All Things Seersucker (in time for National Seersucker Day)

Every so often, I get pitch letters from PR agencies sharing the latest news from whichever brand. Since I try to stick to practical advice and reviews here on the blog, rather than sharing upcoming news that every menswear blogger is getting, I usually read these with some amusement and file them away. However, the most recent letter, sent on behalf of Southern trad clothiers, Haspel, caught me eye.

Apparently, 'National Seersucker Day' used to be a thing - centered on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., but shared by menswear enthusiasts across the country, the day is a celebration of 'a simpler time when there was more charm and playfulness in Washington Attire.' During the recession, the tradition was ditched (I guess the D.C. vibe just wasn't so charming and playful as our economy tanked), but this year, they're bringing it back.

The day comes on June 11th, so you have plenty of time to stock up on some of the summer fabric. To help you out, we've picked out a few of our favorite options currently available across the web.

First, though, what is seersucker? Until I really became interested in style, it was a word I heard relatively often but really didn't know what it meant. Traditional seersucker is a cotton fabric easily recognized by its light blue and white stripes, but the identity of the fabric goes beyond the pattern to the material itself. Seersucker is uniquely puckered along the lines of the stripes (and these days, you can find alternatives like seersucker gingham, which puckers with the checks, or solid navy seersucker which shares the puckered lines of traditional seersucker, but over a solid background). This kind-of-rumpled effect helps lend the classic southern look - similar to the wrinkles in linen, but also serves a practical purpose by keeping the fabric off of your skin, and therefore allowing better airflow to keep you cool in hot summer weather or southern climates.

A very dapper seersucker getup.
Photo courtesy of Haspel

Seersucker can definitely be seen as a bit of a 'statement' fabric or pattern, bolder than your every-day neutrals. Depending on your own sartorial tenacity, you may embrace the southern-swag full-on, or might just be interested in sprucing up your summer duds with a dash of the fabric. Here are our recommendations, in order from the most subtle to the most bold:

A tie is easily the simplest way to pop some seersucker into your rotation, and you can find them practically anywhere this time of year. The Tie Bar has an absolutely fantastic-looking option for only $15:

Cotton Seersucker in Midnight Navy | The Tie Bar

One of the big risks with seersucker suits and trousers is that you may end up looking too summery and casual for the occasion, which is why I love a pair of seersucker shorts. Shorts are already pretty darn summery and casual, so pretty much any occasion that calls for a pair of shorts will be just fine to wear seersucker. I just got turned onto Jomers, who are selling made-in-NYC shorts for $35. Hot damn, on my shopping list for sure:

Midwoods Shorts in Navy Seersucker | Jomers

While not quite as widespread, seersucker shirts are a great way to stay cool in the summer heat. Plus, the look plays off of more year-round styles, like a striped oxford, or a Bengal-stripe dress shirt, which will keep the piece from standing out like a sore thumb. This number from J.Crew is a bit pricey at full retail, but wait for one of their many sales and snag it at a discount:

Slim Seersucker Shirt | J.Crew

From there, things take a much bolder turn. If you aren't ready for a full seersucker suit, start off with the trousers. It's still a strong style move, but isn't quite was overwhelming as a full seersucker suit can be. Try these Thompson suit pants from J.Crew Factory, currently on sale at $88:

Thompson Suit Pant in Seersucker | J.Crew Factory

Of course, you can always say 'hell-with-it' and go all-out in your southern swag. In order to avoid a frumpy boozehound look (I guess that's the best way to describe it?), do your seersucker suit like any other suit - keep the profile slim, get that bad boy tailored, and rock it with confidence. While still probably not appropriate for a day at the office, a seersucker suit is a great choice for a summer wedding, a cocktail party, a day at the races, and numerous other warm-weather occasions. Here's the jacket to match the above pants (and the whole suit clocks in at around $225, not too shabby at all):

Thompson Suit Jacket in Seersucker | J.Crew Factory

To bring things back to Haspel real quick, while I don't have any personal experience with the brand, they are well known as a staple of southern gent style, and this year are trying to bring some modernity and youth to their line (slimmer suits, brighter colors, you get the gist). Check them out, not only for some nice duds (although a bit expensive for my budget), but also for some upcoming #seersuckerday giveaways. Free stuff is always worth a look!

