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Ties.required or no?

I work in a corporate environment. We got a new CEO about 2 years ago and the tie requirement was relaxed. We still wear ties when meeting clients or vendors but normal day to day office work has been pools or dress shirts. I'll wear a tie or a jacket occasionally. I get the traveler shirts from Jos Bank in a 16x33 and have the sleeves and sides taken in to fit my slimmish 5'8" 155lb frame. If you buy them on sale, you can get shirts for $15 then it costs $15 to taper them at the store.

I don't feel underdressed but when I see guys in polos I think they are. Ties have a place, and perhaps a hospital isn't it unless it is when making the rounds. Funerals, courtrooms, weddings(unless destination), and church all demand a tasteful tie.
 
A blazer and a dress shirt can do wonders, especially with a nice pocket square - it shows intent and style rather than going through motions. I like to think of any event and what the spectrum of dress is likely to be and then go on the upper end but not extreme. It's always better to be over dressed than under dressed. One can always take off a tie.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
I have same issue with neck & body of shirt. Only solution is custom.

If you can get yourself access to a decent custom shirtmaker in your home town, or whatever nearby "big city" you travel to on occasion, so much the better. Have him make you one shirt, and save the pattern info.

Wear it for a while.

You will see where you want minor tweaks to make the shirt even better, so have those incorporated into your second shirt.

"Lather, rinse, repeat."

After a few shirts, you will have (a) enough shirts to suffice for quite some time, and (b) a local-ish custom shirtmaker who can really nail "your" shirt.
 
how much, on average does this service go for? I imagine it depends on the type of cotton shirt you choose, but, rough ide?

If you can get yourself access to a decent custom shirtmaker in your home town, or whatever nearby "big city" you travel to on occasion, so much the better. Have him make you one shirt, and save the pattern info.

Wear it for a while.

You will see where you want minor tweaks to make the shirt even better, so have those incorporated into your second shirt.

"Lather, rinse, repeat."

After a few shirts, you will have (a) enough shirts to suffice for quite some time, and (b) a local-ish custom shirtmaker who can really nail "your" shirt.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
how much, on average does this service go for? I imagine it depends on the type of cotton shirt you choose, but, rough ide?

There are a lot of variables ... a lot! Everything from choice of cloth, to how established/reputed the tailor is, to how much overhead he has for rent &c, how much work goes into the shirt (will there be an early fitting to make changes?), to how much work he farms out to factories & even overseas ... on and on. I'd hesitate about anyone who says he can do you a decent shirt for under $100. Charvet, the "greatest bespoke shirtmaker in the world" (well, who knows, but they're famous and expensive) do shirts between $500 and $1500.

I mention that to give you some sense of "top end" rather than to suggest a trip to Paris to get a shirt made.
 
Haven't worn a tie in years. Even for weddings, funerals or speaking at large conferences the most I will do is a blazer and dress shirt.
 
As a Minister I always have a dress shirt and tie in the office closet for those just in case events. I wear ties when I preach or conduct any other official services. Even the Ministry got more casual than in the past. I done the turtle neck on Sunday nights and I go tie less in the summer from Memorial Day till Labor Day. Bottom line for me is have a tie or a bolo if your like me in Texas and your set.
 
There are a lot of variables ... a lot! Everything from choice of cloth, to how established/reputed the tailor is, to how much overhead he has for rent &c, how much work goes into the shirt (will there be an early fitting to make changes?), to how much work he farms out to factories & even overseas ... on and on. I'd hesitate about anyone who says he can do you a decent shirt for under $100. Charvet, the "greatest bespoke shirtmaker in the world" (well, who knows, but they're famous and expensive) do shirts between $500 and $1500.

I mention that to give you some sense of "top end" rather than to suggest a trip to Paris to get a shirt made.

appreciate the information, I understood where you were going with that...! I will look around the area, I do live in and around an area that should have some bespoke tailors that range from the $100 to several $100's, I will see. It may be worth it to have shirts that actually fit.
 
I try to dress to the stipulated dress code. My previous work it was required to wear a tie as we were meeting a lot of external stakeholders now not so much Ive not worn a tie the past year. Not a big fan of tie but I do agree it brings a touch of class to your whole attire.
 
If I wear a suit then I always wear a tie (self-tied neck or bow tie). I have to be honest and say I feel that the tie-less suit look makes the wearer look unfinished and sends conflicting messages to me. It's like someone's trying hard to be formal but casual and I'm not sure which one they are. :p Like a provost or dean or some CEO who does it and they want to be one of the 'guys/gals' but all that stark contrast reminds me is that they're not one of us and don't quite get it.

However, sports jackets and ties are good or sports jackets and a good button down collar (sans tie) are also good (especially with a sweater vest). But I'm a 30-something who loves wearing a tie so I try and find every excuse possible. Though my dean has commented, in good humour, at my 'casual Fridays' when I show up in a nice tweed sports jacket and good clean shirt and trousers but no tie but then he's used to me in three-piece tweeds with ties!
 
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... But I'm a 30-something who loves wearing a tie so I try and find every excuse possible...
I'm an almost-70-something, and I HAD to wear a jacket and tie to school for at least part of every school day of my life from 1957 through 1972. As a result, I'll find almost any excuse not to wear a tie. The grass is always greener...
 
I'm also a 30 something who has no issue wearing a tie. I still wear a tie on "casual" Friday.

I do work in a very conservative environment though, where lack of proper dress would get an eyebrow raised in your direction from the people who matter. My guidance on my first Friday in the office was that you could not wear a jacket and tie, but should bring one anyway in case you have to attend a meeting with higher level folks.

Outside work, even at events I would consider a fairly stuffy room, you see more gents going more casual, so you can probably safely ditch the ties if you really want to.
 
I am currently wearing a three piece suit with no tie, I have not actually worn a tie in three years even though I wear a suit at least five days a week. If it were a formal event, I would wear a tie but otherwise I don't see the need.
 
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.

Just buy the right size shirt in the neck and have a tailor (or your wife (or yourself)) dart in the sides. It's really not too hard and all the sewing can be done on a machine. Pretty much tighten the sides by pinching with the shirt on inside out. Pin the sides once they are correct. Take shirt off and stich along the length. Then either press the leftover fabric or trim the fabric and press the remainder.
 
I'll just throw these links out there for consideration...

http://dappered.com/2013/01/how-to-go-tieless-with-a-suit/

http://putthison.com/post/65547695370/q-answer-can-i-wear-a-suit-without-a-tie-john

So many men's style "e-zines" out there nowadays.

Despite the above, I tend to lean toward the idea that suits go best tied (at least until the wedding dancing starts and the coats come off), but no tie works great with sport jackets / blazers (some iteration where trousers and jacket don't match).

ETA - I have a different kind of shirt problem. I am athletic cut, but usually can't afford new pre-tapered shirts. At the Goodwill, size M means sleeves too short (these get rolled in summer months), or size L means way too much waist material to tuck in. I've lucked out here and there, though with a long-enough sleeved athletic cut shirt - occasionally I hit the jackpot and they're even wrinkle-free!
 
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