Mens Cufflinks And Ties

Although the white dress shirt is the most conservative choice shirt, and the one that is easiest to match to other clothing items, there are plenty more choices that will give you a new look.

First, choose non-white dress shirts. Light blue is an excellent alternative to white shirts. Lighter, so-called pastel colors, are especially well suited for sunny days. Besides light blue, salmon, pink, and light yellows are excellent colors for shirts worn in the spring and summer. For fall, winter, or for an outfit worn in the evening, darker shades are better suited such as gray, maroon, blue, and black. Keep in mind that if you are dressing for a more formal, and/or more important meeting, the white dress shirt is the best choice. A job interview is a perfect example. If you wear a suit and tie each day to work then have at least 3 white dress shirts, 2 light blue ones, and 1 of two more colors.

Next, pick a few shirts with patterns. Most common are striped and checkered dress shirts. Choose colors that are easy to match such as white/blue, white/gray combination. Matching neckties to these type of shirts is a little more tricky, but still easy once you know how. Read below for tips on matching your ties.

On a final note, make sure that some of your dress shirts have so-called French cuffs. It is a cuff that doesn't have buttons but is closed with a pair of cufflinks instead. Best suited are the basic dress shirts such as white, blue, or a combination of the two (solid color but different color on cuffs and body).

If you are new to wearing neckties, then make sure to pick neckties that are versatile and easy to match. A good example are navy blue neckties, red and burgundy-red neckties. As far as patterns go, striped neckties are most traditional.

Once you have a a few basic neckties, pick some brighter colors (for spring fashion) such as lime green, pink, light blue, and orange. Also choose some more patterns such as tiny polka dotted ties, ties with more intricate striped designs, and foulard design neckties.

Knowing how to tie a necktie is a must when wearing a tie. There are quite a few different tie knots out there and the true expert will know how to match each know to the type of shirt and necktie you are wearing.

Smaller tie knots such as the Four-in-Hand are best for shirts with narrow spread collars as well as button down shirts. It is also an excellent choice knot with traditional British repp-stripe ties - sometimes also known as Regimental Ties.

Larger necktie knots such as the Windsor are best for shirts with a wider collar spread and for men with a larger neck. A skinny neck matched with a huge tie knot will look like you are being hung. So don't do it!

Practice each necktie knot. The knot should be centered at your collar, and should be tied to the right length so that your necktie ends near the center of your belt buckle. For the expert, make a dimple on top of the knot. This will require some practice but once you know how it is done your co-workers will envy you.

Cufflinks have been around for centuries. Initially dress shirts didn't have buttons, and cuffs were buttoned using cufflinks. Depending on your class cufflinks were made from bone or wood (one the lower end of the scale) as well as precious metals and gems (for the noble and affluent class).

Although less common, cufflinks are still in use today. They are typically reserved for more important business meetings and formal black tie functions. Cufflinks come made from a wide range of materials such as metal, gold, silver, platinum, glass, bone, and even silk.

When matching cufflinks, the most important thing is to match them to other pieces of jewelery such as wrist watch and belt buckle. This is especially important if you choose one of the classic metal shades: Silver or Gold If you prefer colored cufflinks made from precious stone or glass, make sure the color is also found on other clothing items such as your tie, pocket square, or dress shirt.

If the classic necktie is a little to plain for you then why not show some style by wearing a skinny tie. Skinny ties look best on slim and athletic-built young men and well tailored suits. If skinny ties are not your style then there are still other options such as bow ties or the ascot tie.

Bow ties are best suited for formal events and black tie affiars. Unless you are a college professor or interior architect bow ties should be matched with dark suits or tuxedos and only worn for formal events.

The ascot tie is much less common these days. If you do like the look of the ascot (a look that is a mix between necktie and silk scarf) then you can wear it to a very formal daytime wedding, the horse race track, or some high class tea time in England.

Here is a list of other sites that I fund helpful:

Neckties For $5
Cheap-Neckties.com is a retailer offering more than 1,000 unique necktie designs. And best of all prices start as low as $5. Great prices, 30 day return policy, free shipping on orders above $50, and a 24/7 support line with helpful staff. What else could you ask for in a retailer.

How to Fold a Pocket Square
This website not only shows you a few different ways to fold a pocket square, but it also shows instructions on tying neckties and even how to tie a bow tie. Then, there is some more information on how to match your neckties to shirts, suits, and the rest of your outfit.

Ties
This website is a brand new mens tie retailer. It is a store that only sells neck ties, bow ties, handkerchiefs, and cuff links - all the classy mens fashion accessories that complete the outfit!!!

Fashion Encyclopedia
I started this encyclopedia about a year ago and it has grown quite a bit over the last 12 months, and it has been featured in many fashion related websites and blogs all over the world. Learn anything about mens fashion ranging from information on fabrics and materials to well known designer labels as well as clothing items and dress codes. Please let me know if there is a definition that should be added. I am always looking for ways to complete this encyclopedia.

Mens Fashion Blog
I added this blog to my tie retailer about 2 years ago. Me and two other writers with a strong interest in mens fashion and style update this blog at least 2x per week with the latest trends and news in mens fashion. We also cover a lot about the history of particular clothing items and styles. We also write about our latest promotions and latest additions to our store.