How to Tie a Tie

Power dressing is coming back in style, maybe

2009-02-09T17:37:00.000-08:00

I have a running bet with some of my financial advisor friends as to whether businesses are going to give up the tie and jacket or now that things are tough, go back to it. Evidence one was President Obama's first day at the office in a shirt and tie only versus this article

...even the mailroom clerks wear suits and ties. Until recently, that might have been considered extreme. But now, power dressing is coming back in style, and the old-school law firm has a new relevance. More...

Portland Financial Advisor

2009-02-09T17:12:00.000-08:00

With the economy having its issues its a great reminder to look at your own financial security. If you are like most people pay little attention to how they might handle their family's living expenses should their income suddenly unable to go to work because of an unexpected illness or injury. Perhaps this is because most people feel an injury or illness will never happen to them. However, the statistics are unsettling. Studies show that individuals between the ages of 40 and 65 have a greater chance of missing at least 90 days of work due to an accident or illness than of dying. The average disability period is lasts 2.5 years. This is why disability income insurance should be an important part of your overall financial picture. Disability income insurance protects your most valuable asset, namely your ability to earn an income. You pay a monthly premium and, in exchange, if you become disabled -- through illness or injury -- and cannot work, the insurance company promises to pay you a predetermined benefit amount. In order to understand the right type and amount of disability income insurance for your needs, you should consult a Portland Financial Advisor . One way to understand the financial impact to your family is to add up all the money you will make in your life time and compare that with what it would cost you to insure it.

Bow tie thoughts

2007-10-22T21:34:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting little study but I'm sure that the guy was NOT wearing a tux, or it would be a whole new game.

A new national survey of 904 Americans revealed that men who wear bow ties are perceived as older, fidgety, dull, and more ‘scientific’ and ‘a little weird.’...Participants were divided into three groups. Members of each group were asked to view only one of three separate photos of a faceless male figure sporting a bow tie, necktie and no tie at all. Then, based only on the photo, they were asked a series of demographic and personal questions about that man.

This study concentrates on the bow tie wearer vs. the others — a man wearing a necktie or no tie.

More people viewing the bow tie photo thought that the man (compared with others) was:

Older, A Republican, A store clerk, Smart and brainy, Dull and rigid

Would people like to have this bow tie man around? Not as much as the other men. Fewer people would want the bow tie wearer in the neighborhood, as a friend, or in the family. In fact, based only on the faceless photo, more people would want to stay away from the bow tie man and fewer might like him.

Finally, many responders (39%), noted that they view the man in the bow tie as “a little weird,” compared with only 6% viewing the man either in a necktie or no tie.

Women were a little more charitable to the bow tie wearer but not much more than male responders.

More...

Learn how to tie a tie with easy to follow video instruction.

How long should a tie be?

2007-05-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

''Double Indemnity" This still from the movie was taken in 1944. What's the point? The point is that the proper length of a tie is always going up and down

I predict that as the craze for fatter tie knots and seven fold ties continues it will at some point morph into wide ties coming back in popularity. That would mean shorter tie lengths coming back. But what about today you ask? It is my opinion that a tie should come down and just the tip of the tie should cover the belt buckle. Too long and it starts to look silly and too short it can also look bad. tall guys or guys with a big gut need to be a little more concerned about tie length as a short tie can make them look poorly dressed.

How to Tie a Half Windsor Knot

Tipping is not a city in China

2007-04-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

I've been a waiter twice in my life and there is something I like about the job. Part of is that I enjoy helping people, same with this "how to tie a tie" website really. As a waiter though there is a real instantaneous feedback loop on good service and getting good tips. So if you like helping people its an easy job. So along comes this study... now I'm not a candy person so I would never think about this but giving candy helps tips, check out the study and try it out. let me know the your results.

Question: Does giving restaurant customers a piece of candy after the meal increase the size of tips they leave? If so, why?

Answer: YES! In Experiment 1, giving guests candy increased their tips from 15.1% to 17.8% of the bill (t(90) = 5.25, p , .0001). In Experiment 2, tips increased with the amount of candy given as well as with the manner in which it was given. Customers tipped more when given one piece of candy (per person in the dining party) than when given no candy and they tipped even more when given two pieces of candy (19.0% vs 19.6% vs 21.6%) However, the largest tips were given when the server offered guests one piece of candy and then "spontaneously" suggested that they take a second piece of candy (23%). Receiving candy increased the tips of large groups more than those of small groups. These findings indicate that servers can get larger tips by giving their customers' candy. They also suggest that this effect is attributable to the customers' need to reciprocate for the gifts of candy. More...

