How Skinny Should My Tie Be?

how skinny should my tie be

Image via Sloetopia

Whether it is for professional purposes or party time, the width of your tie depends on the width of you. Kind of like a 5′ 9″ woman can wear an aline skirt and look sexy, and a 5-foot woman can wear a mini skirt and look conservative. Unless of course you have no idea what I am talking about when it comes to women’s height and their skirts. Bad analogy?

How Skinny Should My Tie Be?

Short answer: a 2.5-inch tie is generally a good width for a skinny tie. If that feels a bit too slim for you, 2.75 to 3-inches is a perfect modern width for a tie. Refer to the chart below for quick assistance.

When Is A Skinny Tie Too Skinny?

The more petite you are, the skinnier your tie can be. The wider you are the more ridiculous a 1.5-inch skinny tie will appear on you. I think we can agree Joesph Gordon Levitt above is wearing too skinny a tie. He is 5′ 9″ with a 40-inch or so chest and probably wearing a 1.5 inch tie in the image. Although it can be a fun look, it is also very trendy and most of my clients want to look modern, not trendy.

How Wide Is Too Wide for A Tie?

The bigger fellas win here. You may even be able to wear all those 3.5-inch wide ties that no one else can wear from days of ‘yore. If a small guy wears a 3.5-inch tie it will look like an ascot, napkin, or a costume tie from the 1940’s or, hell, the 1990’s. The wider you are, the wider your tie can be. Again, the chart below will help you, but generally a 4-inch tie is too wide.

Where To Buy Skinny Ties for Tall Men?

Your tie should hover just above your belt buckle, but when you are a tall gentleman that can be a bit difficult when a standard tie runs about 60-inches long. Thankfully there are many brands that sell skinny ties for tall men including Michael Kors, and Nordstrom. Tall ties run about 64-inches. As I am sure you aware, those few extra inches can make a big difference.

how skinny should my tie be

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