Joe's Picks

← Suits and Formal Worth Dressing Up For

Ties Worth Finishing the Look With Worth the Closer Look

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Joe's Top Picks

Abstract Ties That Earn Their Place PRETTYLITTLETHING UK Abstract Animal Cowl Neck Tie Front Maxi Dress, Brown Jump to section ↓

$26.60 PRETTYLITTLETHING UK

Check Ties That Get the Details Right MONSOON Ava Tie-Front Check Blouse Blue Jump to section ↓

$38.50 MONSOON

Dot Ties Worth a Closer Look LA REDOUTE UK Tie Side Bikini Bottoms in Polka Dot Print Jump to section ↓

$6.60 LA REDOUTE UK

Floral Ties That Last Longer Than the Trend DOBELL Orange Floral Tie Jump to section ↓

$9.99 DOBELL

Printed Ties That Get the Details Right GODDIVA Printed Tie Back Midi Dress - Cream by Goddiva Jump to section ↓

$29.00 GODDIVA

Spot Ties Worth a Closer Look BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Palm Tree Print Tie Shoulder Short Sleeve Top Jump to section ↓

$14.00 BONMARCHE UK

The Geometric Ties We Keep Reaching For DOROTHY PERKINS UK Jolie Moi Short Sleeve Side Tie Midi Dress In Bright Green Jump to section ↓

$49.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

Abstract Ties That Earn Their Place

Most abstract ties are abstract in the same way a bad abstract painting is abstract: busy, confused, and not really saying anything. They get bought on impulse and worn once before being quietly retired to the back of a drawer. We've spent a fair amount of time thinking about what separates an abstract print that actually works from one that just makes noise. Scale matters. Colour restraint matters. Whether the pattern has some kind of internal logic, even a loose one, matters enormously. The ties in here are all doing something intentional. Some lean geometric, some are more loosely painterly, but none of them look like they were designed by a committee trying to appeal to everyone. They're the kind of ties that make a plain navy suit look considered rather than corporate, and that work just as well with a relaxed sports jacket on a Friday. Abstract does not have to mean chaotic. These prove it.

PRETTYLITTLETHING UK Abstract Animal Cowl Neck Tie Front Maxi Dress, Brown $26.60 PRETTYLITTLETHING UK

BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Tie Neck Abstract Print Blouse With Frill $18.00 BONMARCHE UK

PRETTYLITTLETHING UK Cherry Red Abstract Soft Knit Foldover Tie Detail Bardot Top $12.60 PRETTYLITTLETHING UK

BLUE VANILLA Tie Front Shirred Dress - S KHAKI $15.00 BLUE VANILLA

BLUE VANILLA Fixed Wrap Skater Dress With Tie - Bronze $16.00 BLUE VANILLA

BLUE VANILLA Tie Dye Shirt - ONE BLUE $14.00 BLUE VANILLA

TIES_PLANET Tresanti Celeste Navy, Fuchsia Pink & Green Patterned Men's Silk Tie $24.00 TIES_PLANET

INSTOCK UK Milene Abstract Pleat Tie Waist Midi Dress - Multicolour $35.00 INSTOCK UK

TIES_PLANET Tresanti Celeste Red, Arctic Blue & Cobalt Blue Pattern Men's Silk Tie $29.95 TIES_PLANET

PRETTYLITTLETHING UK Green Floral Satin Tie Front Maxi Dress $23.80 PRETTYLITTLETHING UK

BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Stone Abstract Print Tie Waist Linen Straight Skirt, Size: $20.00 BONMARCHE UK

PRETTYLITTLETHING UK Silver Metallic Abstract Print Tie Side Bikini Bottoms $4.25 PRETTYLITTLETHING UK

Check Ties That Get the Details Right

A check tie is one of those pieces that rewards the man who actually looks at it. Get it wrong and it fights everything around it. Get it right and it adds a layer of considered dressing that a plain tie simply cannot. The problem is that most check ties are wrong before they even leave the factory. The scale is off, the colours are muddy, the weave is too thin to hold a decent knot. We've spent time with a lot of them to find the ones where none of that applies. What we're looking for is a tie where the pattern is scaled to sit well in a half Windsor without the check disappearing into the knot. Wool and wool silk blends are where most of the interesting work is happening. They tie better, drape better, and photograph better than the cheap polyester alternatives. A check tie at this level stops being a risk and starts being the reason the whole outfit works.

