This year, I have been going through a major tie moment—but now, I’m about to go all-in on the anti-tie.
As I write this story, sitting at my desk at the office, I am wearing a striped gold-and-brown tie. I have been inspired seeing celebrities step out in plenty of traditional neckties with suits, and have also been loving the wacky ties that designers are creating, too—invigorating me to add ties that are fun and irreverent to my own wardrobe.
That being said, as we head into the holiday season, I will absolutely not be wearing ties. I will be vehemently anti-tie. Hear me out.
The holiday break is all about comfort, relaxation, and ease—so why would I want to constrict myself in a fussy tie? The look is great for grinding on a corporate schedule throughout the regular work year, but as I clock out these next few weeks, I will be taking a decidedly more effortless approach. No, that does not mean I will be wearing full-on pajamas: Instead, I am inspired to embrace looser, more laissez-fair neckties. Call it a half tie, half scarf.
The inspiration struck recently while I was watching The Godfather II. (So good—better than the first, even.) In Cuba, Al Pacino’s character sports these saucy little neckties that are like part ascot, part bandana. He looks suave and dressy, without wearing a full-on tie that you would expect from a. . . mob leader. It got me thinking: Why yes, you can wear a half-assed tie and still look dapper.
The recent spring 2026 runways further proved my theory. At Hermès, the sleek menswear looks were punctuated with colorful skinny scarves tied around the neck. They add a pop of color in a way that a humdrum black dress tie could never. At Celine, an even skinnier little printed ascot was tied around a classic white dress shirt and tuxedo jacket. Imagine wearing that to your next holiday party? It feels more unexpected and cool than your standard suit and tie.
Of course, if we are talking about anti-tie style inspiration, Timothée Chalamet naturally crept his way onto the moodboard, too. Earlier this year at the Golden Globes, fans went wild for his Tom Ford look by Haider Ackermann, complete with a silky blue skinny scarf. You cannot deny that it feels slightly more chic and modern than a neck-strangling tie. A little more understated—a little more blasé.
And isn’t being blasé what the holidays are all about? The holiday break is all about losing track of what day and time it is, having zero to no commitments, and just relaxing for once. So even if I do have to get dressed up and attend, say, a Christmas dinner or New Year’s Eve bash, I will absolutely not be fussing with a business tie. Instead, a well-placed cravat or skinny scarf will be infusing my look with It-factor. I might not be Timothée Chalamet or Al Pacino, but I am willing to try with the anti-tie.
