Men’s neckties no longer a fashion staple as corporate world shifts to work from home model

The tie is dying. Long seen as essential for any man wanting to be taken seriously in the corporate world, the former fashion staple has become increasingly rare.

Business leaders, bankers, politicians and game show hosts who once would not have been seen at work without a tie have ditched them.

While the tie was already falling out of favour before the COVID pandemic struck, the shift to working from home in casual wear has accelerated its demise.

Men wearing ties to work in Perth is now “almost uncommon”, according to Australian Institute of Management WA chief executive Gary Martin.

Asked recently to join a job interview panel, he was surprised to see that only one of four male applicants had worn a tie.

“If there’s one place you’d wear a tie, it would be to a job interview,” he said. “Since the pandemic, people dress down and it’s kind of like anything goes now.”

A poll of nearly 600 readers of thewest.com.au found 79 per cent believed male job applicants should wear a tie — but Melbourne recruitment expert Andrew Brushfield said it was no longer a must.

“I think the safe bet — right now — is don’t,” he declared. “My advice is ties are no longer as relevant as they once were.”

The director of international recruitment firm Robert Half — which specialises in placing professionals in finance, administration and technology jobs — said winning a position had more to do with a candidate’s ability than a tie, so applicants should dress to suit the culture of the organisation.

“And I think more often than not, that means you don’t have to wear a tie,” he said. “The prevalence of ties has gradually faded over the last decade, but we’re definitely seeing a drop-off since COVID. You’re in a significant minority if you wear a tie.”

Mr Brushfield, who no longer wears a tie himself, said big international firms such as Goldman Sachs had relaxed their dress standards and he was not aware of any Australian firm that insisted on ties.

While there were industries where ties were still worn — such as top-end law firms, investment banks, and financial institutions — even then they were optional.

“I think it’s possibly generational, people who have worked for 20 or 30 years probably got into the habit of wearing them,” he said.

“The one thing I would say . . . is people do need to be aware of the first impression they leave, and they need to marry their attire to the environment they’re walking into.

“If you walk into a top-tier law firm there probably is more of an expectation to wear a tie, but if you’re a software developer and you walk in with a tie people would probably think that’s a bit odd.”

Male politicians are also increasingly being seen in public without their ties, just two years after Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather created controversy for appearing on the floor of Parliament without one.

Nationals MP Pat Conaghan called a point of order over his “state of undress”, leading to a ruling by Speaker Milton Dick that neckties were not compulsory for male MPs.

In a later statement, Mr Conaghan lamented it was not a minor matter, but indicated a lack of respect for the tradition and history of parliament.

“This is not a barbecue,” he railed. “This is question time in the Australian parliament. What next, board shorts and thongs?”

Victor Tana, who owns high-end menswear retailer Parker and Co, agreed fewer men were wearing ties at work.

“We probably buy a little bit less than we normally used to,” he said.

However, demand was still high. “We’re still selling ties,” Mr Tana said. “I think the reason that we’re selling more is because some of the other menswear shops or department stores are buying less.”

Not everyone agrees that ties have had their day.

Copping flak just last week for their decision to go tie-less were AFL players picked for the All-Australian team.

Eight of the 22 players who posed in their blazers for the official photo were not wearing ties — including West Coast’s Jeremy McGovern and Jake Waterman and Fremantle’s Caleb Serong and Luke Ryan.

Their appearance prompted blunt comments on social media, while sports broadcaster Adrian Barich remarked they looked “a bit casual”.

The players may have been influenced by what some have dubbed the George Clooney effect after the film star popularised wearing collared shirts and jackets, sans tie.

Perth tailor Anthony Van Pham said Clooney’s secret was a specially designed collar that “sharpened his jawline”.

The owner of Perth Tailoring Co said despite the changes to men’s apparel, he still encouraged bridegrooms to wear ties to their weddings because it made them look better in full-length photos.

As workplaces become less formal, ties could also be on the way out in schools.

Ross Barron, head of prestigious boys’ school Wesley College, said it dumped ties and long socks from the summer uniform several years ago. And he can see a time when ties might no longer be worn every day during winter.

“As a school you reflect society,” he said. “I think within a decade most schools would be using ties for special occasions.”