[Vecchio Vespa]

It has been said that the grenadine is the one tie every man ought to have. For those who frequent the Timeless Style forum this may well be true. It may be true for a certain type of Trad, too. However, for me, self characterized as TNSIL but more likely a mid-1960s east coast prep whose style has not changed much, I have never owned a grenadine. No TNSILs I know whose style feels similar to mine seem to wear them. I do not know that I have ever seen one in real life! If I am going somewhere dressy but not semiformal or formal, I'll don the usual dark suit and white shirt, but the tie will most likely be a sedate neat or a pin dot. How about others?

 

[FiscalDean]

It has been said that the grenadine is the one tie every man ought to have. For those who frequent the Timeless Style forum this may well be true. It may be true for a certain type of Trad, too. However, for me, self characterized as TNSIL but more likely a mid-1960s east coast prep whose style has not changed much, I have never owned a grenadine. No TNSILs I know whose style feels similar to mine seem to wear them. I do not know that I have ever seen one in real life! If I am going somewhere dressy but not semiformal or formal, I'll don the usual dark suit and white shirt, but the tie will most likely be a sedate neat or a pin dot. How about others?

I’ve never owned a grenadine and like you, I’ve never seen one in the wild.

 

[drpeter]

It has been said that the grenadine is the one tie every man ought to have. For those who frequent the Timeless Style forum this may well be true. It may be true for a certain type of Trad, too. However, for me, self characterized as TNSIL but more likely a mid-1960s east coast prep whose style has not changed much, I have never owned a grenadine. No TNSILs I know whose style feels similar to mine seem to wear them. I do not know that I have ever seen one in real life! If I am going somewhere dressy but not semiformal or formal, I'll don the usual dark suit and white shirt, but the tie will most likely be a sedate neat or a pin dot. How about others?

Well, this man has a few. They are actually traditional, but in a rather different way than the TNSIL school of sartorial thought. It is associated with the English at least by the Italians, LOL (garza a giro inglese) although it is worn all over Europe, and there is a firm that produces the material in Lake Como. It is considered to reflect more refined taste, and is certainly not arriviste. The difference between a grenadine tie and a silk knitted tie is not easy to detect at a distance, but the honeycomb weave of grenadine is apparent when it is closer at hand. There are fine weaves (garza fina) and coarse weaves (garza grossa), and the tie adds interest through its texture when worn with other material that is more flat (hard worsteds or silk shirts, for instance). It's a nice look in my opinion, but perhaps it is not for everyone. I am sure many of the major tie companies have some grenadines in their collections.

 

[fishertw]

I do have one from Chipp, a purple that I wore with a darker gray chalk stripe from BB. I did give the suit away but somehow still have the tie. Since it's been a couple of years since I wore a tie and I still have about 50, I do not see wearing it in the near future. Stripes, pin dots, wool challis and others would take priority when I do wear one again.

 

[poppies]

I love my two grenadines from Chipp. I find them very versatile, working well with a TNSIL approach as well as a more slightly fashion forward Riviera look.

They capture that wonderful balance so often present in classic menswear; a surface simplicity accompanied by a more complex and delicate element upon closer inspection.

 

[Oldsarge]

I have a couple from Sam Hober that I am quite fond of. With the approach of cooler weather and the increased use for tweeds and sport coats I shall likely wear them to church, the University Club, a lecture series that I have tickets for and white tablecloth dining among with the rest of my collection.

 

[YukonCornelius21]

Love the texture and uniqueness of most grenadines (I have a few shades of blue a dark red maroon/wine, and a lighter purple one off the top of my head). But I don’t go to them exclusively or a majority of the time when wearing a tie. But I do really like them.

 

[Charles Dana]

To some extent, clothiers—J. Press, for example—advertised grenadine neckties to Ivy League students in the 1920s and 1930s, but such neckwear never became de rigueur in their wardrobes.

Grenadine did gain traction among the college crowd, but not the type of grenadine we’re talking about here.

