First Hose, Now Ties - Are They a Thing of the Past?

After all of the recent flap about women in hose vs. women in bare legs (see my post on casual dress here), it seems only fair to give some (if not equal) time to discussion of men's fashion and ties. A recent article in the New York Lawyer, entitled, "The Necktie, Knot What it Used to Be, Hangs On" takes a look at the necktie and whether it's on the way out.

According to the New York Lawyer article, in the early 1970s, between 200 and 250 million ties were sold per year in the U.S., compared with the current 50 million annual sales.

While the days are long gone when men would wear neckties for all kinds of occasions, including attending baseball games, is the tie really on its way out for good? I did notice, while watching Wimbledon this weekend, that there were a fair number of male spectators wearing suits and ties. And some even speculate that the current economy will help the tie make a comeback as a way to stand out and impress, since casual dress has become the norm.

Consultant Candace Cortlett says of a potential necktie resurgence:

I think it's about as untrue as women returning to hosiery. Once you free the body of the tie and the hose, yeah, you may go back to it occasionally to make a statement or on dress-up day, but nobody willingly goes back to wearing a tie five days a week.

But regardless of whether you think the tie is making a comeback or going the way of the dinosaur, be mindful that whatever you wear makes an impression. As former tie manufacturer Richard Artunian notes, the tie "tells more about the person than even the shoe does."  When someone wears a tie, Artunian wonders, "Is he trying to impress me? Is he wearing a tie because he has to wear that tie? How is he tying that knot?"

What does your tie (or lack of one) say about you?

Comments

[Rick Bryan]

I think wearing a tie says about me that "this lawyer prefers a more formal relationship than a more casual relationship." This is the image I am comfortable with and that I want to present professionally. I think a suit and tie at Wimbledon is proper, but less so at the US Open.

Great post; thanks!