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A Guide to Ordering Custom Made / Bespoke Sam Hober Ties
This is the beginning of a comprehensive guide to ordering a custom made tie. So please check back later for more information. Before we begin, a frequently asked question is: Are all your ties custom made? Yes, all of our ties are custom made.
How can I order a custom made / bespoke tie?
A good start is to email us the following information: 1) The silks that you are interested in. Each silk (in both the thumbnail and the detailed product description) will have an item number, for example: #EDT-1 We try our best to have our photos show true colors, however, individual monitors will always have variances. If you would like to see a swatch just let us know and we usually will be able to send you one. 57 inches is a good standard length. Depending on your height and body type you may need a longer or shorter tie. The more traditional ties range in width from 3 inches to 3.5 inches wide at the widest. More modern Italian style ties are more towards 4 inches. Also larger gentlemen who are ordering longer ties may wish to have wider ties. A good middle ground is 3.75 inches. 3) The type of knot that you prefer, and whether you like a small or large knot. 4) What type of construction you prefer. A standard 3-fold tie works very well in almost all situations. Depending on the silk that you choose and your knot preference, we can adjust the interlining to make your tie feel thin or thick, light or heavy. Lined six-fold ties and unlined seven-fold ties are beautiful ties that we often make.
5) Special requests for your tie's shape. We normally suggest a classic well proportioned shape. If you want a classic shape you can skip step 6. However, if your collar type is usually quite wide we can make your tie's shape wider in the middle where you knot your tie. Or we can do the reverse.
6) How do I determine the correct tie length? First, please measure untied your best fitting tie from tip to tip. Next, tie your tie and tell me how many inches from your belt the big and small ends are. Finally, let me know the knot that you used and how often you tie your favorite knot. All things being equal we generally will add two or three inches for a Windsor knot. We can adjust the height of your keeper. (The loop that holds the small end of the tie.) Please note that there is roughly a 1/4 inch variance at times in the length of a handmade tie. Also depending on the silk and how often you wear your tie the silk can stretch over time.
7) Please let us know if you have a preference for the direction that your stripes have. The American style* has the stripes starting from the high left and going to the low right (looking at the wearer) and the British style* is typically (but not always) the opposite. We will use the American style (as we are based in America) unless you request the British style. Typically in the USA the American style is used unless you belong to the school, regiment or club etc. with which the stripe pattern is associated. Some gentlemen prefer the British style as they like the aesthetics of the British look, although there exists the possibility that you will create ill will if you do not have "membership" rights to certain ties. Many American gentlemen have philosophically decided that in the USA anything goes but while in Great Britain they will be much more careful with what they wear. Please note that the photographs of our striped silks are only examples as we do not have any ready-made ties for sale, and we will be very happy to make the stripes go in the direction that you request. * We use the terms "American" and "British" styles in a general way.
8) The interlining of your tie. We use a very luxurious springy 100% wool interlining for our ties unless you have a special request for your tie's weight or thickness. However, we have many weights and textures of wool interlinings for special requests. We also can add cotton interlinings for ties that need some extra thickness, but not extra weight to make a double or triple layer interlining. Keep in mind that the weight of the silk that you select and the tie's construction will also influence the feeling of your tie.
9) Any questions that you may have. We will review your information and answer your questions. When all the details have been agreed upon we will send you a payment link. Please look at the news section of our online store for information on the time it will take for your tie to be made. If you are going to a wedding or important meeting please let us know and we will try to make your tie faster.
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Now for some more detailed information.
What is a custom made tie? A custom made tie is a tie where you pick your fabric (usually silk), the type of tie construction as well as the length, shape and width of your tie. We will ask you various questions such as do you prefer a light, medium or heavy weight tie. The weight of your tie will be determined by your silk, your tie's construction, and the tie's interlining. Once we have the information we need we will make a pattern for you, and then make your tie. What is a bespoke tie? A bespoke tie is exactly the same as a custom tie. "Bespoke" is a traditional British term which means that a certain piece of fabric is spoken for. Some individuals with a love for fine tailoring make a distinction between "custom made" and "bespoke". For those who make the distinction "bespoke" infers that everything is custom done for the client, with all options possible as well as a pattern specially created for the client. As opposed to a "custom" creation which would have limited options. Sam Hober 's tie making is done at our workshop in Isan (The silk region of Thailand) where we live. Our tie patterns, and ties are made after our clients provide us with their information. As such all our ties are custom made or "bespoke". Measuring for your knot. Knots can be subjective with one man's middle sized knot being another's large knot and so on. We will typically make a tie that has a full knot but not too large or small. If you would like to really fine-tune your knot size the following information can be helpful: For a standard 57 inch tie, measure the width of your favorite tie (untied) at 18 inches up from the front bottom/front tip of your tie. At 18 inches up from the front bottom/front tip of standard tie the width will be roughly 2 1/2 inches. If your tie is longer than 57 inches add the number of inches that it is longer than 57 inches to 18 inches to see where you should measure. For example a tie that is 61 inches long is (61-57=4) 4 inches longer than a 57 inch tie, 18 + 4 = 22. So in this case we would measure the width of the tie 22 inches up from the tip. For a shorter tie we would subtract instead of adding.
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What is a 7-fold tie?
There is a great deal of confusion regarding "7-fold ties." A classic American 7-fold tie is made with seven actual folds and no interlining or tipping. The silk in a classic 7-fold tie can range from very thin to thick. An unlined 7-fold tie will not have the wrinkle resistance of a lined tie. In Italy what is commonly called a "7-fold tie, is actually a lined 6-fold tie. A lined 6-fold tie is a very nice tie. It has the elegance of a 7-fold tie, yet the wrinkle resistance of a lined tie. |
Where do you place the bar tack and keeper on a 6 or 7-fold tie? Typically we place the bar tack and keeper on our 6 and 7-fold ties a bit higher up, to allow the folds to clearly show. We can also upon request lower the bar tack and keeper. Please note that we hand-fold our multi-fold ties and that there is a small variance in where we place the keeper. The keeper's position will have a subtle influence on the length of your tie in that where the small end of the tie ends up will effect how you tie your tie. |
Other options for your custom made tie include: 1) Thai silk for the tipping and/or keeper. 2) Many weights and textures of interlining, depending on your requirements. 3) Multi-fold constructions, depending on the thickness and texture of the silk. 4) Making a tie from silk that you provide.
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