Women & Neckties

When Women Wear a Men’s Necktie

It is nothing new that women do wear ties, but when we saw Jennifer Aniston posing in front of GQ magazine with nothing on but a necktie, we thought this would be worth mentioning in our news section. There are probably few men that would object if they came home after a long day of work, and their women would greet them with nothing but a tie on.

Women do Wear Neckties
Besides wearing neckties for seductive reasons, women do wear ties as a fashion accessory. Although much less common than in men’s fashion, there are a few designers that have been known to add ties into their women’s clothing collections. Women’s ties are quite similar to a men’s tie. The only thing different is that they are typically slightly shorter, and narrower than the average men’s tie. The tie is also tied slightly loose, and commonly worn with the top button of the blouse open. If you are looking for a women’s tie, than a men’s tie will work just fine, as long as the person wearing the tie is taller than 6 foot and 6 inches.

Your Cheap Neckties team

How to Iron Dress Shirts

How do you Iron a Dress Shirt?

There is not much worse than getting up in the morning and realizing that all your dress shirts are dirty or too wrinkly to wear. I think everyone has had this situation happen before. But what do you do? Call in sick? Not wear a dress shirt? Wear a wrinkled dress shirt? Go to your dry-cleaner on the way to work hoping you still have a few nicely pressed shirts there that needed to be picked up weeks ago? Well, there actually are a few things you can do that don’t take much time.

The first thing you want to do is look for a shirt that is clean and has the least amount of wrinkles. Once you found your shirt, it is important to hang it on a hanger. Do this right after you get up to give the fabric more time to hang straight. The best trick to remove wrinkles without doing any work, is to get the shirt moist with hot steam. How do you do this? Well, it is actually quite simple. Hang your shirt in your bathroom while taking a hot shower. Hang it close to the shower to make sure that most of the steam can get to the shirt without getting it wet. Chances are that most of the wrinkles will be gone by the time your are done taking your shower, and the shirt looks good enough to wear.

If this tip didn’t work, then prepare to iron your dress shirt. Before you take a shower turn on the iron to let it get hot. Make sure your iron is at a safe place to avoid a fire. If you have a steam-iron make sure that the tank is filled with water -it will be much easier to iron your shirt with steam than not. To iron your dress shirt, your should use an ironing board. If you don’t own one, you can still iron your dress shirt on a flat, non-flammable, and non-staining surface. A good option is to lay 2 or 3 cotton towels onto a wooden table. Open all the buttons of your dress shirt and lay it down flat. Start by ironing your shirt collar. Then iron the shoulder area, then the back, the sides, and eventually the front. When ironing your sleeved make sure that the lower layer of the sleeve is not overlapping. If it is, you will be creating strong crevices that will make your dress shirt look even more wrinkled.

If you don’t have the time to iron your dress shirt, then the shower trick might work for you. If you still feel like your shirt is too wrinkled, then leave your jacket on for the first part of the day. As the day progresses most of your colleagues’ dress shirts will have gotten a few wrinkles as well, and you might actually blend in quite well.

You might also like the following related articles:
How to Clean Your Silk Ties
How to Sew on a Button
How to Polish Dress Shoes

Your Cheap-Neckties Team

Business Casual Attire

What is Business Casual Attire?

If you are little confused on what is meant by “Business Casual”, then you are not alone. But before you guess what the right outfit might be, you should read this quick guide to avoid being the talk of the office. If your office has “casual Fridays” then you got to know what is acceptable to wear – after all, 20% of your entire work clothes will fit into the so-called “casual business attire”.

The Right Pants
Well suited are nicely pressed khaki pants that are made from either cotton or wool. Recommended are slacks that are made from twill, worsted wool, or so-called gabardine fabric. Especially gabardine will make a nice impression since this heavier fabric will give your slacks a nice draping effect. Preferred are pleated pants over straight cut trousers. Weather you choose two, three, or even four pleats in your slacks, pleated pants look much nicer with tugged in dress shirts than non-pleated ones.

The Shirts
A collar is a must! The most common shirts are polo shirts or non-solid color button-up dress shirts. Since you are not wearing a necktie, you have much more options in the dress shirts you choose. Intricate checkered and striped patterns that usually might look too busy in combination with a necktie, are a prefect choice for casual business attire. Make sure that your dress shirts are pressed and free from major wrinkles. The shirt is not worn over the pants, but must be tugged in!

Your Shoes
Do not wear tennis or running shoes. Leather loafers in brown or tan colors are great. Even though black dress shoes are acceptable, they give a somewhat too formal impression in most cases.

