The necktie industry has never seen so much press. 

The buzz began when news came down that the Men's Dress Furnishing Association, which used to boast 125 members but was down to 25, would be disbanding. Certainly, the demise of a "trade group", especially one that has been around for 60+ years, is an important signal that things might not be hunky-dory in necktie land; however, the group contends that consolidation is the primary reason for the declining membership. 

The Wall Street Journal threw fuel on the fire with a front-page article declaring that the tie is dead. It cited a recent Gallup Poll showing that only 6% of men wear ties to work, down from 10% in 2002. Whether or not this was "news" is debatable. While there has been much written in recent years about a return to professional attire in the workplace in the aftermath of the dot-com bust, many have argued that that was the work of PR firms hired by suit & tie manufacturers to push that narrative. I have yet to see evidence that between 2002 and 2008, there was an uptick in the number of men wearing ties to work.

Well, apparently, nothing gets Ben Stein's boxers in a bunch more than a declaration that the necktie is dead. He penned a scathing defense of the tie that seems to be available only to subscribers of the Wall Street Journal, but you can read it in its entirety at A Suitable Wardrobe.  

I will be publishing my own, evolved thoughts on the necktie, its demise, and why that is a good thing, in an upcoming post. If the Wall Street Journal is lucky, I may let them reprint it.

Bill Clinton, David Beckham, Jay-Z, and Prince Michael of Kent walk into a bar...

Actually, why even try to finish that joke when the title of this blog is already so clever. It's based on an article I wrote for the Financial Times noting the recent resurgence of thick tie knots. While big, thick knots have been the norm in Italy for the past few years, the trend has slowly crept stateside. It was something I noticed but didn't feel the need to write about until I saw Bill Clinton stumping for Hillary with a giant orange knot under his giant red face. Given the absolute lack of personal expression in most politicians' wardrobe choices -- navy suit, white shirt, red tie anyone? -- it struck me as something worth investigating. You can read the article in full here.  

How to tie it

The fashionably fat tie knot can be achieved in two ways. The first, and easiest, is to buy a tie constructed of a thicker material. The second, opting for the full Windsor tie knot, might require a bit of practice.

Here's how: Drape the tie round your neck so that the wider blade of the tie is about a foot longer than the narrow blade.

Loop the wider blade under the narrow blade on your right side. Slide the wider blade under the narrow end. Bring the wider blade over the knot and under the narrow part on the right side of your neck.

Pull the wide end down and cross it over the narrow blade. Bring the wider blade under the narrower part of the tie on the left side of your
neck, then slide the wider blade tip through the knot. Pull the wider blade down. Tighten the knot snugly against your neck.