First Tie Guide

A tie is a small object that does a large amount of work in a man's wardrobe. Choosing one well is a matter of asking the right questions before the purchase, not after. Every tie a man owns should rest on a few clear decisions: why he wants it, what it is made of, how it should fit, what colour will work, and who he is buying it from.

This guide walks through each of those decisions in the order Aklasu would recommend asking them.

Start with Intent

Before measuring, before considering cloth, before pattern, ask the simpler question. Why is this tie being bought, and how often will it be worn?

A tie purchased for a single wedding has different requirements than a tie purchased to wear three times a week. A tie purchased on a budget has different parameters than one bought as a foundation piece intended to last decades. Frequency of wear should also shape colour: a navy solid will be worn far more often than a bold pattern, and is therefore the better first investment for most men.

Answer the intent question first. The rest of the guide makes more sense once it is settled.

What the Tie Is Made Of

The cloth is the most important variable a man cannot see at a glance. Aklasu's preference, with reason, is silk woven in the grenadine garza fina pattern. Other acceptable starting points include silk in foulard, repp, or shantung, and wool or cashmere blends for less formal contexts. Polyester should not be on the table at any price.

Two construction details separate a quality tie from a cheap one. The first is the interlining: wool, not synthetic, gives a tie its body and its ability to return to shape after the day. Cotton is acceptable; polyester is not. The second is the keeper, the small loop on the back that holds the tail. The keeper should be made from the same cloth as the tie itself, not a separate ribbon. A self-tipped tie, where the back of the blade is finished in the same cloth as the face, is another marker of careful construction.

Four things to verify on any tie purchase: silk or natural fibre, wool interlining, matching keeper, self-tipped or hand-finished.

How It Should Fit

Fit comes down to two measurements: width and length.

Width follows lapel. The blade of the tie should sit close to the same width as the suit's lapel. Most modern lapels are between 3 and 3¾ inches. Aklasu's standard is 3¼ inches, which works for most men and most lapels.

Length follows height. The tip should reach the belt, neither shorter nor longer. Aklasu offers two lengths: Standard at 58⅜ inches for men under six feet, and Extra Long at 63 inches for men over six feet.

If in doubt, take the suit jacket out of the closet and measure the lapel before ordering the tie.

Colour and Pattern

A tie's job is to add interest to the outfit without competing with it. Tie contrasts shirt. Tie does not match suit. A solid suit, a solid shirt, and a solid tie in different colours is the safest combination. Patterns add complexity and should be earned.

Two patterns at most. A patterned tie with a striped shirt works if the patterns are different in scale. A patterned tie with a striped shirt and a checked suit does not.

Colour saturation also affects frequency of wear. A navy solid disappears into a regular wardrobe. A bold red foulard does not. The more saturated the colour, the less often it gets worn. Build the wardrobe around the restrained colours first, and let the bolder ones earn their place over time.

Who You're Buying From

A tie is bought once but lived with for years. Who you're buying from matters as much as the tie itself.

Three things are worth verifying before any tie purchase. The return and exchange policy: a house that stands behind its work allows for the rare moment when something arrives wrong. Aklasu's 365-day guarantee is what backs this. The ability to reach a person: a house worth buying from has someone who responds to email or picks up the phone. Aklasu can be reached at office@aklasu.co or on the number in the footer. The packaging and shipment: a tie shipped well arrives well. Aklasu ships in a presentation canister, never folded into an envelope.

Beyond policy, the intangibles matter. Where the tie is made: Aklasu's are made in Como, Italy by century-old families. The history of the cloth: grenadine has been woven on jacquard looms for five centuries. The hand at work in the construction: every Aklasu tie is finished by hand, not by machine. These are not requirements. They are signs that a tie was made carefully, not made fast.

Where to Begin

For most men starting from scratch, the answer is Set for Life: navy, burgundy, and black in grenadine garza fina, offered as a single bundle. Three solids, three colours, every business occasion covered.

From there, Refined opens the palette. The System is the longer answer to how the wardrobe builds over time.

Ask first. Buy once.