If you were to walk around with a suit on, one of the first things that stand out is whether or not you’re wearing a tie. The inclusion of the tie helps solidify the professional appeal and is what makes or breaks the elegance of the suit. In turn, it can also affect the impression of others on how much of a professional they will see you as.

With that in mind, even if a majority of men hate wearing them, they understand that it is best to have one on for the sake of presentation. That being said, there are still some who won’t want to go through the hassle and would rather go for the handy dandy clip-on instead of the real thing. It’s easy, it’s quick, and it’s perfect… if you want to kill professionalism.

Despite its novelty, clip-ons can actually be easy to spot and take away authenticity, thus painting a negative picture. If you can’t make an effort to put on a real tie, how can anyone be sure you’ll put in any effort at work? Not the best impression you may want to make at your workplace. For those who may still be a little bit skeptical, here are three reasons on why you should know how to tie your tie.
 
It’s Not that Hard

There are bound to be some people who find wearing the tie to be intimidating and may have heard plenty of horror stories on the struggle to get it right. The truth, however, is that it really isn’t as hard as most people think. A quick and simple search on YouTube can show you how to do it in thirty seconds. Here’s a quick step-by-step to put it into perspective.

·         When the tie is inside the collar of your shirt around your neck, the wide end of the tie should be on your right side, and the small end is on the left. Make sure the side with the wide end is at least twice as long.
·         Wrap the wide end around the small end until the wide end is at the front.
·         Take the wide end and push it through the loop that was made from the previous step. A knot should have formed from doing this.
·        Take the wide end of the tie and push it through the knot. Pull the small end of the tie to adjust the knot.

Follow these instructions, and you can be a pro at tying ties in no time!

Wear It How You Want

Admittedly, the clip-on does have the benefit of being quick and easy, as you don’t have to worry about adjusting it that often. However, the downside is that many clip-ons may be the same length and aren’t able to be modified, which can be very awkward, depending on your height. There’s also the fact that the selection of clip-on ties is minimal. There aren’t many designer and/or brand name ties available as a clip-on.

There are plenty of different variations of knots they can make depending on your suit or your mood. You can adjust the length of the tie to compliment your height and neck size.

Builds Character

If you were to look at a man wearing a suit but no tie, the first things that are likely to come to mind are that he may be coming in a bit too casual and possibly border on unprofessional. That’s not the impression you want to make if you want to get a job or if you have an important presentation. By showing up with a real tie on, you’ll show that you possess a level of professionalism and courtesy.

Conclusion

If you want to present yourself as a real professional and a gentleman properly, the best way to present yourself is to always make sure you come in with a razor-sharp suit. Even with all of the small but integral elements that go into a suit; the blazer, the cufflinks, the tie remains the heart and center of and is what will get the most attention. The tie helps sharpen the edge of a good suit, but it can’t be razor-sharp if the tie is a clip-on. Even if you find the process to be a pain in the beginning, it’s still an important skill in the professional world. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find tying the tie to be the best part of putting your suit on!