through clothes. That has always been my thing, and I really believe that much of it started right there, in the neckwear department of Saks. Now I’m a little verklempt, are you? It was a happy, magical time.
People ask how to find a good tie, but it’s kind of like when you see a puppy at the animal shelter: when it’s the right one, you’ll know it. One very simple thing to keep in mind is that ties should always be made of silk. There’s one slight exception: very, very English ties for fall are sometimes made of wool challis. They’re very sophisticated, but they’re not easy to find and you might not even come across them. I also love knit ties, very Alex P. Keaton, but very chic when done tone-on-tone with a sophisticated suit. But they’re not for everybody.
A good practice when tie shopping is to give the tie a good feel. A good tie will have an inner construction that is actually tangible. If you took it apart, there would be something like a piece of mesh or screen that gives it some body and structure. A bad tie is wimpy and soft. If you make a quick knot, you’ll see it won’t hold a dimple, which should warn you that your dimple is going to flatten out when you wear it. Major chubby killer!
With so many tie variations out there, it would be impossible to make any lists of ties you must own or tell you how to pick patterns. Just remember that ties are, once again, a great place to keep it simple. The classic rep tie, which often has a regimental stripe, can be very bright and preppy or quite subdued and elegant. You can never go wrong with a repp tie. Practically as effective as an Ivy League education for a mere fraction of the cost!
And finally, a lot of guys don’t realize that certain ties relate to certain seasons. Muted rusts, gold, rich reds, and wool ties lend themselves much more to fall and winter. A lime green-and-navy rep tie paired with a pink oxford would be much more appropriate for spring and summer.
What Color Is Your Pocket Square?
Forget your parachute. The burning question these days is “What color is your pocket square?” Pocket squares really just add that extra little tszuj to an outfit, especially if you’re wearing a blazer and you’re not wearing a tie. You can look nekkid without it. REMEMBER : You always want