Neckwear Follows Economy’s Lead, Shrinks

Recessions are a time for slimming down, and not just when it comes to one's annual expenses. It turns out the economic downturn is causing a slimming down of sorts with regard to men's wear - specifically, neckwear. Skinny ties are in, thick cravats out, says the Telegraph. Want proof? "One of the best-selling ties at the clothes chain Topman is now the ultra-skinny tie, at just 1 inch wide." And, post-millennial recession isn't the first time that ties have slimmed down to reflect an emaciated economy. "While post-war Britain and the swinging sixties embraced exaggerated prints and widths of up to 5 inches, the downturns of the 1930s and 1980s saw sizes reduced to as little as a inch," explains the Telegraph. In other words, 2009 is all about neckwear of which the likes of Peter Doherty and Hedi Slimane would surely approve.