After I finished college and started to explore traditional men’s clothing a bit more, knit ties were one of the last hold outs – I just didn’t see a point in wearing them, especially when my regimental stripe ties seemed to work well with everything already. Like the rest of the more interesting things in my wardrobe, that eureka moment finally hit and I now own more knit ties than I do regular ones.
What I’ve learned: knit ties are useful in making a formal appearance look casual, and they also add extra texture to an outfit when variety is needed. The solid colored ties look better than those with the dots, and those with the dots look better than those with the stripes. Stick with widths between 2-3″ inches, anything wider and the tie becomes a bit unwieldy. J.Crew’s knit ties are sometimes difficult to get good knots out of, Ralph Lauren’s are generally safe to go with, and those made by Gallo and Drake’s of London are top notch but pricey.