Who's got seersucker in their wardrobe? What's your favorite way to rock it?

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 2/21/2014

The deal: "Every weekend, check in on the blog for a collection of the best (read: my favorite) deals and steals on the interweb for some quality shopping over the weekend. Have any to add? Share them in the comments or shoot me an e-mail. Also, if you're biting on any of these hooks, I'd love to hear about it!"

And the steals:

End of Season Sale at J.Press/York Street:
J. Press and their younger brother, York Street, are both offering some awesome end of season deals...so many in fact that I'm having a crazy hard time trying to decide what to highlight (thus, I highly recommend checking out the whole selection on both sites). Honestly, there's a ton of great stuff, so I picked two items at the ends of the spectrum. First, from York Street (the slimmer fitting of the two), there is this fantastic looking navy overcoat in a highly desirable (read: soft and warm) blend of wool and cashmere: 

Classic Top-Coat | York Street

At $295, it's still an investment, but when you take a look at the original price of almost $1000, it's for sure a steal. Ignore the foolish pants this model is wearing...and damn if that coat doesn't hit all the right notes. Ticket pocket, three button closure, hits a bit above the knee, available in navy and grey...plus, since it's a York Street offering, it will fit slimmer than something from the standard J. Press line.

Which is the very reason I picked this classic-prep striped tie as my recommendation from J. Press. Obviously, since it's neckwear, you don't have to worry about losing the slim fit. Even without 'fit' to worry about, I thought this tie would run wide, but it's 2.75" at it's widest, which is actually my favorite tie size - not quite hipster-skinny, but still proportional for a slim guy.

Leeds University Tie | J. Press

This one hits the other end of the price-commitment spectrum at less than $20, but the original price of $70 hints at a much higher level of quality than other options in the $20 range. The pattern is super preppy, which I actually dig, and while the burgundy/dark green colors are maybe just a bit Christmas-y, they are also just generally seasonal.

Ok, ok, so there were so many great things that I had to include one more. I was just showing my girlfriend the Todd Snyder + Champion crew neck sweatshirts and telling her how much I was coming to like the chest pocket. Then I saw this one from York Street, and the more I consider it, I think I actually like this option even more: 

Vintage Reverse Sweatshirt | York Street

Originally, the York Street sweatshirt goes for $135, pretty close to the Todd Snyder price, but now it's on sale for only $34. That's just crazy. 


Free Shipping (and Clearance Section) at Levi's:
Levi's is currently offering free shipping, which is especially good news when combined with the fact that they have a ton of stuff already marked down to some awesome prices. For example, they have their iconic denim trucker jacket marked down from $88 by more than 50% to just $40:

Slim Fit Trucker Jacket | Levi's

This one is the dark blue rinse, but they have a few others as well. Offered in a slim fit, it will be a versatile and timeless addition to your wardrobe. Wear it as a light jacket in the spring and fall, and carry it into winter as a layering piece. 

These wool/cotton blend jeans aren't quite as good of a bargain, but I'm fascinated by the idea. Wool jeans? Well, at least partly wool? I've seen jeans with a minor percentage of silk before, but this takes things in the opposite direction. With this never-ending winter, making your jeans a tad bit warmer wouldn't hurt.

501 Original Fit in Wool Denim Rinse | Levi's

Like I said, not as crazy cheap as the trucker jacket, but still offered at a significant discount, down to $60 from $128 (again, over 50% off there, folks). In the classic 501 fit, which is always a popular choice.


Up to 50% Off Select Styles at Banana Republic:
Banana Republic is offering up to 50% off, and once again, they have just a ton of stuff on the list. Definitely worth browsing through, but I locked onto this dot-print button-down shirt because it'd be so great to stop thinking about winter and start looking forward to spring...sigh. If you step back (or look at the smaller picture), it looks solid, but up close it actually has a pretty bright, almost bold pattern.

