Week Seven: The Skinny Tie

For the most part, I've always been fiercely loyal to Kumar, but I must admit, I used to laugh at his "fashion visionary drive" and not always just inwardly. However, over the years I've witnessed how he's silenced his skeptics one by one - without a word - and by now he has become the fashion go-to guy within and without our circle of friends. I can honestly say that their trust is definitely not misplaced.

I think the last time I ever laughed at Kumar was a few years back when he predicted the resurgence of the skinny tie after regular ties have enjoyed "standard" status for like forever. Fast forward to the present, have you watched the Golden Globes? He rests his case.

Now before you jump headlong into this bandwagon, I'll try to break it to you as gently as I can: skinny ties are not for everyone. They're not the most flattering for the beefier-set. One might think that they are "slimming," but on the contrary, they actually tend to emphasize bulk, looking disproportionate against breadth. Ok, if it's any consolation, personally, being of shorter stature, I steer away from over-the-knee-high boots for similar reasons, because, again, although one might believe they can give the wearer the illusion of height, they in fact, do the exact opposite, especially, if they hit just shy of one's groins lol...get the point? Remember, fashion is supposed to be fun and about being spontaneous, but at the same time, it doesn't mean impulsively throwing things on, without paying any regard either to whatever physical flaw (likely more real than just imagined!) that one might have which can be accentuated by poor clothing choices.

Now, if you're lucky and built anywhere from average to slim, proceed with these pointers in mind:

1.) Skinny tie + skinny collar: I know this will meet with some resistance, but if you're opting to wear a skinny tie, relinquish the spread collar, it is best worn with a regular/military collared shirt. A large collar will overwhelm the tie.

2.) Skinny tie + skinny lapel/skinny suit: for pretty much the same reason as above, the overall look we're trying to achieve here is slim. Be consistent.

3.) Skinny tie + skinny/well-fitted suit. Again. It's all about looking slim and trim. As I had explained in a previous post, a made-to-measure suit is definitely superior, but can be pricey, thus, the next best thing is a good off-the-rack suit, expertly taken in by a skillful tailor according to your measurements.

Skinny ties are pretty versatile because they can spruce up an otherwise ho-hum casual shirt and jeans ensemble and likewise make a great (and fresh!) accessory choice to go with a suit.