December is National Tie Month - Yes, really!

December is National Tie month, though we here at Pearl Street Laundry don’t need an excuse to celebrate these decorative bits of cloth that have helped us build our business over the years.

When King Louis the Thirteenth of France decided to hire Croatian mercenaries, he was smitten by the bit of flair they wore tied around their necks. The little “neckerchiefs” became all the rage in Paris, and, as the world followed, these “Cravats” (which comes from “Croates”, the French word for Croatians) were cemented into the world of high fashion forever after as the fancy dress style for men around the Western world.

Nowadays, ties are ubiquitous. Every business meeting, office party, and awards ceremony is full of them. They are so central to our culture that we hardly even notice them, but the humble tie works hard for its position as a cornerstone of men’s fashion, and, as dry-cleaner, we firmly believe that they deserve the same, if not more, care than any of your other clothing and garments.

What goes into caring for a tie properly? If cared for properly, your ties don’t actually need to be cleaned each and every time you wear them unless you are a very clumsy eater, and then it needs to be cleaned when it has been soiled by some food, drink, or another unsightly stain.

The kind of treatment your tie will need depends largely on the material it is made out of, so always make sure to either consult your dry cleaner or carefully read the label yourself before making any plans about how to clean your ties. Delicate ties made out of silk will need to be dry-cleaned, whereas your cotton ties can probably be hand washed at home unless there is a spot that needs specific treatment. You could, of course, wash your hands of the process entirely and pass the buck over to your good friends at Pearl Street Laundry & Dry Cleaning.

Regardless of what you decide, a bit of knowledge about “tie-care” is never wasted on a man of the world.

First, we understand that the temptation after a long day at the office is to take your tie off as quickly as possible, perhaps even leaving the knot in for future use, but that is a major no-no as it leaves irreparable creases in the tie for years to come. We don’t like wrinkles, and neither do your ties, so always make sure to remove the delicate piece of clothing as gently as possible while untying the knot.

When you go to store your ties, it is probably not the best idea to roll them up and stick them in the sock drawer (tempting, we know, but your ties won’t appreciate it). Simply drape your tie over a hanger and stick it in your closet with your other clothes. Hanging several ties on one hanger is fine, or, if you have numerous ties, consider investing in a tie hanger.

Taking these simple steps will ensure your tie will look nice and new for years to come. We hope you enjoy the noble little tie as much as we do here at Pearl Street. Have a happy holiday season and we hope you find some ties in your stockings this year!