MONSOON Ava Tie-Front Check Blouse Blue $38.50 MONSOON

SNEAKIN UK Tie Michael Kors Multi Color Check $47.84 SNEAKIN UK

INSTOCK UK Collared Button Down Short Sleeve Tie Waist Midi Dress - Khaki ONE SIZE - $18.94 INSTOCK UK

PRETTYLITTLETHING UK Cream Check Tie Detail Strappy Shift Dress $19.60 PRETTYLITTLETHING UK

PRETTYLITTLETHING UK Brown Check Tie Detail Fitted Shirt $17.50 PRETTYLITTLETHING UK

LA REDOUTE UK Checked Tie-Front Blouse with V $28.79 LA REDOUTE UK

DOBELL Blue Gingham Check Linen Bow Tie $1.99 DOBELL

MONSOON Agatha Check Tie Front Blouse Red $23.60 MONSOON

SNEAKIN UK Bow tie Karlowsky $16.20 SNEAKIN UK

SNEAKIN UK Short Philadelphia ers NBA Tie-dye Terry $58.39 SNEAKIN UK

PRETTYLITTLETHING UK Dark Blue Check Tie Detail Cropped Shirt $9.25 PRETTYLITTLETHING UK

TIES_PLANET Plain Light Lilac Clip On Tie $9.99 TIES_PLANET

Dot Ties Worth a Closer Look

The dot tie is one of those patterns that looks simple until you start paying attention to how much variation there actually is. Spacing matters enormously. A small tight repeat reads very differently from a widely spaced spot on a darker ground. Scale, colour combination, and fabric all shift what the tie says and where it works. Get it right and it's one of the most versatile things you can tie around your neck. It works with a suit for the office, with a blazer for something less formal, and it plays well with both plain and subtly patterned shirts in a way that a stripe or a paisley often refuses to. We've been looking specifically at examples where the construction is worth the price, where the silk has real body and the knot holds its shape through a long day. These are the dot ties that reward the closer look the name promises.

LA REDOUTE UK Tie Side Bikini Bottoms in Polka Dot Print $6.60 LA REDOUTE UK

THE_DOUBLE_F Blue polka dot silk tie $45.00 THE_DOUBLE_F

BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Side Tie With Metal Trim Swimsuit $25.00 BONMARCHE UK

LOUCHE Louche Daphne Carpathian Florals Print Shirred Cuff Tie Waist Mini Dress $110.00 LOUCHE

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Fs Collection Floral Print Halter Neck Tie Back Mini Dress In Off White In Beige $33.75 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

INSTOCK UK Yoga Studio Premium Grip Dot Yoga Mat Towels - Blue Tie Dye $25.00 INSTOCK UK

SNEAKIN UK Tie Michael Kors Herringbone Dot $41.74 SNEAKIN UK

BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Cobalt Side Tie With Metal Trim Swimsuit, Size: $25.00 BONMARCHE UK

STUARTS LONDON Marzullo Blue Polka Dot Silk Wooden Bow Tie One Size $79.96 STUARTS LONDON

PRETTYLITTLETHING UK Espresso Polka Dot Tie Side Bikini Bottom $8.40 PRETTYLITTLETHING UK

SNEAKIN UK Tie Michael Kors Structured Classic Dot $41.74 SNEAKIN UK

INSTOCK UK Louche Daphne Carpathian Florals Print Shirred Cuff Tie Waist Mini Dress - Black $55.00 INSTOCK UK

Floral Ties That Last Longer Than the Trend

Floral ties get dismissed too quickly by men who've been burned by a bad one. The problem is never the floral itself. It's the scale of the print, the quality of the silk, and whether the whole thing looks considered or like it wandered in from a garden party in 2009. Get those things right and a floral tie is one of the more useful things you can put around your neck. It works with a navy suit in a way that a plain tie sometimes cannot, and it gives a grey suit something to say for itself. We've been looking specifically at ties where the print is restrained enough to wear repeatedly without it becoming a signature you're stuck with. Smaller florals on a dark ground. Silk with proper weight and a good hand feel. These are not statement pieces in the shouty sense. They are well made ties that happen to have flowers on them. That is exactly the point.

DOBELL Orange Floral Tie $9.99 DOBELL

MONSOON Clemence Amelie Tie Front Floral Top Cream $70.00 MONSOON

LOUCHE Bathilde Fleur Vert Print Tie Neck Blouse $49.00 LOUCHE

PRETTYLITTLETHING UK Mustard Hibiscus Print Tie Side Bikini Bottoms $3.00 PRETTYLITTLETHING UK

LOUCHE Louche Evelina Viola Tie Neck Frill Top $39.00 LOUCHE

BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Brown Leaf Print Tie Front Textured Top, Size: $16.00 BONMARCHE UK

BLUE VANILLA Floral Sleeve Tie Waist Shirt - L NAVYIVORY $22.00 BLUE VANILLA

BLUE VANILLA Watercolour Floral Printed Tie Front Blouse - L GREEN $28.00 BLUE VANILLA

DOBELL Green Multi Floral Tie $9.99 DOBELL

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Liquorish Yellow Floral Summer Dress With Tie Waist $24.61 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

LA REDOUTE UK Short Sleeve Tie Blouse $34.44 LA REDOUTE UK

SNEAKIN UK Tie Michael Kors Small Flower $41.74 SNEAKIN UK

Printed Ties That Get the Details Right

Most men play it safe with ties and end up with a drawer full of solid navies and greys that blur into one another. A printed tie is where personality actually enters the picture, but the difference between one that looks considered and one that looks like a novelty gift is almost entirely down to execution. Scale matters. So does the quality of the silk and whether the repeat pattern sits correctly once the tie is knotted. We've been looking specifically at prints that work in a professional setting without being boring, and at options that hold up at weekends when the suit is swapped for a blazer and trousers. Foulard, paisley, geometric, small floral. The ones we've picked all have one thing in common: they were clearly designed by someone who understood how a tie actually gets worn rather than just how it looks flat on a table. That difference shows.

