The Skinny on Tie Widths OR Don't Wear Skinny Neckties Unless You Are in a Successful Band and Can Afford to Look Idiotic

Reader Terry writes asking about up-to-date tie widths. And Lo! I answer.

Terry, traditional men's neckties are in the neighborhood of 3.5 to 4 inches wide. But thanks in no small part to the rise of hipster fashion -- think bands like The Strokes here -- we've seen a return to skinnier ties. We're talking an inch in width, two at the most.

Should you be wearing skinny ties?

Here's a general rule to follow here: Most skinny neckties suck.

All other things being equal (material, design, pattern, etc.,) a skinny tie will look worse than a full-width tie almost every time. Skinny neckties work most often for but two categories of people: musicians and runway models. Unless you fall into one of those categories, tread carefully. Note that both these types trend toward the seriously thin.

Accordingly, then, here's the problem with skinny ties: They're too damn skinny. Unless you're a candidate for the heroin chic look, most skinny neckties will make you appear comically oafish. When done wrong, a skinny tie can look like a teeny little rope hanging around your neck, or that you dressed in the dark in your kid's room and are now wearing one of their miniature clip-ons. Frankly, the best you can hope for with a skinny necktie is to evoke an IBM salesman, circa 1957.

And by this, I mean that a skinny necktie can get lost on your shirt, making it seem that either your body is too big and/or fat. There's a reason that hipster-types are skinny.



Other problems: Skinny ties are a fad. To me, a skinny tie says that you've consciously selected a nontraditional necktie style to make a point. Yet whatever message you're attempting to convey, the message people actually pick up on is this: "I'm a musician, a runway model, a hipster wannabe, or a fan of Interpol -- and I'm a trite loser and my fashion is PLAYED OUT."

Even some astute British folks have picked up on the problem with these overused pieces of neckwear.

"Seemingly the Sparks/ Nazi SS officer/ 1950’s fop look is taking off in America because I have never quite seen such a confusingly uncool selection of ties and fringes in all my living days."

Don't get me wrong: Some skinny neckties look good. But it's harder to find skinnies that work. I found a couple good ones at Club Monaco recently, and I even wore one to a wedding.

Stick to regimental ties (you know ... diagonally striped.) Avoid anything too plain (especially solids -- nothing says "I play keytar in an 80s cover band" like a skinny, solid silver tie. It's one step below a piano key tie.)

Avoid wearing skinny ties in serious business or with expensive suits. It seems juvenile and out of place.

If you are wearing a skinny necktie, try to keep your jacket on. It will minimize the problem of having a low tie-to-shirt ratio and will make you look less fat.