Weekend Casual - Brand Spotlight & Review

It was crazy, right around when we decided to move to New York, I got flooded with review and collaboration requests. In the interests of keeping my sanity together (and making it back to the East Coast mentally and physically intact), I put a bunch of things on hold. Now that I’m settled in and waiting for my full-time job to kickstart, I finally have time to get back to these! First on the list is a new accessories brand, Weekend Casual, who were kind enough to send me some samples as an introduction to their products.

Brand Background:

As is tradition here on Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets, I’ll kick things off by letting the brand say a bit about themselves. This isn’t me being lazy, I swear! I just feel they can do a better job telling their story than I can. Kunal Parikh, the founder, had this to say:

"Our main idea is that you don't need to spend a million bucks to look like a million bucks - we want people to be able to utilize what they already own and change up their look by adding accents to their look. And at our prices, you can afford to keep changing your look and staying up to date with the latest styles and trends on a regular basis."

The 'About Us' section on their site goes into a bit more detail:

"Our goal at WC is to deliver to our customers a simple, attractive and streamlined outlet for men to keep their style updated and on trend, with collection of ever-changing accessories. Every WC customer can trust in the knowledge that our design house creates and manufactures our quality men's accessories in the finest facilities shared by such designers as Ted Baker, J Crew and more. We're here to bring you the most engaging and efficient shopping experience. High quality at affordable prices is all part of the program. Keeping it real is what we do best."

Head over to their site to learn more.

The Selection:

So what do they offer? At this point, it’s a pretty solid selection of all things menswear accessories. The focus is on ties, but from there they branch out into bow-ties, pocket squares, cufflinks, tie clips and pins, suspenders and socks. The selections themselves range from classic and conservative to modern and fun.

Classic and conservative...or modern and fun. Your choice.

In particular, they seem to really have a knack for the floral trend, but it will be interesting to see if this gets played down as we enter fall and winter (and what might replace it).

Floral, floral, and more floral!

I’m also personally a huge fan of their equal emphasis on knit ties - sometimes these companies with more selective offerings skip over knits, which are my absolute favorites, so it’s great to see them getting their due!

Ties, bow-ties, cufflinks, and suspenders clock in at $19 a piece, only nominally more than at The Tie Bar, while tie clips are actually cheaper at just $9.  Pre-tied bow-ties are knocked down to $17, pocket squares are $12, lapel pins are $9, and socks are $8. Big apologies if I got any of those mixed up!

What They Sent Me:

To introduce me to their duds, founder Kunal was kind enough to send me a variety of neck ties and pocket squares. I received four ties and two pocket squares:

The ties were the highlight, in my mind. My favorite was this 100% wool tie in blue and grey stripes. It’s incredibly versatile - even in a wool fabric, the texture is loose enough to be appropriate well into the warmer months:

Styled by yours truly. Check out that perfect dimple.

The blue and grey color scheme fits my blue-centric wardrobe perfectly, and the wide stripes are business appropriate, but preppy and bold enough to avoid being relegated to solely office-wear. I’m not seeing this exact one on their site at the moment, but it’s very similar to these other striped options (here and here), which are woven from a wool/silk blend (one of my favorite tie fabrics), and bound to be winners as well.

My second favorite was, predictably, their 'Modern Black' knit. Most of my knits now are from The Tie Bar - in comparison, this knit from Weekend Casual was a bit looser-woven and just a tad wider, which I enjoyed - slightly less hipster, but still slim enough for my own slimness:

Again, styled by yours truly. A solid knot, especially for a knit tie.

I also love that they went beyond the solid, flat black and added an almost heathered effect - it just punches up the visual depth enough to keep a classic from getting boring.

Now, I haven’t had a chance to wear much of the rest yet, but I’m looking forward to it. The khaki tweed tie is just a bit too hefty to rock until the temps dip a bit more, but once they do, I think it will be the perfect fall/winter fabric. It’s got a definite vintage-y feel to it, and I see it adding some perfect contrast to a spread-collar denim shirt:

Already loving the color contrast and the fabric pairing.

