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What Your Tie Says About Your Personality

Whether you intend to or not, you tell people you meet a lot about yourself with the clothes you choose to wear. In the professional world, most suits appear indistinguishable from one another and so the first impression is left to the two or three pieces which can be changed – your shirt, belt and tie.

On making a first impression, the style of your tie will lead the other person to make assumptions about your personality. So, to make sure that you are portraying the right message about yourself and your aims, here are the ways in which your tie style matters.

Ties with a broader width command attention and show an authoritative side to your personality. Whether meeting clients, socialising with colleagues or concentrating on the next big project, a thicker tie shows that you are in control and can be trusted to make confident, beneficial decisions.

Thinner ties show a more youthful side and are often seen on younger professionals. Showing a more modern approach to business is not a bad thing, however. Younger colleagues make up for the less-authoritative approach with more up-to-date knowledge. Thinner ties are especially suited to professionals within the technology sectors, as being younger and more adjusted to the digital world is seen as advantageous by managers, colleagues and clients.

A looser knot shows a more carefree attitude, whilst a tighter knot signifies that you like to be more in control in a given situation. Either way, the knot should never be sloppy or uneven, showing a more relaxed approach to business does not mean that you need to be unkempt or less stylish. A looser knot is easy to achieve without spoiling the overall smartness of your appearance.

Wearing ties predominantly featuring shades of black, dark blue or grey shows that you are a person who prefers a more traditional approach to life, this is reflected in your daily habits, work ethic and family-centric nature. However, if your choice of tie colour is more daring and less traditional, it shows that you are open to new experiences and are not afraid to take on the unknown or path less travelled in both your professional and personal life.

Traditional tie patterns including stripes – horizontal, vertical or diagonal show that you value organisation and adherence to rules, whilst more irrational patterns, such as paisley, polka dots and other variations show a tendency to bend the rules to benefit either your professional or personal needs. This is not to say that less regimented patterns incline that a person is likely to break rules, but may reveal a tendency to rebel and work against the grain, implementing more efficient methods when they disagree with the structures in place.

One of the biggest insights into a person’s personality is revealed when holidays and opportunities to change it up roll around. People who take the opportunity to wear a novelty or humourous tie are often seen as more emotionally open and usually have a better sense of humour than those who choose to stick to their usual, formal ties.

Alternatively, occasions may arise where the option to forgo wearing a tie altogether is provided. Once again, those who choose not to wear a tie at such events usually have a more relaxed regard for regulations and rules than those who opt to wear ties to all formal and professional occasions, whether required or not.

Ties are often seen accompanied by tie pins and commemorative badges. Those who chose to secure their tie with a tie pin are seen to have ambitious career prospects, especially younger professionals who choose to do so. Older professionals, especially those within the education and academic fields often wear tie pins as a symbol of their achievements and accomplishments thus far.

Professionals who choose to wear commemorative pins are seen as having a higher regard for their personal achievements, which is show through displaying them as a part of their everyday clothing. Whereas those who have been awarded pins but choose not to wear them have a tendency to be more reserved in shouting about their achievements and are seen as being humbler.

Whatever your style of tie, it is important to stick to your personal favourites and ensure that you always show your best side. Making sure that your tie is always neat, clean and compliments the colour, cut and patterns of the rest of your outfit will always ensure a great overall finish. Always ensure that the shirt and collar accompanying the tie are wrinkle-free and compliment the suit as a whole.

Showing your personality, aspirations and morals through clothing has been a common theme throughout history and shows no sign of going out of fashion, so go ahead and wear your heart on your sleeve - or collar!