Why you should wear a tie this Christmas

There was a time when the "tied-up" look was considered outdated. That time was not 2024, a year when trends like the office siren brought back the popularity of gray and pinstriped tailored suits. This is why, this Christmas, showing up in a tie at the Christmas Eve dinner or the family lunch on December 25th might be the best choice for someone looking to make an impression. Brands like Prada prove this, as they presented for FW24 slim, colorful satin ties reminiscent of the 1960s; Gucci, which for the same season tied them around the neck with a metal clasp; or even Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton Men, and Schiaparelli, which instead embraced surrealism with a braided hair tie. Looking at the latest Fashion Weeks, perhaps the best example to follow this Christmas is the SS25 collection by Saint Laurent: offering a direct nod to the founder of the Parisian maison (and convincing Bella Hadid to return to the runway after a two-year hiatus), Anthony Vaccarello brought back a wonderfully austere and sexy aesthetic, evocative of Yves Saint Laurent’s 1970s look but also the delightful masculinity of Marlene Dietrich. All it took were dark oversized suits, white shirts, extremely traditional ties, and wide eyeglasses—and that's all you need. In short, no, you won’t look like a drunken politician if you show up in a jacket and tie for Christmas lunch: it will all depend on how many glasses of wine you choose to drink and what topics you decide to discuss with your relatives.

Wouldn’t it be better to go collect your Christmas tip from Grandma in a jacket and tie rather than red stockings and a mini-skirt? We're not here to judge the lovers of tradition who, every December 25th, buy a new pair of tights, but we feel obligated to suggest an alternative that certainly won't risk you matching with your little cousin who hasn’t yet finished elementary school. If Schiaparelli’s blonde braid or Gucci’s pseudo-BDSM accessory seem a bit excessive for a family lunch, you can always find inspiration away from the runways, among celebrities: Zendaya, at the Wimbledon Championships last July, honored her role in *Challengers* by attending the event in total Ralph Lauren, complete with a blue tie; Hailey Bieber, last October, fully embraced the businesswoman look for the launch of a new product from her beauty line in a total Saint Laurent outfit. Or, if you’re feeling bold, there’s always Billie Eilish, who on numerous occasions this year chose to pair colorful ties with her oversized 90s-inspired outfits. In fact, some looks even nodded to the Y2K aesthetic of Avril Lavigne, who made a true emo statement with a loosely tied tie. In short, there are endless options to draw inspiration from to wear a tie this Christmas: the only challenge left is figuring out how to tie it. For that, there are always dads, moms, siblings, or uncles.