When is it time to loosen the Tie?

Repost of wsj.com

By TERI AGINS

Q: Why are more men starting their day by loosening their tie, like it is after work and they are on their way to happy hour? I felt dated (I am 48) when one of the summer interns at my law office explained to me that this is part of the cool version of preppy style.

José Luis Merino

—A.C., Washington, D.C.
A: Since the 1990s, menswear has been steadily loosening up in a major way, starting with unlined jackets. Hipper businessmen gradually cottoned to the more contemporary look of slightly puckered, unstarched shirts, going sockless, and unbuttoned shirt cuffs. The next step is a loosened necktie—for men who still wear one.

With the summer as sweltering as it has been this year, dapper men in Manhattan have really gotten into the loose-tie look.

The more you get used to seeing how men of all ages pull this off, the easier it is to process how contemporary, carefree and downright cool it looks.

A tutorial: Tie your tie (one with a little heft—not a skinny one) with a slightly looser knot, then slide it down an inch or so. Unbutton one or two of your top buttons. (If your shirt has a button-down collar, leave one or both of the collar buttons undone.)

When your tie is slightly askew, you look finished in a jacket—a blazer or one of the newer slim-fit suits. Relaxed and formal, you’re having it both ways—very Fred Astaire.

(Mind your grooming. No baggy pants or scuffed shoes—that’s the unkempt newspaper-reporter style of yore.)
Don’t laugh at these studied moves to achieve offhand chic. Any menswear designer will admit to you that the “Hey-I’m-not-trying” affect in fashion ads and shows is hardly blasé; it involves real effort and practice. So take notes. It won’t be long before this look becomes second nature to you.

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