Jackets
Sport coats and blazers are great choices. Unlike formal business attire, that typically consists of 2-piece suits, business casual gives you a many more options for your jackets. The range in fabrics and patterns in blazers and sport coats is quite wide. Popular are window-pane checks, and hounds-tooth patterns. What you want to avoid are hooded sweaters, ski-jackets, or jackets you might wear to the beach on a windy day.

Common Accessories
Most important is the belt. Wearing a belt is necessary since your should be tugging in your shirt. Make sure that the belt is a close color match to your dress shoes. Most common are brown belts for business casual attire. If you choose to wear a french cuffed dress shirt, then cufflinks are a nice option. Neckties are rarely worn on a business casual day. Should you choose to wear a tie, then choose a less formal necktie. Popular skinny neckties are a nice option.

The Right Briefcase
Even though it is a casual day in the office, don’t bring your hiking back-pack. Brown leather briefcases are an excellent choice. Should you choose a more casual-sporty look, then nylon messenger type bags are acceptable – especially for younger men.

Business casual gives you many more options to add a personal style to your outfit. It allows for a much wider color and pattern combination than traditional business attire. With a little bit of practice you will learn how to combine your pieces of clothing in a way that is unique, fashionable, and elegant-business.

Your Cheap Neckties Team

How to Care For Dress Shoes

How to Care For Your Dress Shoes

Chances are that you have spent a good amount of money on your dress shoes. Why wouldn’t you? After all, wearing quality dress shoes will not only look nice with your suit and tie, but will also offer a great deal of comfort on a long days work. To ensure that you can keep your dress shoes looking sharp for a long time ahead, follow the tips below:

After You Buy Your Dress Shoes
So you found the shoes you like and the price seemed good. But before you wear them, there are a few simple preventative things to do to ensure your shoes will last you a long time:

  • All Weather Spray
    To protect your shoes from water, snow, and sun exposure it is recommended to spray your shoes with an all-weather spray. Doing this will only take a few seconds but will add months of life to your shoes. Simply ask for a protective spray at your shoe store or your local shoemaker. A protective all-weather guard will only cost $5-$10 and is definitely worth the money.

  • Visit a Shoe-Maker
    If your dress shoes have an all-leather sole, it is recommended to bring your shoes to a shoemaker and have a thin rubber layer glued to the soles. This will prevent wear on the leather, add additional traction, and prevent water intrusion in wet conditions. Doing this is a piece of cake for any cobbler, and will only cost you about $4-$8 per shoe.

Preventive Daily Care
After a long day in your shoes, it is important to spend a few extra seconds to care for your footwear. First, un-tie your shoelaces, and loosen them before taking the shoes off. This is also important before putting your shoes back on in the morning. Doing this will protect the heel of your shoes. Secondly, wipe the shoes down –especially when it is wet or snowing outside. Finally use shoetrees to help the shoes keep their original shape. Then, store your shoes in a well-ventilated area. If your shoes are wet inside, crumple up some newspaper, place it inside the shoes, and put your shoes in a warm, dry area.

Polishing Your Dress Shoes
Shoe polish has a high oil and wax content. It serves not only as a polish that shines your shoes, but it also protects the leather of your shoes. Regularly polishing your shoes will prevent cracks in the lather and access folds on top of the shoes.

Re-Soling Dress Shoes
If your shoes get worn off on the sole, there is no reason to throw them away. Instead visit your local cobbler and get them resoled. This is especially recommended with expensive high-end dress shoes. If you go early, the copper will simply add a piece of leather or rubber to the back of the heel, and glue another thin layer to the front area of your shoe sole. Doing this doesn’t cost much money, and will add more life to your shoes.

Traveling With Dress Shoes
When you travel with your dress shoes, it is recommended to use shoetrees to prevent the shoes from being crushed. Also use a cotton show bag, one for each shoe, to protect the leather from sharp objects, as well as to protect your clothes from getting dirty. If you don’t have a shoe bag, an old pair of ski-socks works excellent.

If you follow the tips above, your shoes will last longer, and you will save money as well as another shopping trip at the crowded mall.

Your Cheap Neckties Team

Men’s Winter Coats

Find The Perfect Coat to Wear With Suit & Tie

Staying warm by wearing a winter coat will not only help you prevent seasonal colds, but will also add more style to your outfit. If you wear a suit and tie to work, then a matching winter coat is needed to compliment your outfit. Below are a few helpful pointers to consider when shopping for a new coat this winter.