The other three samples (light blue floral tie, and blue and red floral pocket squares), do well to showcase the brands penchant for floral patterns. Unfortunately, the tie is 100% polyester (more on that below), but the pattern is subtle, and I could see myself pulling this out for a slightly-dressier brunch, along with a lightweight white shirt and a blue cotton suit:

All set for the next sunny brunch.

As for the squares, I love the patterns - but just haven’t had the right dressed-down-but-suited occasion to wear them since they came in the mail. I especially dig that, while the patterns are bold, the color scheme is limited to one color (and white), which makes them so much easier to style, and less likely to come off as too dandyish.

What’s To Like:

First off, the quality of the ties is pretty impressive considering the uber-affordable price point. Construction seems on par with The Tie Bar, with neat, clean stitching, properly attached keeper loops, and a consistent shape. The fabrics themselves (besides the poly) seem, if anything, to be a step above The Tie Bar - these things just knot and drape perfectly, with just the right amount of heft. Sidebar - I hate when wool ties are too thick, leaving a knot the size of an apple, or knit ties are too thin, leaving a weak shoestring knot. These hit the balance just right. The wool and tweed are toothy without being rough, which I guess isn’t so much of a comfort issue, but still something you can notice just by looking. Well done, all around.

Also, something that struck me when talking with Kunal before receiving the samples was our discussion of their selection in comparison to The Tie Bar (probably the closest brand in terms of price and quality). Kunal said, “Rather than be a warehouse of accessories, we like to curate our collections and make our products with limited quantities so that we can continually rotate in new styles,” a mindset that I think makes a huge difference. As opposed to the Tie Bar, which can be great if you know what you are looking for, but can be a nightmare if you just want to browse for something nice. For example, in skinny silk ties alone, there are 38 pages of results to browse. There are plenty of stylish options, but they are mixed in with some, well, not-so-stylish options. Weekend Casual takes some of the legwork out of it, offering instead a more curated collection of options that is much easier to navigate. They might not have everything, but what they do have is solid and well-chosen.

Of course, I’d be horribly remiss if I didn’t point out their Essential Cause program. Real quick, I’ll let Kunal chime in one more time:

“A lot of companies do the whole Toms "one for one" kind of thing or donate to charity. We do this a little different than most, currently we have 2 causes we work with, we'll have 4 shortly - but we give our customers the option of choosing which cause suits them better, and let them choose where they want a portion of their sales to go.”

So yeah, not only does Weekend Casual embody the entrepreneurial responsibility that we value so much in our favorite brands by giving back, but they actually let you, the customer, help decide where the proceeds from your purchase are being donated. It might not be a mind-blowing feature, but I think it really goes to show where Weekend Casual’s values lie: with their community, and with you as an individual, rather than just as a consumer.

What’s Not To Like:

Polyester! Ugh, honestly one of my favorite things about The Tie Bar is that, even at their price points, they offer only 100% natural fibers - wool, cotton, silk and linen. Weekend Casual has plenty of natural-fiber options as well, but peppered into the mix are some 100% polyester ties. I guess it’s not the end of the world, but I just prefer to avoid polyester ties - and if they can offer natural fibers at their standard price, I’d say just drop the poly! Minor beef.

Editors Note: Right after posting, Kunal informed me that they are actually on the same wavelength here. His words: "That blue tie that I sent you was a product we received as a sample from one of our suppliers - I loved the pattern, and thought it was unique so I sent it your way. But at the end of the day, it's against our policy to stock polyester, so we decided against making it available." So boom, NO POLY!

One more minor beef is that both of the pocket-squares I received were one sided, meaning there is a distinct front and back to the square, with only the front really being desirable to have visible. The way I fold my squares, both sides show, making double-sided squares much more desirable. Again, just a minor beef, as all it takes is a slightly different fold.

