There must be many a man of a certain age who has, lurking in a bedroom drawer, a selection of ties. And it's a fair bet that very few of them have seen any use in the last few years. But now an etiquette expert says older men should drag those ties out of retirement – because wearing one will make them look years younger and it will certainly hide that wrinkly neck left exposed by an open-necked shirt.
The Shapewear Effect for Men
Mary Killen said that ties are a sort of shapewear for men because they do for them what Spanx does for women. The Gogglebox star and author told The Oldie magazine: 'Male oldies, take particular note – the tie is one of the best devices for knocking years off you. What Spanx underwear does for women, by streamlining bulges into tautness, a tie does for the pouches, jowls and puckering of an elderly male neck.'
She emphasised that 'the tie should be pulled tight, right up to the Adam's apple, hiding the top button.' This technique, she argues, provides a sleek and youthful appearance by concealing common signs of ageing around the neck area.
The Decline of Formal Wear
A long-term shift towards casual dressing, which started in the 1960s, meant wearing a tie gradually became restricted to special occasions and the office. The arrival of 'dress-down Fridays' accelerated the move towards less formal office wear – a trend that has appalled many sartorial experts – and since lockdown and the growth of working from home, most office staff have given up on ties altogether.
Calling for a Revival
But Ms Killen said: 'Now is the time for oldie men to spearhead the revival of tie-wearing. There must be many a man of a certain age who has, lurking in a bedroom drawer, a selection of ties.' She added that ties are a sort of shapewear for men because they do for them what Spanx does for women.
'Much has been made of the recent "slopification" of culture. Slobification of our personal presentation goes hand in hand with the slopification of our brains,' she remarked, criticising the trend towards overly casual attire.
Background on the Expert
Columnist and writer Ms Killen and her husband, artist Giles Wood, have appeared on Channel 4's Gogglebox since 2015 from their home in Wiltshire. Her insights into etiquette and style have made her a notable voice in discussions about modern fashion norms and personal presentation.
