Never been a big fan of neckties either. Putting a noose around one’s neck isn’t smart. I decided a long time ago that if I ever did have to wear ties at work, I was going to modify them with breakaway stitching at the back of the neck. I haven’t had to wear a tie at any job since I was 17, though, and I’d have to look up online how to tie one now. I think I own a tie, but damned if I know where it is.
I only had to wear a tie occasionally, not often. Hated every second a tie was wrapped around my neck. Mostly wore a casual sportscoat, no tie. How long have they had men wearing ties? 200 years? They’ve pretty much beat that antique fashion to death. For me a tie around the neck is NEVER appropriate. I just don’t need that gift package look.
Over the decades I was doing engineering I had to wear neckties in most circumstances, certainly when giving presentations or meeting with clients. At first I wore "stealth hippie" styles, patterns that looked normal/straight unless you looked closely enough to see that the small dots were actually dancing skeletons or smiling whales or peace signs. Then I went for "stealth nerd" and the small dots were ASCII codes or bits of software and so forth. Finally I gave up the "stealth" and went for colorful hand-painted silk, Jerry Garcia collection, psychedelic, etc.
My bosses were generally tolerant, bless them.
But finally I worked where I didn't need a tie, and all those pretty bits of cloth sat in a closet until one day I discovered the moths had gotten them and they were all destroyed beyond repair.
Haven't worn a tie since.
>>I haven’t had to wear a tie at any job since I was 17, though, and I’d have to look up online how to tie one now. I think I own a tie, but damned if I know where it is.
I have a rack of them, mostly from the 70s and 80s. I last wore one to a wedding several years ago, and I did have to look up how to tie a half Windsor again.