 

[vonSuess]

Well, I must confess I know nothing of these ties, but they sound interesting enough to try. I'll start looking around to see what I can find. If anyone has suggestions, please let me know. Thanks for such help as may be rendered...

Hans

 

[Charles Dana]

Well, I must confess I know nothing of these ties, but they sound interesting enough to try. I'll start looking around to see what I can find. If anyone has suggestions, please let me know. Thanks for such help as may be rendered...

Hans

Start with Sam Hober ties. The Hober website even has a tutorial on the various weaves of grenadine neckties, and you can order a custom-made grenadine tie in whichever weave you prefer.

For ready-made grenadine ties, check out the offerings from Paul Winston, who is a fellow member of Ask Andy. “Chipp Neckwear” is the name of his firm.

EDIT: Well, I’m editing this because the links I originally provided didn’t work, so I deleted them. I’m having trouble posting links with this new software. Anyway, what you want to do is visit “Sam Hober” and “Chipp Neckwear.”

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

I think that although the textures of grenadine look quite interesting, they are solid ties, and solids look too subdued to me in an outfit of other solids. A solid tie would be a nice companion to a bold pattern. Bold pattern shirts with ties look odd to me. I am ok with bold plaid jackets like horse blanket plaids or Madras. A grenadine might work, but I doubt it. It seems too dressy for either. My go to solid is a navy knit, rough enough to pair with an OCBD and Madras. I doubt I'll ever own a horse blanket plaid, as much as I love them. The other bold jacket patterns like tartans and blazer stripes have always been too out there for me. I have even almost overcome and lost my love of GTH pants!

 

[fishertw]

I think that although the textures of grenadine look quite interesting, they are solid ties, and solids look too subdued to me in an outfit of other solids. A solid tie would be a nice companion to a bold pattern. Bold pattern shirts with ties look odd to me. I am ok with bold plaid jackets like horse blanket plaids or Madras. A grenadine might work, but I doubt it. It seems too dressy for either. My go to solid is a navy knit, rough enough to pair with an OCBD and Madras. I doubt I'll ever own a horse blanket plaid, as much as I love them. The other bold jacket patterns like tartans and blazer stripes have always been too out there for me. I have even almost overcome and lost my love of GTH pants!

As I have aged, I have also turned away from bolder patterns in jackets and pants. I do however have on today a Clemson orange Orvis polo that just came in the mail. Somehow bold colors on polos are still alright with me. Didn't attend "Klempson" as my friends from North Carolina say, but do like this color.

 

[William Kazak]

I read, many years ago about a guy who wore a very textured woven silk tie all the time. It sounded interesting to me, an occasional tie wearer at the time. I have purchased three from Lands End and one is Tango brand by Max Rabb. I don't know if they are Grenadine. They are each one color. I consider them very worthwhile in a more sporty way than a usual silk tie. If that is rational thought than I cannot know but the fellow I read about many years ago inspired me to try a tie like that, a very coarse knit.

 

[Flanderian]

Though I'm more aptly described as having a TNSIL foundation than a mode I adhere to, I've always liked grenadine ties. The problem is I've just liked other ties better to the extent that I currently have none in my wardrobe. It's been my understanding for the last 60 years that the grenadine tie's essential characteristic was that it was a woven tie that somewhat resembled a knit tie, thereby combining the virtues of both. I've always found them quite dressy, and the current potpourri of knit variations in shiny silk the embodiment of same. But frankly, I prefer other weaves for very dressy ensembles such as satin or Ottoman twill. For occasions that call for more dressy knit tie, I'll take a silk crochet knit in dense, crunchy Italian silk. Fortunately I stocked up with about a half dozen or so over the years from Paul Stuart. They'll stretch all the way from a tie with a sport shirt and shirt jacket, (Which is something I enjoy wearing.) to, surprisingly, some suits. One of these ties is a color described as Champagne, and it looks very nice with a blue chalk stripe and white shirt.

