Once considered an essential men’s accessory for work and formal occasions, the classic business tie seems to have fallen out of fashion in the office.
But now this garment and all its traditional variants (including the ascot, bow, bolo, zip tie, cravat and knit) are making a comeback in an unexpected form.
The 2024 Grammy Awards were inundated with fashionable celebrities choosing it as their statement accessory, from the band Boygenius pairing a white suit and black tie to Billie Eilish pairing hers with a Barbie jacket.
In fact, the 22-year-old singer loved the tie so much that she wore it again two weeks later at the SAG Awards on Saturday, pairing it with baggy black pants and a white shirt that she left partially unbuttoned into the background.
Even Kim Kardashian has cemented the tie’s new style status on the cover of GQ’s Men of the Year 2023 issue, eating a bag of Cheetos with her office-style ensemble.
Billie Eilish, pictured, has been leading the tie’s revival by wearing it to the SAG Awards on Saturday.
Fashion company Ssense has even gone so far as to call 2024 the “year of the tie,” taking into account the latest trend.
Speaking to FEMAIL, stylist Lisa Talbot revealed that the fashion scene is embracing the tie as “an option for women as an alternative to a scarf or necklace and for men in a more relaxed way.”
“Tailoring for women is a big trend for SS24, and both the vest and tie have been included to complete the ensemble,” he added.
‘I really like how it creates a slight masculine touch to the look and can be worn in a very elegant conservative way or can be incorporated into a creative look that includes print and color.
‘We’ve seen Prada and Hilfiger really embrace this trend and many were seen at the Baftas recently.
‘Model Sabrina Dhowre Elba arrived at the Gucci show during Milan Fashion Week wearing a simple white shirt accompanied by a red skirt, leather tie and blazer with Jenna Ortega looking gorgeous in black tailoring, white shirt and tie.’
Meanwhile, the film’s latest leading man, Barry Keoghan, looked dapper at this year’s BAFTAs in a suit centered around a tie and a jacket adorned with bold zippers, while Last Of Us’s Bella Ramsey looked great in a combination of floral suit and tie at the Critics Choice Awards in January.
Elsewhere, Rosamund Pike channeled effortless elegance by opting for the bow tie style in December, once again bringing office wear to the red carpet.
Hollywood leading man Barry Keoghan showed he’s a fan of the tie at the BAFTAs, pairing it with a daring zip-up jacket.
The Last Of Us’ Bella Ramsey looked great in a floral suit and tie combo at the Critics Choice Awards in January.
Rosamund Pike looked great when she opted for the bow tie style in December, once again bringing office wear to the red carpet.
Boygenius wore white suits and matching black ties to the Grammy Awards. From left to right: Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker
Billie Eilish has worn a tie several times in recent months, pairing it with a Barbie jacket at the Grammy Awards.
Cillian Murphy opted for a very relaxed tie-wear at the Critics Choice Awards in January, with his loose around his neck.
Hilary Swank looked stunning in a tie while leaving the Today studio in New York City on Tuesday morning.
And the tie is not only being popularized by celebrities around the world: New York Fashion Week was filled with ties on the catwalk and in the public.
‘Dressing up is back. We are moving away from streetwear towards a more refined look. It’s in the air, I can feel it,” Tommy Hilfiger said at his NYFW show.
At Prada’s men’s fashion show in January, most models also wore ties, while Depop claims its tie sales have increased by 31 percent.
But conversely, ties are being worn less and less in offices with the rise of working from home, and smart/casual business attire trends are on the rise in lieu of traditional attire.
Even the bbc is now adopting a more relaxed dress code, stating that journalists are now allowed to ditch their formal looks.
Last year, New Financial’s William Wright shocked social media when he shared a snap of Selfridge’s sold-out selection of ties on sale.
Wright, using Twitter handle @Williamw1 He shared the photo after a visit to Selfridges department store and wrote: ‘This is the entire tie department at Selfridges in London. The end of days is upon us.
The photo showed a rack, filled with a selection of colorful ties in shades of blue, green, pink and purple. Some striped ties and a bold Versace-style baroque tie also make the combination.
A model walks the runway at the Tommy Hilfiger show during New York Fashion Week, February 2024.
Sabrina Dhowre Elba is seen at the Gucci show during Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2023/24 on February 24, 2023.
Once considered a men’s accessory reserved for suits and formal occasions, the tie is becoming a must-have adornment for ladies, and it’s thanks in part to It Girls like Jenna Ortega (pictured).
Glam: Kylie Minogue stepped out at a Valentino party and added a chic tie to her dress to complete the look.
Lucy Hale looked stylish as CEO when she attended The Hollywood Reporter’s Women In Entertainment gala in December.
It’s also been more than a decade since Tie Rack, which had 450 outlets at its peak, closed.
Tie Rack’s miniature stores became a familiar fixture at train stations and airports since it was founded in 1981 by heel bar owner Roy Bishko.
The explosion of office jobs in the City of London’s financial district helped it expand rapidly, reaching a peak of 450 stores during 1998.
But competition from Internet retailers, along with high costs, hit sales hard, and the growing trend of wearing casual clothes in offices proved to be the death knell for the store.