Fewer neckties

My apologies if I’ve been showing too much skin this summer.

Modesty and professionalism usually prevents me from exposing my ostrich neck, but the recent “heat dome” has helped me lean into the men’s workplace fashion trend away from the necktie.

The death of the necktie has been proclaimed for several years, and last year even the venerable New York Times opined on the subject. Ties are noticeably absent in offices around the world these days. I recently found myself in a business meeting with a couple of Atlanta executives whose names you would recognize. Out of that group, I was the only one in a necktie. 

I update my wardrobe every dozen or so years whether it needs it or not. I prefer more classic styles rather than chasing fads, especially as I age. There’s nothing chic about my fashion choices, which can be described as “coat and tie office” during the week and “dad khakis” on the weekends.

I’ve never been an early adopter. I just started wearing skinny jeans a few years ago, and I am now being told they are out. Truth be told, that’s OK with me because I’m a skinny person and skinny jeans make me look, well, skinny.

Last summer I invested in three new suits for work that were more updated in cut and fit, but only in the last few months have I allowed myself to fully participate in the global trend of going with an open collar with a suit or sports coat. If I was dressing down, sure, I’d lose the tie, but to me, being dressed for work or other important occasions means wearing a tie.

Not since I abandoned clip-ons as a child have I been resistant to wearing neckties. I don’t find buttoning the top button of a dress shirt constricting (see earlier mention of skinny ostrich neck.) I spent 10 years working at a non-profit with a business casual dress policy, and, frankly, during that time, I developed a deep aversion to golf shirts in the workplace.

Neckties add flair to otherwise boring navy and gray outfits. I’ve noticed that the color and pattern of the necktie have been replaced by fancy shirts and sportcoats. My friend Jared has opted for the former. Whether short sleeve or long, he has some pretty cool looking shirts. I have both colors of shirts, blue and white. Plaid is about as flashy as I get.

I have opted for the sports coat approach for two reasons: warmth and utility. If it’s hot, you can always take it off. I’ve found it convenient to have the sportcoat even during the summer because it insulates me against overly air conditioned spaces.

It’s also a well-established fact that the pockets on a suit coat or blazer have more storage than most Midtown Atlanta apartments. I can carry a phone, pen, reporter’s notebook, sunglasses, keys, AirPods, lip balm and even my wallet, long ago discovering that carrying your billfold in your back pocket messes up your pants and throws your spine out of whack.

Carla has figured this out about my jackets, too. If we’re going out and she doesn’t want to carry a purse or a clutch, I end up with all manner of feminine items in my coat. I once had her high heel shoes in each of my breast pockets when she shifted to flats at a wedding reception. I looked like I had pectoral implants all night and received many compliments on the obvious effects of my workout regimen.

So if you see me without a necktie out in the wild, this is what’s going on. It’s a thing I’m trying. It’s on purpose. I didn’t spill gravy on my tie and had to shed it to avoid embarrassment. Well, maybe I did, but that’s not that point.

This isn’t a boycott. I will on occasion wear a necktie again, especially when the summer more casual office dress code ends. So if you see me in a necktie, just know that there’s a time and a place for every fashion, and I’m feeling just fine. In fact, I’m probably even more comfortable without a naked throat. 

You should probably know that now that I’m finally giving neckties a rest, they’ll probably be back in full force this season in New York, Paris and Milan. I recommend you stock up now so you can be fashion forward.

Since I’m out of the necktie market, there will no doubt be a surplus.