Joe Jonas Shows How to Style a Casual Tie This Week

EDITOR’S NOTE: Featuring the good, the bad, and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most discussed outfit of the past seven days.

On Monday, Joe Jonas made an appearance at a taping of “Good Morning America” in New York, reminiscent of a high-school English teacher from 1998. His moss green zip-up Jacquemus sweater, layered over a collared shirt and tie, paired with blue jeans and a Ford Mustang baseball cap, presented a unique twist on smart casual attire.

The role of ties in men’s fashion has evolved significantly. Once deemed exclusively formal, they are now being embraced in more casual contexts. A$AP Rocky exemplifies this trend, having been spotted in a playful ensemble that featured a Bottega Veneta pinstriped shirt, straight-leg denim, a chunky patterned tie, and a padded gilet. Fellow rapper Pusha T followed suit last May, donning a Louis Vuitton tie and white shirt but opting for a zip-up leather hoodie rather than a tailored jacket.

During Paris Fashion Week this year, GQ noted that the tie is “so back,” though this time, they appeared looser and more casual, often absent from the traditional blazer.

Ties were all over the Dior Homme show, Jonathan Anderson’s first for the brand, in June this year.

Jonathan Bailey wore a Dior half-zip sweater and tie for Anderson’s womenswear show in September.

Jonathan Anderson, the creative director for Dior, played a key role in this resurgence during his menswear show in June. The collection featured ties as a focal point, with models styled in silk cravats or going shirtless under jackets. When ties were included, they were often worn in a relaxed manner, resembling careless schoolboys with scrunched styles and nonchalantly popped collars.

Anderson’s vision extended beyond the runway to his celebrity clientele, including A$AP Rocky, who wore an asymmetrical festive red and green tie. British actors Josh O’Connor and Jonathan Bailey opted for a more traditional approach, with Bailey looking akin to a corporate professional in a Dior-logoed half-zip sweater and tie.

The casual tie is on the rise amongst celebrities and fashion followers, as the accessory is recontextualized away from the 9-5 grind.

The shift in men’s fashion has seen a gradual decline in necktie usage over the past several decades, fueled by a preference for more casual attire and comfort. In 2019, Hermès reported sluggish growth in its silk and textiles division, with CEO Axel Dumas attributing it to a “structural decline” in neckties.

In 2021, journalist Jonah Weiner noted in his newsletter “Blackbird Spyplane” that his aversion to neckties stemmed from their association with a “cursed Obama-era workplace cliché” and the oppressive nature of corporate culture.

As the workforce began returning to offices post-pandemic, ties were noticeably absent. At the 2022 G7 summit, photographs showed leaders, including former US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, without neckties. Gildo Zegna, chairman of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group, expressed doubts about the future of the tie in an interview that year, noting, “For the tie, I don’t see a good future.”

However, the landscape shifted again. By 2023, GQ reported that neckties had surged in popularity at Hermès, as the brand introduced stylish variations, including contemporary narrow widths and innovative materials such as knit and leather.

A$AP Rocky, pictured wearing Bottega Veneta in summer 2024, is a pioneer of the casual tie trend.

As discussions about masculinity evolve alongside shifting social roles, the rise of the casual tie may reflect broader cultural changes. Some critics liken the modern necktie to a codpiece—a fashion statement that reinforces masculinity. This context takes on added significance as the accessory gains popularity among women, with celebrities like Zendaya, Mikey Madison, and Brooke Shields embracing the trend.

Today, the rules governing tie-wearing have largely dissolved, allowing for creative expression. They can be styled with jeans, worn casually during errands, or even paired with sweatshirts, while still being appropriate for the office. The Jonas brothers recently showcased this flexibility at a red carpet premiere, opting for suits without ties, signaling a shift toward personal choice in fashion.