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Ties.required or no?

Are ties a choice now? Are they still considered essential for certain situations?

What is the best way to "get around" not wearing one with a suit, yet still maintain some class? Or is that just not possible.

I never wear a tie to work (I work in a hospital and consider ties a vecotr of disease transmission from patient to patient. there are studies to back up that thought). Last night I attendended my wife's corporate holiday party and could not get a shirt/tie combo to work for me (all my ties are old and to me not styling, and my shirts were just a smidge too tight in my neck..next half size up the chest, waist are too big and falls off my shoulder, and I am not an athletic or slim fit by any means!)

So I went tie-less, button down collar, white T underneath...

Plenty of other guys in variied form of dress, lots of ties, many no ties, but sport coat/pants not suit, some like me in a suit, one guy had a turtleneck under his jacket.

I would actually prefer never to wear a tie...I just dont carry the look well, do I have options, or do I need to go to a nice shop and get fitted appropriately?? I probably do need some nice new classic proper fit shirts to go with my suits.
 
All gentlemen look good in a tie. For certain occasions, they are required to lend an air of class to events. Just plain looks dressier and better. My 2 cents and YMMV.
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
I think in this day and age everything clothing related is optional.
but

If you didn't wear a tie or bow tie to the White House Correspondents Dinner you might not get in.

If you didn't wear a tie to a Christmas party, eh no big deal.

It all depends on where you are going. In some cases a suit AND tie is simply respectful.

I only wear ties to funerals and weddings. And anymore it's getting rare at weddings.
 
All gentlemen look good in a tie. For certain occasions, they are required to lend an air of class to events. Just plain looks dressier and better. My 2 cents and YMMV.
I think I need to be fitted properly and figure out what type of collar is best for my face shape/neck and overall look.

My othe big issue with ties and any other form of more formal/classy dress is I cannot pull off an air of class unless I am comfortable, And this as someone with an odd-ish shape is sometimes hard off the rack-and I am not in the position to afford bespoke clothing.
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
I think I need to be fitted properly and figure out what type of collar is best for my face shape/neck and overall look.

My othe big issue with ties and any other form of more formal/classy dress is I cannot pull off an air of class unless I am comfortable, And this as someone with an odd-ish shape is sometimes hard off the rack-and I am not in the position to afford bespoke clothing.

If you live close to a JCPenney they will measure you for free. With those measurements you can find a shirt or several right there at the store. They have a lot of great dress shirts and if on sale they are very reasonably priced.
Simply walk (or run if you choose) to their suit department and ask for a measurement.
They also sell a LOAD of ties.
 
If you live close to a JCPenney they will measure you for free. With those measurements you can find a shirt or several right there at the store. They have a lot of great dress shirts and if on sale they are very reasonably priced.
Simply walk (or run if you choose) to their suit department and ask for a measurement.
They also sell a LOAD of ties.

I have been measured, but a shirt with a 16 1/2 neck is too big for my body, and a shirt with a 16 neck is too tight with a tie, I have an "athletic" chest but I still retain the lovehandles and a bit of a tire from my days of being 70+ pounds overwieght, no matter how much I work out..making me a bit pear/"8" shaped and unable to buy "slim fit"/"athletic cut" shirts. I am just a tad "lumpy" in all the wrong spots! I can afford a slightly higher priced shirt, dont get me wrong, just not a fully tailored/bespoke shirt (at least I do not think so).
 
I have been measured, but a shirt with a 16 1/2 neck is too big for my body, and a shirt with a 16 neck is too tight with a tie, I have an "athletic" chest but I still retain the lovehandles and a bit of a tire from my days of being 70+ pounds overwieght, no matter how much I work out..making me a bit pear/"8" shaped and unable to buy "slim fit"/"athletic cut" shirts. I am just a tad "lumpy" in all the wrong spots! I can afford a slightly higher priced shirt, dont get me wrong, just not a fully tailored/bespoke shirt (at least I do not think so).

Here's a trick for you… many here may balk at this :001_smile but I've found it really can work well in a pinch. If your neck collar is bit too tight, just don't button the top button… then tie your tie normally, tightening it to hold the shirt in flat (as if it were buttoned). It's MUCH more comfortable that way, and if you do it properly, it looks 95%+ as good as if you really did have the top button closed.
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
Here's a trick for you… many here may balk at this :001_smile but I've found it really can work well in a pinch. If your neck collar is bit too tight, just don't button the top button… then tie your tie normally, tightening it to hold the shirt in flat (as if it were buttoned). It's MUCH more comfortable that way, and if you do it properly, it looks 95%+ as good as if you really did have the top button closed.

Yup. Completely forgot I do this too.
 
My othe big issue with ties and any other form of more formal/classy dress is I cannot pull off an air of class unless I am comfortable, And this as someone with an odd-ish shape is sometimes hard off the rack-and I am not in the position to afford bespoke clothing.

Maybe you can get something from a place like Men's Warehouse and they can tailor an off the rack suit to fit you better. The folks in those stores were always very good with pairing items together that look good, and the prices are good for the quality I think.
 
Bolo tie:

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Maybe you can get something from a place like Men's Warehouse and they can tailor an off the rack suit to fit you better. The folks in those stores were always very good with pairing items together that look good, and the prices are good for the quality I think.
not the suit that is the problem, that I did spend some decent $$ on at Brooks Brothers...two actually, its the shirts, and i tried the button trick, still looked very un-put-together...
 
perfect! who can beat my boy Steve! but for a corporate event? Have "semi-formal" standards become relaxed? are things changing enough that I can reliably not feel out of place with a somewhat dressed down look? I think back in Steve's day that is considered casual, where-as today casual means jeans and a T.

thoughts?

Not my area of expertise, but per casual observation that look is somewhat "dressy" relative to the shifting standards.

All the same, it is wicked cool!
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
a turtle neck on me would make my double chin more pronounced. Until it's fashionable for a turtle neck to come up to your nose count me out.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
perfect! who can beat my boy Steve! but for a corporate event? Have "semi-formal" standards become relaxed? are things changing enough that I can reliably not feel out of place with a somewhat dressed down look? I think back in Steve's day that is considered casual, where-as today casual means jeans and a T.

thoughts?

Well ... I can't say for certain, since one man's "way too dressy" is another man's "dude, you look like a slob" when it comes to what a given workplace takes as the right level of dressy-ness ...


... but ...


in general I'd say a good turtleneck (a fine texture merino, or better) worn under a good and well-fitting suit will suffice for most semi-formal corporate events. Just stick with the suit (not jacket & different trousers) and make sure you wear good leather shoes well shined.

Otherwise ...

... get a shirt custom made. Even just one, for the few times you need really need to wear a shirt and tie with your suit. Hey, ya gotta go to the occasional funeral, right?

Or:

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... ascot!!
 
love it, lets bring the ascot back...

someone at the party had a dark suit with a dark sweater and a white long cashmere (appearing) scarf....now there was a look

neither could I pull off
 
You can always take a tie off if you feel over-dressed at an event. But you can't as easily go back home and put one on!

+1 I'd feel disrespectful at a wedding or (especially!) a funeral without a coat and tie.
Cheers!
 
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