YourPortlandInsuranceAgent.com

Suits and Tie on C-SPAN = Boring!

2007-04-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I don't have a tv so if I want to see a talking head on my laptop I'll checkout c-span to see who's talking about the latest Washington thing. For those of you in the know Brian Lamb is set to take over and run the country should anything ever happen to the president, yes he is number two in line since it is a consensus that no one would want Dick or Nancy taking over the role so they have agreed to step aside and even shook hands on the deal. But I share these sentiments completely

What we’re sick of seeing on C-Span? Boxy suits, commuter shoes, red and blue neckties, tapered legs, the navy jacket/khaki pant combo and one-string pearls. Washington is better than that. Yes, politics is serious, and fashion, to some, is superficial. But in a place where image is king, why can’t Chloe be queen?

Why does Washington project such a bland boring image, total foolery isn't it and I haven't even mentioned Rumsfeld and his silly combat boots and navey blazer combo. Ok I just did.

More...

Portland Website Design

How to Tie a Tie Video Survey

2007-04-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

So the survey results are in...If you didn't get a chance I'll leave it open.

So I thought that there would have been more interest from people wanting to learn how to tie a tie for a dance or prom or something like that. Many of you were out the way door to a job interview, which makes sense and several folks email to tell me that they got the job. I do have to interjsect here that as I have said in the past the Four in Hand Knot that you learned back when is just fine for some occasions and depending on what you are wearing but that it looks to many pro job interviews as a sign of inexperience. If you only know one tie knot then learn another, you will be alive along time and will get your $3.99 worth I promise. Check out the fat tie knot now the rage the "The Full Windsor Knot"

What did surprize me is that a big chunk of respondents just want to learn a new tie know and look good for the ladies. Nice one. Maybe I should run a survey about which on impresses the most.

Feel free to comment.

Here is the link for the Why do you want to learn how to tie a tie survey.

A Rakish History of Men's Wear

2007-04-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

Wow would I love to check this out. If you are in New York and have a chance let us know how it is.

The Story of Men's Fashion Told Through Its Rebels and Rakes, in New Exhibition at The New York Public Library.
As the world of fashion launches its fall runway shows inside and around the Library, A Rakish History of Men's Wear provides an opportunity for viewers to trace the social, cultural, political, and aesthetic influences that have shaped the development of men's fashion," said Paul LeClerc, President of The New York Public Library. "The Library's rich trove of historical costume and fashion plate materials are an invaluable resource for anyone interested in understanding the forces that have shaped styles of dress from antiquity to today."
More...

Learn how to tie a tie with easy to follow video instruction.

Top Four Reason Men Learn to Tie a Tie

2007-02-24T15:41:00.000-08:00

Do me a favor and take a moment to provide your input for this poll, cheer.

Where's the Bow Fie Tucker?

2007-02-23T22:01:00.000-08:00

Ok, I don't have a TV so I'm a little slow to notice things like doesn't wear a bow tie anymore and he has a new show inwhich

"Tucker Carlson is the host of MSNBC’s Tucker, a fast paced, no-holds-barred conversation about the day’s developments in news, politics, world issues and pop culture."

"no-holds-barred conversation" wow that almost sound exciting, like virtual cage fighting with words. But what interests me is when did he loose the Bow Tie? Was that part of the MSNBC contract? Was it a result of the thrashing by Jon Stewart? Which by the way was the one "no-holds-barred conversation" that Tucker Carlson was involved in on TV and it killed his show. So I guess he is somewhere in that no tie or sometimes tie fashion statement. Its a phase incase you haven't noticed, like Barack Obama has it too, I guess its the dotcom billionaire look. Let me know your comments I'm curious.

Here is a foto of the former Tucker.

black suit and a silver and black-striped tie...

2007-02-23T21:19:00.000-08:00

I'm never sure what I should make of a comment like the one that Peter Frampton made at the Grammy's the other day, to which he wore a black suit and a silver and black-striped tie. Here's the quote...

“I decided that I wanted to wear a tie because unfortunately I lost my dad halfway through making this record, it’s a tribute to him because he always wore a tie. This is the first time I’ve worn a tie since I left school. I didn’t even wear a tie at our wedding.”

