How to Wear a Tie Clip (or Tie Bar) to Put the Refined Finish on Your Outfit

One of the smallest pieces of your style arsenal can also be the trickiest to get right. The tie clip (also known as a tie bar or tie clasp, with slight differences—see below) has been picking up steam in the past decade or so, and while it seems like a simple addition to any outfit, we care too much to let you get caught on the scene committing a tie clip faux pas. Here’s everything you need to know about how to wear a tie clip.

What Is a Tie Clip?

First, the tie clip is more functional than you might think. It’s a small and mighty statement piece, yes, but it also serves more than a visual purpose. Its actual intent is to keep your tie in place, so when wearing one, it should be fastened to the placket of your shirt. This way, your tie stays put no matter how wild your day or night gets.

What’s the Difference Between a Tie Clip and a Tie Bar?

Listen, terms in men’s accessories, let alone menswear, can get confusing. From their appearance, a tie clip and a tie bar are essentially the same. They’re both bar-like horizontal attachments designed to secure your tie to your shirt (and add a little flair along the way). Tie clips, however, are generally designed to open like a jaw to clasp to the tie and shirt. A tie bar slides over the tie and shirt to give the same effect. “Tie clasp” is another term that gets thrown around to refer to a tie clip, a tie bar, or both. All these are usually made with metal of some kind, and the visual touches can range from minimalist to whimsical (think: a lobster or pineapple tie bar from the appropriately named Tie Bar).

Some tie clip rules are hard and fast for good reason.

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How to Wear a Tie Clip: Placement

The correct placement of a tie clip, or tie bar, is simple: As a general rule, whatever the tie clip’s aesthetic, place it between the third and fourth buttons running down from the top of your shirt. It should land somewhere around your sternum, or lower chest. Higher or lower can just look… off. If the tie clip is more or less halfway between the tie’s knot and the first button on your jacket, you’re good to go. And adjust as needed to make sure the tie clip remains running straight horizontally along your tie.

How to Style Tie Clips

There’s a vast array of tie clips out there, from the subtle and humble to the tricked-out and whimsical. But there are wise rules to follow so that whatever the aesthetic, your tie clip suits your outfit.

Width matters

Tie clips come in different lengths just as ties come in different widths, but no matter what, your tie bar should never be wider than the tie itself, which is just a sloppy look for something that should be sharper. Aim to keep it under 3/4 the width of your tie.

Go elegant, or creative, based on the event

Depending on how formal or casual the occasion is, feel free to embrace more playful designs that throw light on your charming personality. For formal settings or to play it safe, you can never go wrong with a simple, elegant tie clip like J.Crew Brushed Tie Clip in worn silver or light gold.

Coordinate the metal to your outfit

Speaking of silver vs. gold, the metal matters when it comes to meshing with the rest of your attire. Choose one of those, or another like brass, depending on what best coordinates with your overall outfit. Consider keeping the tie clip in the same color palette as the rest of the metal you’re wearing, from your belt to your watch. Or even think about how the metal of the tie clip might complement the metallic elements of your clothes (say, on a gray suit, or paired with a tie sporting gold hues).

Tie clips can smarten up a casual look

If the event doesn’t call for a full suit, you can still very much invite the tie clip to the party. It can be a great accessory to a looser, unlined blazer

That said, tie clips are for most, but not every occasion

“Tie bars should be reserved for both fun and formal,” says style blogger Chris Law. This makes them a slick and savvy addition for both work and play events—not to mention impressing a lucky date. Leave the tie bar at home for more somber occasions, and Law suggests you think twice if you want to be taken seriously, especially if you need to make a solid impression. “A tie bar at a job interview screams, ‘I’m trying to be cool!’” Law explains. “No one cool ever screams that.”

Both tie and clip matter

Tie clips look best with slimmer ties, but you’ve also got to factor in color. Feel free to rock a colorful or printed tie with a solid silver or gold tie clip, or if your tie bar has all the action, keep the tie simple and clean. Of course, there’s one smooth option currently flying under the radar.

“I think a wooden tie bar is the most interesting accessory,” says style expert Anoop Kansupada, one of the minds behind New York City-based accessories brand Men in Cities. “It can add style to something really simple. You can have a white shirt, a black tie, and then a wooden tie bar, and you’re gonna look at the tie bar.”

Tie Clips We Like

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