One need not be a fashion expert to notice the world of haute couture is heavily biased toward women. And while overall, men tend to be the worse-dressed sex, they still face dilemmas when getting dressed-not the least of which concerns that seemingly simple, but ever-important paragon of modern dress: the necktie.People often ask me about ties' width-specifically about what is appropriate and what is "in style." The best advice I can offer is that most ties are about one-and-a-half inches at their thinnest sections, thus making their thickest about three-and-three-quarters inches. The most stylish ties (and these are, admittedly, difficult to find) should be exactly one inch at the thinnest sections, and thinner in the front. But this is not an endorsement of the skinny tie: That was a trend about two-and-a-half years ago that is over, and frankly, way too hipster for me. If you're in a band-wearing one with Converses, skin-tight True Religion jeans and a tweed blazer-it might be O.K.

A few important definitions are in line, too. First of all, anyone who wears a cravat should be slapped for being pretentious. The cravat is the tie's predecessor, and can be worn in many ways. It used to be arranged like a bib, but now is generally just wrapped around the neck under a collared shirt or bathrobe-you know, the way pretentious people wear them. So don't wear one, but know what it is.

Next is the fabulous bow tie, which, contrary to popular opinion, can be worn with or without a tuxedo. It should be worn with nonvented tuxedos and a point-collar tuxedo shirt (as opposed to a spread collar, which requires the four-in-hand). Other than that, it can be worn with an oxford, sweater, vest or any other combination you deem attractive. I am a big advocate of a properly-worn bow tie.

The clip-on tie is an important aspect of modern culture. Unless you are a police officer or a Frankenstein-like character working on bodies that may try to strangle you, please never wear one of these in public. First, it'll be extremely obvious that you're wearing a clip on, you'll look quite tacky and it's a shame if the rest of your outfit is otherwise acceptable. Second, it's just bad taste; clip-on ties are never as good quality as actual ties, they will never be as thick as a Ted Baker tie and they will never be as attractive as a Paul Smith one (more on this later.)

The four-in-hand tie is simply a fancy name for the tie everyone knows and loves today. I think most agree the name comes from how carriage drivers tied up their horses in 18th-century England. At any rate, this is the name of a normal tie, and if you have trouble remembering this, just think about four hands trying to tie an extremely complicated Windsor knot.

The club tie is any tie that signifies membership. For example, I have a tie from my prep school that I once tried wearing in my belt loop, interpreting my outfit as following uniform policy because I was technically wearing a tie (apparently, I was the only one who thought so.) Anyway, club ties today usually include little symbols in a symmetrical pattern all over the tie, but traditionally they were made of alternating stripes.

Caring for your tie is important. Many people don't know what to do with ties, so they stick them in a drawer or worse, just leave them lying about. Ideally, everyone would have a tie rack (preferably one that rotates, like those sold at The Sharper Image.)

If that's not possible, here's a suggestion: Everyone living on campus has a dresser, so simply line up your ties on top of some tissue paper on the bottom of it. Do not place anything on top of them-that would be like squishing a baby!

One final point: There are some designers whose ties I just can't get enough of. They are Donna Karan, Ted Baker, Paul Smith and Salvatore Ferragamo. Donna Karan is the cheapest of all of these, and her designs are always sharp, bold, tasteful and versatile. They make a statement without being over the top, and they are often dichromatic, which is good for the classic dresser. Ted Baker makes the thickest ties I've ever seen, which means they are extremely durable and long lasting. These are more colorful than Karan's, and are more appropriate for dressier events. Paul Smith's ties are good, and when paired with his dress shirts they are fantastically smart and rich. This fashion phenomenon is difficult to describe in words, so you must see it to believe it. Last is Salvatore Ferragamo, who blends childhood memories and sophistication into one with animal-print and sailboat ties. These are like club ties, in that they are one or two images repeated on the tie (Vineyard Vines is also famous for this style.)