My last ‘dislike’ has to do with the site, and web design for new brands tends to see improvements quickly and early, so I’m not too worried. It would be nice in the future to be able to filter selections more, be it by color, pattern, or fabric. However, the fact alone that Weekend Casual intentionally offers a more limited selection makes this distinction almost negligible.

In Conclusion:

I think Weekend Casual makes a fantastic alternative to The Tie Bar - and even better, I don’t really see one eliminating the need for the other (or having both be overkill). The Tie Bar comes in handy when you know exactly what you want and are willing to pick through a lot of similar options to find it. Weekend Casual comes through when you are ready for something new, don’t have anything super specific in mind, and want to browse a well-put-together collection. The price is hard to beat, and the style is spot on.

BONUS: For all of you Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets readers out there, Weekend Casual was awesome enough to provide us with a discount code, ‘WCWETW’ for 25% off your order!

This was a sponsored review, and the product reviewed was provided to me free of charge. The article, however, remains objective and unbiased and is published without prior editing or review by Weekend Casual. While I love to be given products to review, don't worry, I will never endorse a product I wouldn't wear myself. 

'Know Your Patterns' - Paisley

For this week's edition of 'Know Your Patterns,' we are taking a quick divergence from your more basic and fundamental menswear patterns to look at something a bit more unique, if not any less classic: Paisley.

Paisley is an especially interesting pattern due to it's extensive history and widely varied application and use. Depending on where you're reading, the pattern dates as far back as Babylon circa 2200 BC or as recently as Persian and Indian cultures in the 200's AD. The pattern is defined by a characteristic twisted teardrop shape, the origin of which is widely speculated. Some think it to be a vague mixture of a floral pattern and the shape of a cypress leaf, while others link it more specifically to other natural shapes like a budding palm frond or a pine cone.

Through the ages, the pattern spread, gaining popularity in Europe as it was traded en masse by the East India Company in the 1600's, shortly after which it began to be produced locally in Marseilles, England, Holland, and other European countries.

In time, the town of Paisley, Scotland became a central producer and eventually the namesake of the design in Western cultures (more historically, the pattern was called Boteh Jegheh by the Persian cultures in which it originated).

Later, paisley was widely embraced by the hippie, 'flower child' culture that latched on to Indian and Middle Eastern aesthetics, especially following the Beatles famous pilgrimage to India in the late 1960's.

Throughout it's history, the paisley pattern has been applied to any number of goods, from fine woven textiles of silk embroidered with gold and silver threads, to printed twill, to ceramics and pottery, Persian rugs, even garden landscaping. Among the menswear circles, it's most commonly found on neckties and pocket squares, although folks with bolder tastes will mix it into shirting, trousers, and sport coats as well.

To some, any mention of the pattern brings to mind these bright, psychedelic applications and are associated with other cheesy 70's icons like shag carpet and bell-bottoms, although recently there has been some return to a more classic and subtle use of the pattern.

Still, even today, the pattern is designed in a wide variety of styles. My favorite tend to be the more minimalist applications, with just the characteristic 'leaf' on a plain background. Some of the busier designs can veer towards the garish side of style, and should probably be avoided, but you can find some ornate patterns that really recall the Persian  heritage behind the design and come off really sharply when used in moderation (as in, on a tie - not a full shirt or sport coat).

Below are a range of options to inject some paisley into your life:

First, we have the uber-budget option, turning (as usual) to the Tie Bar, which clocks in at just $15. First is an all-blue option that is subtle and an easy entry point that won’t be hard to style:

Relic Paisley in Navy Cotton | The Tie Bar - $15

I’m also kind of into this brighter green fabric, which is a bit more untraditional, but very summery and season-appropriate.

