Suit no tie - The future of the modern man's wardrobe
Over the past years, we have witnessed a major shift in office attire throughout Europe. No longer does a male need to don atie,shirtand high-waistedtrousersin order to make a good impression on prospective clients or employers. In fact, many modern corporations now expect employees to come into work looking less formal than ever before – emphasis on the word 'less'.
Whilst this is not to say that men can now show up to work wearing t-shirts, jeans and hoodies (though many do), there has been an increase in employees wearing a suit - but without the tie.
This is often known as business casual - and has to be pulled off in a specific way. The idea is to allow yourself to be comfortable, without removing any doubts about whether you're formal or not.
This trend has particularly been emerging in Italy -and is more important than the suit and sneakers look.
Find out everything you need to know about the trend of wearing a suit without a tie in this article
When is it appropriate to go tie-less?
You will very rarely get the chance to embrace this emerging trend unless you wear a suit daily. This is because most formal occasions such as weddings and funerals require you to wear a tie or a bowtie.
However, if you are working every day and must wear a suit, it's perfectly acceptable to forego the tie.
A lot of people don't understand this look. They think it's lazy and makes you look ridiculous. However, if you watch a film such as The Great Beauty (Italian language film which won an Oscar) you will see the protagonist wearing a suit without a tie at most points throughout the film.
Interestingly, he is wearing a tie in one of the most famous scenes of the film - the party scene. That is because it is his party, and he is expected to wear a tie. His friends, on the other hand, who are guests - are not wearing ties.
This is a very interesting take. The same thing is true of weddings. If you are the groom, or in the groom's party - you will almost certainly be expected to wear a tie.
If you are not in the immediate family - it is totally acceptable to not wear a tie.
Wearing a suit with no tie is not a sign of relaxation, but more a sign that you know what you're doing - unless you do it wrong.
An opera is an example of an event that you absolutely shouldn't wear this tieless look - find out what you should wear here.
How to get the tieless suit look
This style is more for men who have extensive knowledge of their personal sense of style. You need to be able-bodied enough to show off your clothes and to wear things that are not just easy to wear.
When embracing this trend, ensure that you have a nice pair of shoes to go with it. Whilst they don't need to be very formal -Santoniwill never work in this instance. They must also match the rest of your outfit, so if your suit is light grey, ensure that your shoes are light grey too.
At most, they should be a very different colour (such as black with a light grey suit) and must still look formal.
Finally, you will need to trust your instincts; if not wearing a tie makes you feel uncomfortable - don't do it! There is nothing worse than looking like you're trying too hard.
The dress shirt is almost the most important part of this look - You can only really get away with two colours here - white or light blue.Sartorio Napolimake some fantastic dress shirts that will blow you away with their simplicity and quality. If you want to wear a dress shirt without a tie, it really has to be a great dress shirt.
It's like the scene from "Pursuit of Happiness" - where Will Smith goes to a job interview wearing a suit vest and no shirt. In response to the question "what would you do if I hired someone who wasn't wearing a shirt." Says "He must have had on some really nice pants."
The same is true here, if you want to wear business casual without a tie - you have to make sure that your shirt is of a high enough quality to allow you to wear a dress shirt without a tie.
Why does a buttoned up shirt work without a tie?
This look works because of its simplicity. Essentially you are wearing a tie, shirt and formal trousers to work - so why shouldn't you be able to have them without the tie?
It's almost like taking off a jacket, but it's a really strong look.
One rule of thumb is that if you are wearing a suit without a tie - make sure the rest of your outfit looks as smart as possible. If not, people will assume you couldn't be bothered to wear a tie.
If you follow these simple rules you will start to understand that the suit no tie look is not a way to be lazy, but instead a way to express your sense of fashion and knowledge of the scene.
This look also expresses confidence, both in your sense of style and also in your body. Showing off that little bit of neck and chest with a well-groomed face can be even more elusive and attractive than a full suit and tie.
Learn about matching your belt and shoes here
Why do so many people wear a suit without a tie
Wearing a suit without a tie is seen by many men today, as the opportunity to wear something new and different. There are many guys out there who feel like they can't wear suits because it makes them too hot, which is why they wear the no-tie look. These guys usually use ties for more formal occasions where they need to be dressed up, but it's nice that this trend is making wearing suits in everyday life possible.
They might not want to go with suits all the time, but the option of wearing no tie suits when you're in an office environment or working is great. Men who choose to wear the no-tie look show their confidence in their own style and also their comfortability in moving away from traditional fashion norms.
Make sure you buy a suit - or at least a pair of matching dress pants and a blazer. Otherwise, this look will be completely destroyed. We would recommend aKitonorCesare Attolini suit.
Another great look you can try is the unbuttoned shirt look
Is a suit without a tie business casual?
Yes. This look is definitely business casual - it's just not as formal as wearing a tie, but by no means does it mean you can wear flip-flops and shorts. Business casual simply refers to the more laid back feel of the outfit.
The most important thing about this look is that you are polished; even if it's not business formal, it's still a look that requires good presentation.
What colour suits can I wear with no tie?
The most common question people ask about this look is can I wear a navy or black suit without a tie. In fact, you can! The best thing to do is to get a modern-fitting Italian suit, in basically whichever colour you want (within reason). It would probably be best to stick to one of the 4 suit colours:
Navy
Black
Brown/tan
Gray
This is a summery look, so you could also consider a more vividly-coloured jacket such as pink, red, celistina, etc. This will give a more refined look. If you are not planning on wearing a tie, you can also wear sneakers and a t-shirt with a suit, just don’t do it with a double-breasted suit or something that is equally formal. You want to ideally wear a suit that is not overly formal, white sneakers and a white t-shirt.
Can you wear a 3-piece suit without a tie?
Although this is certainly more of an experimental look, it is possible to complete an entire outfit, with a three-piece suit etc. without a tie. In fact, this is a favourite look of Tommy Shelby from the Peaky Blinders - read more about Peaky Blinders outfits and styles here.
This look has to be perfect, however, if you manage to pull it off then you have one of the best looks there is:
As you can see, Tommy Shelby is dressed to the nines, with everything included EXCEPT the tie - so… to the Guardian Writer who wrote an article entitled “Wear a suit without a tie? It's nothing short of sartorial catastrophe” - Welcome to the 21st century.
