Hello, this is Mr. Linen.
Do you like knit ties?
I think they are a very useful item when you want to wear a tie without looking overly formal or too “done up.”
Because knit ties themselves have texture and depth, I personally think they pair especially well with textured jackets made from fabrics like linen or suede.
Most knit ties on the market are very slim compared to regular neckties, usually around 6cm (2.36in) at the blade.
However, wider knit ties also exist, with blade widths of 8cm (3.15in) or more.
I personally prefer wider knit ties, so in this article I would like to explore what makes them appealing, and more specifically, what width works best in practice.
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Tie Width
First, I would like to talk about necktie width in general, not just knit ties.
Traditionally, it is often said that the width of the tie blade should match the width of the jacket lapel and the shirt collar for the most balanced, classic look.
I do think that when those three widths are aligned, the balance of the V-zone looks much better. On the other hand, if one element is noticeably wider or slimmer than the others, it tends to stand out awkwardly.
However, some people consider knit ties to be an exception.
The idea is that knit ties are naturally slim, so there is no need to match them to the lapel width or shirt collar width like a regular tie.
After all, knit ties are already more casual than classic silk ties, so some argue there is no need to follow traditional menswear rules too strictly.
On the other hand, there are also people who believe that even knit ties should still follow classic proportional rules and match the width of the lapels and shirt collar.
I think both perspectives are valid, and ultimately it comes down to personal taste. Personally, however, I prefer the latter approach, where the width of the knit tie is close to the width of the lapels and shirt collar.
What Is the Classic Width for a Knit Tie?
If knit ties should match the width of jacket lapels and shirt collars, then what width works best in practice?
For single-breasted jackets, depending on body type, lapel widths around 8.5–10cm (3.35–3.94in) generally fall within classic proportions.
I explain my reasoning in more detail in the article below.
That would suggest that regular neckties—not knit ties—also look most classic around 8.5–10cm (3.35–3.94in) wide.
For example, when looking at the website of the long-established British brand Turnbull & Asser, many of their ties are around 9.5cm (3.74in) wide.
Teal and Navy Circle Silk Tie – Turnbull & Asser
Looking toward Italy, the brand and retailer Tie Your Tie offers ties around 8cm (3.15in) wide.
TIEYOURTIE SOLID 50oz ROYAL TWILL SETTEPIEGHE NECKTIE – TIE YOUR TIE
You do not need to match lapel width and tie width down to the millimeter. Even with a difference of around 1cm (0.39in), they still look visually balanced. Broadly speaking, ties around 8–10cm (3.15–3.94in) can safely be considered classic.
By extension, knit ties in that same range should also work well.
Flat-End Knit Ties Look Wider Than Pointed Ties
This is where things get slightly complicated: knit ties tend to appear wider than regular neckties.
Many knit ties have flat square ends rather than pointed triangular tips.
Because the tip is not pointed, a flat-end tie visually appears wider, even if the actual width is identical.
For example, the knit tie in the photos below is about 9.8cm (3.86in) wide, and the jacket lapels are roughly the same width.
Even though the measurements are almost identical, does the knit tie not look unusually wide?
Taking that into account, I would estimate that knit ties around 7.5–9.5cm (2.95–3.74in) wide are the easiest to pair with classic tailoring.
Are Wide Knit Ties Actually Available?
As mentioned earlier, most commercially available knit ties are relatively slim, usually around 6cm (2.36in) wide.
So where can you actually find knit ties wider than 7.5cm (2.95in)?
Some of you may already know this, but the brand Atto Vannucci sells wider knit ties with an 8.5cm (3.35in) blade.
Atto Vannucci Wide-Blade Knit Tie – Del Fiore Online Shop
As of October 2024, these are still available for purchase, and honestly, I cannot think of many other readily available options. (If you know any, please let me know.)
The price is around ¥23,000, which is roughly $155 USD. The retailer describes it as “affordable for Atto Vannucci,” but personally, I still think it is expensive…
Still, if there are no alternatives, this may be the only choice.
Examples from My Own Collection
Here are some of the wider knit ties from my personal collection.
From left to right: 6.0cm (2.36in), 7.5cm (2.95in), 7.5cm (2.95in), and 8.5cm (3.35in).
Except for the slim tie on the far left, all of them work naturally with classic jacket lapels in the 8.5–10cm (3.35–3.94in) range.
This makes sense, since they all fall within the 7.5–9.5cm (2.95–3.74in) range that I identified earlier as ideal for knit ties.
Interestingly, the 8.5cm (3.35in) tie on the far right was originally the 9.8cm (3.86in) tie shown earlier, which I later had altered to make slimmer.
At 9.8cm (3.86in), it simply looked too wide, especially with classic single-breasted jackets.
It probably would have worked better with double-breasted jackets, since those often have wider lapels, but because I wear single-breasted jackets more frequently, I decided to alter it with those proportions in mind.
Meanwhile, the black knit tie on the far left is the typical slim style at 6.0cm (2.36in).
When paired with classic tailoring, it feels too narrow to me, almost as if the tie alone is visually disconnected from the rest of the outfit. That is why I personally prefer wider knit ties.
Of course, treating slim knit ties as “just part of the knit tie look” is also perfectly valid stylistically. Again, it ultimately comes down to personal preference.
Conclusion
• Most knit ties are slim, but just like regular neckties, they tend to look more balanced when their width is close to the width of the jacket lapels.
• Specifically, knit ties around 7.5–9.5cm (2.95–3.74in) work especially well with classic tailoring.
• Because flat-end knit ties visually appear wider, they generally look best when they are about 1cm (0.39in) narrower than the lapel width.
• As of October 2024, if you want a genuinely wide knit tie, the 8.5cm (3.35in) Atto Vannucci model is one of the very few readily available options.
By the way, except for the slim black knit tie, I found all of mine secondhand.
I found them either at Safari (second hand chain) in Koenji, or on Japanese secondhand marketplaces similar to eBay.
They are not especially common, but if you search patiently, you can still find them.
If you do not want to spend more than $130–150 USD on a knit tie, the secondhand market may be worth exploring.
That is all for today. Thank you very much for reading.
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