 

[Dr.Watson]

I had a grenadine tie made by Peter Millar for about 7 years, but never wore it—sold it on ebay a few months ago. Like VV above, it never looked right with a solid suit (too monochromatic for me) and was too formal looking for my patterned jackets.

Maybe if I’d had a glen plaid suit it would have gotten more wear though.

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

I had a grenadine tie made by Peter Millar for about 7 years, but never wore it—sold it on ebay a few months ago. Like VV above, it never looked right with a solid suit (too monochromatic for me) and was too formal looking for my patterned jackets.

Maybe if I’d had a glen plaid suit it would have gotten more wear though.

Even if it looked acceptable with a glen plaid, I had several when I worked and always preferred a navy neat.

 

[drpeter]

Though I'm more aptly described as having a TNSIL foundation than a mode I adhere to, I've always liked grenadine ties. The problem is I've just liked other ties better to the extent that I currently have none in my wardrobe. It's been my understanding for the last 60 years that the grenadine tie's essential characteristic was that it was a woven tie that somewhat resembled a knit tie, thereby combining the virtues of both. I've always found them quite dressy, and the current potpourri of knit variations in shiny silk the embodiment of same. But frankly, I prefer other weaves for very dressy ensembles such as satin or Ottoman twill. For occasions that call for more dressy knit tie, I'll take a silk crochet knit in dense, crunchy Italian silk. Fortunately I stocked up with about a half dozen or so over the years from Paul Stuart. They'll stretch all the way from a tie with a sport shirt and shirt jacket, (Which is something I enjoy wearing.) to, surprisingly, some suits. One of these ties is a color described as Champagne, and it looks very nice with a blue chalk stripe and white shirt.

Very well said. I must say I have never encountered the term Ottoman twill or silk, a corded fabric first produced within the Ottoman Empire, in the context of neckties (or even clothes for that matter). But that may be my ignorance, I'll concede! You've taken us into rarefied territory, Flanders.

 

[Matt S]

I'm the world's biggest fan of grenadine ties, with my collection approaching 40! The silk is woven by two manufacturers in Como, Italy, so it's an Italian thing more than anything else. I have both the garza grossa and garza fina varieties, but some of my examples features other grenadine weaves, including a few in polyester. It's long been easy to find grenadine ties amongst all the high-end shops in London. The English tend to prefer the garza grossa kind, but Ivy shops like Chipp and J. Press sell the garza fina kind. I've seen them in other traditional New York shops too, like H. Herzfeld and Paul Stuart (which I know isn't trad). But I tend to think of the garza fina as a trad tie based on the shops I've seen sell it. I don't see why the garza grossa can't be trad either, since most trad ties have come from English traditions.

 

[zzdocxx]

Found this "Ottoman Tie" photo online. Also comes in black and silver. Looks like a twill so I guess this is what our Flanderian was referring to?

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/lauren-ralph-lauren-mens-ottoman-solid-tie?ID=10515453&pla_country=US&CAGPSPN=pla&cm_mmc=Connexity_PLA-_-n-_-n-_-n&m_sc=sem&m_sb=connexity&m_tp=PLA&CAWELAID=120156340009470470&m_ac=Connexity_pla&m_cn=n&cnxclid=16611100413612250760910080302008005

 

[zzdocxx]

Well, this man has a few. They are actually traditional, but in a rather different way than the TNSIL school of sartorial thought. It is associated with the English at least by the Italians, LOL (garza a giro inglese) although it is worn all over Europe, and there is a firm that produces the material in Lake Como. It is considered to reflect more refined taste, and is certainly not arriviste. The difference between a grenadine tie and a silk knitted tie is not easy to detect at a distance, but the honeycomb weave of grenadine is apparent when it is closer at hand. There are fine weaves (garza fina) and coarse weaves (garza grossa), and the tie adds interest through its texture when worn with other material that is more flat (hard worsteds or silk shirts, for instance). It's a nice look in my opinion, but perhaps it is not for everyone. I am sure many of the major tie companies have some grenadines in their collections.

Exactly the way I feel about them, thank you.