Slim-Fit Soft-Wash Dot Print Button-Down | Banana Republic

The pattern itself will be perfect for a spring or summer casual option, but that solid-from-a-distance appearance keeps it from being in-your-face. Best part? At half off, it's barely over $30 (just $32.50).


Jack Spade Accessories at Gilt:
I love Jack Spade style, so I was excited to see them pop up on Gilt. I was kind of disappointed to see that the bags were still out of my price range, until I found this pair of cashmere gloves. Discounted down to only $45, which is cheap for gloves in general, let alone cashmere, I was expecting some sort of crappy, 5% cashmere blend. But no. Well, yes. It is a blend, but a whopping 92% cashmere???

Tommy Cashmere Gloves | Jack Spade via Gilt

At one-size-fits all, these are sure to have a bit of stretch, which means that the final-sale caveat shouldn't be too big of a risk.


New Arrivals at Spectre & Co.:
We reviewed Spectre & Co. last year, and I was a big fan of their dress shirts. I've kept in touch with founder Jeffrey Zhang since then, and he gave me a heads up on some new additions to the shop. As always, they're bringing everything at pretty spectacular prices, so we'll end this list of deals and steals with a few from them. One of the big areas they've branched into has been accessories, with scarves earlier in the year, and just this week the addition of belts. They have some in solid colors with contrast edging, but my favorite are these braided belts:

Dark Brown Braided Belt | Spectre & Co.

I've been on a big braided belt kick lately...funny, I always thought they were kinda dorky looking when I was a kid, but now I love them. While I have one that I got for next-to-nothing at the thrift shop, it's pretty beat up, and I'm definitely thinking of updating and upgrading to one of these, especially with the $50 price point.

Also, not necessarily a new offer, but recently re-stocked, I'm going to grab one of their white OCBDs. Like all of their standard shirts, this guy will only set me back $45:

Washed White Oxford Button-Down | Spectre & Co.

The white OCBD should be a staple in every man's closet, but I've recently found a renewed love for them. I find myself wearing my few multiple times a week, so I've come to decide that I can't have enough of them. Therefore, finding an affordable but high quality option is awesome. Soon, they'll be adding ties for $35, and I'm pumped to see what they've got.

Outfit Post - The Sunday Lunch Date

Sorry for the delay on this post...I was planning on getting it up after the Super Bowl last night (what the hell happened there???)  but since my girlfriend was leaving first thing this morning for a business trip, I decided to spend my time with her instead of working. Sue me. 

Anyway, it's appropriate that I was so sweet to my gal, since she was kinda the inspiration for this post. It's restaurant week here in Chicago, so I took her out to a snazzy afternoon meal at The Savoy (our first time there, but I recommend it if you're in the city). We made ourselves nice and appropriately presentable before heading out, so I figured I may as well do an outfit post with an example of a great lunch-date ensemble.

At the Savoy...hmm...tie is slightly askew...and I'm slightly OCD...

The Savoy, like many lunch-date options, was a nice restaurant, but not fancy. There's no way I was going to show up in sweatpants, but at the same time it didn't call for a suit (although I have a new on from Dragon Inside that I'm dying for a chance to wear - more to come). As it should be, this was the first criteria for picking my outfit - sharp casual.

From there, I (half-jokingly) decided on a black-and-white color palette for the sole reason that it was Super Bowl Sunday, I could care less about both teams, and didn't want to throw affiliation either way (not that I own much in orange, but I have a lot of blue and green). 

Black, white, and in-between. Greyscale doesn't mean boring.

After that, it was pretty easy. When you're going for sharp casual, crisp blue jeans are never a bad choice. Either is a white OCBD. Either is a dark grey tie. Either is a charcoal merino V-neck. The point, I guess, is that those menswear staples are there for a reason. Not every outfit you pick needs to stand out.

My socks were the one place I let some color pop...and that's what I love about socks, as I mentioned last week.

A little flash of purple.

When it was all put together, I think it was a classy look...subtle yet sharp (man, I'm overusing that word, but it just fits), interesting but not bold, and I think (hope?) that the same balance came across in the image I presented...confident but respectful, because I know that's how my girl likes me best. :-)

Despite the snowy appearance, it was actually warm enough to wear a new lighter jacket from Frank & Oak.

