|
|
How To Care For A NecktieCare Bears care about ties and so should you. If you have invested money in buying or time in making a nice seven-fold tie, you want to take of it. You can't simply throw it in the washing machine like your favorite pair of jeans. There is usually no need to dry clean it as well since it is worn over your shirt. The thing that destroys a tie is normal wear and tear. All that is needed is a little effort to not man handle it. If you have a nice car, do you just shift into neutral, jump out and let it cruise into the garage? If you do, I'd like to see a video. But most of us take the effort to pull into the garage, hit the breaks, pull the parking break, and then take the key out of the ignition. A necktie will last longer if you simple untie it correctly and hang it up afterwards. Silk usually resists wrinkles fairly well, but it can still be creased. Take the time and care like a care bear. Reverse Steps When Untying a KnotWhen I first learned to tie a necktie, the most interesting thing about it was that afterwards, i could undo it just by pulling the small end as hard as I could and it would unknot. But after wearing it for a while with a tight knot, I saw that the silk began to stretch and have odd creases in it. Eventually it started to shred a bit. Later I found out that the proper way to untie the knot was to simply follow the steps in reverse. Loosen the tie a little first, and then slip the large end through the knot. Hang Your TieYour necktie is made of fabric just like your other nice clothes. Do you fold up your suit and tuck it away in a drawer? Doing so for a long time would leave a fold and possibly an unpleasant crease. The same will happen if you leave your ties just scrunched away in your sock drawer. Rolling ties are acceptable, but do not let the fabric return to its normal shape with the help of gravity. In the same way that you hang your suits, hang your ties with a tie rack. There are fancy motorized tie racks to simple non-slip hangers that hook into your closet the same way as a normal shirt hanger. Hanging the tie after it has been worn for a full day lets gravity return the section that is knotted back to its original shape. Remove WrinklesIf there are a few minor wrinkles in your tie or if there is a bend from not storing it correctly, you can hang it for a while so that it drapes naturally again. But if you are short on time, you can steam it to relax the fabric making it hang straight again. An alternative to a steamer is to simply hang it up in while you take a shower. Ironing may not be a good alternative because it could discolor or change the texture of the silk. That's what I've heard anyways, but I haven't noticed any changes with the silk I've used. But if you must iron, you can place a cloth over it and let the heat transfer through so that the iron does not directly touch the silk. Neckties Do Not Double As a BibThe easiest and fastest way to ruin a tie is to stain it. When eating, try not to spill food all over yourself like a baby. But when leaning forward, your tie will follow gravity and hang right below your neck. This is a wonderful opportunity to dip your tie into the soup and impress your date. The solutions are quite simple. The simplest solution is to tuck the tie into your shirt. Tie bars are another solution that clasps your tie to your shirt. But, some people do not feel that this is a little too old fashioned. A simple and interesting solution that was brought to my attention is something like the tie bar but unseen. The tie align is so simple that you could make your own. Remove StainsIf you do happen to impress your date with your necktie dipping skills or baby impersonations, you may still be able to save your beloved necktie. There are various solutions depending on the type of gunk you get on your tie but i haven't tried any of these.
|