Tears of Paisley in Emerald Linen | The Tie Bar - $15

Slightly up the ladder, J. Press offers literally dozens of paisley ties in a wide variety of colors and scales. This one, in a simpler blue and yellow color scheme, is one of my favorites (and currently on sale, which is a bonus):

Foulard Paisley in Navy | J. Press - $41.70 (on sale)

If you want to try out a more ornate pattern, ‘Ancient Madder’ ties are intricate but in darker, dustier colors and usually in a twill weave, as opposed to something in bright colors on a shiny satin fabric, which I think tends to look more tacky. This option from Brooks Brothers isn’t cheap, but isn’t wildly expensive and is a fine, classy example:

Ancient Madder Large Paisley Print Tie in Navy | Brooks Brothers - $57.50 (on sale)

Of course, you can always go big and get a shirt or jacket with an all-over paisley print. In my opinion, this is much easier to do with casual gear, where bold prints won’t veer out of appropriate business-casual attire (or other more structured situations). This short-sleeve, lightweight shirt from Denim & Supply might be a good place to start (and at under $50, not a big financial risk).

Paisley Woven Shirt | Denim & Supply by Ralph Lauren - $50 (on sale)

Do you have any paisley in your wardrobe? Getting funky with any big bold prints? Share in the comments!

'Know Your Fabrics' - Poplin

And we’re back with more knowledge for y’all. This time, the ‘Know Your Fabrics’ series takes a look at Poplin, one of the most common shirting fabrics available.

Like twill, poplin refers to the weave of the fabric - while it was originally woven with specific threads (silk weft and worst yarn warp), those standards have largely been abandoned and the fabric can now be found in a wide variety of materials, from silk to cotton to wool and more (cotton tends to be the most common, and likely our favorite). The weaving pattern, however has remained the same.

Where twill was an ‘offset’ weave that resulted in diagonal ribbing, poplin is a square or even weave, which results in a much smoother, flatter finish. The characteristic pattern of poplin involves a thicker thread running one way (usually the warp), with a thinner thread running the other direction (usually the weft). Compared to broadcloth, a similar square-weave fabric that we will look at more closely in an upcoming post, poplin is normally less densely woven, which makes it softer, but also less crisp and therefore a bit more casual.

As poplin can (and often tends to be) a lighter fabric - plus that looser weave is much more breathable than many other options -  it’s a favorite of many for spring and summer shirting (although thicker poplin shirts can definitely be found and worn year round). A few of Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets’ go-to shirting companies offer a great selection through the warmer months, including Everlane, or Uniqlo for more bargain options.

Slim Fit Poplin Shirt | Everlane

Fine Poplin Long Sleeve Shirt | Uniqlo

Whereas we hunt down twill for any number of garments, our use of poplin is a little more limited to shirting. However, you can find some nice, water-resistant poplin jackets that make a perfect lightweight cover-up come cool spring nights or surprise showers.

Poplin Single Breasted Mac | Topman

Last, we have been seeing some poplin ties popping up - it’s not a huge phenomenon, as the fabric’s inherent thinness often doesn’t allow for much structure in a tie, and therefore often a weak knot, but we’ve seen it done very well by a few tie-makers. The results are definitely more casual, but the lightness of the fabric really hits the spring/summer vibe quite well.

Atkinson Irish Poplin Tie | Sid Mashburn

Slub Poplin Irregular Stripe Tie | The Hill-Side via Hickorees

Do you have any poplin pieces in your rotation? Any favorites? Chime in below.

Announcing 'Dad Packs' from Tie Society in time for Father's Day

Hey fellas, Father's Day is just around the corner, have you gotten your dad a great gift yet? Sure, it's a little last minute, but if you're still shopping around, Tie Society has a hell of a nice package custom-built for the holiday. 

Hopefully you've all read my review of Tie Society from some time last year. If you haven't, it's right over here, but the short version is that Tie Society is a pretty awesome service. Their (unofficial?) tag line sums it up pretty perfectly - it's like Netflix for ties - for a very affordable monthly fee, you get to shop their 'closet' of sharp ties, pocket squares, tie clips, and other accessories. Just like Netflix, you 'borrow' an item (or three, or five, depending on your subscription), wear it as long as you want, and send it back when you're ready for something new. Not only is it a fantastic way to get a feel for you personal style, try new looks, and experiment without committing to a hefty purchase, but it's run by some great guys who are really there to help you look good. 

