Did you know that a Swedish team of mathematicians calculated that you can tie a tie in 177,147 different ways? Despite this astonishing number most men struggle with mastering just a single tie knot. In fact, each day 15,000 men in the US search the internet for “how to tie a tie”. Despite this, it is actually less than 1% of adult men who know how to tie their own bow ties. These are just 3 of the 10 fun facts that inspired me to create this fun necktie infographic:

The tie bar is a perfect menswear accessory that will add both style and function to your wardrobe. If worn correctly, it will add subtle, sophisticated elegance. If worn incorrectly, however, it can quickly turn into a noticeable style Faux Pas that can throw off your entire ensemble. To make sure you wear your tie bars correctly, here the three basic “tie bar rules” you need to know. Besides proper tie bar placing and tie bar length, I will also give you some tips on finding the perfect color, material, and design.

The sweet-spot for the tie bar is between the 3rd and 4th dress shirt button. Typically a slightly higher placing has a more modern look.

The tie bar should reach about 3/4 of the width of your tie. A little shorter is fine, but the tie bar should never be wider than the necktie. That being said, you will need different tie bar length depending on the width of your tie. Tie bars that are 1.75″ – 2.25″ in width are great for regular width ties (about 3.25″ wide), tie bars that are about 1.5″ wide are excellent for narrow neckties ranging from 2.35″ – 2.9″ in width, and very narrow tie bars that are 1″ – 1.25″ wide are great for very skinny ties that are narrower than 2″ wide.

The tie bar is designed to attach your necktie to your dress shirt. Thus, make sure to clip both ends of the tie onto your shirt (see left image). Don’t just clip both end of the necktie together (shown in right picture) which completely defeats the purpose of the tie bar.

Today tie bars are no longer just plain silver or gold in color. While gold and silver tie bars are the most elegant choice, some occasions are perfect to have some fun with some bold colored pieces. When wearing a silver or gold tie bar make sure that the color matches other metals on your ensemble such as your belt buckle, watch, and cufflinks. When wearing a colored tie bar make sure the color coordinates with your outfit and the occasion.

Further Reading Suggestions:
How to Wear a Skinny Tie
Basic Overview of Common Necktie Accessories