Tie A Necktie Easily

I grew up during the New Wave years, when even women wore neckties, so I asked my dad to teach me how to tie a tie. He stood me in front of him in front of mirror, and tied a tie on me. Then he showed me how to slip it off without untying it, and told me "there you go!" It didn't take much practice and then I could tie my own neckties.

Then I went to college and majored in costume and found out that often I could tie a necktie and the actors that I was helping get dressed could not. I taught a lot of guys how to tie ties in college. When I do the thing where I have the person stand in front of me and I tie it on them, I have to stand on a chair, as I'm really short... LOL...!

Men's neckwear hasn't really changed all that much over the last century. Men's shirts have collars that are now sewn on, instead of buttoning onto a collarless shirt. Ties go through phases of getting a bit longer or shorter, or a tad wider or narrower, but overall, they don't change that much.

Giving a man a tie as a gift is almost a cliche, but it doesn't have to be!

• Neckties often have a much maligned reputation as a fall-back gift for Father's Day, Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries. Never give a necktie just because you can't think of anything else.

• Really think about the man (or woman) you're buying the necktie for. Is this tie to be worn at the office? Is it meant to be a tasteful accessory, an eye-catching accent or a novelty joke tie?

• Get a tie with a design or picture on it of something the receiver likes. For example, sports logos, team colors, boating accents, golf images and more all can appear very small and tastefully on a tie.

• How stylish is your tie receiver? If the person you're gifting is really into fashion, consider giving them a gift certificate if you're fashion knowledge is not up to their level.