My hunch is that he sees wearing a tie as only something one would do to please they father, which is a lot of power to give to a silly little piece of fabric that we tie around our neck, but maybe that power is why it endures. I guess its like heels for guys, just ask a woman about what they think about wearing heels and get ready for an earful and head scratching and questions that form in your head that you would be foolish to ask.

Life Underground

2007-01-31T21:26:00.000-08:00

I have always loved these on a trip to NYC

The pall would lift a bit, however, when I spotted the little man with the big money bag sitting quietly on the uptown platform as the Eighth Avenue trains barreled by. Without fail,
he would be dressed smartly in top hat, bow tie and well-polished shoes, which dangled over the edge of the bench because his legs were so short. More...

Bow Ties, Gowns, Fur and Gigantic Diamonds.

2007-01-31T20:24:00.000-08:00

maybe its the photos but man some fur coats just say "cat" don't they?

It means we can pretend our normally laid-back city is actually quite fancy-pants. Oh, yes, we always wear tuxes on the weekends.
Saturday night, the San Diego Opera held its 2007 Gala to celebrate the opening of “Boris Godunov,” and the fashions were more plentiful than the caviar and vodka.
There were Carolina Herreras and Roberto Cavallis. Lanvins and Calvin Kleins. Sparkly handbags and super-high heels.
“There aren't many opportunities to dress up,” Esther Burnham said. “But the opera is one of those nights. It has always been very special to me.”
Yes, it was a magical night. One where women got their hair done and men wore actual cuff links. A night when it was OK to wear fur (depending on who you ask) and even more OK to wear a bow tie.
But like Cinderella at the stroke of midnight, once those opera ladies stop singing, it's back to Juicy Couture hoodies for us all. More...

I am not a man, nor terribly modern

2007-01-31T20:16:00.000-08:00

I think that I posted something similar to this in the past, maybe it is a trend.. if you have it let me know if it is any good

HOW to behave at a lap-dancing club.” When I saw that on the list of things Dylan Jones feels 21st century men need to know, I was determined to read this book.

I guess thats why one would include such a chapter...

I do not go to lap-dancing clubs, and I am not a man, nor terribly modern. But I have friends who do, and are, so I toyed with the idea of reading Mr Jones’ Rules for the Modern Man and then maybe running etiquette clinics. Anyway, some of the information he offers is quite useful no matter your sex and even if you prefer the out-of-print novels of long-dead authors no one has ever heard of to ? oooh ? say ? Dan Brown.

There is, of course, some stuff in this book that the average Malaysian man would not understand and never in a million years need to know.A Windsor knot? What’s that? Black tie? White tie? Huh? Of course, there’s no harm in knowing these things. If you like showing off, you could just mug up on these topics, and then bore your friends senseless with the useless information.

... or bore your boss senseless...

How Many Ties and Bow Ties are Sold in the US?

2007-01-30T21:49:00.000-08:00

Bow tie and necktie fact..

Bow tie wearers are certainly a niche market. There are about 175 million ties sold annually in the U.S., and only 4 percent are bow ties. More...

Learn how to tie a bow tie with easy to follow video instruction.

The bow tie: who needs it?

2007-01-30T21:38:00.000-08:00

Bow tie tying got you all tied up, at least they are not going with a clip on bow tie... tacky tacky.

A generation of women grew up following Shirley Conran’s mantra “Life’s too short to stuff a mushroom”. Modern men have arrived at the same conclusion about bow-ties.

Every time a ball or an awards do came up I’d find myself e-mailing around frantically trying to find some well-educated chap who knew how to tie the damn thing. After half an hour’s torture I’d give up and I’d say “Never mind — the Concierge at the Hilton/Dorchester/Grosvenor House will know how.” They never did.

There are no bow-tie wearers left in the public eye — not since Robin Day died and Professor Heinz Wolff stopped being on TV. The advertising and PR industries had their bow-tie wearers in the 1980s — men who thought a piece of polka-dotted silk made them look creative and free-thinking. But even they have succumbed to the open-neck now. They now express their personalities with lurid shirts instead.

The adherents argued that the bow-tie was practical — it didn’t get in the way. Fine for surgeons and snooker players — pretty irrelevant for the rest of us.

