Fit to be tied, again

Even wedding parties are getting adventurous. Instead of the traditional black bow tie with an evening shirt, some grooms buy ties for the wedding party in rich henna, deep purple, or aqua, says Mr. Bragg.

And it's not just wives or mothers picking out ties for men. Today, more men buy their own ties. Men now buy 75 percent of neckties sold compared with only 45 percent 10 years ago, Andersen says.

Although Philip McGowan of Nashville "kind of hates wearing a tie," he does so every Monday. "It's my opposite of casual Friday, to get the workweek started on a serious note," he says. He also sports a tie a second day each week.

When Jason Rollins, a publicist in Atlanta, wears ties several times a week, colleagues tease him, asking, "Do you have a job interview?" Noting that executives at work all wear ties, he says, "I believe in the phrase, 'Dress like the person in the position you eventually want to be in, not the one where you are.' "

Part of the new acceptance of dressier attire revolves around convenience and comfort. With no-iron cotton dress shirts, Andersen says, "You can pull them out of the dryer and look like a million bucks."

One dress shirt features an elasticized collar that expands an inch. Next spring, Casual Male will introduce a machine-washable, tumble-dry suit. Already a pre-knotted tie with a hidden zipper accounts for one-third of its tie sales, Levin says.

Neil Gussman wears suits and ties at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia. He likes the formal atmosphere, where managers and employees who meet the public dress up. But he doesn't want to get too creative. "Kids will go out and buy polyester ties with Bob the Tomato on them," he says.

Yet novelty ties can play a humorous role. Brian Shea, a college public relations manager in Owings Mills, Md., enjoys "interesting ties that draw a comment from someone in the hall." These include Scooby-Doo and sports themes. On rainy days he might choose a tie with a beach scene. "I never thought I'd be the guy who wears goofy ties," he says.

For men who regard a strip of knotted silk as "a rope around the neck" and worry that the Fashion Police will decree ties for everyone, Andersen offers reassurance. "If you watch TV shows from the '60s, Dad walked around with a tie everywhere he went. We're not going back to those days. Men's wardrobes are becoming much more multifaceted."

McCormack sees it this way: "The casual dress style means that when you wear a tie these days, it's because you want to, not because you have to. It's ironic that something that used to be a symbol of conformity can now be a symbol of individuality."

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