Tie length: above or below the waist?

Men with multiple style issues

The widest part of your tie should sit roughly at the upper edge of your belt, with the tip extending just below. Wearing a tie at the incorrect length is one of the most common errors of tie-wearing men.

Most men wear their ties slightly too long. Many believe this looks less bad than wearing your tie too short. I disagree. In the mid-twentieth century (when waistbands were higher) short ties were fashionable, but long ties have never been in vogue. Nowadays they both look bad.

But getting your tie to sit precisely where you want isn't easy. Think about the following solutions if you're struggling with tie length:

The height of fashion

If you're taller than average, or if your ties always come up short

• Buy a longer tie
• Use smaller knots like the Pratt or Nicky
• Keep your jacket buttoned
• Begin your knot with the thin end progressively higher, until you find a starting point that works for you and your tie

If you're smaller than average, or if your ties are always too long

• Buy vintage neckties - they tend to be shorter
• Thicker knots like the half-Windsor or Windsor might help use up that extra material
• Choose a heavier cloth
• If the thin end of the tie ends up hanging below the thick end, tuck it in to your shirt, or the band at the back of your tie, or use a tie clip

Above all, remember that your ties are likely to be different from one another in both thickness and length. As different knots need to be used with different ties, so different methods will need to be used to ensure that your tie falls to the right length. And if you suspect you need to tie your tie for the fifth time so that it looks good, always take that extra time. It's better to be slightly late for a meeting than to turn up looking sloppy or ridiculous.