Some fashion gurus decry tie accessories as being out of date and insist that a tie pin is anachronistic. Even so, these accessories are helpful in keeping your tie out of your soup. They are probably here to stay regardless of the fashion highbrows.

The most common ones are tie bars, tie clips, tie chains, and tie tacks. They can be very elegant and expensive, made of gold and set with precious stones, or they can be casual and unpretentious. They add yet one more accessory for a man whereby he can individualize his look.

The Tie Bar

This is a thin piece of metal that slides across the middle part of the tie and attaches the tie to the shirt. You can choose from a wide array: many shapes and sizes such as small ones that are tasteful or large and gaudy ones.

Some can only be described as wild and odd (Whatever floats your boat!). They can accessorize your wardrobe in such a way that your own taste will be enhanced. They are certainly just as appropriate for a sophisticated look as they are for a business-like look. They are worn by clergy, band directors, and businessmen alike and provide an opportunity to underscore the message the wearer wishes to convey.

The Tie Clip

The tie clip is much like a tie bar. However, it clips horizontally across the tie and shirt. There is as wide a range of tie clips as there is of tie bars. I’ve seen several beautiful 14-carat gold monogrammed ones.

The Tie Chain

The tie chain has a bar that hooks to a button on the shirt and a little chain. The neck tie goes through the loop of the chain, hiding the bar behind the tie. What is visible is the chain. They are usually rather expensive and are in high-quality gold or silver. They suggest upper-crust sophistication and should be reserved for appropriate occasions.

The Tie Tack

Similar to the tie clip and tie bar, the tie tack is composed of two parts. One part is the design (the front part) with a pin on its back and a chain to keep you from losing the tack. These are sometimes set with very expensive stones.

To attach the tie tack, you remove the front part, the design part, from the base then pierce through the tie. Then you attach the base to the pin. The metal weight and chain go through a button hole on your shirt. These are probably more popular than other accessories and often are a gift from a loved one, sometimes to commemorate an occasion such as a birthday or wedding anniversary. The downside is that the tie tack does pierce the fabric of the tie and can do some damage.

Concluding Thoughts

To accessorize or not to accessorize? The answer will probably vary by generation. Men have so few ways to vary their wardrobes, it seems a shame to relegate this one to the trash heap of history.