If you’re a neck-tie wearing guy, chances are you have a couple of favorites in heavy rotation, which is all well and good because most ties can last for years if you treat them right. How to give your ties a long, happy life? Here are a few pointers:Hang it up, bro: Though they seem a little old school, it’s hard to improve on the tie rack – so use one to hang up your ties. While ties on hangers are OK for the occasional overnight, they’re definitely not a good idea for longer-term storage. A bunch of ties wrapped round a hanger will almost invariably get tangled up, slide off, hit the floor and commence wrinkling activities, so again, might we suggest a tie rack?
Knots so much: As soon as you come home, take 10 seconds to unknot (not pull apart) your tie to help it look better, longer. Don’t have 10 seconds? Then leave your tie knotted and lay the groundwork for permanent creases and wrinkles – just don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Hit the road, Jack: If you and your ties are hitting the road, there are a couple of ways to take them along for a virtually wrinkle-free ride. The gold standard for crush-proof, wrinkle-free ties is the classic tie case – it’s like a wallet for you ties. Next option: fold ties loosely and store them in the pockets of the suit jackets you’ll be traveling with.
Another option? Use your shoes as a carrying case – gently roll up your ties, lightly wrap them in tissue or clean socks and lightly tuck them into the mouth of the shoe (not jammed into the toe). Just keep it to one tie per shoe, and no matter which method you use, be sure to hang the ties up as soon as you arrive to keep wrinkles at bay.
Give ‘em some air: Chances are you own more than one tie, so change ties daily – never wear the same tie two days in a row. Just like your shoes, tie fabrics need a little time to breathe, let the wrinkles fall out and restore their original shape.
Waiter, is that a tie in my soup? Stains – they’re the sworn enemy of the tie. How to avoid them? It’s called a napkin, so get to know ‘em and wear ‘em high on your lap as possible but stop short of the napkin-as-bib look. You can also try wearing a tie tack to help keep the silk out of your soup. If you still manage to stain your tie despite your best efforts, get it to the dry cleaner as quickly as you can – and be sure to tell them what caused the stain so they can treat it with the appropriate antidote.