The Fabric
The type of fabric you choose depends on your climate as well as on how deep your pockets are. Recommended are coats that are made from natural fibers such as wool, or cashmere. The higher cost, and less durability of cashmere makes this fabric slightly less popular. If you live in a very cold climate, then look for a thicker material wool. Popular is a so-called Mohair wool which is made from the Angora goat. It is a very warm, thick, and durable fabric – perfectly suited for the warmest winter coats. Another option is to choose a coat that has an additional insulating layer of sown-in goose down. As a general rule: It is better to choose a coat that is too warm, then not warm enough.

The Right Fit
As a general rule, choose a coat that is one size larger than your suit jackets. The extra size will allow for more moveability and will make you feel less restricted when wearing your suit jacket underneath. To make sure the coat fits perfectly, it is a good idea to go shopping right after work. This way you can be certain that the coat fits right when wearing a suit. Before you buy the coat, make sure you tried it on and tested different movements like sitting down, crossing your arms, or tying your shoe laces.

The Cut That Matches Your Style
It is important that you choose a coat that not only matches your style, but also goes with your company’s dress policy and culture. In addition choose a cut that compliments your body type. For the athletic built, a slightly more tailored cut is an excellent choice. If you are more full-figured, then choose a straight-cut coat.

Winter coats are a stylish accessory for any man. They look great with, or without winter hats, scarves, and dressy gloves. Just like neckties they also make a perfect present for the upcoming holidays.

Tuxedo Dress Shirts

Things to Know About Tuxedo Dress Shirts

If you are invited to a black tie event than it is time to get out your tuxedo and the solid black bow tie. The dress shirt has to be white, but not just any dress shirt will do. Just for the occasion special tuxedo dress shirts must be worn. If you are a little confused about what type of dress shirt to choose, below is all the information you need to know to help you find the perfect tuxedo shirt for the occasion.

The Wing-Collar Tuxedo Shirt
The wing-collar is the traditional dress shirt worn in combination with a tuxedo. It originated during the early 20th century and was a must have for any black, or white tie event. Even thought he Wing-collar shirt is still worn today, it is much less popular than it ones used to be. The heavy starched and stiff collar can be slightly uncomfortable when worn for a long period of time. The best jackets to match this type of dress shirt are the peaked-lapel jacket. The dramatic tips of the wing-collar shirt goes well with this jacket’s angles and cut.

Turn-down Collar Shirt
In comparison to the wing-collar shirt, the turn-down collar shirt are essentially gentrified ordinary dress shirt. The collar typically has a medium spread to accommodate the classic bow ties. There are two ways the turn-down collar tuxedo shirt gets a more formal look over the ordinary dress shirt: First, the shirt usually has French cuff collars that must be worn with cufflinks. Secondly the front of the dress shirt usually has folds sown in. These folds are also called pleat and are usually 1/4″ – 3/4 inch spread apart. The turn-down collar will look great with any style of tuxedo jacket. It is much more comfortable to wear than a wing-tip dress shirt. The turn-down collar dress shirt is the most popular dress shirt worn these days for formal black tie.

Mandarin Tuxedo Shirts
The mandarin dress shirt’s collar doesn’t flip down. Instead it is usually 1″-1.5″ high and stays in place by using heavy starch and a thicker fabric. The stiff feel of this type of shirt is often times considered to be quite uncomfortable – especially when worn over a long period of time. The mandarin type tuxedo shirt is quite rarely used. It is worn without a bow tie, but instead buttoned up with “cufflink-like” pieces of jewelry. The front is usually not pleated, but more plain. If you are looking for a more unique look, then the mandarin dress shirt might just be your style. When wearing this type of shirt, make sure not to combine it with a double breasted jacket as the two style are in conflict with one another.

Cufflinks – Ther Perfect Stocking Stuffer

Great Gift Ideas For Not Much Money

If the current economic situation has you a little worried about how much to spend on presents this year, then you are definitely not alone. In fact, it is expected that most families will be watching their wallet more than ever in this year’s Holiday season. Retailers are worried, and are trying to motivate consumers to buy by offering incentives any way they can. It is expected that much less will be spend on luxury goods such as new television sets, digital video cameras, and extraordinary vacations. Instead, surveys indicate that consumers are focusing more on necessities. Things that will be of use not just today, but also for many years to come are expected to be sold more than in the last few years. Clothing is a classic example. Below are a few gift ideas that won’t cost much money, are thoughtful, and will bring joy for many years to come.

  1. Winter Hats, Scarves, & Gloves:
    Winter hats, scarves and gloves are always a classic winter present. The days are getting shorter and colder, and having a hat that is not only warm, but also stylish will definitely be appreciated. Check if the person already has something like this. If no, then you just found a perfect present.