But there is a little light at the end or the tunnel

Understand this and you are on the way to understanding that the black tie demanded at the Oscars and other formal occasions is an invention designed to save men from themselves. True, black tie can make it hard to distinguish at first glance between an unusually short Basingstoke chartered surveyor on a spree and Hollywood royalty. But consider for a moment the errors from which black tie can redeem a chap — if only he’d let it. Those skinny black ties that make their wearers look like a refugee from Pauline Fowler’s funeral rites. The deeply perverse white tux/black shirt/white tie combo that is sartorial code for major personality disorder. The glimpse of outré waistcoat that signals “Office bore. Avoid at all costs.”

Not convinced? Then consider this. Women find black tie sexy precisely because of the little element of mystery it lends. The bare forked animal inside the penguin suit might be an accountant, a bouncer, an unemployed actor or a prince. Who’s to know? But it might be interesting to find out . . .

More...

Learn how to tie a bow tie with easy to follow video instruction.

Men's Suits Made in the USA

2007-01-23T22:08:00.000-08:00

Suits and Ties made in the USA. Now I wouldn't want to suggest that you buy a new suit just because it was made in America but it should break a tie if you can't decide

If you check the tag on a men's suit these days, chances are it says "made in China" or Mexico — maybe even Hungary.

But if the suit is a Joseph Abboud, it still says "Made in America." In fact, the company is one of the few that continues to produce suits in the United States. And instead of sending jobs overseas, Abboud is hiring more people here at home.

Give Your Business Visibility

2007-01-23T14:39:00.000-08:00

Your customers are actively looking for your products, searching for your services, Googling your company right now! Give Your Business Visibility.

Don't know how to tie a tie? No problem here.

2007-01-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

Don't know how to tie a tie? WSJ advice guru gives you tips.

The short answer is: It depends. We've come a long way from the denim shirts and pleated khakis that were the business-casual uniform dating back to the early 1990s. There is now a wide array of elegant sportswear to choose from, and a versatile wardrobe of jackets with good-looking tops can do double duty at the country club, as well as the office. Long-sleeved shirts in bold shades, bright stripes or subtle patterns look good without a tie. Knitwear doesn't have to look sloppy. Opt for body-conscious turtlenecks, polos and T-shirts in fine gauge knits in silk, rayon or cashmere.

Don't forget that regional nuances and customs associated with certain professions factor in. Coats and ties are still always appropriate in New York, Boston and Washington, D.C., for example. Conversely, in the Sunbelt or in computer-technology professions, the laid-back norm calls for polo shirts and slacks. As for jewelry: Hip, young guys in creative fields like to sport a silver or titanium charm on a black rubber pendant.

Don't forget that skipping the tie doesn't mean looking like you're out running Saturday morning errands. Strive to look polished; your pants and jackets should be tailored to fit. And accessories count for a lot. Your belt shouldn't look worn, and your shoes -- never white sneakers -- should always be shined.

Steer clear of sandals that flip-flop, tank tops, hoodies and skin tight or super baggy styles, and any top with a big logo. Keep in mind that a job interview is no place to experiment: Play it safe in a suit or a sportcoat with a tie. More...

Learn how to tie a tie with easy to follow video instruction.

The art of knot tying is known as “marlinspike.”

2006-12-22T10:36:00.001-08:00

Knowing how to tie the right knot is a great skill to have, I learned how to tie a truckers hitch and I no longer tie crap knots. I'll see if I can find a video link.

To be a proficient seaman you need to know how to tie a knot. The art of knot tying is known as “marlinspike.” Knowing how to tie a few basic knots is essential, and with practice you will be able to tie each knot without thinking about it. A few that are needed every time you handle a line are:

• Bowline: This knot doesn’t slip when properly tied and will never come loose and is easy to tie.
• Clove Hitch: This knot is the “general utility” hitch for when you need a quick, simple method of fastening a rope around a post, spar or stake.
• Cleat Hitch: Is a must if tying up to a cleat either on your boat’s cleat or a cleat on the dock. This is one of the simplest knots to apply, but one that confuses many people.
There also is a special knot for tying two lines of different sizes together. It is called a Sheet Bend.
• Figure Eight: This knot is ideal for keeping the end of a rope from running out of tackle or pulley.
• Simple Round Turn: This reliable knot is quickly tied and is the hitch most often used in mooring.
• Rolling Hitch: Used to fasten a small line to a larger line.
• Anchor Bend: Used for securing line to an anchor ring. Fishermen use this one to tie fish hooks to leaders.
• Square knot: Tying a square knot is used where the two ends of the same line need to be joined. Most of us learn to tie our shoes with this knot. The square knot should not be used for joining two lines of different sizes.

