The Variety in Wool Ties

As wool ties begin replacing the raw silk and cottons of summer, it’s important to note that not all woolens are created equal.  Just as you wouldn’t describe a supreme Loro Piana jacketing as “wool,” neckwear offers a variety of quirks and nuances for the guy in the know.

Above are five very different options, roughly ordered from office to shooting party, but don’t pay too much attention to that.  If we start on the right there is the luxurious Cashmere herringbone from Panta Clothing.  There is no way I can even begin to do justice to the cloth in a picture.  It’s the sort of tie I find myself unconsciously playing with all day.  It’s beautifully folded and untipped; the level of workmanship on this tie even overshadows the cloth (Made in the USA).  The width is a little wider, but with something this soft I actually prefer a bit more width.  You get a bit more of that “poof” at the collar if you wear it under a v-neck, and it feels almost more like a scarf than a tie.  Panta’s just launched a new webshop, so check them out as the weather cools off.

If the Panta cashmere was a baby blanket, this Walker Slater tweed tie is more like battle armor.  It’s not the softest tie in the world, but it’s got all the great qualities of you favorite tweed jacket.  Not that you really need your neckwear to be bullet-proof, but it’s a pretty good option anyway.  I picked up mine in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, and Walker Slater isn’t a particularly well-known brand outside Scotland.   From a distance it looks bluish-green, but as you can see there are reds, burgundies, yellows, and browns mixed in there as well.  Great way to take a slick look and “country it up.”

Over the last few seasons J Crew’s ties have withered away into shoe-strings.  I think they’re under 2.5 inches now in some cases.  This one’s only three or so, and not a “real” Blackwatch, but on sale for less than $30 it presents great value.  The “Handmade in USA” label doesn’t always guarantee quality, but here it seems to do the trick.  The real lesson here though is that a darker tartan can look really urbane and is a great way to make something basic like a navy blazer or grey suit look more seasonal.

This is probably the tie I’m looking most forward to wearing this fall and winter.  It’s a burgundy wool, grey flannel lined club tie from under-the-radar brand Finickey.  I’ll be giving you the low-down on Finickey on Monday, but for now suffice it to say that they’re making some of the best quality ties out there and the guy designing them has taste that rivals the best.  This tie is thick, soft, and ties a modestly puffy knot perfect for the chillier months.  I’ve never seen anything like it elsewhere.

Last up is the city-wool tie.  I picked this up a few years ago at an upscale department store’s outlet for pennies, and it has served me well since.  The grey and black woven pattern is quietly elegant, the black silk-stain lining a little rakish, and the ten percent cashmere blend makes it surprisingly soft.  I love to wear this with gray flannels, white shirt, and black v-neck for a night on the town.