Chris Ficco | ties one on

Ties. The bumper stickers of the well-dressed man. They stylize, advertise. There's one for any mood or occasion: holidays, favorite TV show, movie, painting, travel destination, college affiliation, animal, book, car, solar system, religion, soda, candy, celebrity, food, music, architecture, cocktail, occupation, military division, fraternal order. Or not. Paisley, striped, plaid, polka dot and plain. Silk, polyester, a blend. Thin or fat. There's even a tie that looks like a piece of matzo bread (oy!).

For decades this yard of fabric was one of the very few ways a man could make any kind of a fashion statement at all. Just ask Chris Ficco, manager of the men's furnishings department at the downtown Seattle Nordstrom. He's been in the men's clothing biz for 35 years now.

The humble tie remains the go-to Dad gift. So, fathers everywhere — whether you pry open the long, thin box today or not — this one's for you:

Q: What's the most expensive tie in the store?

A: They range from $45 to $195. The $195 tie is the Robert Talbott Seven Fold. It's the way they used to make them in the 1800s; it's one piece of silk and it's folded seven times; everything is done entirely by hand. As far as we know, there's only one woman in this country who knows how to do this process. There are only 40 ties made per pattern, and they're numbered.

Q: How many ties do you have?

A: I'd guess between 50 and 60.

Q: Do you ever branch out and go bow tie?

A: I only wear bow ties with formal wear. But at Nordstrom we sell quite a few bow ties. I think you're really one or the other.

Q: How do you spot a good one?

A: The knot, the dimple and the way it hangs. A good tie will hang straight. Machine-made ties have a tendency to twist over time. It's the weight of the silk; a less expensive tie has lighter silk.

Q: What do you do if you spill on your new tie?

A: What I've found is, if you spill something oil-based, lie the tie out flat and spread some baking soda just right on that spot and let it sit for a couple hours, then brush it off. Club soda will take out most other things.

Q: Does the tie make the man, or does the man make the tie?

A: I think it goes both ways. It enables a man to create his own individual look. Very seldom are you going to run into someone who has the exact same pattern as you.

Q: Do people dare give you a tie as a gift?

A: I've received ties as gifts before. The couple I've gotten I've really enjoyed.

Q: What's your casual look? It doesn't involve a tie, does it?

A: You're probably not going to catch me in a tie on the weekend. For charity events, weddings, funerals, I'm definitely in a tie.

Q: Are you a dad, and are you getting . . .?

A: My son's only 8 years old, so ties aren't his thing right at the moment.