How This Corporate Staple Became Synonymous With ‘It Girl’ Style

In a post-Covid world, corporate clichés are emblematic of a trite, conventional wardrobe that we need not return to.

For many (us included), the idea of unironically pairing a sterile, scratchy pencil skirt with austere pumps is enough to send shivers down your spine.

Thankfully, flexible working arrangements, and in turn one’s workwear wardrobe, have become progressively liberal, with the pendulum swinging in favour of bold colour palettes, a penchant for unexpected silhouettes and a sensual approach to the body.

Despite the ‘youthquake’ causing an explosion of dopamine dressing and body conscious designs, Miu Mu’s iconic Spring/Summer 2021 collection pioneered a revolution for corporate staples to descend from their skyscrapers and make its way to the streets.

From sheared suit pants worn as low-rise mini skirts to exposed hems on a deconstructed button down, our approach to workwear dressing is becoming increasingly more open minded.

Now, in a rebellious act to continue to smash patriarchal standards, the modest tie has been reclaimed by cool girls everywhere as the must have street style staple.

Spotted on the likes of Bella Hadid and newcomer Mia Regan, this corporate staple has been reinvented as the hottest accessory of the season, and honestly we can’t think of a better way to defy traditional dressing codes, while looking good doing it.

While the tie is androgynous in nature, it has become synonyms with high-powered men and consequently reserved for use exclusively by the male gender. Historically, when women have worn ties, it’s marked by submissiveness, like when forcibly worn as a uniform for instance.

It wasn’t until mid-century designers, like Yves Saint Laurent, put women in silk neckties and satin cravats that the tuxedo trope became popular for women in business—although these days, the modern day power suit has since lost the necktie as a crucial third element of suiting.

With the tie establishing itself as a symbol of rebellion, (hello, Avril Lavigne), we can’t help but notice its resurgence is also marked by increased conversations around outdated aesthetics—like indie sleaze and normcore—making a comeback.

Are we returning to ties to provide a sense of nostalgia for the punk styles of the early 2000s? Or are we gravitating towards the style because it’s unconventional and allows us to defy the rules of dressing set out in a pre-pandemic world?

Either way, expect the tie to become a mainstay in the brave new world of fashion: one that’s genderless, expressive and rebellious.