It has been agreed that the correct length for a tie should be between 52 and 58 inches long. As for the width, it should be 3 � inches. Admittedly, we have seen over the decades how thinner looking ties were the in-thing, but the measurement mentioned above is considered to be the recognized international standard. After a tie is tied, the tip of it should reach, or slightly exceed the waist band of the pants. Wearing it short or too long is a definite no-no.
When it comes to the fabric, if you choose to buy silk, make sure it doesn�t feel rough when you touch it, which is an indication that it is of inferior quality. And all good ties are cut across the fabric, this means that the tie should fall straight down after you�ve tied it and it doesn�t curl. How would you know? Try holding a tie that you wish to purchase across your hand, if it twirls, then it�s probably not a good buy.
Next, how do you properly care for your tie? The first obvious rule is that, don�t put it in the washing machine! Although it looks convenient just to chuck your ties along with your shirts and underwears into the washing machine, the result will be nothing short of disastrous. The colour will be destroyed and the tie will definitely lose its shape.
What do you do then? Well, sending it to the dry cleaners is an option, although most experts would not recommend this method. Instead, you can remove spots by rubbing it with a piece of the same fabric, eg: use a piece of silk to remove that �sambal� spot on your silk tie. And, at the end of the day, do not simply loosen the tie, slip it off your head and hang it on the nail behind the door. What you should do is to untie the knot by reversing the steps for tying , this will untwist the fibers of the material and lining and will help to keep your tie in good shape.
(courtesy of live-e & M.Zulkifli)