Side note - my gal took some pages out of the menswear book herself and looked awfully cute doing it...rocked some nice blue jeans, a chambray shirt with just enough contrast from the denim, and some new suede boots. Gorgeous!

My beautiful date!

Outfit Details:

Waxed Cotton Parka - Frank & Oak

Merino V-neck Sweater - Frank & Oak

OCBD - Uniqlo

Knit Tie - The Tie Bar

Jeans - Levi's

Socks (similar) - Express

Wingtip Shoes (similar) - Johnston Murphy (via eBay)

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 1/9/2014

First, the spiel: "Every weekend, check in on the blog for a collection of the best (read: my favorite) deals and steals on the interweb for some quality shopping over the weekend. Have any to add? Share them in the comments or shoot me an e-mail. Also, if you're biting on any of these hooks, I'd love to hear about it!"

This week, we're going with high-end designer duds being offered at crazy low prices. This is the time of year for seasonal sales that drop some normally hugely expensive items down to a price range that doesn't make me regret memorizing my credit card. 

East Dane End-Of-Season Sale:
I had actually never heard of this e-commerce retailer before, but got turned on to them just in time to catch this huge sale. The site offers a lot of high-end designer goods, similar to MR PORTER, and most would normally be pretty far out of my price range, but this sale puts a lot of great items in reach. For instance, there's a large selection of Gant Rugger shirts hovering around the $40 mark (most originally $125). This madras plaid is one of my favorites:

Madras Plaid Shirt | Gant Rugger via East Dane

I'm really digging the spread collar, where most shirts in this style come with a button-down collar. The spread just ups the formality a bit, and I think this would look great under a summer suit.

Shift back to winter real quick, I also spotted these chinos (another offering from Gant), knocked down to just $50 from an original price of $165:

Winter Chinos | Gant Rugger via East Dane

I love navy chinos as an incredibly versatile alternative to khaki. Even better, these are made with a 'winter weight' cloth, and this polar vortex has me all about warmer duds for the next few months. Check out the rest of the sale for some other great designers at surprisingly affordable prices.


Up to 50% Off Fall Styles at Rag & Bone:
Rag & Bone is in the middle of their seasonal sale and have a ton of items at unusually low prices. I'm actually pretty blown away by the price of these selvage (selvedge?) jeans, which are going for a pretty unheard of price of $75 (originally $255):

RB15-Indigo Selvage Jeans | Rag & Bone

Selvage denim rarely goes for under $100, especially with a designer name like Rag & Bone attached. If they have your size, I highly recommend grabbing these.

I'm also so tempted by this mock-neck sweater, especially after seeing this similarly cut one in red, rocked incredibly well by Wes over at TSB:

Jeremy Army Pullover | Rag & Bone

The sweater is running $105, which is still a bit steep for my blood, but is a great deal when you look at the original $350 price tag. A late Christmas present for myself, maybe?


Up to 60% Off at Todd Snyder:
Like Rag & Bone, Todd Snyder is one of those designers I've always loved but could never afford. This sale changes things, though, and I'm ready to jump on a few items. First on my list is this incredibly comfortable looking pullover crewneck sweatshirt:

Off-White Pocket Sweatshirt | Todd Snyder

Lately, I've been on a drive to convert my college casual wardrobe to something more grown-up, and this would make a great replacement for those hoodies that I wore everywhere when I was younger. I love all the details, from the gusseting at the neck to the chest pocket. The regular price of $130 was way high for something I'd probably mostly wear around the house, but at $56, like I said, ready to jump.

Todd Snyder does a lot of great collaborations as well, like these Todd Snyder + Seavees Army Issue Sneakers. Originally $125, these are going for only $49, and look like a great casual shoe for when the weather starts to warm back up.

Olive Army Issue Low Sneaker | Todd Snyder + Seavees

The lightweight look isn't just weather-appropriate for the spring and summer, but it will also balance great with shorts (I hate the way a chunkier sneaker looks with a trim pair of fitted shorts). Also, military styling has really developed into a long-lasting trend over the past year or so.


