ties

starting pupillage somewhere sw**ky next week and need to stock up on ties (not the bondage variety, though I guess you could multi purpose). Looking for quality, but needn't be expensive just for the sake of it

  • Guaranteed conversation starter in your chambers 
  • Whereas a guaranteed conversation starter with Chambers is names, dates, and other relevant personal information.

Jesus the courts need to grow up.  I wonder how long Elizabethan lawyers had to continue wearing ruffs after everyone else realised they were pointless fashion?

I only have five ties I actually wear:

Old school tie for old school events

Very sober dark blue with red spots for Board meetings

Very loud tie, with big polka dots, which Mrs Dux bought me (fun occassions)

A blue tie with bugs and butterflies, which is my favourite (ditto)

Club tie

You can buy individually a whole range of paisley silk ties off eBay for not much money. Most with matching cuff links. In both loud and subdued colours.

If that's too flamboyant, then try TK Maxx. Obviously the range is rather random but The Price Is Right.

My favourite ties are all charity-shop jobs.

Key thing is to keep the width 8-8.5".

Nothing wrong with Charles Tyrwhitt. Reef Knots are also a cheaper alternative to Hermes and Ferragamo if you like that style.

HN White, Drakes (if you can afford the fookers), Berg & Berg, E Marinella, Patrizio Capelli all good choices.

To perdition with this casual dressing nonsense.  A partner once said you should never hire anyone who wears loafers to work, on the basis at someone who is too lazy to do up their laces won’t do a thorough job on anything else either.  

Go cheap on your suits - no sense wasting money bespoke / designer suits for meetings or office.  Get 2 pairs of trousers with each suit, as all that chair-shuffling wears trousers out much quicker than jackets.  M&S is fine. 

But go dear on shoes, shirts, ties, links.  And by dear, I mean English shoes (still the best), English shirts, Italian ties (the best, and plain colours, no earth colours i.e., no loser greens or browns, and with a high momme count) and vintage, understated US cufflinks.  You will look the business for a relatively modest outlay, and good shoes can be re-heeled and re-soled umpteen times.  I know Churches are not as good post-Prada, but I generally get 15 years out of a good pair of Churches.  Your “cheap” pair of shoes will be gone in a year or so.   

Look the business, do the business.  Save your sloppiness for your weekends.