Whether you are considering fashionable custom ties as part of your own collection or for other men in your life e.g. dads gifts, or grooms gifts… or you are just thinking of perfect gifts for men… or if you are contemplating purchasing new designer ties for yourself, it helps if you know a little background on mens ties.  Just like electronic equipment include a user manual, seldom do we see anyone offering you assistance on how to wear or tie different ties. malebox has a huge range of classy neckties and we offer you advice on how to tie them! So here are a few of the most famous, popular and classic ways to don mens ties and complete that sharp getup for your big day…. every day.

Below are different methods of tying neckties. Learning these give you variations for your look in terms of “mens ties arsenal” and enable you to look sharp for any day or mood.

a. The Four-in-Hand Knot

The four in hand knot, which is specifically designed for certain mens ties, was classically fashionable in Great Britain during the 1850s.  As fashion changed from stiff shirt collars to soft, turned-down collars, the four-in-hand necktie knot gained popularity.  This method also became very popular as it is the easiest to learn and do.

1.    First wrap the wider end around the narrow end from behind, and then holding it with one hand so that the knot does not slip out of place.

2.    After this, wrap the broader end over the narrow end from the front so that it loops around the whole knot, and then take the broader edge of the tie and pass it through the loop.

3.    Now pull the broader end of the tie through the front loop that you have created in the previous step. Slowly tighten the loop in order to adjust the knot in the centre of your collar.

Modern office shirts with narrow sleeves and collar work best with this kind of knot.

b. The Half Windsor Knot

This knot is a bit trickier than the others. However, constant practice and experimentation would help include this knot in your routine. This type of knot is usually used during formal occasions such as business meetings or weddings, and would be a good advice if you are getting married and sharing your tie in a set, as part of your groomsmen gifts. In case your best man and groomsmen aren’t familiar with the know, they can simply follow the instructions below…

1.    As usual, always keep the broader end of the tie on your right and narrow end on your left.

2.    After this, wrap the broader end over the narrow end and hold it with your left hand.

3.    And then bring the bigger end from left to the right by passing it under the narrow end.

4.    Now, carefully pass the bigger end through the loop that you have just created.

5.    And then run it again over the knot from right to left and pass it through the loop.

6.    While holding the knot intact, pull the big end of the tie. Then adjust the knot up to your neck by pulling the narrow end.

c. The Windsor Knot

As a variant of the half Windsor knot, this knot is also used for more formal gatherings as opposed to the usual office getup, and would be a useful advice if you are giving or using an off the shelf or custom ties for special occasions, or any other day!

1.    Start with the wide end (“W”) of your necktie on the right, extending about 12 inches below the narrow end (“N”) on the left.

2.    Cross the wide end over the narrow end.

3.    Bring the wide end up through the loop between the collar and your tie.

4.    Bring the wide end back down.

5.    Pull the wide end underneath the narrow end and to the right, back through the loop and to the right again so that the wide end is inside out.

6.    Bring the wide end across the front from right to left.

7.    After this pull the wide end up through the loop again.

8.    Bring the wide end down through the knot in front.

9.    Use both of your hands to tighten the knot carefully and draw it up to the collar.

These methods of tying mens ties are necessary elements and important knowledge for all men with any fashion sense.  Each know makes your getup versatile for any situation, work or formal gatherings. Today the central clothing accessory for males apart from his shirts and trousers that exhibits his professional image is the good old necktie.  In an environment dominated by corporate perception, prosperity is determined by how people will perceive you.  And the classic mens ties maybe the perfect equaliser for you to achieve your goals. Make sure you treat this accessory with the time it deserves to choose and tie it!

The Spring Carnival Racing season is on.  If you are looking for the proper gift for him you have come to the right place to transform your man to dress up to the occasion.

Men’s fashion always go for functionality over style, comfort over aesthetics, but this season is an exception.  The Melbourne Cup Carnival is one of the few events where men are expected to display their true style with fantastic suits, ties, shoes and even hats.  While most of the blokes think that the race season is just a showcase for women to show their fashion prowess, they do not notice that the women are looking (and expecting ) that the men would match their dresses as well.

Skinny suits are always in for the season. As springtime and the excitement of the race brings warmth to the weather, accessories that match suits made of  lightweight wool, silk and cashmere are definitely the top choice in fabrics   Match your suit with great dark leather shoes and a belt.  If your man is the adventurous type and you are having a hard time finding gifts for him, have a try at some little changes and play with the accessories to liven up the mood. Three piece suits are the in thing this year with the classic combo raising the race wear standards at the Melbourne Cup.