Anyway, I'm always happy to shout out their deals and promotions, and their Father's day offer is pretty spot-on. For the holiday, they've put together a pre-curated box, or 'Dad Pack' if you will. Each box comes complete with two ties, a pocket square, tie bar, and a cufflinks set, along with a custom, handwritten message (dictated by you), along with a few extra TS freebies:

Even better, they give you two options for gifting this pack: for $50, you rent the package, and along with all the goodies, your dad will get a three-month, three-item subscription to Tie Society, and the 'Dad Pack' serves as the first shipment, with a bonus of including all five items (plus the freebies and note) in his first package, instead of three. The second options is to straight-up purchase the box, which will run you an even $100. 

Either way it's a great deal - the three month subscription is regularly $19.95/month (so about $60 for three), and if you opt to purchase, the ties alone have a retail value of $75 or more. Frugal, stylish, and a solid company - sounds like a Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets winner to me.

Head over to Tie Society to rent or purchase your pack today, and tune back into the blog later tonight for the weekly Deals and Steals!

Wearing Orange (and Other 'Uncooperative' Colors)

Struggling today...not enough sleep, early afternoon migraine, it's been rough. Anyway, keeping it short this Wednesday (and pulling pics from Instagram), we're taking a quick look at how to rock the color orange. Earlier this year, when all the designers were busting out their new collections at the fashion weeks, the menswear world was all about orange as the color of the season, which is challenging, because it’s also inherently bright and bold, and therefore kind of hard to work into an everyday outfit. Fortunately, there are some moves to try that will allow you to incorporate the color in your wardrobe without taking any huge style risks.

Editors Note: Since deciding to write this article, I've noted that this trend didn't necessarily take off, and orange isn't the ubiquitous tone of the season that I came to expect - maybe it is yet to come, but regardless, you can adapt these same tips to other bright colors that you may be tempted to experiment with.

The first route we can suggest is to just tone down the brightness and boldness that make orange a tricky color to work with from the get-go. With a lot of other bright colors, we often suggest washing them out or opting for more faded or pastel versions, but with orange we suggest going the opposite direction, instead looking for darker, over-saturated, 'burnt' shades. That rusty orange color actually works a lot like a lighter shade of brown, and plays great with blues (lucky for me, since my wardrobe has a lot of blue in it already). You can get some great chinos or shorts in this color (try these from Bonobos, on sale for just $38 - and $25 off with our referral link - or these from Topman for something a little less bright), but my go-to move has been this vintage tie that I scored off eBay:

Got this bad boy on eBay for something like $3.00. A new favorite!

You can get a similar look with this number from The Tie Bar (at only $15, it makes a relatively low-risk trend-testing option).

Knitted Silk Tie in Rust | The Tie Bar - $15

Our other recommendation is to use orange in very small splashes, and mate it with similar, but more commonplace and classic colors. My girlfriend gifted me a bright orange tie clip last fall, and I've been loving to play it off a slim tan leather belt and tan suede boots:

Not the best pictures, but you get the gist.

The leathers are both bright in their own way, and when worn with a monochrome blue ensemble, they inject this punch of color at regular intervals - shoes, waist, torso. Among other options, I could see this working quite well with red and oxblood or burgundy.

So there you have it - my words of wisdom for the day before I go nurse this clinging headache - migraines, man. 

How do you all rock bright, 'uncooperative' colors? Do you have any orange in your wardrobe? What's your favorite way to work it into an outfit? Hit up the comments section!