Barneys Fall Designer Sale:
We'll close things out with a few picks from luxe department-store Barneys, whose Fall Designer Sale is running apparel, shoes and accessories at up to 75% off. One of my top picks is this great, very wintery tie, offered exclusively through Barneys at $39 (down from $70).

Exploded Houndstooth Donegal Tie | Barneys

I have a great tie collection, but I've stuck with bargain deals (lookin' at you, Tie Bar), and am trying to add some nice ties to the mix. This wool/silk mix looks fantastic and would certainly fit the bill.

I've probably made it clear that I love chunky sweaters, and I love tweed, so it shouldn't be a suprise that I'm closing out with this awesome Tweedy Cable-Knit Sweater by Saturdays Surf NYC:

Tweedy Cable-Knit Sweater | Saturdays Surf NYC via Barneys

What's not to love? It's incredible appropriate for this cold weather, and the style is spot on. Factor in the huge discount, from $160 down to $59, and it's a deal that's really hard to pass up...so don't!

Seasonal Neckwear

First, some exciting news: for those of you that didn't see the posts on Twitter or Facebook, Wide Eyes Tight Wallets hit a milestone this week as we broke 500 followers on Twitter! Every big step like that is exciting, so we definitely plan on celebrating, and what better way to celebrate that to reward the peeps that make it happen. That's right, YOU. Long story short, keep your eyes peeled for a **giveaway** sometime in the next week or so as a token of our appreciation for you guys following along.

Ok, on to the meat of the post:

I hope I'm not the only one who has been scoring some awesome deals from the various summer sales going on about now. I featured Bonobos last week, but J. Crew Factory had some killer discounts recently as well. This week, I received my order in the mail, and my favorite pick has to be this new madras cotton tie, which brings me to a great point as we are really getting into these hot summer months.

Ok, to be entirely fair, I have to admit I had this post planned for earlier in the season, but unavoidable delays kept pushing it back, but there's still plenty of summer left. When the temperature rises, we all adjust the cloth and style of our clothing to keep us cool and comfortable. Heavy wools get stuck in the closet, while lighter cloths like cotton and linen hit the rotation full-swing. What a lot of people don't realize is that you can (and should) take the same steps when picking out your neckwear.

Now, it's fair enough to mention that wearing a cotton or linen tie isn't really going to keep you any cooler. However, there are still two good reasons to do this. The first is that the clothing that you will be matching your tie is now in a different cloth and therefore a different texture. Where a wool suit or a thicker dress shirt has a certain sheen to it that pairs well with silk ties, or where tweed is thick and hearty and goes great with a wool tie, these clothes would look kind of out of place with a breezy lightweight tie. The same goes for the opposite. Linen suits, cotton blazers, lightweight dress shirts, all have a unique weight and texture that lends to a little 'rough-around-the-edges,' while not necessarily casual, style that just looks out of place with a shiny silk tie. You can really notice this in the shots with the blazer, which is a summer-weight cotton/linen blend that plays nicely off the texture of the tie.

Secondly, silk and linen ties just lend to a more summery feel all around, and those summer styles you're looking for will be hard to find in a silk or wool option. You're much more likely to find madras plaids in cotton, and, as far as I know, you'll never find a seersucker tie made out of silk (I'm not sure that would even be possible). When designers and brands put out their cotton and silk tie lines, they are designing these specifically for the summer months, and you'll find a plethora of bright summer colors and patterns to choose from. Long story short, as your rolling up you sleeves, embracing the season, your neckwear should reflect the same attitude.

This tie from J. Crew is 100 percent cotton and came in a great madras pattern, which I discussed before as one of my favorite summer patterns. This pattern in particular is a perfect blend of bold and subtle. It features the brighter madras reds and blues, but the plaid isn't too busy and the colors are slightly faded, keeping it from being 'in-your-face' while remaining plenty summery. You'll also notice I went with a solid pocket square in a similar fabric (chambray) that brings out the red in the tie without being to matchy-matchy. 

