Short Shrifted

Put down the scissors. I know you’re frustrated. You’ve retied that bastard a dozen times already. Nothing doing. It’s still too damn long. But there are better ways. I promise.

Not every short guy has a problem buying ties off the rack (and not every average-sized guy is in the clear, either). As I’ve said before: The correct tie length for you depends on a lot of stuff: your height, yeah, but also your weight, neck size, what knot you use, personal style, and, well, just how high you like to hike your pants.

If you’re having problems with neckties that are too long, this guide’s for you. Some of these are no-brainers: Buy a shorter tie. OK. But what do you do when you’re in the hotel room getting dressed for your buddy’s wedding this summer, and you realize your tie is too long? No time to buy a new one. Well, that’s on here, too:

16 WAYS TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR TIE

1. Consult my Necktie Length Guide. I compared 55 brands to come up with a list of labels that make the shortest ties. Print out the PDF and get thee to the mall.
2. Buy a vintage necktie. They tend to be shorter. Check out my eBay tips on how to score the right size.
3. Get it tailored. Pull out the ill-fitting ties from your closet and send them to Tiecrafters — they charge $17/tie.
4. Choose heavier cloth. Or material that doesn’t stretch out as much as silk.
5. Shop the boys dept. At Ralph Lauren, Brook Brothers, Land’s End, Target, etc.
6. Tie a bigger knot. There are a million YouTube videos, but this site’s comprehensive.
7. Slip the tail end inside your shirt. Once you’ve got the front blade where you want it, slip the longer tail end between your shirt buttons.
8. Tuck it in. Tuck the skinny end — or both ends — into your waistband.
9. Join the army. Tuck the whole tie, military style, between your second and third shirt buttons.
10. Hide it. Hide the offending piece of silk under a sweater.
11. Wear a three-piece suit. The vest conceals as it lifts part of the tie up and away.
12. Clip on a tie bar. These are great for some artful rumple and lift.
13. Fold the tail up into the “holder” on the back. Then secure it with a safety pin (or a paperclip, in a pinch) if needed.
14. Have one custom made to your own specs. People swear by Drakes and Sam Hober.
15. Make your own. Here’s the instrux. On second thought, get a crafty loved one to handmake one for you.
16. Switch to a bowtie. You can even have your favorite neckties converted to bows. Mainebows ties are $30 and they’ll customize it to any length you wish — at no extra charge! Plus they’re made in the great state of Maine.

Obviously, some of these are a bit out there, or for emergencies only, or take some chutzpah and finesse to pull off. I’m all about giving you possibilities on this blog. Options. As short men, that’s exactly what we lack when it comes to clothes.

I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment if you’ve tried any of these — or if you’ve got a tip on what works for you.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 at 6:15 pm and is filed under Style Advice, Ties, Wedding/Formalwear. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.