Of course I did; not only because I’ve wanted to check out cashmere socks ever since I sold them at $175 a pop for Ralph Lauren way back when, but also because I really wanted to see if they are in fact machine washable. One of the biggest pet peeves I have about these kinds of luxury items is the maintenance factor.

According to British Apparel’s press release, these new socks are, “Hailed The Coziest, Comfiest Socks Ever. British Apparel’s Revolutionary New ‘All-Season Cashmere Collection’ Snubs All Temps, Cuddles Feet In A Cocoon Of Pillow-Soft Cushioning Year-Round. Then, just toss ‘em in the washer!”

Cashmere of course is the holy grail of cold weather style. Light and pliable yet warm and silky soft – the last few years have seen every company from Brooks Brothers to Costco hawking their cashmere goods.

Quality and durability wax and wane depending on the maker and some claims while impressive are a little impractical. Anyone who has worn a single- or double-ply cashmere sweater to the office can probably tell you that triple-ply is only needed during arctic expeditions.

But winter is still cashmere’s ideal clime and the idea of year-round cashmere socks intrigued me. According to BA, their Punto-made cashmere socks are “Mother Nature’s ultimate shock absorbers.”

With that impressive claim in mind, off I went to the daily commute. While I was no less tired at the end of my test week, I have to admit that my cashmere ensconced feet felt great. In fact, what struck me was that they felt so good I never really thought about those socks I was trying out. Not bad at all.

As great as cashmere is, cashmere socks have two well-known problems: one, their fame as winter’s one-trick pony, and second, their reputation as being frail and fragile – suitable only for hand washing.

Those two Achilles’ heels have apparently been resolved because I’ve shuttled my Punto socks from washer to dryer several times after days of use and they are just fine. Mind you, I followed the care instructions but I nonetheless pretty well beat them up.

What makes it work? Essentially, Punto’s new collection is a hi-tech blend of yarns that combine three hybrid versions of everyday yarns – cashmere, super-soft cotton and a smidgen of hi-performance nylon for stretch, elasticity and long-wear durability. So, technically, they are not cashmere-only socks, no doubt leaving some purists appalled, but I have no problem with a little modern tinkering.

The collection’s 18 colors come in a dress weight and are available in the taller and dressier, over-the-calf silhouette as well as the shorter and sportier, mid-calf height. Retail prices for the socks will run in the range of $55 to $65, respectively.

To buy your own pair, please visit British Apparel’s website and online store.

As a guy from New England, and an Ivy League college town to boot, I know from bow ties. I have long been a big fan and to me they have always represented a shot of jaunty intellectual creativity. So, I dug through the OTC archives and pulled together some thoughts on bow ties.

Just so we’re clear, I am taking about the bow ties you actually have to tie yourself. Clip-ons are to me a wasted effort. The imperfection of a self tied tie is what makes it such a personal expression of your own style. The only tie knot that should appear symmetrically flawless is the double Windsor, and that’s only because if done correctly it can look no other way.

Southern gentlemen have embraced the bow tie for generations and it seems that the current upsurge in bow tie interest was given birth in the Low Country. My instinctive style guide is finally getting some validation as bow ties are now starting to show up all over the place. Southern gentlemen though seem to have a better understanding of the bow tie’s edgier, intellectual capacity. A bow tie takes some guts to wear and, stereotypes notwithstanding, is not for the meek and timid.

About as Southern a bow tie as you can get

Tucker Carlson, the political commentator stopped wearing his trademark bow ties in part because he came to realize that they were viewed as slightly aggressive. Apparently in the tie-wearing world, at least in D.C., they are the sartorial equivalent of daring someone to pick a fight.

The core of the bow tie movement seems to be a particular elevation of the overall trend toward a sense of formality in menswear. We all know this does not mean that every guy out there wants to wear a three piece suit to work. However, if you look across the landscape of men’s clothing there is a definite move toward looking better and cleaning up.

This is not new, I’ve been talking about the trending away from slouchy casual for a while; but in my opinion, it is now taking on more definition. Where the latter 1990s, just before the tech boom, was a boring morass of bland office wear – really, the last clearly defined period of “business dress” as a uniform – we now have a movement that is actively seeking a modern update of classic influences. And it’s really a self motivating movement; out of the necessity to appear professional and keep one’s job, the desire to get a job or just for the love of dressing well.

Urban cool bow tie

Viewed that way, I would call today’s bow tie wearers the modern dandy. Really, this is the perfect compromise for the stylish man of today (or even the man of today who wants to be stylish). Think about it: a dandy, in his original guise, was an individualist during a period of conformity and class stratification.

