Wearing a great looking tie makes a difference. The Italian tie is often made of jacquard silk, and is cut and stitched by hand. Stores like Nordstrom, Saks 5th, Bloomingdales and Neiman Marcus carry mostly Italian made ties. The designer tie from Italy is more expensive than the (mostly) Asian version. You pay for quality and heritage to decades of stylish knowledge. The Italian designer tie also is made often of quality printed or jacquard silk which will not wrinkle much and will still look good after untying it.
"Made in Italy" is a really good start for getting a great tie (as almost all brands are made in quality factories and hand made. Trust the, often conservative Italian style, and especially when you are buying your first neckties, just keep it plain and simple. The classic navy and blue tie will likely make your outfit look great and will be "fashionable" for years to come. The exception is the skinny tie, brands like D&G and Valentino often offer a more fashionable/ trendy tie, which would be often are great fits for evening wear (vs. office).
You often pay for brands names, just for the name!? The good news is that men's neckwear is a category where it can get expensive, but relative to trendy brands and women fashion, the necktie is a descent deal for the price (Italian ties sell for $95 - $295 in the US). Picking a brand name you means, you can expect the same quality as you got previously. Be careful with some outlets, as the UK and Italian brands might be available there in a cheaper version than in the luxury department store like Nordstrom, Saks 5th, Bloomingdales or Neiman Marcus.
The great advantage of buying a discount designer tie online is: the size is always the same (slight differences in width: check), so it always fits. The Italian styles are very similar for decades. So without compromise, you can buy a stylish "conservative" tie and you will look. The tie you buy online at the outlet might be from last season, but who knows!? There are no huge trends in necktie colors/ designs and fabrics. So why pay full price for the "new collection" at Nordstrom, Saks 5th, Bloomingdales or Neiman Marcus when you can pick up the same designs and quality at 40% - 70% off at your online outlet store.
Shop Discount Designer Ties Sale
Godd quality Italian designer ties are: Ermenegildo Zegna, Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Armani, Borrelli, Kiton, Attolini, Canali and more.
The top brands ($225+) are all hand made: Borrelli, Brioni, Zilli, Stefano Ricci, Kiton, Isaia, Attolini.