Whats the deal with tie length these days?

[James71]

I have a problem and was wondering if anyone else has a similar issue.

In a nutshell, modern ties are too damn short.

Heres the detail.

I was taught to tie a necktie in a full windsor knot. Unfortunately I have had to eschew this wonderful knot of perfect symmetry for what I derisively refer to as a "schoolboy" knot because ties are just not long enough to take the job on. Im left with a pathetic little stub that has to be tucked into the shirt like a shameful secret.

Ive put it down to one of two issues. Either I have such an abnormally large neck that tie makers could not conceive of such a strangely shaped individual, (although shirt makers seem to accomodate me. Im a 46 neck 94 sleeve - yes I know I have abnormally long arms. *Insert knuckle dragging joke here*), or alternatively tie makers are only making ties for pencil necked schoolboys. (no offence intended to those with a neck like a drinking straw )

I shop in good stores, and search the racks in vain for a longer than normal neck furnishing, but ties only seem to come in one size.

Any suggestions?

 

[Lokar]

Oddly enough, most people here find that modern ties are far too long (as vintage trousers are worn higher, so a tie that's intended to end at your hips is too long to end at the waist).

 

[GoldenEraFan]

Oddly enough, most people here find that modern ties are far too long (as vintage trousers are worn higher, so a tie that's intended to end at your hips is too long to end at the waist).

Yes, that is the common problem I find with modern ties. Every modern tie I own is too long. I took a few of my favorite modern ties to the cleaners to get them shortened, but that gets very costly.

 

[skyvue]

I'm with the "modern ties are too long" camp, which is, in part, why I almost never wear them.

I have both of the Magnoli Bogart-inspired ties, and I wish they were shorter.

 

[The Good]

I'm with the "modern ties are too long" camp, which is, in part, why I almost never wear them.

I have both of the Magnoli Bogart-inspired ties, and I wish they were shorter.

I have to ask, sorry to be somewhat off topic, but are the Magnoli Bogart ties actually based on vintage 1940s length, or are they based on more modern proportions? I agree that modern ties have a tendency to be long though. I actually tie them shorter, and leave the narrow end (that is longer than the wide end) inside of my shirt, behind the buttons. Nobody notices that.

 

[skyvue]

in my experience, Magnoli ties are of modern length.

 

[tonyb]

I, too, find modern ties generally too long.

But then, that's the modern style, I s'pose. If, unlike many of us here, you prefer to wear a tie in a manner more in keeping with contemporary standards (in other words, if you're more "normal," at least in this regard), I can see how a full Windsor and a large neck might leave you wishing for a tad more tie.

Should you ever wish to see how short ties were once worn (in the States, anyway), check out Depression era photos of regular folks all gussied up in their Sunday best. Often enough men are shown in ties that fall a half dozen inches or so short of their relatively high waistbands. Such a short tie wasn't a common sight, but it wasn't all that rare, either.

 

[Edward]

I'm another that finds modern ties far too damn long. To the point where I've actually stopped buying them. I prefer a small, tight four in hand knot to my ties - hate a big knot. Unfortunately with modern ties, it's either than or the damn thing hangs way down past even a modern, low waistband. I've always hated the look of a tie protruding beyond the wasitband; if anything, I like to have 3-4" clear between tie point and trews. I do have a handful of modern ties of wehich I am rather fond, and I plan to have these shortened just as soon as I find someone who can do the job well and affordably, preferably by offering a bulk price for them doing as a job lot. I also have to decide which of my vintage ties is the perfect length to have them all taken up to.....

I have to ask, sorry to be somewhat off topic, but are the Magnoli Bogart ties actually based on vintage 1940s length, or are they based on more modern proportions? I agree that modern ties have a tendency to be long though. I actually tie them shorter, and leave the narrow end (that is longer than the wide end) inside of my shirt, behind the buttons. Nobody notices that.

The blurb on the site indicates that ties can be made in a variety of lengths... I'm sure I read comment from Indy somewhere (maybe on the order form?) to the effect that they can be ordered in a more 'vintage' length....

 

[skyvue]

The blurb on the site indicates that ties can be made in a variety of lengths... I'm sure I read comment from Indy somewhere (maybe on the order form?) to the effect that they can be ordered in a more 'vintage' length....

Good to know. I wonder if that's a relatively recent development or if I just missed it the first time around.

 

[Richard Warren]

It is difficult to refrain from giving a Freudian interpretation to this post, but I will try.

 

[W4ASZ]

Fabric cheapskates ?

I was pleased that my most recent ties, wool Strathmore tartan ties, turned out to be 60 inches (152.4 cm.) in length. I'm six feet (183 cm.) tall and always tie a Windsor knot. I think this length is right for me what with a 17 inch (43 cm.) neck.

Some of the ties I have do require too much "correction."

 

[Schofields]

theres a knot called a double simple. its a four in hand with an extra loop around the back blade. shortens the tie about 3 inches.

 

[Feraud]

Whats the deal with tie length these days?

Too long and too much filler.

 

[W4ASZ]

Too long and too much filler.

The ties or this thread ?

 

[djgo-cat-go]

Well, I agree on the modern tie-length.. they're just too long and too full of filler.. but, when I wear my vintage ties I have to pull my pants up till under my armpits to make the tielength look decent.. well, the rest looks ridiculous as you can imagine..

I have to tie the vintage ties so the small blade is very, very short behind the front blade.. it's no problem when I clip on a tie-clasp to keep both blades stick to my shirt without showing the extremely short 'backblade', but I have to readjust many many times before I get the right balance between the front & back blade and the tie-clasp (which I don't want to wear too close to the shirt collar obviously)..

 

[skyvue]

I have to tie the vintage ties so the small blade is very, very short behind the front blade.

Sounds as though you need to some vintage trousers to wear with those vintage ties -- the high waist would solve the problem.

 

[Tomasso]

theres a knot called a double simple.

AKA the Prince Albert.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I tend to cut mine short lest I end up wetting the tip during a trip to the restroom.

 

[Dr Doran]

I tend to cut mine short lest I end up wetting the tip during a trip to the restroom.

Yikes! TMI.

 

[anon`]

Feraud hit it square on the head: [modern ties] are too long and have too much filler. Full stop.

The Windsor not is also too large, too complex, and too perfect in shape to be worth bothering with. Even the Duke himself (for whom it is not named) didn't use it.

I used the four-in-hand, always. When a period tie is knotted thus and worn with trousers of a similar vintage, the length is nearly always perfect in every respect, at least in the case of my wardrobe. As an added bonus, I get to laugh at those who fail to grasp the elegance of this seemingly-disheveled knot and derisively pass it off as something that only the most pedestrian and inarticulate wearer would utilize.