The J. Crew Factory sale has unfortunately passed, but there are still plenty of great options for summer neckwear. The Tie Bar is my go-to for affordable ties, and they have entire sections dedicated to cotton and linen options. I actually just grabbed a great blue-striped cotton tie (shown below) from their pop-up stand at the Daley Center last week (always love avoiding paying shipping). If I'd gotten this post up earlier, like I had planned, Uniqlo had some great madras options as well, but it looks like they are already moving on to their fall line. 

My favorite fan.

On a final note, as the following here continues to grow, I'd love to hear more from the readers! If you have any summer tie suggestions, or selections you want to brag about, or any other input, have your say in the comments section or e-mail me at wideeyestightwallets@gmail.com and I'll share your stuff with the community! As always, thanks for reading!

WIWT - 4/24/2013

It’s been a while since I did a WIWT post, and I’m pretty damn happy with my wardrobe selection today, so WIWT it is. Mostly, I’m loving this outfit because it’s letting me use several new pieces that I was really excited to purchase and receive as gifts.



The first is this green chambray shirt from Frank and Oak. I think, from previous articles, you should know by now that Frank and Oak and chambray are two of my favorite things right now. I am also starting to be addicted to mint green as my go-to spring color, so when I saw this shirt in the April F&O selection I immediately jumped on it.

As usual with Frank and Oak, I’m really happy with the shirt. It fits me great as is, and the construction is very solid. It’s actually a bit heavier than my other Frank and Oak shirts, which is a bit of a mixed blessing. While I was kind of hoping for something light as the weather warms up, I’ve actually ended up being really happy with this weight on cooler spring days. It’s breathable enough that it doesn’t feel like a blanket when the sun comes out, but thick enough to give me a bit of a substantial layer when it gets cloudy and windy (as it so often does during Chicago springtime).



Next is the tie and pocket square combination, which I recently purchased from The Tie Bar. I’m always a big fan of polka dots, and this tie has pretty much the perfect scale going on for a fun tie that still fits the office environment. In my opinion, smaller and busier pin-dots lend to a more formal look, while larger and more spaced-out dots tend to look more casual, and this tie gives a great balance between the two. I’ve worn it with jeans, like here, or with dress pants and was equally pleased with both looks.



I also love this pocket square. I’m just starting to get into the pocket square game, and it can be tricky. You want to compliment other parts of your outfit without matching exactly, which can be tough to do at times. This square works great because I have a lot shirts and ties that are either blue or have blue accents, but I don’t have anything with a hounds-tooth pattern. Also, while it is a shinier silk square (as opposed to linen or cotton), the pattern breaks it up enough that it doesn’t look too dandy-ish (in my opinion).



Last, but definitely not least, is this Timex watch and strap from FormFunctionForm, which was a recent birthday present from my wonderful girlfriend.



I haven’t worn a watch since I was, oh maybe 10 years old? At which point my dream watch was one with a calculator, or a Tony the Tiger watch from a box of frosted flakes. As I’ve worked on upping my style game, I’ve decided it’s time to get back into the habit. Unfortunately, I’m not in the financial position to be buying a $500 watch (or anything near that price range…tight wallets, my friends), and my girlfriend isn’t in the financial position to be gifting me one either. On the other hand, I have enough taste to be pretty averse to buying some chintzy (is that a word? it is now) $50 timepiece from Urban Outfitters. Enter the FFF Timex. The face itself is classic and simple, and while it’s inexpensive it doesn’t look cheap.



The strap is top notch, made from quality Horween Chromexcel leather that will age beautifully and featuring and adjustable notch system reminiscent of the Everlane belt that I reviewed before (fully adjustable, but only ever showing one hole). It’s great, end of story.


Just a few final notes: Got the jeans going on and it’s not even casual Friday! Thank you, office, for Staff Appreciation Week.



Also, notice the brown belt and watch strap…while not entirely necessary, in general you should match your watch along with your belt and shoes.

Finally, the last time I wore this basic outfit, I wore my brown loafers, and I think I prefer that look. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I think something about the olive green tone in these Clarks blends in too well with both the shirt and jacket. The dark brown shoes lent a bit more contrast to the look, along with a little more gloss. I will say though, that I’m loving the way these boots are ‘aging.’ I’m normally OCD about scuffs, so the waxed leather, which shows every mark, took a little getting used to, but it’s definitely grown on me.





