Fashion out of office hours has dressed down for what feels like an age. Men in their whistle and flutes were accustomed to whipping off their ties and unbuttoning their shirts before they could get the first round of drinks in. Office workers who could get away with it banished ties altogether. However, latest research indicates that ties are now experiencing something of a renaissance and are no longer lesser spotted outside office hours.

With sales of ties having fallen from £158 million in 1999 to just £154 million by 2004, the tie market has since made an impressive comeback. Research group Mintel estimates the market is expected to be worth no less than £162 million this year, following five per cent growth on 2004 figures. Mintel predicts a further seven per cent growth for the coming four years to 2011.

Rather than ties making a welcome return to the workplace, British men are smartening up their act when heading for a night out. Influenced by the mod revival in sharp suits and ties dressed down with trainers, a look adopted by the likes of Pete Doherty, Franz Ferdinand and The Ordinary Boys’ Preston, British men are now reaching for a tie after office hours.

Senior market analyst for Mintel, David Bird, comments, “In recent years there has clearly been a fashion role reversal, with many men dressing down for work and dressing up for a night out on the town.

“Around the start of the millennium, tie sales were falling as casual dressing and dress down Fridays became the norm in offices and working from home started to rise. But today the growth in popularity of mod styles has meant wearing suits and ties is now a fashionable choice in pubs and clubs.”

Men are opting for the more expensive silk ties with two in five (37 per cent) having bought one in the last 12 months compared to just one in five (20 per cent) who had bought a polyester one.

“Today’s British male is undoubtedly taking a greater interest in the way he looks, whether it is a skincare regime in the morning or matching the right accessories with a new outfit,” Bird adds.

This season, tonal dressing is essential for a hot off the catwalk look for men. Ties are no longer used to provide an accent colour, but used to coordinate with shirts. If you want to get the look right, buy your shirts and ties in the same family of colour: if you get a light purple shirt, team it with a darker purple tie. You can even wear your ties in the same colour as your shirt, but not if you go for this season’s bright yellow – unless you want to look like a canary.

Picture caption: Ties are no longer just worn at work – they’ve become hip on the social scene too.

MyVillage, 03rd January