It's probably a generational thing.
I think a suit without a tie looks incomplete; casual jacket? fine. I bought many ties in the 1960s, when ties were attractive; but this has not been the case now for at least 3 decades: the shiny ones look lousy, status symbols. The neat "slim jim" of the early 1960s when mod styles followed the Italians is more appropriate to the present day narrow lapelled jackets on suits and sports jackets, (though I do wish those jackets were long enough to cover the bum: why THAT focus of attention??
- halfway down from shoulders to shoes used to be the "measure" of taste and proportion - then along came the baggy "reduced overcoat" look in the late 1980s/early 1990s, so the fashion had to go 180 degrees in the opposite direction, of course - but that's another story 
). Half the pleasure of acquring many DVDs of 1960s movies is reminding oneself that people knew how to dress at one time. The Rolling Stones looked cool with ties adorning their round tab collar shirts in the eary days when Mod was still progressive. There was a brief Mod revival in the early 1980s: Madness, etc. However, many shirts probably of today probably aren't designed to even do up at the neck - you'd probably strangle yourself trying to do up the top button. I'll wear ties in winter, just because I've got some nice ones ("Where did you get that?" people ask; "Victoria Boutique off Gloucdester Road in 1966, I tell them) so I might as well put 'em on - there's nothing wrong with adornment, is there? and in any case I don't go for the done up top button without tie - the French farmer look - just to stop cold draughts down my back. There's a shop down the side road next to Selfridges that sells knitted ties in interesting colours. Even Jon Snow wears ties that attract the eye - it's just a shame he does so with grey suits; but there again, suits could once be casual: now they're the must-have for a decent-salaried job, so I can understand the antipathy hereabouts.
I think a suit without a tie looks incomplete; casual jacket? fine. I bought many ties in the 1960s, when ties were attractive; but this has not been the case now for at least 3 decades: the shiny ones look lousy, status symbols. The neat "slim jim" of the early 1960s when mod styles followed the Italians is more appropriate to the present day narrow lapelled jackets on suits and sports jackets, (though I do wish those jackets were long enough to cover the bum: why THAT focus of attention??
- halfway down from shoulders to shoes used to be the "measure" of taste and proportion - then along came the baggy "reduced overcoat" look in the late 1980s/early 1990s, so the fashion had to go 180 degrees in the opposite direction, of course - but that's another story ). Half the pleasure of acquring many DVDs of 1960s movies is reminding oneself that people knew how to dress at one time. The Rolling Stones looked cool with ties adorning their round tab collar shirts in the eary days when Mod was still progressive. There was a brief Mod revival in the early 1980s: Madness, etc. However, many shirts probably of today probably aren't designed to even do up at the neck - you'd probably strangle yourself trying to do up the top button. I'll wear ties in winter, just because I've got some nice ones ("Where did you get that?" people ask; "Victoria Boutique off Gloucdester Road in 1966, I tell them) so I might as well put 'em on - there's nothing wrong with adornment, is there? and in any case I don't go for the done up top button without tie - the French farmer look - just to stop cold draughts down my back. There's a shop down the side road next to Selfridges that sells knitted ties in interesting colours. Even Jon Snow wears ties that attract the eye - it's just a shame he does so with grey suits; but there again, suits could once be casual: now they're the must-have for a decent-salaried job, so I can understand the antipathy hereabouts.
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