GODDIVA Printed Tie Back Midi Dress - Cream by Goddiva $29.00 GODDIVA

LOUCHE Belia Rosetta Tie Neck Blouse $49.00 LOUCHE

BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Navy Length Daisy Print Tie Neck Chiffon Blouse, Size: $18.00 BONMARCHE UK

OXYGEN_CLOTHING Tie Dye Sweat Short $24.00 OXYGEN_CLOTHING

BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Stone Patchwork Print Tie Detail Tunic, Size: $9.00 BONMARCHE UK

BAKER ROSS Tie Dye Printed Paper gsm Pack of Assorted Tie Dye Designs, mm x mm, Paper Crafts $4.95 BAKER ROSS

PRETTYLITTLETHING UK Baby Pink Mix And Match Tie Side Bikini Bottoms $5.60 PRETTYLITTLETHING UK

LOUCHE Siena Regency Print Strappy Tie Back Top $45.00 LOUCHE

LA REDOUTE UK Printed Tie-Waist Shirt Collar Dress $45.49 LA REDOUTE UK

SNEAKIN UK Checked tie with logo Michael Kors Unsolid Solid $41.74 SNEAKIN UK

OXYGEN_CLOTHING Tie Dye Side Gathering Dress $25.50 OXYGEN_CLOTHING

OXYGEN_CLOTHING Tie Dye Hoody $30.00 OXYGEN_CLOTHING

Spot Ties Worth a Closer Look

The spot tie is one of those things that looks simple and is deceptively hard to get right. Too large a spot and it reads as novelty. Too small and it disappears entirely. The fabric matters as much as the pattern because a poorly woven silk will make even a well scaled design look cheap the moment you knot it. We've been looking specifically at ties where the spot size, spacing, and ground colour have been thought through properly rather than just produced to fill a price point. These are the ties that add something without demanding attention. The kind you reach for when you want a bit of personality without making a statement you'll regret by lunchtime. They work with a mid grey suit, a navy blazer, a tattersall shirt. Versatile but not boring, which is harder to achieve than it sounds. We've been particular about what made the cut here and the ones that didn't were close.

BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Palm Tree Print Tie Shoulder Short Sleeve Top $14.00 BONMARCHE UK

BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Green Palm Tree Print Tie Shoulder Short Sleeve Top, Size: $14.00 BONMARCHE UK

LOUCHE Louche Elsie Flower Spot Print Mix And Match Long Sleeve Tie Midi Dress $79.00 LOUCHE

BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Dobby Spot Tie Front Detail Pyjama Top $14.00 BONMARCHE UK

BAD SHIRT CLUB Trippy Space Tie Set $14.99 BAD SHIRT CLUB

BONMARCHE UK Bonmarche Green Dobby Spot Tie Front Detail Pyjama Top, Size: - $14.00 BONMARCHE UK

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Klass. Textured Tie Neck Top In Bright Pink $17.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

INSTOCK UK Louche Elsie Flower Spot Print Mix And Match Long Sleeve Tie Midi Dress - BlackWhite $39.50 INSTOCK UK

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Roman Petite Spot Tie Front Dress In Pink $26.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Cutie London Black Spot Tie Neck Mini Dress $18.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Joe Browns Crinkle Maxi Skirt With Floral Print And Tassel Tie In Blue $55.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

TIES_PLANET Tresanti Celeste Navy, Sky Blue, Pink & Red Polka Dot Men's Silk Tie $29.95 TIES_PLANET

The Geometric Ties We Keep Reaching For

Pattern is where most men either find their confidence or lose their nerve entirely. Florals feel like a commitment. Paisleys read as a statement. But a well chosen geometric tie sits in a more useful place. It has enough visual interest to do real work in an outfit without announcing itself too loudly. We've always thought of geometric prints as the thinking man's alternative to the plain tie. More considered than a stripe, less demanding than a large motif. What we've been looking for specifically are geometrics where the scale of the pattern suits the width of the tie, and where the colours are organised around something wearable rather than just eye catching. A navy and rust foulard with a tight diamond repeat. A deep green with an angular grid in cream. These are the kinds of ties that reward a second look. They work with a grey suit, a navy blazer, and most things in between. Quietly excellent is the right description.

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Jolie Moi Short Sleeve Side Tie Midi Dress In Bright Green $49.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK