The essential guide to men's ties

Go ahead and throw on a tie.

Feel the difference?

It's a small thing, but small things are the point.

When you're sporting a tie, you can pretty much stroll in anywhere you want; it's like an Admirals Club card that you wear on the outside.

Whether you're suiting up for the office or laying out a look for the evening, a tie allows you to pull together the disparate elements of your wardrobe with a touch of texture or complementary color.

If you learn to do it correctly-balance the width of the tie against your lapels and shirt collar, find a knot that fits your face-you'll have dressing right all tied up.

A tie is the first thing people notice

"Nice tie!" That's always what people say. Their eyes can't help but go there.

So while you do want a tie that looks great all on its own, remember, it shouldn't be a novelty piece.

It's meant to speak to the rest of your outfit, not stand apart from or clash with it.

Length matters...

Whether you're six feet four or five feet six, the tip of the tie should hit right at your beltline- not three inches below it, not two inches above it. That is, unless you're doing the whole short-suit thing. And then, yes, let the tie hang tight above the navel.

...And so does width

At GQ, we like a narrow- but not superskinny-tie, about two and a quarter to two and three-quarter inches at its widest point.

Much wider than that and you start to look like a congressman.

This thinner width works both at the office and on the town, syncing up with any modern-cut suit.

Your knot shouldn't resemble a giant dorito

Do you want a knot the size of a P'Zone, like Stuart Scott on ESPN? No, you don't. So go ahead and ignore the half Windsor, the Prince Albert, the Super-duper Double Elliott, and all those other knots you find in sartorial guidebooks.

You really need to know only one knot-the four-in-hand. It's neither too big nor too small nor too perfectly triangular. It's natural and elegant, and it works with every collar, from a spread to a point. Learn it, never forget it, always use it.

Love your dimple: the secret tie weapon

"Yes, a snugly knotted tie will look perfectly fine without one," says GQ senior fashion editor Lisa Cohen. "But the dimple's the finishing touch that pulls it all together. We consider it essential." Here's how to take your look from passable to polished.

1. When you're almost done tying your tie, press your thumb against your index finger just beneath the knot, so the fabric forms a crease.

2. Pull down the narrow end of the tie to tighten the dimple, and slide up the knot.

3. Finesse either side of the dimple to accentuate the fold and set it in place.

Want some solid advice? Keep it solid

At GQ, we love a vibrantly striped repp tie or a boldly patterned club tie.

But you're not going to see much in the way of dizzying paisleys or loud wallpaper prints.

We're not into ties as conversation pieces.

We like a tie that anchors an outfit.

When we assemble one of our suit-and-tie stories, we almost always find ourselves reaching for solid or subtly patterned ties.

They ground a busy shirt like a plaid or a gingham, and they stand strong against a crisp white or pale pink. They're fail-safe.

The essential can't-go-wrong tie wardrobe

We're not saying you shouldn't own more than five ties, but if you owned only these, you'd be set for every outfit and every occasion.

Wool

In the middle of winter, you'll want a tie to pair with your heavier-weight suits.

Solid Black

For formalwear occasions, for a gray suit with a white shirt, or for a leather or jean jacket. Exceptionally versatile.

Pin-Dot

Like a polka-dot, but much smarter and more subtle.

Club

Any tie with a repeating logo. Once just for the Ivy League set, now for anyone with serious style.

Repp

Still a Capitol Hill staple, but now cut skinny for the cool kids, too.

Timeless style: why loose and easy always looks sharp

Seems like half the covers we shoot, our guy has his tie undone. It's one of those not-trying-at-all looks that actually take some trying.

You don't want to resemble some broker who just lost a million bucks in the last twenty minutes. So stick with a slim, cool-guy tie-not a honking power tie.

A little scruff always helps. It's the grooming equivalent of a loosened knot.

And get the shirt right. A washed and worn oxford is your easiest option. But if you do go with a pressed shirt, keep it understated. Avoid those Euro ones with the stiff oversize collars; there's nothing easy and relaxed about them.

No more big, fat, wide ties!

The man who rebirthed the skinny tie makes his case

"A skinnier tie just feels of-the-moment right now. It's not too mainstream and not too traditional. And there's less material, so there's less potential for a color or pattern to feel garish or offensive. Plus, the way people dress is cyclical. What's rebellion and what's conformity flip-flop back and forth. For a long time, rebellion was a T-shirt and a trucker hat. Then, suddenly, that mess became conformity, and dressing up a little bit became a way to differentiate yourself. Take the Mad Men era: Back then, looking really fantastic was the way to conform, and rebellion was the beatnik in the T-shirt. And then it just flips. So right now, a well-tailored suit and skinny tie is cool. Right now, that's the mark of an individual."-Scott Sternberg, designer, Band of Outsiders

See the full list here >>

More from GQ: