Is The necktie Dead?

The Necktie Isn’t Dead, According to the Style Guy

Is the tie officially dead? I interviewed a few millennial-male job candidates recently, and all of them wore a suit, but none of them wore a tie. Is it over?

I don't consider myself a conservative person in any way. I own a pair of red leather pants. I thought Bernie needed to move more to the left. I don't have blinds in my apartment because I don't want my neighbors thinking I'm closed-minded. But I wear ties to interviews—and so should you. Rules of dress in the office are becoming more lax; they're more about ideas and less about customs. But as long as men have necks, the tie should be a staple...these days more than ever. It wasn't too long ago that men wore ties to ball games, but now they actually mean something. Put one on and you're saying, “I decorated myself for you.” And that's the kind of extra effort you'll want to see after you actually hire the person.

If I get a haircut more than a week before a major event, it sometimes looks sloppy in photos. If I get a haircut the day of, it looks way too short. How many days out should I get a trim?

For longer hair, you can get away with the morning of. With short hair, though, three days out is what you want to plan for. But don't always think in terms of a full haircut. The most effective, natural-looking cut of all is the touch-up. Five minutes in the chair can make you look “three days out” without the wait.

When it comes to scarves, how bulky is too bulky? How thin is too thin?

The right look is one thing. Just as important is the right feel. As in “I can feel my chin again—this scarf is working!” If I'm wearing a massive topcoat, I'll throw on a chunky scarf. As long as it doesn't look like a rolled-up afghan, you should be good. If I have on a leather jacket, I'll opt for something less Arctic. Even for us scarf-forward peacocks, climatic conditions are the great equalizer. With most fashion choices, the weather decides.

My espadrilles are my favorite pair of shoes. I know they're not made for cold weather, but I live in Dallas, where it can hit 80 on Christmas Day. Do I have to put them away for the season?

Whereas spring will be here before you know it (and, with climate change, maybe sooner), be it so ordered that espadrilles, while cozy in their own way, should be retired when the first pumpkin-spice latte of the season is served and returned to your rotation when the first Shamrock Shake is poured.