The Unexpected Return of the Necktie

There is no greater symbol of the corporate world than the necktie. Specifically, it symbolises the oppressive nature of such a world, acting as a noose or dog collar. Just think of the liberation of removing a tie at the end of a long day in the office or at a wedding party – fastened anarchically around the head as last orders are called.

For many, the tie is firmly rooted in a bygone era; with Mad Men’s suave advertising execs and the money-crazed Gordon Gekkos of Wall Street. This is especially true of the post-pandemic landscape, where the rules of formal dressing are increasingly fluid and comfort reigns supreme.

So it may come as a surprise to learn that the tie is making a fashion comeback in 2024. This is according to a recent write-up by Imran Amed, founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of The Business of Fashion. Fresh from returning from this month’s Men’s Fashion Week in Milan, he highlighted the prominence of the necktie, which served as an invitation to the Prada show and featured heavily in the label’s runway looks. Sabato De Sarno’s highly-anticipated debut menswear show for Gucci, meanwhile, featured refined tailoring and extra-long ties fastened with chains. Amed also wrote about a recent gala dinner he attended to which he wore a tailored suit, crisp white shirt and tie ‘for the first time since the pandemic’.

‘In a world that undoubtedly feels less formal, the return of the necktie is an unexpected twist,’ commented a recent report from Bloomberg UK, who cited the boom in popularity as being due to the ‘fresh, rulebreaking ways of wearing them’. As well as Gucci eschewing the usual rules of formal dressing on the runway, many celebrities have been adding playful twists of their own. Kristen Stewart embraced an androgynous look at last year’s Met Gala, where she sported a short Chanel tie and cropped blazer. At the 2019 ceremony, Frank Ocean caused a stir by wearing a classic white shirt and tie under an anorak (albeit a Prada one). American actor and rapper Tyler James Williams made the best-dressed list at this year’s Golden Globes in a fetching pinstripe suit with a skinny black tie and chain, while fellow actors Robert Downey Jnr, Daniel Kaluuya and Kieran Culkin kept it monochrome with silk ties that matched their impeccable tailoring.

So: ties are officially in. And even better, rules around colour, style, pattern and how to wear them are out. Clashing prints? Unexpected texture? Short or long? Anything goes.

At Thomas Pink we, of course, stock a plethora of shirts to serve as the basis of your shirt-and-tie ensemble (if you want to go traditional). But we also have numerous ties to build up your 2024 wardrobe, ranging from paisley to on-trend polka dot, subtle animal motifs and Prince of Wales check to preppy stripes á la Henley Regatta and skinny knitted silk ties handmade in Italy. How you wear them is up to you, but just know that the tie is no longer resigned to stuffy boardrooms and formal dinners. Dress up on your day off and feel head and shoulders above the rest.