Ties Against the Tide

I hate neckties. I know I am not the only one, but I would love to see a fashion revolution in the workplace where male professionals--doctors, lawyers, accountants--ban neckties. Have you ever thought about why people where them in the first place? Croatian soldiers in the 17th century tied their uniforms in a certain way, and Louis XIII LIKED it. So there. Go ahead, wear that cravat (the French terminology). Even if it cuts off your oxygen. Or spreads disease.

We don't think about why we wear what we wear enough. I'm not saying neckties don't look good on men. And women often look good in high heels. But here is our opening: people are starting to question what roles are being reinforced by these seemingly arbitrary norms. In Great Britain, there is a brouhaha over companies that force women to wear high heels. Bring that brouhaha over here. And apply it to neckties, too.

In Silicon Valley, nobody wear neckties. Mark Zuckerberg wears a hoodie. The billionaires are in t-shirts and the "suits" are their servants. In Israel, "Innovation Nation," military officers have eschewed the extravagant vestiges of uniforms from prior eras. Somehow, Silicon Valley and Israel stay effective and innovative. Let's let comfort invade Wall Street and K-Street!