Interview Ties

Interview Ties

With an ever increasingly competitive job market, your interview attire, and interview ties, will allow you to get your metaphorical foot in the door by helping you create your best first impression. As much as we may like to deflect concerns regarding appearance, how one dresses can convey a great deal, if not just subconsciously, within the first few seconds of your interviewer meeting you. 

For interview attire, we suggest opting for solid ties, striped ties, geometric / foulard (repeating pattern ties) or polka dot ties. These ties come across as highly professional, and ensure that you are not taking unnecessary risks during the interview process – keep your funky floral or paisley patterns for other occasions such as a wedding reception or evening out!

So what colors ties would we suggest for an interview setting?:

Interview Tie Colors

Blue Ties. Your quintessential, business setting ties, blue ties can be broken down into a range of hues:

Navy Ties. Your darker shade of blue ties, navy ties signal trust and authority. Navy blue ties are considered significantly less polarizing and intimidating than red ties, and hence make for a fantastic option for interview day. 

Cobalt Blue. Your standard shade of blue, a cobalt blue tie will demonstrate a level of trust and friendliness. Because cobalt blue is most associated with the ocean and hence calmness, a cobalt blue tie will allow you to stand out just the right amount, while coming across as both friendly and professional. A definite win win!

Lighter Blue.  A lighter blue tie will have you come across as more reserved and introspective, which isn’t a negative trait by any means, but it can work against you during the interview process. Remember – you want to come across as someone who is proactive and who can add to the overall value of the both the team and the company, and a light blue tie will not help signal that message. 

When choosing between patterns for your blue ties, a solid, striped, foulard (repeating pattern) or polka dot pattern will work particularly well. If going with a patterned tie, it is best to opt for a solid shirt. The last thing you want is to be concerned about whether your tie pattern matches that of your suits and shirts. Keeping your decision making to a minimum on interview day will help you focus on the most important matter of the day – the interview itself!

Burgundy Ties. A close substitute for the red tie, a burgundy tie helps demonstrate authority, without being overbearing like the standard red tie. A burgundy tie will inject you and subsequently your attire with an air of confidence, without coming across as too strong. Pair your burgundy tie with a charcoal grey or navy suit to truly make an impression. 

Brown Ties. While an often overlooked necktie color, brown ties will help demonstrate trust, confidence and a sense of reliability, which is absolutely key during the interview process. Nothing gets an interviewer going like believing you will be a reliable, dependable member of the team day in and day out! Ideally, you want to opt for a darker shade of brown, as a beige or tan tie will just make you come across as being too relaxed. If you have brown foulard (repeating pattern) ties, they will come in particularly useful during an interview setting. 

Grey Ties. The ultimate neutral tie, a grey tie works perfectly for an interview setting. A grey tie can help provide you with a sophisticated look, without coming across as pretentious. 

Yellow Ties. While generally not considered a popular choice of tie, especially during an interview, a yellow tie can help make an impression when interviewing for a creative job! 

Interview Tie Patterns

Solid Ties. Few ties are as safe a bet as a solid tie, especially if they are in one of the above shades (barring yellow!). Furthermore, a solid tie will work with a solid, finely striped or microcheckered shirt, and virtually any charcoal grey or navy blue suit. 

Striped Ties. The quintessential business tie, albeit a slightly retro one. With foulard ties being the trend du jour, striped ties are not as popular as they once were. With that said, a striped tie will certainly have you looking the part in an interview setting. Just be sure to stick to a two tone striped tie, so that your interview, and not your clothing, does the talking. 

Foulard / Geometric Ties. Ties with repeating patterns, a foulard silk tie will ensure that you look the part. When opting for a foulard tie during an interview setting, you are best off with a navy, burgundy or grey silk tie. 

Polka Dot Ties. While not necessarily as historically popular as the above three patterns, a polka dot tie will allow you to instantly stand out. Moreover, polka dot ties can be worn with a solid, finely striped or microcheckered shirt, providing that there is adequate spacing within the polka dot pattern. 

Interview Tie Fabrics

While ties can come in an array of fabrics, there is no doubt that a silk tie should be your choice of tie fabric during an interview setting. 

Interview Tie Knots

Looking for the perfect tie knot for your upcoming interview? While a four in hand might be considered too casual, and a full windsor too formal, rest assured that a half windsor knot will have you looking the part every time!