Okay men, let’s discuss the art of accessorizing your tie with bars, clips, tacks, and chains. Before we get too involved here, I would like to point out that you do not need to accessorize. Some men use tie accessories for their functionality, and others just like adding extra flare. All of these items are designed to keep your tie attached to your shirt, thus keeping it out of food, your face, car doors, or escalators (it could happen.)
Tie clips (or tie bars) are simple. These should be clipped across the tie, attaching the tie to the shirt. There are a few guidelines you should follow:
- The clip ought to reside between the 3rd and 4th buttons down, or roughly mid-chest. Remember that your clip is serving a purpose, here – to keep your tie from flopping around. If the clip is too high, it is useless.
- Avoid wearing a tie clip that is wider than your tie. For those of you who wear skinny ties, try to find a small clip. This is purely a style issue, and no one is going to laugh in your face if you happen to don a too-wide clip. At least, that won’t be the reason they are laughing.
To wear a tie chain, slip your tie through the middle, allowing the chain to hang in the front. Then loop the round metal part over your shirt button. Like tie clips, you’ll want to hook these right around mid-chest or a little lower.
One tip for buying tie chains: Make sure the hook will loop over your button and stay there. It’s best to buy these in person so you can try it out. If you’re ordering online, I would suggest taking the time to read buyer reviews.
Tie pins, or tie tacks, have a long, boring history that we will not delve into here. To use one, simply pin it where you want it, then slip that bar through a button hole. Be very careful with the placement, because these will leave a hole. Before you punch a hole in your fancy silk tie, try wearing it on a cheaper tie to see if you like it.
Again, these should reside mid-chest.
If you go out hunting for any of these items, you might be surprised by how hard they are to find. Don’t expect to find many (if any at all) at your nearest department store, or even suit shops. Do keep an eye out for them at antique malls.
Of course, I should add that we carry clips, pins, and chains here at Just For Him. I mean, we rock.
