Ties Don't Have to Be Formal. Here's Our Guide to Dressing Them Down.

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I've been saying that 2025 is the year of accessorizing. And what's an accessory that every man already owns (or should own)? A tie, of course.

From fashion week to everyday street style, a trend that hasn't left my mind at all in the past few months is the dressed-down tie. Gone with buttoned-up suits and stiff tailoring; it's time to make the tie more approachable.

This year, we're wearing our ties every which way. We're not just saving them for special occasions, but instead, really putting them to use. Below are three ways you can style your ties on the day-to-day: with denim, with leather, with more layers. Not only will you look cool, but you'll feel a hell of a lot more practical than you would in your fresh from the cleaners suit. Stop being scared of that little strip of fabric, and start having fun with it.

Pair It With Denim

When I think of casual, I think of denim. Jeans, a denim jacket, a denim shirt—whatever it is, denim is inherently dressed-down.

Pairing your tie with denim is one of the best ways to make it approachable and wearable for the every day. There are a few ways you can do this. The first and most obvious is to wear a button-down and a tie with your favorite jeans. Wide-legged jeans have some trendy appeal, but even a bootcut or a straight-leg is great. You can stick with your favorite blazer, if you want to, but a button-down on its own is going to feel more dressed-down.

Alternatively, treat a denim jacket the same way you'd treat a blazer. It's a look I love to see on the most fashionable guys in New York—button-down, tie, denim jacket. You can go denim-on-denim for a modern Canadian tux or stick to pleated pants and dress pants. It's less formal and stiff than a suit, but it's intentional.

And then, of course, you can always swap your classic oxford cloth button-down for a denim shirt. It's a little more ruggedly handsome, a little more rough around the edges. A leather belt and leather shoes can keep things looking fresh and elevated, but if you want to lean into the Westernwear vibe, opting for cowboy boots is never a bad idea.

Pair It With Leather

Denim is fun and all, but what's cooler than leather? If you want your tie to evoke an aura of celebrity street style, replace your blazer with a leather jacket.

There are a few ways to pull this off. Go for a slightly oversized bomber, like Pusha T wears above, to get an elevated streetwear look. This is probably the easiest kind of leather jacket to wear zipped, too, because the zipper is right in the middle, unlike that diagonal zip Schott Perfecto.

Speaking of, there's the classic biker jacket. It's a little bit '60s, a little bit rock 'n' roll, a little bit Matty Healy from The 1975. A clean white button-up, skinny black tie, and unzipped leather jacket is an iconic look, in my book. It's one you can wear with jeans or black dress pants alike, loafers or chunky Doc Martens. It's an eternally cool way to wear a tie.

Also, keep in mind that your leather jacket doesn't need to be black. Go for something unpredictable, like a deep red or a chocolate brown. Croc effect is even cooler, and in winter, an aviation jacket does the trick as well.

Get Playful With Layering

At the end of the day, remember that a tie is an accessory, and it can fit pretty seamlessly into most looks. You don't have to create a vibe around your tie—just dress how you like to dress, and see where your ties fit in. Sometimes, it'll surprise you. Who would have thought a tie would look good with a zip-up jacket and a puffer vest?

Reach for anything you've got, and just play around with it. Try wearing your tie with a cardigan, a vest (puffer or not), a V-neck sweater. A tie is best worn nestled into the collar of a button-down, so you'll still have to wear one of those, but throw something fun over it. On the bottom, you can wear anything from your baggiest jeans to your favorite Y2K track pants, like Bloody Osiris does above.

Also keep in mind that ties tend to look damn good with other accessories, too. If you're ditching the cufflinks for a casual fit, pull out a baseball cap, sunglasses, a crossbody bag, whatever it may be.

Grosgrain Solid Tie

$28.00 at

8.5cm Silk-Jacquard Tie

$290.00 at

English Silk Striped Tie

$89.50 at

8cm Silk-Jacquard Tie

$330.00 at

Italian Wool Gabardine Tie

$98.00 at

'Signature Stripe' Silk Tie

$175.00 at

Silk-Linen Tie

$60.00 at

Madras Check Jacquard Silk Knit Tie

$190.00 at

Pin Dot Silk Narrow Tie

$125.00 at

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