Should You Buy Bespoke Neckties?

While women's fashion is all about labels and size zeros, men's fashion focuses more on heritage and craftsmen. In fact, few things in the typical male wardrobe has the prestige of a bespoke suit or pair of leather shoes. Style is defined by how your clothes fit you, so there's a premium on pieces custom-made to your measurements. Neckties are a lesser known member of this elite circle, and it's one you may want to consider buying soon.

The Cost Question
Price is always a very big concern when it comes to buying fashion pieces. What with all the premium brands floating around, dressing up stylishly can get expensive for men. But neckties are one area where you might want to reconsider your wardrobe budget.

Having a tie made from scratch by a craftsman can cost anywhere from $80 to $200. Compare that to the price tag on many designer label neckties that are in the $100 to $200 range, and you'll see that the difference is minimal if any. Unless you're one of those guys who care a lot about the label they're wearing, going the extra mile to having your ties bespoke might just be a very good idea once you see what they have to offer.

Custom-Fit Style
Since it's a bespoke item, custom-made neckties have one advantage that's immediately at the forefront. Unlike department store ties that are made to a particular length, usually 56 inches from tip to tip, you can dictate how long you want your bespoke ties to be.

It doesn't sound like much, but this is big news for guys who are taller or shorter than the majority. Anybody in the business of men's fashion will tell you that a necktie that's too long or too short can easily throw off even the best of outfits. For vertically challenged men, that happens all too often with store-bought ties made for the masses. Bespoke ties, meanwhile, offer a slightly pricier but much more stylish alternative.

The advantage holds when you look at the situation horizontally too. Men's style manuals recommend that you also consider the width of the tie when choosing. It's easy for guys who are thin or definitely wide, but it gets problematic when you're somewhere in the middle. The craftsman assembling your bespoke tie can put it together for you such that it's got just the right width to complement the measurements of your body.

Creative Control
And then, of course, there's the design side of the equation. Inasmuch as the size and the proportions of your necktie are important, it's the design that gets seen right away. Bespoke ties have an advantage here as well.

Having the tie made from scratch has that benefit of your being able to dictate exactly how it should be made. Should the tie be three-fold, five-fold or, the gold standard of neckties, seven-fold? Do you want those delicate Italian silks or textured Thai textiles? You could be the guy answering each and every one of those questions instead of some distant creative director who's not familiar with your style.

In fact, bespoke is a great way to go if the kind of design you want can't be found on the shelves of the men's boutiques in your area. Having a tie assembled from scratch is your chance to get exactly the print, fabric, texture and appearance you want in your own signature necktie.

Yes, a bespoke necktie will cost money, a lot more than what the average department store tie requires. But like a pair of good leather shoes or a premium watch, that money is more investment than extravagance. Just take a look at the quality and range of options you'll get with a bespoke necktie, and you'll have to agree that it'll be money well-spent.