As with any fashion item, ties vary considerably in type and design, often changing with every season. The range of ties on offer at any one time can cover anything from plain polyester to elaborately woven silk and designer ties. With literally thousands of different designs available, there's a tie to suit anyone on any occasion! Below is a brief guide to the different types of ties available at Swagger & Swoon to help find the perfect tie for you.

Polyester and Polyester Satin Ties:

Polyester is a strong, easily washable, man-made fibre that is popular in ties due to its hardiness. Polyester ties can sometimes be machine-washed but generally it is better to dry-clean them. Polyester ties come in a variety of finishes, including; Polyester, Woven Polyester and Polyester Satin.

Standard Polyester ties can have a smooth finish, but are sometimes finished with a rough texture.

Polyester Satin ties have a silky or satin finish, creating a soft, smooth effect. They are often chosen as cheaper alternatives to pure silk ties. Satin ties are very popular for weddings. Woven polyester ties can either be smooth or have a visible weave throughout the tie.

Silk Ties:

Silk comes from the cocoons of silkworms, the larvae of the Chinese Domesticated Silkmoth. Silk is usually more expensive than its polyester equivalent and will almost always require dry-cleaning. Silk can be printed (commonly just referred to as "silk") or woven - woven silk tends to be thicker and you will often see a fabric weave running through it. Silk ties usually have a smooth finish, though some silk ties and cravats are made using rough silk which can be very textured.

Lightweight Ties:

Lightweight ties are popular in the USA and are made of thin silk or polyester. In the UK thicker ties are generally preferred.

Plain Ties:

Plain or solid colour ties are single colour silk or polyester ties. Plain ties come in polyester satin, textured polyester, smooth silk, and woven silk and in a wide range of colours. These ties can be worn for everyday use and are very popular for weddings. In addition to the standard smooth ties, horizontal or diagonal rib silk ties have a weave to them which adds a light design to an otherwise plain coloured tie. Popular colours vary between seasons.

Fashion Ties:

Fashion ties are printed or woven silk (and occasionally polyester) with a specific pattern or design, for example spots or stripes, and vary between seasons. Fashion ties often follow similar trends to designer ties, but at half the price! Like designer ties, fashion ties are available for a limited season. Towards the end of a season you will often find fashion ties on sale, but don't assume that your favourite tie will be half price as popular ties tend to sell out well before the sales start!

Cartoon Ties:

Cartoon ties are those ties which feature popular cartoon characters, such as Homer Simpson, Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse or Kyle from Southpark. Cartoon ties make great gifts for fans and are especially popular for birthdays and Christmas. Most cartoon ties are polyester, however visitors to Swagger & Swoon generally choose a cartoon tie based on its design rather than its material.

Novelty Ties:

Novelty ties have long been the most popular gift for Fathers Day, birthdays and Christmas, as well as fun gifts for those occasions when you don't know what to get someone! Novelty ties (or themed ties, as they are also known) usually potray a specific theme, for example; science, computers or music. Within each theme are a number of different styles and designs to choose from. The beauty of these ties is that they appeal directly to the recipient's interests, so you can't go wrong!

Novelty ties come in silk or polyester, but as in the case of cartoon ties, most visitors to Swagger & Swoon choose a novelty tie based on its design rather than what it is made from.

Bow Ties:

Bow ties come in a range of styles and patterns, but in general follow the same principles as regular ties.

Most bow ties are pre-tied, which means all you have to do is adjust the neckstrap to fit your neck and hook the fastening clasp at the back. Pre-tied bow ties are available in both polyester and silk, though silk bow ties are more expensive.

If you prefer to tie the bow tie yourself, then opt for a self-tie bow tie. These are not as difficult to tie as it may seem, and most self-tie bow ties come with instructions. It's always a great achievement when you manage to tie one yourself! Unfortunately the range of self-tie bow ties these days is limited compared to pre-tied bow ties.

Clip-On Ties:

Clip-on ties are pre-tied ties that occasionally come with a neckstrap but usually have a clip at the back of the knot which clips onto the top of your shirt, once the top button has been done up. Clip-on ties are mostly polyester, though many have a satin or smooth finish.

Extra Long Ties:

Extra long ties are around 10" (25cm) longer than regular ties, and designed for tall and large men. These ties are usually only found in a smooth polyester however are also available in silk.

Wedding Ties:

Buying ties for your wedding can be tricky, especially if you need to match dresses or other colour schemes. The cheapest way of resolving this is to go for a closest match, rather than an exact match where you may have to have the ties made for you. Opting for a tie as opposed to a cravat also means you can wear the tie afterwards, as they are equally suitable for work or any other formal occasion. For more help on choosing your wedding ties, please see our Buying Wedding Ties article.

Boys Ties:

Boys ties vary from plain satin (suitable for weddings), through to polyester fashion and cartoon ties.

Many of the plain satin boys ties and bow ties have matching men's ties which makes them ideal for weddings.

With children's ties there are different lengths or sizes of ties, which are indicated in the tie's description. An ideal way to see if a tie will be suitable is to cut a length of string to the length indicated in the tie's description and tie a mock tie on the child to see if it is the right length.

There are very few ties or bow ties to fit children under 2 years old as most children's ties cover the ages 4 - 12, though of course this varies depending on the size of the child.