Online Shopping Sites

By Hendrik Pohl

Cliches as they might seem, you can”t deny that ties are one of the ultimate gifts for men, fashionable or otherwise. It’’s an affordable, practical and versatile gift, the gift-giving trifecta. But there’’s more to giving ties than merely grabbing one off the rack and giving it to the recipient. Decorum and good taste dictate that a few more steps are in order.

Budget Basics
One of the great things about neckties as gifts is that you can find one for almost any price point. Whether you”ve got several Benjamins or a single Alexander Hamilton to splurge on the present, you”re sure to find at least something to stuff in the gift bag.

In terms of price, your first consideration should most probably be brand. The brand has a huge effect on the quality, which in turn is the primary dictating factor on the price of the tie itself. Note that in most cases, the price of the tie is directly proportional to its quality. If it’’s your boss who”ll be getting the wrapped package, you better have at least $50 to spend on the new necktie.

Even a single brand could work with a whole spectrum of different qualities of neckties at various price points. If you”re working within a very strict budget, it’’s a better idea to buy a low-end necktie from the more well-known brand than the best necktie from an obscure company. It doesn”t matter that you”re getting a ”cheap” necktie; the recipient will react better to getting quality than getting something that cost a lot.

This Tie or That Tie?
Choosing just one necktie to give is where things can get complicated. That’’s because a gift-appropriate tie has to be so many things: affordable, elegant and tasteful, among others. There’’s a certain formula you can follow so that the recipient will like your gift to some extent, enough not to dump it in the corner with the bath crystals and potpourri.

Plain is best when you”re picking out ties for anybody other than yourself. As any book on men’’s fashion will tell you, plain and simple neckties are the easiest to pair with any outfit, mix and match with any look. Regardless of the recipient’’s style preferences, a plain tie has the highest chances of getting worn regularly.

You hopefully have a good idea of how the recipient is built. Even if your boss receives an exquisite designer brand tie, he’’s not likely to wear it if the cut is either too wide or too thin than what he usually wears. Slimmer guys should get slimmer ties; wider dudes get bigger ties in their gift box. Alternatively, you could also just check what kind of tie the recipient usually wears to work.

If you have a little more confidence in your taste and fashion sense, you could take a stab at choosing a striped or patterned tie. The rule of thumb, however, remains the same: keep your choices as plain and classic as possible. That means ties in reds, greens or blues, and absolutely no novelty ties.

Wrapping Up
Sometimes the devil can really be in the details. Whatever the occasion, the presentation is almost as important as the gift itself. Just dumping the necktie in a gift bag is so crass, and will look even the priciest tie look downright cheap.

Invest in a carrying case or storage canister, especially if you decided to go for a pricier tie. Should the gift be too inexpensive to warrant an actual storage container, at least put the item in a small box before wrapping it. It has a better effect when the recipient opens your present, and creates an illusion of expensiveness for any store-bought tie.

About The Author

Hendrik is the founder of http://www.ties-necktie.com/ - a retailer for fine mens ties, bow ties and cufflink sets. Besides a mens clothing accessory store you will find useful dress code tips and instructions on tying a necktie.