The way people dress is cyclical. The marks of rebellion and conformity flip-flop back and forth. For a long time, rebellion was a T-shirt and a trucker hat. Then, suddenly, that mess became conformity, and dressing up is now a way to differentiate yourself."

"You should think of a tie as a canvas—the one piece of a suit that can have color or fun or wit. A necktie can be bright pink or purple or have funny polka dots on it without being feminine."

"Plus, a skinnier tie just feels of-the-moment right now. It's not too mainstream and not too traditional. And there's less material, so there's less potential for a color or pattern to feel garish or offensive."