Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette!
In today's video, we discuss the proper tie length as well as the balance of the front
blade and the back blade.
Whenever we post outfit pictures on our social channels, one of the most discussed things
is the proper length of the tie.
It's interesting to see all the different rules that come up, do's and don'ts and different
opinions and therefore, our video is here to bring some clarity for you so you can find
the tie in the right length and that flatters you.
The first thing to understand is the history of the tie.
It was purely decorative and served no functional purpose whatsoever so the only goal of it
was to make you look good.
Keeping that in mind, it's hard to argue that one thing is more correct than another.
For example, if you look at the 1920's and 30's, most men would wear a vest or waistcoat
and even if they wouldn't, their ties were rather short.
They would either reach the belly button or sometimes not even that.
Of course, they would also wear high-waisted trousers so they might have impacted the length.
Today, ties have definitely gotten longer but the overall length of the tie is hugely
impacted by the balance between your front wide blade and back slim blade.
Basically, you have three options, you can have the front blade be as long as the back
blade.
You can have the front blade be much longer than the back blade or it can be much shorter.
Because a tie has a fixed length, this balance really impacts how long your tie will be when
it's tied.
But it's not all, other factors that affect the length are what knot you choose, what
kind of tie you have, does it have a thick interlining?
It's very thick if so, it creates a thick knot.
For a thinner tie, it creates a thinner knot and therefore the tie is longer.
Of course, these three variations can be worn either in short, very long or just in the
middle of the waistband.
So as you can see, your variations are endless and just saying "Oh, tie your tie so the tip
reaches your waistband or the buckle of your belt" is much easier said than done.
Before we get more into the length, let's look at the details of the different options
and how they make you look.
When your tie is overall very short, it provides you a vintage look or in the worst case, it
can make you look like a child.
So keep that in mind if you like very short ties.
Of course, if you're a shorter guy, you need a shorter tie and to learn more about short
men's clothing and ties, check out this video here.
So when the wide front blade is much longer than the back blade, chances are that it extends
past your waistband and it peeks out underneath of your jacket, that's visually distracting
because people look down and the triangular shape of the tie highlights your crotch which
is very disadvantageous.
Because of that, we suggest not to wear a tie like that but of course, each to his own.
If you decide to go that way, a problem that you might face is that your shorter, slimmer
blade is not long enough to get into the keeper and if it peeks out to the side, it just looks
like your tie is too short and you just got it from your younger brother.
Personally, I don't use a keeper but I also prefer to tie my tie so both blades have about
the same length.
That way, it looks a little more casual, a little more nonchalant and it's a look that
I personally enjoy.
So should you use a keeper or not?
Well, traditionally it was something that was used by people but if you look at elegant
men today, they oftentimes want the more sprezzatura feel with their tie and they intentionally
do not use that keeper loop in the back.
In any case, you should never use scotch tape or any kind of glue because it looks cheap.
Sometimes, you can also see ties where the back blade is considerably longer and just
like if the front is longer, it dangles past your waistband.
Because it's a little slimmer, it's less distracting but in my opinion, it still highlights the
wrong part of your outfit.
Originally, this was a style favored by Johhny Agnelli and he definitely popularized it.
Today, you can see a lot of young men wearing it but also some more seasoned chaps like
Francesco Barberis Canonico.
Again, the way you wear your tie is an expression of your individual style and there's absolute
no right or wrong.
What matters is that you do it consciously and that you can repeat it every single time.
Another important element of the tie besides the length is the tie dimple.
You can see me wearing one right now.
If you want to learn how to get it in your tie, please check out this video here, it
works every single time guaranteed.
So what's the proper and correct tie length for you?
Personally, I think it's best when the front blade and back blade tips are roughly the
same length and just reach the waistband of your pants.
Now, think about that for a second, every pair of pants is different, it has a slightly
different rise and in combination with every tie being different, there are lots of variations.
Some others argue the tips should be slightly longer and reach the buttonhole.
Others shorter, some like it longer and past the waistband.
I like the waistband idea because htat way, the tie does not peek out from underneath
your jacket and it focus the viewer's attention to your face because of the V-shape of your
jacket and the tie on top.
If you always wear one kind of knot and all your ties are about the same length, it's
relatively easy and predictable how you have to tie your tie and how you have to start
to get the right length you want.
However personally, I find that with the different knots I tie, the ties I have, I usually have
a range of different lengths.
For me, that's shorter lengths for high-rise trousers and smaller knots.
About regular length for slightly bigger tie knots and pants that don't come up as high.
Overall, I'm not a big fan of Windsor knots that's why I avoid long ties but if you like
the half-Windsor or the full Windsor, you will need a long tie even if you're just regular
height if you want to have both blades be the same length.
If you want to learn how to tie different tie knots, please check out our video series
here, so you understand what's going on.
Unfortunately, most ties don't come in a general length and so you actually have to try things
out until you find out what works for you and what doesn't.
It takes a lot of trial and error and you have to practice but once you know what length
your tie is and how long it has to be with a particular knot, it's going to be much easier
for you to get the tie length right.
So what does that mean for a proper tie length?
No one will win this argument because there's no absolute right or wrong, what matters is
what you personally like.
I think that most men look best with a back blade and the front blade being about the
same length ending just above the waistband.
If you want to have different ties in short, in regular, and in long so you get exactly
the right length for the right pants you have, please take a look at our Fort Belvedere selection
here.
If you want to learn more about 12 essential ties every man should have or anything else
about classic men's style, please sign up to our channel here.