Navy, black several shades of brown (trigger alert) a rep style in navy and burgundy, reds, even a pink n orange 1980's number.  I love them all but as you say don't get to wear them much at all sadly.

And I have some killer foulards in my collection.

A pink and orange 1980s knit tie? The mind boggles.

One of my two ties, a slightly regimental-looking affair, came from 'Milton's Clothing Cupboard'.  I like that.  I see Milton as an Alan Arkin figure, harrassed by the women in his life, dreaming of Ann-Margret and a brief but joyful retirement in Miami.

Of course, we live in times when our politicians and other lower-end types are happy to be seen wearing cheap-looking rubbish.  And, for many of the men, no tie.  Ah, I'm talking about the UK here, nowhere else.  Yet, on my first day in a posh school, back in 2009, dressed in a Brooks suit, probably a repp tie and AE black wingtips, I looked out of place amidst the pullovers and beards.  I wore a suit a time or two, sometimes with loafers, but often went in a grey Alan Paine cashmere v-neck and chinos or cords.  My late father would not have dreamed of going tieless until he retired.  Then it was all polo shirts, Levis and boat shoes.

I have little call for formal dress in work now and the end of working life is coming over the hill anyway. I’ve got plenty of repps, foulards and other traditional ties that will never see action again and I really should whittle them down to a handful for hatchings, matchings and dispatching purposes.

But I do like a knitted tie and wear one anytime I can conflate a justification for it. A knit tie seems to bridge the formal v informal gap quite nicely and any occasion that justifies wearing a tailored jacket, even if it’s just an old J Keydge, then I’m eyeing the tie box and wondering if I can get away with it!