Make His Outfit Stand Out In a Good Way

Trust that every fashionable male will wear a suit and a hat while on the race.  The game is won by matching his suit with the proper accessory that fits his built and personality.  The right accessories such as custom cufflinks and scarves make his style a class above the rest.  Do not let him wear a black suit.  Have him go for charcoal or navy colour instead. Lighter colours would suit younger men and would celebrate their youth.  Have him play around with different colours with his ties and handkerchiefs, but just make sure they aren’t an eye-sore for other people. Use light colours which can lift any outfit and mix it with bold colours to create an urbane and edgy men’s race wear look.

Always Remember.

Hats are definitely back in men’s fashion.  The gangster look is big and very much favoured and is completed with the loft hat.  Don’t forget to have him wear a matching pair of sunnies as well to protect his eyes and for that extra edge.  Wearing statement ties and socks are a NO NO. The key is to keep the getup professional and classy.   His belt and shoes should match ALL THE TIME, and grey shoes should be avoided for the races.  Have your man follow these tips to give him for a perfect time at the race.

It’s those minor things that draw the fine line from boys to men.  Sometimes, the right accessories make you stand out of the rest.    If you’re looking for something that would transform you to be a cut above all the other blokes, you need to look no further than a wearing a hat.

Hats are a great alternative: they’re classy, they’re in style and they can give you a few extra inches of height in an instant!  Even more, hats are also very functional as they protect your outdoor life from the suns nasty rays.  What more can you ask for?

We can’t stop raving about hats!  What’s even more significant is that a hat in the form of a Loft Hat, or a Duncan Hat can be dressed up or dressed down.  It can elegantly be worn with your suit or office wear, or you can even wear it during a casual day at the park with your shirt and jeans.

A hat would also be a great choice if you are looking for gifts for men.  Hats are considered to be very versatile as they can be paired off with any accessory.  So if you are looking for the perfect gift for him, come and see our hat collections and we are sure that your gift would make a lasting impression.

Here at MaleBox, we offer a selection of stylish hats that you can use no matter what occasion.  Feel free to browse around our catalogues and stay tuned to this blog for further updates and male fashion tips.

Check out our other accessories that would give your man’s suit a second look from his collegues.  We offer a classy range of custom ties, belts, custom cufflinks, and many others.

It can be very difficult for the modern man to stay abreast of the latest trends, especially if one leads a hectic lifestyle.  It can also be very time consuming to keep updated and do all the dirty work by making sure your most important fashion pieces never go out of style.  If you are tired of running around trying to keep yourself up to date with what is latest, simply don’t.  Simply go classic.  Here are some of the reasons why we believe that this is best for you.

1)       The classic look never goes out of style – Update those ties and cuffs with new ones.  Go for the ties with traditional designs such as the striped ones.   If you are the playful and adventurous type, play with tie colours and wear a blue blossom or avocado shade.   Check out our latest collection of Tie and Cuffs Combo wherein you get a matching elegant tie and cuff that would complete your classical look.

2)      The classic style exudes elegance and power – Adding a matching cufflink to that shirt, having a trendy pocket hanky ready whenever needed, whipping out that classic money clip, pulling out a stylish compendium are just some of the little things that would make your style a cut above the rest.  It’s those little things that count.  Check out our latest collections and pick these elegant items that suit you.

3)      The classic style has been tested by time to be effective – The latest trends and fads would come and go, but a classical style will always look good even if the fashion police has decided to and an era.  It would then be cost effective for you to take care of your ties, cufflinks, and watches.  We offer a huge range of elegant tie and belt boxes, watch boxes, and tie holders, built to extend the life of your accessories.

No matter where you go.  There would be a part of style that is timeless.  It is better to go with these look as you will never be left out with a proper suit and the accessories that complete it.

Celebrity bling is big business, and all of the top Hollywood stylists know that when it comes to red carpet mens fashion, less is more… or is it?  Men are taking more risks with accessorizing and the popularity of wearing cufflinks to formal events is once again rising. A small yet essential detail for a stylish formal look, cufflinks add that extra bit of luxury to any man’s outfit.

But what we all want to know is- what do the celebrities wear when it comes to cufflinks?

The answer, in short, is really expensive designer ones! Costing anywhere from $400 to over $3000 a pair, designer cufflinks do not come cheap. The average Joe can get a great pair of replicas for under $100, but for those who have the cash, why not splash?

