Investing time, money and effort in buying a nice necktie should be supplemented by proper care. You should give your silk ties as much attention as you would to your best suits and shirts. You can’t just dump it in the washing machine with other laundry items such as your favorite jeans. What you need is a little finesse in handling it. Think of the proper approach to caring for your necktie as trying not to manhandle it too much. Neckties do not usually require dry cleaning. As long you untie and tie it correctly and avoid dunking it in soup or pasta, it will keep in good condition. A necktie’s worst enemy is wear and tear so storage is important. If you hang it after wearing, the tie can hold back the ravages of time. Silk is fairly resistant to creases and so with just a little attention, your necktie can last a very long time.
What is the proper way to tie a necktie?
There are many methods to tie a necktie. The most common is the four in hand knot method as illustrated on the diagrams below. It will suit well for most of the men for any type of neckties.
Tie a necktie step 1
Always start with the Wide end(W) and pull the necktie about 12 inches below the narrow end(N)
Tie a necktie step 2
Cross the wide end(W) over the narrow end(N) and hold the position
Tie a necktie step 3
Turn the wide end(W) to the back underneath the narrow end(N) as illustrated on the diagram.
Tie a necktie step 4
Pull the wide end(W) to the left in front of narrow end(N)
Tie a necktie step 5
Pull the wide end up(W)into the loop of the neck
Tie a necktie step 6
Bring the front end(W) down to the front loop as illustrated on the diagram
Tie a necktie final step
At last, tighten the knot gently towards the collar by holding down the narrow end(N) while pulling the knot up
What is the correct way to untie a necktie?
When I was a novice in using neckties, I tend to undo the knot by pulling at the smaller end with as much force as I could muster. It did the job fast enough, but after a while I noticed that the silk had visibly odd creases and soon enough the fabric started to stretch. Then the whole thing started shredding and I realized that it was because of the way I untied the knot. What’s the proper way? The best way to untie the knot is to reverse the tying process. First of all, loosen the knot and then slip the larger end through to undo everything.
Where to Place Your Tie?
Since you don’t fold your nice suit and place it in a drawer, you do not do the same with your necktie. Folding it will leave a crease that you won’t be able to remove. It is also not proper to place your tie with your socks and underwear. Some individuals roll their ties to store them, but you can’t just wait for gravity to roll it out back to its usual form. So hang your ties with your nice shirts and suit. You can even buy one of those trendy motorized racks meant especially for ties. Besides, you can also go for non-slip hangers. Hanging a tie after it is worn will return the knotted area back into shape.
How to remove wrinkle on neckties?
If you see minor wrinkles or a bend on your tie due to folding, you can let it regain its natural shape by hanging it for a while. If you do not have the luxury of time, then steam it so that the fabric regains a straight shape. If you have no steamer, hang it up nearby while taking a shower. If you think that ironing will solve your problem, think again. Applying a hot iron on the silk could discolor it or change its texture. That’s what they say anyway, but in my experience the silk does not change at all with ironing. Anyway, the best way to iron ties (if you must) is to drape a cloth over it and not let the hot metal alloy touch the fabric directly.
Physical care for wearing a necktie
A tie is normally ruined by stains. If you are eating, don’t eat like a baby. Take care not to spill food over your tie. If you lean forward, the tie is at the mercy of gravity and so it will follow you and it might end up swimming in your soup. Your date might find that a turn off. Worse, your tie will definitely not get over the dunking. When you are wearing a tie and you are going to share a meal, tuck it into your shirt first. There are also tie bars which you can use to secure them to your shirt. If you think a tie bar is old fashioned then look for something to use that’s not as visible.
I trust that you have learnt the basic maintenance and care of a necktie in general. A necktie can be long lasting if are paying attention to the above mentioned aspect in daily life.