Designer Claims to Have Found Mathematically Perfect Tie Width

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Ties (and to a lesser extent, socks) are the one area where men who work in fancy offices really get to express themselves. And too often, what they are expressing—according to menswear designer Elliot Aronow—is, "My aunt got this for me to celebrate my report card." Or, worse, "I hate my job and have to wear this."

That's why the Brooklyn-based accessories pro launched Jacques-Elliott—a line of neckwear made to ultra-precise measurements. Three and one-eighth inches, to be exact, for "menswear nerds who have to sweat every detail."

Aronow explains, "Three and one-eighth is slim and modern and perfection—something a dude with a bit of build can pull off but not so wide that it looks like a bib." The ties, the designer says, are "slim" not skinny, and part of that slimness can be chalked up to optical illusion—they're lined with Italian fabric that lies super-flat, making the ties appear narrower than they actually are.

While Aronow—who cites "James Baldwin, Robert Palmer, Thelonius Monk and Jacques Pepin" among his Patron Saints of Slim Ties—currently has a selection of neckwear for sale on his site, he's also running a Kickstarter campaign to introduce new designs and textiles to the label. Expect to see Jacques-Elliott-branded socks, underwear and pins in the future if Aronow meets his $18,000 goal tomorrow. Just don't expect to see ties over three and a half inches. You may as well wear a lobster bib.

· Jacques-Elliott [Official Site]
· Jacques-Elliott Ties and Accessories [Kickstarter]