Is The Skinny Tie On Its Way Out?

Over the past few years, it seems that men’s ties have been getting skinnier and skinnier. Fashion designers had decided that wide, patterned ties were passé, and a thinner silhouette was much cooler, much more rock’n’roll.

It was Hedi Slimane who was initially responsible for the look, introducing it during the early-2000s with Dior Homme, to compliment slim-cut suits, and he continued with that style while at both Saint Laurent and Celine.

As with fashion, many other fashion houses and labels quickly followed suit, and celebrities parading on the red carpet were favouring the style. But it now seems to be on its way out, with Harry Styles leading the way.

Harry took to the stage on The Today Show in New York City recently, dressed in a pink double-breasted blazer, blue shirt, and dark purple trousers, completed with an extra thick polka dot tie. But it seems Styles is on to something.

The recent fall 2020 runways were filled with wide ties as well, as seen at shows such as Off-White (it was printed with the Mona Lisa), E. Tautz (tucked into the trousers), and Prada (worn with a sweater vest). Like any trend, the pendulum often swings into the opposite direction, and it seems the skinny tie is slowly on the way out.

Harry Styles is a well-known style risk-taker. He might be on-board with the wider silhouette, but it is yet to be seen if other Hollywood gents and fashionistas adopt the wide tie for themselves. It can be a tricky piece to get right, just don’t go too wide!

With several white-collar companies recently ditching the requirement for suits and ties in the workplace, it may free the tie from being associated with ‘work’, and become a statement piece to express the wearer’s personality and individuality, and allow the tie to be, once again, a legitimate fashion accessory.

Every well-dressed adult knows that one of the secrets of a good outfit is proportion. But while most know to pick a suit that matches their frame, it’s a rule that’s often forgotten when it comes to ties.

Different tie widths suit different body shapes. The correct tie should complement your suit and keep your outfit in proportion.

This can be achieved by matching the width of your tie (and, by extension, your choice of tie knot) to the width of your lapels (slim for slim, wide for wide), which will already have been matched to your frame.

A broad man should consider a slightly wider tie to match his larger shoulders, just make sure the shirt collar is smaller in proportion, too.

As for the length of your tie, let your trousers be the guide. A tie should always hit the waistband of a trouser. Any lower and it’ll get in the way, while too high looks cheap.

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