Five Things to Keep in Mind When You Buy Men's Vintage Neck Ties

So you're interested in giving vintage ties a try? Good for you! There are so many to choose from which are unique and will add that a special final touch to your outfit. Where to begin? Well, most neckwear from the early 1900's through today is shaped the same way. That's a good thing. However, there are some marked differences you should be aware of before you buy one. Here goes:

Some Neckties Are Very Short

To begin with, what is considered short? Well modern ties are generally 55 inches long, give or take several inches in either direction, with 60+ inches extra long. Those which hail from the 1920's and 1930's are as short as boy's are today. They range from 45 to 49 inches long. The next decade brings slightly longer accessories, with 1940's neckwear ranging from 49 to 52 inches. By midcentury, they are even a bit longer, ranging from 49 to 58 inches.

Persons of shorter stature need not worry as much as the rest of us, but if you absolutely love them and gotta have them, not to worry, you can make them work. You can adjust the tying process, thereby shortening the length of the thin end that hides behind the front anyway, you can hide the tie behind a three piece suit, vest or sweater, and you can even have it professionally lengthened.

Some Neckties Are Very Wide

First of all, what is considered wide? Contemporary neckwear is 4 inches maximum from corner to corner at the tip. Vintage 40's ties range from 3 ? to up to 5 inches, while those manufactured during the 60's and 70's can be from 4 ? to 6 inches wide! Now that's fat!

Again, if you don't like this, you can hide this feature in much the same way you hide shorter neckties. However, if you are a big guy, you might actually prefer something like this since it will proportionately look quite good on you. Just a consideration.

Some Neckwear Is Very Skinny

The early part of the 20th century, the 50's, early 60's, 80's and the current trend has seen an explosion of narrow ties. They are popular even when they're not popular! If you are a big and tall individual or have wide shoulders and a neck to match, you might want to avoid the skinniest neckties in favor of those in the 3 to 3 ? inch range. You'll find that they still look thin without looking like shoe strings!

Be Aware of Construction and Fabric

Ties from the 20's and 30's do not have a facing, so both tips are finished with machine stitched hems which can be seen in the front. Those produced in the 20's, 30's and 40's, narrow quite drastically, allotting very little fabric where the knot will be tied, to accommodate men who preferred small knots back then.

When it comes to materials used, thick polyester reigned during the mid 60's and into the 70's. Men often chose the Windsor knot in order to create the biggest knots possible. This worked out well and was in keeping with fashion of the time, which included wide jacket lapels and bell bottom pants. This doesn't mean you can't make your favorite knot work. Just realize that the fabric will be bulkier than you are normally used to.

In Conclusion

By all means enjoy the wonderful world of vintage neckties! But recognize that while most all neckwear looks similar, there are differences worth noting, but nothing you can't work around!