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 4/25/2014

Wooo the week is almost over, and you know what that means: time for Deals and Steals. This week, I'm re-visiting some pieces from older posts that have just now popped up at some better-than-usual prices:


30% Off Select Styles at J.Crew (code GOSHOP):
I think I've said this before, but it seems like J.Crew is running a perpetual sale, and they just filter in and out the items that the discount is applied to. 99% of the time, this means that they exclude anything from their Ludlow collection (which stinks, because their Ludlow suits are pretty darn sharp but very darn expensive). This time around, that rule doesn't seem to be applying...at least not for this incredibly tempting unstructured cotton blazer that I was eyeing up in a post about two weeks back:

Ludlow Sport Coat in Mini-Houndstooth Cotton | J.Crew

Honestly, the regular price of $188 ain't too bad for a J.Crew blazer, but the 30% discount takes it down to barely over $130, which is like, Frank and Oak prices. I was just given an almost identical jacket as a gift, or this would be on the way to my house right now.

While at J.Crew, check out the rest of the sale - like I said, items seem to be coming and going so it's worth a browse, even if you've looked recently. Previous discounts have been limited to already-marked-down merchandise, but this one branches out, so be sure to check the full-price listings as well. For yet another item that I would buy now if I hadn't just gotten something similar, check out these 'striped' linen trousers:

Bowery Slim in Navy Stripe Irish Linen | J.Crew

The stripe really looks to be super-fine, maybe even a textural thing? Like a whipcord? Anyway, from the looks of it, they appear pretty much solid, making these a great summer alternative for your standard navy chinos. Marked down to $70 (originally $100), they aren't cheap, but don't expect to find good-quality linen trousers for much less.


Spring Sale at Frank & Oak (plus $25 off with our referral link):
Sales only pop up at Frank & Oak every so often, but when they do, they tend to last a while and have increasingly well discounted items. This one is already well underway, and as I was browsing through, this varsity jacket immediately popped out at me:

French Terry Varsity Zip-Up | Frank & Oak

Remember last week's piece on testing new trends? This would have made a perfect selection to go with my black/white ensemble, and the reduced price of $42 plops it well into that sweet spot of cheap enough to not be a huge risk. Plus, even if Frank & Oak are hit or miss at times, I'll be willing to bet this is better quality than the Forever 21 number I picked out before - bonus.

Like I said, sales at Frank and Oak tend to get better the longer they last, and this one is no exception. I just got an e-mail in the past day or so announcing further reductions on shirts, and they have a few marked down to only $20 - over half off and cheaper than even Target! There's a nice variety available, and my recommendation goes to this blue plaid shirt:

New Haven Plaid Shirt | Frank & Oak

If you're looking to transition your fall and winter plaid styles into a more spring/summer friendly outlet, this shirt is the way to go. The colors are very spring-timey, with light blues and greens, but doesn't take the full dive into over-saturated madras (though I do love me a good madras shirt).

Feel free to use our referral link for an extra $25 off if this is your first Frank & Oak order.


New Arrivals at the Knottery:
Ok, this one is admittedly a bit of a stretch to pull from an old blog post, but I did mention The Knottery back in my post on rainy-day essentials. At that point, I was highlighting their bright knit ties as a way to fight the spring doldrums, but now I'm coming back to them as they release a new handful of options specifically for the summer season. I'll go ahead and give credit to Valet for pointing out these awesome new pieces made from Japanese cotton:

Indigo Stripe Tie | The Knottery

Indigo-dyed Japanese cotton is huge these days, and the attention is well deserved, because it's a fantastic-looking fabric. Lot's of character, bright but not bold, deep and rich...what's not to love? Ok, so the normal prices on this stuff are probably not to love. These ties, however, remain solidly affordable in standard Knottery fashion, clocking in at just $35.

They've also added some 'summer knit' ties, which are more loosely woven. I don't necessarily think the weave is more summery as much as it is just an alternative style (Lands End, I believe, makes loose-knit ties year round), but I still love the look.

Solid Silk Summer Knit Tie | The Knottery

I'm a navy/blue addict, so I would grab this one, although there are a few other colors and patterns available. Again, these are marked at $35, a great price for a 100% silk tie of this caliber.