Along with being skillful with knots, a good seaman knows how to handle lines and ropes. Actually, the only rope on a ship is the bell rope; all others are known as lines, hawsers and rodes. The able seaman knows where to chafe a line to protect it from wear and also how to splice lines, splicing eyes in two lines together using both regular and long splices.

Being a safe, responsible captain is every boat operator’s responsibility. This includes rescue at sea, handling onboard fires and understanding weather conditions. The reliable seaman must make sure that this boat has proper lighting.

He must know correct anchoring techniques and should be knowledgeable in reading charts. In addition, he should know how to use the electronic equipment on board including the GPS, VHS radio, radar, compass and depth finder.

The skipper must know where he is at all times while afloat. Nautical etiquette and customs are the mark of a good seaman. Knowing what flag to fly, where to fly it and when it can be flown is the difference between an old seaman and a novice. You will never see the national ensign flown on the bow or after sundown on a vessel plotted by an accomplished seaman. More...

click for information on, how do i tie a tie, how to tie a neck tie, howtotieatie

How to Fold a Pocket Square

2006-12-22T10:36:00.000-08:00

I thought that you might like to know how to fold a pocket square.

A Designer Folds a Pocket Square

Tommy Hilfiger, principal designer and director of the apparel company that bears his name, never looks boring in a suit. That's because he spices up his tailored look with colorful pocket squares stuffed in the breast pocket of his jacket.

The decorative accessories "complete a gentleman's wardrobe," says the 55-year-old Mr. Hilfiger. They're back in style now after a 20-year hiatus, he says, because European designers started using them in the past few years to accent menswear collections. "Men are starting to dress much more elegantly today," Mr. Hilfiger says.

These days, Mr. Hilfiger often wears his favorite one -- a silk square with a paisley design in orange, brown and gold -- with a navy blazer and a white shirt.

Mr. Hilfiger first learned how to fold pocket squares from his father when he was a teenager, he says. He lays the square out on a flat surface and folds it twice into a square, then folds about one-third of it in to make it narrow enough to fit in his pocket. For another look, he sometimes folds the pocket square diagonally instead and then bends the corners up into three or four uneven points that stick out from the pocket.

He takes care to make the folds look haphazard and imperfect, and never exposes more than an inch of the square from the pocket. "You don't want it too high, because it looks like you are trying to show it off," he says.

Mr. Hilfiger says it's OK for men to wear the same pocket square-jacket combination over and over again. But he recommends avoiding pocket squares altogether when wearing a patterned jacket, and says men should always stick to either silk or cotton squares. "Never wear polyester," because it looks inauthentic, he says.

One caveat: Silk squares must be dry cleaned, while cotton can easily be thrown in the wash. More...

Learn how to tie a neck tie with easy to follow video instruction.

the importance of proper business attire, including how to tie a necktie

2006-12-21T19:41:00.000-08:00

This sounds like a pretty interesting school

Pencader aims to prepare students for the competitive world of business that awaits them after high school.

The school's students were recently treated to a guest appearance by a local businessman who told them the importance of proper business attire, including the proper way to tie a necktie. A recent history quiz asked students to explain whether a variety of different workers, from autoworkers at the Chrysler plant to hospital workers and teachers, should be allowed to strike.

"No matter what field of life they go into, we want to explain that there's a business aspect to every career," said Jones, a Newark native who taught economics at Glasgow High School before leaving to start the charter school.

In its first three months, Pencader has attracted budding business leaders like 16-year-old Nathaniel McDonald, who is hungry to learn the ground rules and skills needed in the business world.

"This school has more opportunities to learn what I want to learn, which is business," said McDonald, a 10th-grader from New Castle. McDonald, who is Pencader's student government president, plans to start a clothing company.

"This school really prepares you for the future, for the world I want to step into," he said.

Zane Crockett, 15, a 10th-grader from New Castle who plans to become a surgeon, said Pencader has taught him "how to act in a business environment."

He's also learning the ABCs of marketing and product development. In a business operations class, he and other students learned the ins and outs of global trade and foreign currency exchange rates.

