Nina Ricci

This tie from Nina Ricci of Paris is so sophisticated, with its solid block of deepest navy framed by just a bit of dazzling woven silver stripe-boxes, it doesn't belong on a middle-class guy like me, it really belongs on a European billionaire with a dark blue double-breasted suit, sterling silver cuff links, and a chateau in every canton of Switzerland. Perfect for a night at the casino, it also adds a little bit of vicarious élan to a day job of, say, systems analyzing. (I had to wear it a little long to get enough silver to come through the knot and be visible.) The crease down the middle indicates an overzealous pressing at some point in its history, and thus serves as an object lesson in how not to iron a silk tie. Don't press down hard! Just go over it lightly--barely touching--on your iron's lowest steam setting. A little steam won't hurt silk, it was most likely steamed to set the dyes in the first place. You can press down on the edges a little if they're getting rounded, but be careful not to bunch it up and introduce new creases. A non-stick iron works best; I am quite pleased with my T-Fal Ultraglide.