[Flanderian]

The prices on many ties have become absurd! Sam Hober's ties are fine quality, but more sanely priced.

In your situation, I'd get one wine colored, and one navy. While I have a fondness for wool, silk is likely the better choice for wear with most suits, and can still be worn with sport jackets.

Grenadine ties are very nice, but have become a fad. Nothing wrong with those if you wish it, but other choices are just as nice. You could get solid ties, but I'd be more tempted to get each with a simple white of grey stripe to avoid looking too somber in less formal use. They still will be suitable for almost everything, and easy to accessorize.

A tie should look rich, knot well and hang straight. IMHO, all else is superfluous, which is why I see little point in 7-fold ties and the like.

 

[Flanderian]

I was planning on going silk. What's the difference between reppe and jacquard? Is one more "normal? If that even makes sense.

Rep is dull or lustrous, midweight silk fabric, which is typically one-color. Has transverse, longitudinal or angled ribbing; is in linen or rep weave and from fine lustrous or dull silk.

Jacquard is cloth woven with a pattern woven into it.

Rep silk is the most common.

I've always had a fondness for small dots on ties. Maybe one with dots and one with a stripe as you mentioned.

Polka dot ties look great. It is a fairly formal pattern for a tie. Stripes slightly less so to my eye.

So is the standard a 3 fold?

It is most common, and entirely adequate if the tie is properly made.

 

[Flanderian]

It's hard to believe you won't get tired of wearing the same two ties, so I would encourage you to look for more, and different types. Not all solid, or stripe, or paisley, or polka dot. Get a variety.

One place I go for ties is Lands End. I'm sure they're not as high quality as some of the makers I see mentioned here, but they seem to be good fabric, attractive patterns and colors, and reasonably priced (particularly if you stick to the sale items). Some of my favorite ties are from Lands End.

I haven't shopped Lands End for ties in a long, long time, but then I'm not really in the market any longer. But some of those I have from them are among my favorites. About 30 years ago they had a wool knit in a Fairisle type pattern, and I bought all 3 colorways!

 

[Flanderian]

My advice is to not pay more for a tie than you are comfortable parting with when a spill happens. I have bought many $100 - $200 retail ties on ebay for $20, which is my ebay price ceiling for bids on ties. There are more beautiful ties for sale on ebay than one could possibly scroll through.

I tend to favor vintage ties and Holland & Holland and Purdey. I also pick up a few from Jim Thompson when in Bangkok.

Cheers,

BSR

Sounds like excellent advice.