This Startup Is Putting a New Spin on the Basic Men's Tie

If the modern gentleman has his suits carefully tailored for an optimal fit, why should one-size-fits-all neckties be nabbed thoughtlessly off the rack?

At least, that is the conceit of Skinnyfatties (pronounced ‘skinny fat ties,’) a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based online retail startup which maintains that tie widths should correlate with one’s body type.

The world’s self-described “first and only online tie slimming service” offers advice about ideal widths on its website, where visitors can book one-on-one video consultations with tailors. There is also a short quiz at checkout informing shoppers that, for instance, the recommended tie width for heavier body types is 3 inches, while the ideal width, if you’re on the slender side, is roughly 2.25 inches.

A slimdown costs $29, plus shipping, with alterations delivered in five days.

Skinnyfatties was founded by 27-year-old Josh Brueckner in 2012, when he lost his job and was in dire need of interview clothes. After teaching himself how to slim down vintage neckwear to make it appear more modern, Brueckner began selling his wares on the side of the street -- whereupon passersby asked if he could do the same for their ties.

Today, the company is in the midst of a pivot of sorts. In order to expand its services into other clothing categories, Brueckner has just launched a new company called Air Tailor, which is currently in beta.

The on-demand alteration service -- only available for dress shirts for the time being, with plans to expand into other garments down the line -- functions via text message. Shoppers simply text the company to place an order, and then send along their shirts via mail or messenger (if they reside in New York.)

To avoid the invasive nature of in-person tailoring, Brueckner told Entrepreneur that Air Tailor’s chief distinction is that it asks customers to send along another shirt that has already been tailored so that the company can duplicate these measurements. Alterations cost $30.

By next spring, Brueckner says, Skinnyfatties will be subsumed under Air Tailor, which will then offer a variety of on-demand tailoring services.