Fashion Tips on Pink Ties

Pink ties make for an excellent accessory.  They are bold, accessible, and somewhat off the beaten track - plus the pink color in general has an interesting history which prominently worn ties can bring into play. Below I'll delve a little into that history, plus share some tips on finding, choosing, and wearing pink ties.  

As it happens, the name for the color we know as pink did not even emerge until the late 17th century, but that doesn't mean that the color did not have important significance before that.

In academic dress, the color pink has traditionally been associated with the medical and other health-related fields, and it has also been the traditional color used to represent the British Empire in cartography.

Ties did not enter the sartorial scene until the 17th century, when the style was adopted and expanded upon by Europeans due to an interest Persian style and inspiration from the knotted neckties worn by Croatian mercenaries in the Thirty Years' War. Initially much looser in form, ties were originally known as cravats. In the 18th century, cravats took a brief backseat to stocks, another variation on neck adornment, as well as the solitaire, but cravats regained precedence and evolved into something more resembling the modern tie in the 19th century.

The modern tie is much easier to put on than its ancestor, the cravat. Much of this simpler, more convenient design was brought about because of the industrial revolution - more people were entering the workforce and not everyone could afford a footman to help them dress every morning.

Over the 20th century, ties have gotten a bit longer (due to lower pant wastes and the wane of three piece suits) and wider (though skinny ties have come back in the occasional fad). For reasons of efficiency and also due to the less formal tone being adopted in many offices, fewer businesses require ties to be worn to work, but that doesn't mean that ties aren't still widespread accessories, and make for an excellent, modern fashion statement.

Pink ties have been relatively unusual in the world of ties. They did not even start to spike in Google Trends until 2006. Their recent popularity and fun coloring makes pink ties a great way to add a modern, fun flare to your wardrobe.

Though pink ties might seem to be an adequately specific caetegory as it is, there are many, many types of pink ties.  If you are looking for a pink tie, you might consider...

• Patterned pink ties: Great for plain, bold suits
• Club ties with pink motifs: Cool if you want to designate membership in a specific group, or add a more traditional feeling to your look
• Striped pink ties: Also nice for more traditional looks
• Plain pink ties: Bold and best for showcasing the color
• Skinny ties: Appropriate for use in more informal occasions
• Bow ties: A fun alternative to the typical tie

When considering different types of ties, consider not only whether or not you like the way they look, but also whether or not they would look good with your shirts and suits (and maybe sweaters, vests, sports coats, and the like.

Pink ties are an excellent way to mix things up from time to time. The association of pink with femininity is not an extremely strong one - it only emerged around the 1940s, and before then, the color was considered to be more appropriate for boys because it was closer to red, a decidedly masculine color. Long story short, don't avoid pink because you think it is a girly color.

If you are trying to pick out a tie for a date, you might consider going with pink - some have suggested that women have a preferences for things with a pink or reddish hue as they resemble fruit and healthy faces (it's a silly study, but still!).  Pink ties are also great for every day wear, as well as business attire. Lighter shades are especially nice for mornings, darker colors are great in evenings.

When choosing a pink tie, make sure to consider how it will look with your skin tones - not all shades of pink look good on all men. Some shades of pink might make you look washed out; others might highlight blemishes, scars, sunburns, rashes, or other redness. When selecting a pink tie, also consider how the shade and design come into play with the rest of your outfit, as well as the general environment in which you will be wearing it.

Pink ties look fabulous on women, and are a great way to add an element of playfulness to an ensemble.  Though people typically think to wear ties with blouses, they can also look great on shirt dresses, or even worn as a sort of choker.  

Typically, single-color ties look best on women - patterned ties can make many feminine ensembles, completely with hair, makeup, jewelry, and the like - a bit too busy (men can get away with patterned ties because their looks, while still sophisticated, are typically less ornate).

When wearing ties, be aware of the kind of clothing choices you make - especially if what you wear resembles a uniform.  Be that a desired result or not, donning a tie might make people think that either you are a student somewhere or that you are an employee in a shop.  I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked where something is in a clothing store because people think I'm an employee there.  

Pink ties can be found anywhere where normal ties can be found, and thanks to their trendy nature, pink ties are more available than ever.  When choosing a tie in a store, be sure to check to see how it looks with your skin tones before purchasing, and consider how the pattern and fabric will go with the shits and suits you already have.

When purchasing a pink tie online, you might want to go through an online store or tie manufacturer with which you are familiar, so that you have a better idea of what to expect, quality-wise.  If you are just buying a pink tie as a fun accessory and do not intend to wear it in business and formal occasions where people will expect you to wear clothing of a certain level of quality, it never hurts to buy an inexpensive tie off Amazon or from another bulk tie supplier - more often than not, the quality isn't all that bad!