Small, but useful: Tie Clips

This post was written by Lindy Dandy.

Have you ever danced with a follow wearing an unsecured ponytail?  Remember how you had to bob and weave to avoid getting smacked in the face?  Annoying, yes?

You’ll be the male equivalent if you don’t have a way to secure your tie.

Now, there are a couple ways to do this:

1. Wear a vest.
2. Wear a tie clip (or a tie pin or tie chain).

Many swing dancers wear vests, but today, we’re talking tie clips.

Tie clips aren’t just functional. From simple and formal to ornate and silly, they’re an opportunity to express your personality and share your interests.  They were the billboards of yesteryear, so you can even promote clubs and products with them.  (I’ve seen tie clips shaped like weapons, animals, and vehicles).  A plain silver rectangle works too.  Besides protecting your follow, they also keep your tie out of your soup.

Here are a couple I found on ebay:

I prefer mine on the short side (around 1″), but I have a few longer ones.

Wear them anywhere between a 1/3rd and a 1/2 way down your tie from your collar.  Match the metal of your other accessories (belt/ring/watch/cufflinks).  Wearing it horizontally is more conservative.  Angled down (my preference) is a tad rakish.  As Frank Sinatra said, “Cock your hat – angles are attitudes.”

Do yourself a favor.  Wear a tie.  Do the ladies a favor and secure your ties with a tie clip.