SuitSupply at Huckberry:
Alrighty, we'll close it out with a quick peek at SuitSupply on sale. This like, never happens. Yeah, they had their 'Outlet' with some crazy markdowns last fall, but that was pretty short-lived and there has been less and less word about it coming back. Point is, you can imagine my excitement when I saw just a few SuitSupply suits hanging out in 'The Wedding Shop of Camp Huckberry USA.' There look to be only three options available, but they are smart picks - summer fabrics and staple colors (SuitSupply is kind of known for their more fashion-forward fabrics, so it's nice that the limited selection isn't too out there). Of the three, I love this blue cotton suit:

Copenhagen Suit in Blue | SuitSupply via Huckberry

It's cut in their Copenhagen fit, which they describe as their slimmest fit, which is perfect for a scrawny guy like me. I also love the way that a slim, tailored cut plays with the more relaxed, unstructured construction for a balance that can be dressed up or down as needed - versatility is the name of the game, as always. Best part, Huckberry knocked about $70 off of each option, with this one coming to just under $400 after the discount. Snag em while you can.

Solid Ties - Think Outside the Box

As patterned shirts get more and more play in office settings, it can get tricky to match a patterned tie. However, a plain silk, especially with any type of sheen to it, can look like something you would have worn to prom. Even a toned down version, like a silk twill, is just kind of boring. 

A quick and easy remedy is to stock up on some nice solid ties with interesting textures or fabrics. The solid color scheme will ensure that it will match easily with any pattern, but the visual depth that the texture or fabric choice adds will keep you looking like a man on top of his sartorial game. 

Here are some of our favorite options:

Silk Knit:

This is one of my go-to options year-round. Honestly, a silk knit with an OCBD is probably my favorite combination, and is so incredibly versatile that you'll find yourself reaching for it again and again. It's a look equally at home under a suit as it is with jeans and a tweed blazer. 

Solid Silk Knit Tie in Bordeaux | The Knottery - $18.00

Wool/Cotton Knit:

Keep it seasonal by changing your fabrics appropriately - cotton in the spring and summer, wool in the winter and fall.. The lack of any real shine here makes these a bit more casual, but can still work under a suit if done right - just opt for a coarser or heftier suit fabric with your wool knits, or a lighter summer fabric like linen or cotton (chino would look especially great) with your cotton neckwear.

Solid Wool Knit Tie in Charcoal | The Tie Bar - $15

Knit Cotton Tie | J.Crew Factory - $29.50

Raw Silk: Of all fabrics on this list, I have the least experience with Raw Silk, but maybe the strongest desire to give it a try. The stuff just looks very cool...it holds the elegance of a silk material, but the unfinished nature and inherent roughness take it from business to creative.

Solid Raw Silk Tie | Sid Mashburn - $95

Chambray:

The white weft threads in chambray give the fabric a bit more depth than a plain weave or twill, and also lends a lightness to the colors that is perfect for spring and summer. Just be careful, as a good rule of thumb is to keep your tie darker than your shirt. With that in mind, lighter colored ties such as these will work best with a white-based shirt. Of course, if you dig around enough, you'll be able to find a tie cut from dark chambray remeniscent of your favorite pair of jeans:

Stafford Cotton Chambray Tie | JCPenney - $30

Donegal:

Back to winter options, a Donegal wool tie will have the characteristic nubs and flecks that the name is known for. From a distance it will look solid, but up close you'll get some great texture and variation. These pair incredibly well with tweed or heavy english wools. 

New Look Donegal Tie | ASOS - $8.50

Silk Grenadine:

The rest of the options listed here tend to lean at least just a bit more casual, but grenadine knit is all about class. This textured weave is vaguely similar to a plain silk knit, but usually keeps the triangle point (as opposed to flat edge), and is a luxurious (although usually more expensive) alternative that will go great with a sharp power suit and slick dress shirt.

Handmade Slim Navy Grenadine Tie | Charles Tyrwhitt - $85