  2. Neckties & Cufflinks:
    A classic necktie will be in style for many years to come. If you are looking for a traditional-elegant necktie, then most popular are classic striped ties. British neckties, also known as Regimental ties, are a great example. Why not add a set of matching cufflinks to the necktie? At cheap neckties you will be able to find a nice handmade silk tie and a fine set of cufflinks for less than $25.

  3. Briefcases
    If you are looking for the prefect present for your man, than think about getting him a nice leather briefcase. Not only will this add a nice elegant look to his work attire, but it will also help him stay organized. In addition, having a professional look can only help for your job. Often times a professional look is associated with ability and competency. It can only help the career.

Remember to start shopping early. Don’t wait until the last minute. If you see something that would be just a perfect present for someone in your life, and if it fits into your budget, then don’t procrastinate. Getting your Holiday shipping out of the way will reduce unnecessary stress later on.

Smart Neckties

Smart Neckties: Solar Cells on Neckties

If you are looking for more than just a piece of fashion accessory in your neckties, then we have some interesting news for you. One Iowa based company has been developing solar panels that are so thin and flexible that they can easily be added to any clothing accessory. They are supposed to be a thin as paper and have the texture of a photo film.

We probably won’t be carrying this sort of necktie in our store any time soon since it is out mission to focus on fashionable neckties, and not novelty ties. We want to stay true to our mission and offer you quality neckties with elegant, classy designs to unbeatable prices. Nevertheless we thought that the story on neckties that have solar panels build in to charge a cell phone would be an interesting read for you. Who knows where this technology will be heading. Apparently there is research being done to create solar panels that are woven directly into the fabric itself. If this happens than you can wear an entire outfit that charges your laptop, cell phone, or digital camera without even noticing it.

Your Cheap-Neckties Team.

How to Match Pocket Squares

How to Match a Pocket Square to Your Outfit

Pocket squares are not just for black tie attire. In fact, they are a great piece of fashion accessory that will add more class and style to a wide range of outfits. Below are some basic tips on how to match a pocket square to your outfit.

Black Tie Attire:
Traditional black tie means black tuxedo and black bow tie. The pocket square is a quite commonly used of accessory for black tie events. If you choose to wear a pocket square, the pick a white one. The pocket square fold should be classy-elegant. Most common is the so-called “Presidential, or “Flat” fold.

2-Piece Business Suit:
If you prefer a more formal look, then match the pocket square to your necktie. Less formal and more fashionable are pocket squares in different colors and patterns than the necktie. This will add class without creating a “stuck up” image. The best pocket square fold is the so-called “Puff” fold. It is one of the least formal folds that is well suited to business attire and classy-casual outfits.

Materials for Pocket Squares:
If you prefer a more formal look, then make sure that the pocket square has a stiffer look and feel. Great are thicker silk pocket squares, or fine linen pocket squares that were lightly starched. For less formal attire in combination with the “Puff” fold, softer and thinner pocket squares are great.

Matching Neckties With Plaid Suit

How to Match a Plaid Suit

The plaid looking is coming back in style. What was once considered an old grandpa’s look is now regaining much popularity among younger, fashion-forward thinking men. The suit has a slightly vintage look, but if worn correctly makes a very fashionable appearance. Below is all the basic you need to know about plaid suits, how to wear them, and how to combine shirts and ties to them.

Different Types of Plaid:

  1. Window Pane Plaid: This type of fabric has horizontal and vertical lines that creates boxes – hence the name “window pane plaid”. It is advisable to wear a window pane suit that has not too much contrast between the colors. A black with white lines would appear a little restless. Instead choose a charcoal grau with off-white, or brown with beige.
  2. The Glen Plaid: This fabric is a tight twill with broken checks. IT looks a little like a “hound’s-tooth – check” fabric. Again, stay away from a fabric that has too much of a color contrast between light and dark.
  3. Prince of Whales Plaid: This type of fabric combines both the Window Pane, and the Glen Plaid.

How to Wear the Plaid Suit:
To avoid looking like you are wearing grandpa’s suit, the modern plaid suit is slightly more fitted at the waist. This is key in avoiding an “old-man’s look”. The tailored suit is typically found in modern Italian suit. A tailored plaid suit combined both: Tradition and modern fashion.

Neckties for Plaid Suits:
The plaid suit goes exceptionally well with British neckties and classic striped ties. Classic colors such as burgundy, navy, olive green, and sandstone yellow are great choices. In addition to striped ties, modern Paisley design neckties are also great choices. Stay away from ties that are too shiny as it will not go with the dull shine of plaid. Patterned bow ties are also an excellent choice. If you are looking to add even more style then also add a pocket square to the breast pocket of your jacket.