I thought of one other tip for keeping a recalcitrant tie snugged up. The tool is very hard on shirt collars, but for special occasions it might be worthy of consideration.

Imagine a paperclip bent into the shape of a capital M. Then make the V bend in the middle somewhat more shallow than the standard font here at Xmarks.

The put spirng loaded extensions on the outer limbs with feet and pointy bits, rather like a ski pole tip.

It would look like this:


During the penultimate step of tying a four in hand, slip the tie stay into that last open loop before you finish tying the knot so there is one layer of tie over the top bar of the stay and the rest of the tie knot laying like this:


Then snug the knot up to the shirt collar, and set the pointy bits of the tie stay into the back side of your collar's points.

I am certain we called these tie stays when I was in the navy (shortly after Trafalgar), but my google-fu is failing me for a link to product today.

Before you run out and buy six of these things at your local base exchange or post exchange, be advised that while your tie will not budge, your collar points are going to take a beating. I recall if you use this tool with the same shirt one day a week every week for six months the collar points will be in absolute ruins.

On the other hand these should still be under ten bucks. If you have a brilliant shirt and tie combo that just won't stay snugged up and huge interview, this shouldn't wreck your collar points in just a few hours.

Thank God MacMillan has signed off on paisley ties with tartan kilts, full speed ahead.