Pencader's business orientation also was what attracted Amanda Hughey, a 2006 graduate of the University of Delaware with a degree in finance, to the school's faculty.

The school combines her interests in teaching and business and gives her the chance to make her mark in a new school.

"It's cool to be in on the ground floor and watch it grow," she said. More...

Learn how to tie a tie with easy to follow video instruction.

How to ask a girl to dance and how to tie a tie

2006-12-19T15:10:00.000-08:00

I can remember going to dance class as a little kid and god was it boring, I even wore a tie. That tie was a rough awful thing, my dad showed me how to tie a tie, much to his frustration.

Guys are getting it.

At Notre Dame, the girls have a wide range of after-school activities that include kickboxing, chess, sewing, science exploration, poetry, theater, art and mentoring.

Signing up for ballroom dancing at Notre Dame was voluntary. (It was a mandatory activity for the eighth-grade boys at Nativity.)

Estefania Maldonado, 13, an eighth-grader, said she watches "Dancing with the Stars" and also watched a similar show on Spanish language TV with her mom called "Bailando Por Un Sueño" ("Dancing for a Dream").

She said she participated in the ballroom dancing pilot project last year at Nativity and was interested in learning more dances this semester. "I like the dance where you kick," she said.

She complains that "sometimes the guys don't move. In the beginning they were like robots. They just moved their feet. But now they're getting into it more," she smiled.

Austin Llanas, 12, a seventh-grader, said the harder the dances, the better she likes it. A member of the Young Marines program, she said her master sergeant asked her if she could show her a few steps before the recent Young Marines Ball.

"At first you feel very awkward, but now I feel more confident," said Karina Sanchez, 13, a seventh-grader. But she said she still doesn't like doing turns because "I feel clumsy."

Although both boys and girls felt a bit shy in the beginning - there were sweaty palms, tentativeness about touching and "getting into your frame"- a lot of that has diminished.

"They've come a long way," said Nativity principal Rosario Sanchez. "It's hard, but we believe the interaction between the boys and the girls, both from single-sex schools, is something of value. The boys learned how to ask a girl to dance and how to tie a tie. They learned to be respectful to a partner."

Both highly structured small schools feature college prep educational programs, after-school activities and after-school tutoring and study halls targeted to predominantly low-income Latinos.

Notre Dame principal Mary Garcia-Velez said when the idea was suggested last year for a ballroom dance class she jumped at the chance. "I felt it would be great for the kids to have exposure to dancing and to spend time with the boys at Nativity," she said.

Plus, for Garcia-Velez, it was personal.

"I love to dance and I remember when I was in grade school at St. Jude's we learned the jitterbug and other dances," she said. "I still remember them."

The ballroom dance class started last semester as a joint pilot project at the two schools after Notre Dame teacher Mary Zino, a fan of "Mad Hot Ballroom" and "Dancing With the Stars," asked the Fred Astaire studios about the possibility of doing a class.

Teachers who help out with the class, including Zino and Lisa Buffington of Nativity, confess they like dancing along and learning the steps.

After an hour when class ends at 4:45, the boys, this time with the help of the girls, put the tables and chairs back in place, put their coats on and head out for dinner and study hall.

Monday will be the last dance session for this group. Next semester the eighth-grade boys at Nativity won't be kicking up their heels on Mondays. Instead, they'll be learning to wield a hammer and saw in carpentry class."

Learn how to tie a neck tie with easy to follow video instruction.

How-to like James Bond - Nice Bow Tie Too.

2006-12-14T08:39:00.000-08:00

Some helpful Bond advice

CHARM WOMEN LIKE BOND

There is one accessory no aspiring Bond should be without — a Bond girl. But how to snag one? If you’ve read The Game, the bestseller by Neil Strauss, you’ll know about the “seduction community”, a group of men who swap online pick-up tips based on the premise that a man does not need to be especially good-looking to charm beautiful women.

A key player in the community is Wayne “Juggler” Elise, who heads Charisma Arts a company that claims to have turned thousands of inept men into smooth-talking lotharios.

Charisma Arts runs regular Charm School Boot Camps, coaching men in body language, “storytelling” and how to put across the right “vibe”. During the three-day course, they are taken to bars and nightclubs to test the techniques on unwary women. The key to success, says Elise, is to “internalise the beliefs of a man who is naturally charismatic”.

