The bulletproof tie

Image: David Arky for Forbes; Style director: Joseph Deacetis

Cotton shirt by Turnbull & Asser ($395); silk tie by Ermenegildo Zegna ($395). Bottom, from left: Silk tie by Hermès ($200); silk tie by Brioni ($230); silk tie by Charvet ($245); silk tie by Giorgio Armani ($245)

Not every business occasion calls for a tie, but when one does, choose wisely. The colour, pattern and material you select all convey a message. There are, say, nautical or equestrian themes to depict your passions outside the office. Some view diagonal stripes as a sign of success—if, like a quarterly growth chart, they’re heading in the right direction: Upward. Still others concern themselves with always wearing the correct logos.

The ties here tell a different story. Though the labels are exceptional, they don’t scream ‘designer’. As for the palette, blue is a classic power colour. It’s calming—cool but confident. Pair one with a white shirt and suddenly you’re Sean Connery in From Russia With Love or a young Don Draper. But the subtle weave makes them even more versatile, wearable with a striped or checked shirt. And the message they send? It’s very simple: You’re solid.