Brad Pitt is a fan of Nathan Tim cufflinks, which retail at around $400 a pair. Made of stainless steel and Murano glass, these cufflinks are ultra-modern. Available in circle and oval shapes, these brightly-coloured little gems feature flower designs, tortoiseshell prints and retro circular patterns. For something truly unique, check out their white gold and dinosaur bone (yes, dinosaur bone) cufflinks for a cool $3195.

“Mesozoic era dinosaur bone accompanied by a 2mm round cognac diamond inset in brushed back button. Sixty-five million years old and unearthed form the American Southwest, this dinosaur bone comprises less than five percent of fossilized bone. The rich earthen tones are the direct result of interactions between soil minerals and the dinosaur, creating a unique link between the past and present. Bone color and pattern will vary slightly due to its unique nature.”

Image from Shop.nathantim.com

S.T. Dupont cufflinks are another celebrity brand of choice for their luxurious designs and of course, for their cool cameo in Casino Royale, as worn by Daniel Craig. Celebrity or not, no man can resist a piece of James Bond style, even when the price tag is set at $300 and up.

Image owned by BondLifestyle.com

At this year’s Oscars, actor, writer and director Stanley Tucci was photographed wearing a set of Bulgari cufflinks.  Known for their opulent cufflinks featuring precious stones such as lapis, onyx, mother of pearl and pavé diamonds, it’s no wonder that Bulgari is a favourite cufflink choice amongst the rich and famous.

Image from bulgari.com

Fashion mogul and music star P Diddy is known for always looking impeccably-dressed and for being a shameless self-promoter.  As the CEO of the Sean John brand, Diddy is not above wearing his own designs including his skull and crossbones cufflinks.

Image from Nordstrom.com

Steven Spielberg is a fan of Faberge cufflinks, and even wore them to pick up his Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. With these Russian treasures reaching over $4000 at auctions, they are reserved for the seriously wealthy. The good news for the rest of us is that replicas can be bought for under $50 so we too can have a piece of the historic Faberge look for our special occasions.

Gold Faberge cufflinks in form of Imperial Eagle. Copyright Harrogate Museums and Arts, Harrogate Borough Council

For a bit of Australian home-grown celebrity style, follow the lead of the stylish Television 7 news team, who are often seen wearing malebox brand cufflinks.

Cool and contemporary, Blue Shade cufflinks from malebox sport a versatile, multi-tonal design that complements any shade of blue tie.

Hollywood style is easy for any man to achieve- simply see what the celebrities are wearing and tailor it to your own lifestyle and price point. Thanks to the many retailers delivering custom cufflinks at affordable prices, your style will never have to be less than A-list.

Last newsletter, we talked about shaving soap and caring for your skin. We promised we would touch on caring for your skin with little effort and how this will help you keep a youthful appearance. The process is quite simple, and if you can add a couple of minutes to your preparation time you will impressed with the results. If you ever experience skin irritation, please see a specialist as soon as possible. Always test on a small amount of skin when trying new products to ensure there is no reaction.

Robin Bell, Tim Rowe and Ben St Lawrence – three of our sponsored athletes are always being complimented on their youthful appearance. Hampered by at least 3 (quick) showers a day it’s easy for their skin to dry out, along with air conditioning in their offices. So how do they keep up their youthful appearance? We attribute it to them looking after themselves… how? (more…)

If you have just been to dinner and the drunk person next to you has splattered you with their spaghetti bolognese, dont panic – there is a chance that your tie may be saved!

The easiest solution is to ensure the stain is removed from your necktie having it dry cleaned by a specialist as soon as possible (this is not fool proof as some of their cleaning agents may not be suitable for your fabric – furthermore, a silk tie will lose its shine after dry cleaning) - preferably within 24 hours of it being stained. Silk is delicate. Cleaning and pressing a silk tie is a specialist skill and you can easily ruin your tie if you don’t know what you are doing. Some common stains are: Alcohol, Grease, Coffee or Ink stains from a pen. Here are some steps if you want to attend to the stain yourself. (more…)

Selecting a Leather versus a Wooden cufflink box really comes down to a matter of choice. Some of our clients like to match their cufflink box to the furniture in their bedroom and others like more of a contrast. 

If you have a dark fire place or furniture in your room, you may like to choose a wood or leather that matches with the furniture. Alternatively you may like to contrast it. Since our cufflink boxes are meant to be a feature, we like the contrast a little more, but totally understand your desire to match. That’s why we keep a diverse range. The choice is yours!

Click here to check out our range of leather and wooden cufflinks and accessories boxes!