Ok, almost done rambling. I do want to say that I had a reader or two voice the opinion that they would like to see more pictures on the blog. The weather is finally shaping up (natural light is way better than my house lights) and I have my fancyshmancy camera, so I’m doing my best to indulge - I do care what you folks have to say, so keep the feedback coming! On that note, I’ll leave you with this mid-gesture action shot that my gal (and photographer) insisted I include (she thinks I’m cute).





Today’s Outfit:

Jacket and Shirt: Frank and Oak

Jeans: Hurley (bought at Nordstrom Rack)

Tie and Pocket Square: The Tie Bar

Boots: Clarks Desert Boots (bought on eBay)

Watch: FormFunctionForm

Tying the Knot(s)

As promised, I’m going to keep delving into the wonderful world of the necktie. I’ve written about tie knots before, but this post goes into more detail on all the knots that are available and when to use them. Tie-A-Tie.net covers all the instructional bases much better than I’d be able to, so I will refrain from trying to repeat the innumerable tutorials that are already out there, and this post will be less of a ‘how-to and more of a ‘how to do it right.’

First it’s important to understand that there are certain times to use or not to use each of these knots, no single one can serve as a go-to in every situation. The biggest factor in determining which knots you can use is going to be the style of the collar of your shirt. In this area, proportion is your biggest measuring tool. Spread collars leave a lot of room between the collar points in which you can easily fit a double-windsor, while a traditional point collar will swallow a wide knot and is more appropriately paired with a four-in-hand knot. There are a few other factors as well, but for the most part they come down to personal taste.

So what are your options?

The first (and most versatile) knot you should know is the Four-In-Hand. I know I said there is no ‘go-to’ knot, but this one comes close. This knot is on the smaller side and markedly asymmetric. With the growing trend in menswear to try to look dapper without being over-polished, stylish without looking too damn perfectly put together, this knot is a great way to tavoid that ‘perfect-triangle,’ Dorito-lookin tie knot that can make you look like you just rolled off a factory line of Donald Trumps, cheesy politicians and used car salesmen. The small nature of this knot makes it perfect for point-collar shirts and button-down collars. It also is one of the few knots that looks naturally proportional with a skinnier tie. Like I said, I’m a big fan of this one and use it almost every day. The biggest trouble I run into with this knot is that it doesn’t take up much of the tie length, and I am often left with a too-long-tie. The quick solution to this is to throw in one more loop and turn the knot into a Double Four-In Hand, a knot used extensively by some of the more fashion-forward Italian gentlemen, and one I have become a huge fan of lately. It adds some nice heft to lighter ties (such as cotton, linen, or thin twill), and comes out with a really nice looking knot that just hints at luxury. See below:

The next knot I would say you should know is the Double Windsor, more because it is a classic staple that a lot of other knots are based off of than because of any recommendation of mine to actually wear the thing. This is where you get that big triangle Dorito look I always complain about. However, the Double Windsor does have it’s place, mainly among power suits and super-spread collars. It’s a very in-your-face knot, often associated with Wall Street boys and Hollywood Agents (I think Ari of Entourage fame always wore a nice, big Double Windsor). Don’t even try this knot with a point collar, as either the shirt will swallow the knot, or the knot will push at your collar in a most unseemly way (see, somehow even writing about the Double Windsor makes me a little pompous, I apologize). I also apologize that this isn’t the greatest looking knot in the picture, but I rarely use this knot, so I’m not a pro. Deal with it:

My suggestion, if you want something with a bit more heft and formality than the Four-In Hand, would be to go for a Half-Windsor or a Shelby/Pratt knot. Both of these knots essentially take out a loop of the Double Windsor, simultaneously making it a bit smaller and more approachable while adding a touch of asymmetry to keep it interesting. These two (in my opinion) are pretty interchangable, but I’ve found the Half Windsor to work better with wider ties while the Shelby/Pratt gives you a nice wide knot on a skinny tie without looking silly. The Shelby/Pratt is my go-to when wearing a spread collar, as most of my ties are on the skinnier end. It’s also a slightly more formal knot, so I tend to wear it when I am dressing up for a special occaision. It can be a bit tricky at first, because it’s one of the few knots that requires you to start with your tie essentially ‘inside-out,’ but you get the hang of it after a few tries. Here is the Shelby:

And the Half Windsor:

After these four options, there are literally countless variations, many of which I can’t even tell the difference between, but these are the four basics that most other knots are derived from. Sit in front of a mirror and practice these until they are ingrained in your memory and you will be prepared for pretty much any occasion that calls for neckwear. And please, by all means, avoid those goddamn novelty knots.

