History of Skinny Ties
 Slim ties in the area of 2 inches were worn in the late 20's, but wouldn't resurface until the late 50's to early 60's. In the interim, notes Sarah Gibbings, in her book "The Tie: Trends and Traditions", the austerity of World War II left no money, no available materials or manufacturing base in Europe. This compelled British soldiers to look to the United States for a change, something to reflect their positive postwar aspirations. They wanted bright and bold, anything happy and upbeat. The United States responded with a trend toward the wide, flamboyant and extravagantly colored ties which went on to dominate the 40's and early 50's. In their book "Fit To Be Tied: Vintage Ties of the Forties and Early Fifties", Rod Dyer and Ron Spark state that tie manufacturers created the bold abstract and geometric ties with vibrant color combinations based on the pre-war Art Deco style they were most familiar with, which, coupled withnew widths, was emotionally uplifting. "It was a natural choice...for postwar buoyancy." During the bold forties, adds Michael Jay Goldberg, in his book "The Ties That Blind", suit jacket lapels became wider and suits were buttoned lower, providing the open space necessary to display such a tie. The Saturday Evening Post, commenting on mens fashion, stated that "tie cycles last from seven to ten years, so it looks like we're in for at least five more gaudy years."
Gibbings notes that the American reaction to the Cold War, the Korean War and a recession subdued the American psyche, while Christian Dior's "New Look", that of "a narrow silhouette" for gentlemen brought slim, somber "conservative" ties back into fashion. Goldberg notes that the bodacious ties with their wide widths and wild designs slowly toned down by the mid-50's and the "Bold Look" ties of this era became dated, eventually substituted by the drastically different skinny tie. Skinny ties of the rockabilly era were popular among teenagers who idolized stars such as Elvis who regularly wore skinny ties. In "Popular & Collectible Neckties, 1955 to Present", Roseann Ettinger adds that by the mid-60's ties as skinny as 1 inch were worn by conservative men and college students alike.
And, of course, what goes around comes around! Skinny ties made another appearance in the 80's, which marked a resurgence of interest in all ties retro. The skinny tie was one style to make a strong comeback, including the music scene, as it had before.
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