As with all fashion trends, things in the tie world regularly change as styles shift alongside new years and changing seasons. Not only does this influence and affect the choice of patterns and colours in the popularity of ties, but it also matters when it comes to tie width too.
The width of a tie should be an important fashion consideration in any formal ensemble, and there are a couple of factors that should enter the equation when navigating which necktie to wear.
To help you grasp the basics of what width tie to wear and pull together the perfect outfit, our Ties R Us team have put together the ultimate style guide of accessory etiquette.
Base Things on Your Body Type
The most important aspect of picking the right style of tie, whether that’s a men’s tie or a woman’s, is body type. A tie should reflect your build, get this wrong and your necktie is likely to get lost in your ensemble rather than standing out and adding to your outfit’s aesthetics.
Follow these recommendations and you won’t go far wrong when it comes to picking the perfect tie width:
Slim or Skinny Build
2.25” – 2.75”
If you’re of a slim build with a smaller chest, you’ll need to mirror this with a slimmer choice of tie. Thankfully, there are plenty of skinny ties out there to choose from in a huge array of styles, so finding a fit that ticks all of the right boxes shouldn’t be an issue.
We would recommend a slim tie between 2.25” and 2.75” if you’re of a slender build.
Athletic or Average Build
2.25” – 3.25”
If you’re of an average build to athletic build, then good news – you’ve got a wealth of tie choices at your disposal! The tie world is your oyster, and you’re good to wear anything between 2.25” and 3.25”, which gives you a huge scope of accessories.
If you’re an average build then your choice of necktie will most likely boil down to personal taste or the needs of your outfit, whether that calls for a classic tie or a skinny number.
Broad or Larger Build
2.75” – 3.25”
The general rule of thumb here is, ‘wider guy – wider tie’. It doesn’t matter whether you’re wide in the chest or around the waist, if you’re of a broader build then skinny ties can soon get lost within your frame and fail to impact your outfit.
With this in mind, we recommend searching for a tie between 2.75” and 3.25” wide. As big as you might be, go too wide and you run the risk of looking like an extra from an Al Capone film, so bear your ensemble in mind before you go buying anything extra-wide.
Don’t Forget to Factor in Your Lapels
Your coat or jacket’s lapels are also an important point to check off the list when it comes to getting your tie width just right. Similarly to ties, lapel width and style change alongside fashion, but whatever the in-thing, there should always be a correlation between your tie and the lapels.
Marrying together the two is important, so you should avoid pairing a skinny tie with a wide lapel, and vice versa; get this wrong and it can throw off your entire outfit as well as the proportions of your body type!
For more up-to-date accessory advice and style guides, browse among our Ties R Us blog page and follow our expert team over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