He was someone who wanted to make a mark of society, turn convention on its head, find a place in the salons and courts of the power players and yet still fall within the general framework of polite society. In essence a dandy is an individualist to whom others are drawn, yet someone who still maintains his own identity.

A handy do-it-yourself guide

I don’t know about you, but to me that rather sounds like the personality of today’s up and coming entrepreneurs and big thinkers. Of course not all of our future world leaders are going to run out to stock up on bow ties, but many of them are looking to find their version of the power suit, the perfect watch, the best car or the right shoes. And as it happens, they seem to be demanding quality of quantity, substance over flash, and the unique over anonymous.

I am about 6 feet tall and prefer the windsor knot. I have noticed that the short end of my tie, once the knot is tied, is much shorter than the long end and cannot be placed in the little holder piece. So my the short end of my tie moves around a lot and is not held in place. It doesn’t look very good. I know some people tuck this piece into their shirts but this just doesn’t seen right to me. I also know that some people use a tie clip but with all due respect that just does not seem right for a 25 year-old. Do you have any other suggestions?

The gentleman above poses an interesting and not too-uncommon question. I have found that for most people, ties seems to be designed to only handle the four-in-hand when is comes to length. Anything else and they seem to run out of length in a flash – as is the case here.

I do know that some tie makers make longer ties, though they can be hard to find and there is no guarantee that one will even like the selection. Brooks Brothers, for example, has a special collection of extra long ties. When I am in a Windsor mood, I have only two ties that I know will work and still let me properly tuck the back blade into its holder.

When going for a Windsor, or even a half-Windsor, I prefer that my ties not be too bulky. Some men always want to see a chunky knot, but to me the full Windsor knot is itself already a bit hefty and I really don’t want to overdo the bulk factor. So, in my case at least all these preferences limit the actual tie options.

The loose Italian take on a Windsor

I’m also a little picky about the rear blade. With whatever knot I tie, I prefer that both the front and rear blade hang about even. It’s a balance issue for me – the lack of relatively equal tie halves, front and back, feels awkward, like I have a big knot around my neck and a lone flap of silk hanging off-center. I don’t like the feeling; it’s like I’m faking it.

Ultimately though, you have to work with what you have and in this case it probably means jury-rigging your ties. I agree that the tie bar option is not a good fit. If nothing else, it would probably sit up too high and look a bit odd. And I agree that in most cases a tie bar worn out of necessity (or even choice) looks more fashiony than classy on a 25 year-old.

If you want to see what a good Windsor knot looks like, take a gander at this recent New York Times piece on the always dapper NYC Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. The Comish has a particular dedication to the Windsor knot and is also a surprising font of information when it comes to dressing with personal flair.

Ray Kelly ties one on, under the watchful gaze of T.R.

The easiest option might be to use a small safety pin and tack the errant short piece to the back of your tie. Or, if you’re game (or if your tailor is game) add a second keeper loop further up the tie positioned to always capture the rear blade.

To learn how to tie a Windsor knot, click here to view step-by-step instructions from Brook’s Southern cousin, Ben Silver.

Ashley’s beautiful ties and squares are a longtime favorite of OTC.

All you have to do is send an e-mail with your order selections to salesinfo@ashleyashoff.com, and mention that you are an Off The Cuff reader.

To me at least, argyle’s fundamental overlapping diamond motif has a certain heavy warmth which reminds me of bundling up on crisp mornings to walk the dog. Maybe it’s the historic pattern’s Scottish heritage or its current prevalence in sweaters and thick socks, but it just makes me think “warmth.”

This is not a bad thing, just a stylistic association that I never much thought about. Then, a few weeks ago, my friends over at Smart Turnout, a favorite OTC brand, let me know that they were adding argyle socks to their already extensive and colorful lineup. A short while later a pair of the RAF argyles (shown above) arrived at my door.

I have generally tried to avoid touting lots of brands on OTC, mostly because I like what I like and have never tried to be shopping resource. I don’t want to have to run through 18 options for great khakis when I like Bill’s Khakis and that’s that. Like Bill’s and Smart Turnout, several keep popping up because they make excellent products that reflect OTC’s own brand and sense of style. With that in mind, my cold weather argyle philosophy went out the window once I pulled on these socks.

One of my beefs with argyle socks is that they always seem to feel a bit stiff and bulky. The weaving process often leaves the sock’s interior a tad bumpy and, to me, unappealing. These are smooth and seamless without any sense of bulk. I fact I’m wearing them right now and feel comfortably summery.

As a fan of regionally crafted goods, it’s also nice to hear that they are a truly English product – from the raw material to the hand finishing.