Tie Care 101 - How to Make Your Ties Last a Lifetime

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The humble tie, so often the making of an outfit, the last piece of the sartorial puzzle and the focus of attention. But it’s also one of the most easily damaged items of clothing in your wardrobe, so why do we make so little effort to take care of this essential piece of formal wear?

Whatever the reasons, we think that we could all do with a quick refresher course in tie care, so we’ve put together a few pointers to help make your ties last a lifetime.

Taking your tie off

Perhaps it’s the inextricable connection between ties and the office that makes us want to rip off this leash-like accessory the moment we punch out. But fight this temptation we must. It’s all too easy to yank the thin end through the knot and dump your tie on the floor, but all this does is pull your tie out of shape and shorten its lifespan.

The best way to remove your tie is to follow the tie-tying steps in reverse. It’s far more time-consuming, but if you want the tie to last, then this is your only option. And once it’s off, don’t sling it in your bag or pocket.

Storing your tie

Unfortunately, the common held belief that a rolled up tie stuffed into a sock drawer is the correct way to store a tie is a myth. Delicate fabrics are par for the course in tie manufacture and any unnecessary stress such as tight rolling can damage them.

Ideally, you want to hang your tie over a coat hanger or a tie rack as soon as you take it off. This will allow any creases and folds that develop during the day fall out naturally. Hanging it over a chair is an okay temporary measure, but if it is resting on the back of the chair, the creases won’t fall out.

Cleaning your tie

As much as you might enjoy Italian food, your silk tie certainly does not. The smallest of stains can completely ruin it so take extra care when digging into your pasta. But no matter how careful you are the inevitable will happen. In this instance, get some cold water on the stain pronto. This prevents the stain from taking hold. However, if it’s something greasy like juice from your steak, then you need to get some talcum powder on there as soon as. The powder will soak up the grease, and you can brush off the dried excess later.

If you take your tie down the dry cleaners along with your suit, then make sure they know not to press it. A good dry cleaner will understand that this flattens the rolled edges and can ruin a tie’s shape, but remind them just in case.

Smoothing out your tie

Wrinkles are the bane of a tie-wearers life. There’s nothing worse than putting on your favourite neckwear only to find an enormous crease right down the middle, but no matter how much you want to wear that tie, don’t break out the iron.

The best way to remove creases is by using steam. Next time you have a shower just hang the tie in the bathroom and the wrinkles should fall out easily enough. If they don’t, you might want to consider buying yourself a small hand held steamer. They’re cheap, easy to use, and a great investment.

While we understand the need to remove the shackles of work as soon as you leave the office, try and remember that your tie, along with every other item of formalwear you own, is an investment that should last a lifetime. So take care of that investment like you would a fine bottle of scotch, and please stop putting your tie in your pocket.

If you have any questions regarding tie care or anything sartorial, pop into the showroom in the CBD where we’re always happy to share a tailor’s tale or two.

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