Wednesday 24 October 2012

Accessories are awesome! Part Two - Neckwear







Yesterday we announced to the world that accessories are awesome!  Yesterdays post was called 'Accessories are awesome!'   The general gist of the post went something like this: 

'Why?  Well that's reasonably simple, because they are awesome!  And they create an outfit, which is fit for a groom.   The current wedding fashion is for simple, fitted, three-piece suits, which in my opinion is fantastic, but you do need something to 'Wedding-y' (real word) it up a bit.   I suppose you could do this with a wedding waistcoat, or even a cravat but for me it is far simpler and more sophisticated to add a few special accessories. '

That post was all about Tie-Bars, Collar Bars, Collar Clips and Pocket watches.  Todays post is going to be all about 'neckwear', more specially Ties and Bow-Ties.   You may note that I did not mention cravats, this is not because I have anything against cravats, I just think that is a whole different blog post on a subject that i am sure has been covered a million times. 

So Ties first of all.  The subject of ties is vast!  I know it seems like such a small detail but to me, the tie can make or break any suit, especially a wedding suit.  Let's look at what options you have:

1. Slim Ties.   The current fashion is for a slimmer tie.  I would consider a slimmer tie to be around 6-7cm in width (at the widest part).  Slim ties are essential for wearing with a waistcoat that is lower buttoning or even U-shaped.  Slim ties are also good for tie-ing a smaller windsor knot, rather than a large windsor knot.  This then allows you to use some different collar shapes and different collar jewellery.  When it comes to weddings, some prefer to match colours to bridesmaids etc.  I would be aware that making a good slim tie is not always the easiest thing to do, the pattern (the actual shape of the tie) is very important (not too slim but not too wide at the knot area), without a good pattern any dress maker, bridal shop (no matter how good they are at making ties) will not make the correct shape.  

2. Skinny Ties.  Skinny ties are also very fashionable at present.  I would consider a skinny tie to be 5cm or less. (at the widest point)  Skinny ties are great, for all of the reasons that slim ties are great.  But a word of caution, skinny ties do have a more casual appearance than a slim tie. This is sometimes necessary for the right outfit but not always what you are looking for wedding suits, or maybe it is.  

3. Polka Dot Ties.   Polka dot ties are great as well.  They certainly do look more business like than a plain tie.  But having said that, what a great way to include two colours in your wedding tie.  If your colour scheme is navy and pink, how great would it be to have a navy tie with a pink polka dot.  Or if you had a London themed wedding with red buses & phone boxes etc, how cool would it be to have a London business tie, with a red & white polka dot (maybe even a bowler hat!).  It's different to a usual wedding-tie but that's the appeal, it's different!

4. Wool Ties.  Pure wool ties are becoming more and more popular.  We use them quite a lot here at Jack Bunneys.  There are two different types, there are those that are made from the same fabric as the suit itself.  This gives a very finished and complete look to your suit as a whole and we do use this option quite a lot with our wedding suit designs here at Jack Bunneys.  It's sharp tailored and very importantly does not clash with any other wedding colours (unless your suit clashes!)  Then there are the pure wool ties which are purchased separate to the suits, these tend to be very casual ties, they sit perfectly with tweed, country style suits and are perfect for those vintage or county themed weddings.

5. Knitted Ties.  I love these!  (I wore one for my wedding) They look like a long sock!  Knitted ties will either be woven, knitted silk or pure wool and there are both slim and regular widths available.  Knitted ties are casual ties again, but again work perfectly for those vintage style of weddings or country themed weddings.  A knitted tie is the perfect accompaniment to a tweed jacket or suit.  Not the easiest things to tie well however, most people opting for a half-windsory knot.  It does take a bit of practice to tie the knot in a way which is sharp enough for a wedding and the knots do tend to slip a bit throughout the day.  

6. Striped Ties.   Like the polka dot ties, these are a bit business like, but are a fantastic way of including two colours in your tie.  I have seen these ties worn for weddings on quite a few occasions and they do work perfectly well.  A black and white themed wedding, with a black and white candy striped tie, is far more relaxed than the usual black-tie (tuxedo) type of suit usually worn for these types of wedding themes.  You have so many options with a striped tie, you don't have to just match the bridesmaids, you can include two colours, yes you will match the wedding theme as a whole but without being too matchy-matchy.

Secondly we come to Bow Ties.  I have previously blogged about bow-ties for weddings in the past, with a post called : Bow Ties for Wedding - mainstream Vs alternative  And I think my views are pretty much covered in that post.  Do not get the wrong end of the stick, I do LOVE bow ties.  I think they are cool, quirky and different but please only wear a bow-tie if you yourself are a little cool, quirky or different, they simply do not suit everyone, having a bow-tie maybe alternative but you can only be alternative if the wedding is also alternative (if you see what I mean).   

To me a bow-tie should be a personal thing, a bow tie should be tied by your hands and look that way.  A bow tie is a tactile item, they look cool because they are are a reflection of the person that has tied them.  In short DO NOT buy a ready-tied bow for your wedding.  they look cheap and have no character.  Spend half an hour on You Tube or our blog and learn to tie your own.  




Tuesday 23 October 2012

Accessories are awesome - Part One.




Accessories are something that us Bunney boys are always banging on about, we love them!  

Why?  Well that's reasonably simple, because they are awesome!  And they create an outfit, which is fit for a groom.   The current wedding fashion is for simple, fitted, three-piece suits, which in my opinion is fantastic, but you do need something to 'Wedding-y' (real word) it up a bit.   I suppose you could do this with a wedding waistcoat, or even a cravat but for me it is far simpler and more sophisticated to add a few special accessories.  

What type of accessories are good? 

 Tie Bars are fantastic and serve a dual purpose, the first is style, the second is holding the tie in place.  A tie bar attaches to the shirt and holds the tie straight and flat, allowing a small emphasising pucker of the tie.  Tie bars are particularly useful when using a low-buttoning or U-shape waistcoat.  You do need to make sure that you have selected the right size tie bar for the right tie, the current fashion is for slim or even skinny ties, you will have to check the width of your tie bar to make sure that the size is just right for the look you are trying to achieve. 
In the Jack Bunney online shop we sell tie bars in different widths and tell which width of tie the tie-bar is suitable for.  Click. 

Pocket Watches are also a good shout.  Again they serve a dual purpose, the first (as ever) is style, secondly they make a great photo opportunity for the groom, a well timed reportage shot of a pensive groom looking at his pocket watch, awaiting his bride, makes a fantastic and amusing picture.  Pocket watches can also be great keepsakes, very often purchased as gifts and engraved with a special message for the day.  Unusual pocket watches can also be purchased, in the Jack Bunney shop we sell coloured pocket watches which are a different and modern twist on a classic, these can also be co-ordinated with your wedding if you choose.  Click

Collar Bars & Collar Clips, we absolutely love these at Jack Bunneys!  They look so very stylish and are perfect way of lifting that slim tie.  They hold up that perfectly tied knot and give the whole outfit an air of 'retro-ness' (also a real word).  You can purchase different types, collar clips are just that, clips which clip onto the shirt collar and hold the two collars together under the knot of the tie, these require a large classic collar shirt, preferably with removable bones. Click
 Then you have collar bars, and these require holes in your shirt collars, in my experience it is best to have a shirt with the holes already in them, attempting to add the holes is never successful in my opinion.  These are available in lots of different styles and some even come with colour coordinated ends, so you can match them to your suit or the colour theme of you wedding. Click.