An Introduction To My Personal Style

Before I post too many more articles, I wanted to give you a bit more of an introduction to myself and my style, and therefore what I will be talking about a lot on this blog. To demonstrate, feast your hungry eyes upon THIS masterpiece of a photo! Haha ok, so maybe not masterpiece, and honestly it’s not the best picture ever (thank you random iPhone self-timer camera app). However, I am proud of the way my gorgeous girlfriend and I look, and this does a decent job of illustrating several of the sartorial lessons I have learned thus far.

This picture is from this past weekend. We decided to skip the crowds and celebrate Valentine’s Day a few days early and take advantage of Chicago’s Restaurant Week at the same time, we got all dressed up and had dinner at Farmhouse Tavern (by the way, I highly reccomend everything I mention in that last sentence). While I wear a tie almost every day and try to look my best at all times, I don’t really dress up all that often, so I was excited by a chance to do a little extra with my ensemble.

I already had the brown blazer and the charcoal trousers that I really liked (thank you Frank and Oak, who will be getting a full review at some point. I absolutely love their clothes and service), so I decided to use that as a base to build on. I snagged the shirt during the last few days of Charles Tyrwhitt’s winter sale (a steal at $35, normally $160. CT will be getting a review in the future as well). It is my first shirt with french cuffs, so I got to order some cuff-links as well. I wanted to look sharp and stylish, but not super formal or over the top, so I opted for a pair of Navy and Pink silk knots. You can’t see them in the picture, but the navy comes across as the main color, allowing the pink to more sublty compliment the shirt.

Next I moved on to the tie and pocket square combo. The pocket square was another first for me, and I wasn’t really sure where to start, so I looked for some professional advice. A GREAT resource is Tie Society. Check out their services sometime (you may have heard of them as the Netflix of ties), but my favorite part is that they will give you tie and pocket square matching advice. Even better, they don’t limit themselves to their own selection, and are really interested in helping you look good. I’ve talked with Jake at Tie Society countless times and he has really helped me improve my look. Back to the point - I had my eyes on a dark grey wool tie with light ‘cornflower blue’ pinstripes from The Tie Bar, and was originally thinking of a navy-based pocket square. In the end, after discussing it with Jake, I decided on something lighter and more classic and went with white linen with lavender edges (also from The Tie Bar, and you guessed it, review coming). The white lightened the whole outfit up a bit while the lavender tied it to my shirt. I love tie clips, so I threw on a dark grey one as well.

Lastly, after talking to Jake I decided that while it is OK to wear brown shoes with charcoal grey pants, the shoes I had were a bit too dark to go well, so instead I opted for a pair of black half-brogues from Allen Edmonds that I scored on eBay for only $30. I ordered a pair of great heart-patterned socks from Nordstrom for the occasion, but they didn’t arrive in time, which was a bummer, so I went with a pair of grey and black argyle socks I have that are accented in lavender.

And the FINAL touch: a goddamn stunning woman on my arm. Honestly, the key to looking good, ever.

Anyway, like I said I was pretty proud of the final outcome. I followed a lot of ‘rules’ I have found while matching patterns, colors, textures, etc. to put together something that looks like a good outfit, and not a collection of separate pieces of nice clothes. I wanted to give you a taste of my style, and where I am on the sartorial spectrum. You won’t find me at Pitti Uomo or NY Fashion week or in any street style pics, but I think I’ve got the basics down. Future articles will spend more time on individual aspects of outfits such as this (blazer fit, trouser break, cuffing, etc), and will include the afforementioned reviews among other topics, but this is just glimpse! Let me know what you think, what you would have done differently, any input you might have!