You can attend the boot camp in any of half a dozen cities, including San Francisco, Las Vegas and London. But the most appealing venue is the capital of chat, New York City, where courses are held once or twice a month at a cost of £865.

If you’re on the pull, you’ll want a cool crib. In Fleming’s Live and Let Die, Bond took a top-floor suite at the St Regis (00 800 3254 5454, www. stregis.com), on East 55th Street and Fifth Avenue, described by the author as “the best hotel in New York”. The King Cole Bar in the St Regis — one of several bars that claim to be the birthplace of the bloody mary — is a snug venue to celebrate your conquests. . . or drown your sorrows.

DRESS LIKE BOND

If you’re hoping to step into Bond’s well-polished shoes, you will almost certainly need to work on your appearance, starting with a new suit. In his novels, Fleming declined to name 007’s tailor, but he did specify that Bond favoured lightweight, single-breasted suits in navy serge. For a golfing weekend in the country, he would pack a hound’s-tooth check jacket.

Since Pierce Brosnan took over the role, Bond’s suits have been made by Brioni, a family-run Italian tailor. The Brioni look is sharp — wide in the shoulder and narrow in the waist, but lighter and softer than you’d get in Savile Row. (No mention of James Bond's black silk Bow Tie).

The suits aren’t cheap. You can buy off the peg at the London branch in Bruton Street (020 7491 7700, www.brioni.it; from £1,900), but if you want bespoke, you’ll need to fork out several thousand and spend at least two weeks in Milan kicking your heels between fittings.

A more alluring option is to jet off to Hong Kong and be measured up by one of the world’s most famous tailors. Manu Melwani — known to everybody as Sam — will not only kit you out with a superb handmade suit in high-quality fabric within 48 hours, he’ll do it for a bargain £250. Sam’s satisfied customers include Brosnan and Roger Moore, so you can rest assured that you’re getting James Bond quality at M&S prices. Sam’s (00 852 2367 9423, www.samstailor.com) is at 94 Nathan Road, Kowloon.

You shouldn’t have any problems filling your time in Hong Kong. Stay at the Philippe Starck-designed JIA (00 852 3196 9000, www.jiahongkong.com), in Causeway Bay, which has sleek designer studios for a bargain £135, B&B, then chow down with local office workers for some of the world’s best dim sum at Maxim’s Palace, a startlingly cacophonous red-and-gold dining room beside the Star Ferry terminal.

At night, the lights come on. Hong Kong’s neon-drenched skyline is never short of spectacular, but now, every evening at 8pm, a high-tech synchronised light show is projected onto the sky from 30 skyscrapers on both sides of the harbour. Watch it from the top deck of the Star Ferry (the fare is a mere 15p) or from Felix, a super-swanky bar on the 28th floor of the Peninsula Hotel, where you can sink cocktails until 2am. More...

When the invitation calls for black tie optional

2006-12-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

Bow Tie Optional

Q: I have received an invitation to a holiday party. The attire says "black tie optional." Does this mean that wearing a regular suit would be acceptable? I do not own a tux, nor do I want to purchase one just for this party.

A: Yes, the holiday and party season is upon us. "Black tie" suggests that a tuxedo is required. "Black tie optional" suggests that the preferred attire for gentlemen is black tie. However, a tuxedo is not mandatory.

Appropriate tuxedo alternatives include a quality dark suit. Black is the best and most appropriate color. (Dark blue or charcoal gray are tied at number two.) Be sure to wear a white shirt with collar stays. A button-down collar suggests a more casual, "preppy" look. A white shirt with the British tab collar provides a finished look. French cuffs are also elegant, and would be fabulous with some great cuff links. Be sure to wear black shoes (Presidential); fine, black gentleman's hosiery, and a rich tie.

Accessories to be considered - a tie tack, tie pin or gold (tie) rope, and a professional, quality watch (one that you can most comfortably afford). A pocket watch would be outstanding as well. Leave your sports watch on the bureau for this affair. A white, finely pressed, subtle handkerchief peeking out of the breast pocket or one that complements your tie is also a nice finishing touch.

While I understand not wanting to purchase a tuxedo for this one event, you should know they can be found quite reasonably priced these days at many retail establishments. The great benefit here is once you have made the investment, you will have the tuxedo forever, providing it still fits. Enjoy your holiday affair.
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Learn how to tie a tie with easy to follow video instruction.