How "The Dress" And Your Neckties Relate

As a company that is based largely on color, here at Tiemart we really weren’t surprised to learn of the magical color-changing dress. For years we have displayed a color disclaimer on each of our products stating how different color can look from one person to the next, and we always encourage customers trying to match ties to request free color swatches before ordering. We’ve even had a customer insist that our standard daffodil yellow ties were bright green, and another tell us our eggplant paisley ties were pink.

Similarly, we are constantly sent photos of dresses customers are trying to match. While we try to help as much as possible based off the photo, “the dress” is a perfect example as to why we always suggest requesting color swatches and let the customer know that we really can’t judge color from a camera phone. (You would think we were absolutely nuts if you sent us a photo of the blue and black dress you were trying to match and we suggested gold and white ties!)

So many things affect how each of us perceives color. Simple things like the color settings and brightness on your computer or whether you use warm or cool light bulbs in your home can change the colors you see. (As an experiment, the next time you buy light bulbs purchase them in the opposite color tone as what you had been. It’s amazing how everything in your home suddenly can be a different color just by changing light bulbs!)

Color starts to get more complicated when you bring in external factors, like past and personal experiences. Maybe you hate cantaloupe. Even the mention of it makes your stomach churn. If we name a tie color cantaloupe and you have an aversion to the fruit, a cantaloupe colored tie is never going to appeal to you. Even if you’re looking for that exact shade, you’re not going to see it as that because your brain associates something negative with it. Take the same exact shade, call it tangerine. You love tangerines. You eat them all the time; it’s your favorite fruit, in fact. Suddenly, the color of the tie is perfect. Think about it. If we add the same exact product to our store twice, but name it a men’s spinach green tie and men’s kale green tie, are you more likely to purchase one over the other?

We have the fancy lights, camera and editing software to ensure that each of our products on our website are depicted as true to color online as in person in our offices. But, like the examples above, we have no control over your computer settings, lighting or life experiences. If you’re looking for ties in that perfect shade, we encourage you to request free fabric color swatches from our signature solid, premium, pattern and striped ties and accessories. Choose up to two colors and we'll include additional shades similar to those you request. If there is something specific you are matching, tell us in the comments section. (At this time, free color swatches are only available in the USA and Canada.)

"The dress" is enough to drive some mad, but hopefully you now see why requesting free color swatches ahead of time is so important when you're trying to match your ties.

TieMart is an online retailer of men’s neckties, bow ties and other accessories. A wide selection of pattern ties are available at TieMart, including popular paisley ties for weddings, traditional plaid ties for the office and collegiate two-color striped ties for graduation or school uniforms. And, yes, if you really want to put your face on a tie it’s possible with a custom photo tie. TieMart ties are affordable and ship quickly from their Midwest location.