Why 2026 Is Already the Year of the Tie

The small but mighty fashion accessory is already reigning supreme. 

‘Tis the season where you’re likely prioritizing a scarf over any other neck accessory, and yet, there’s been another sartorial adornment that’s been making a bigger impact in the world of style. Despite the year barely starting, the humble tie is already making a statement.

First, there was the release of Josh Safdie’s ping-pong epic Marty Supreme. Released on Christmas Day, the film has hardly stayed out of the headlines for its divisive plot and marketing tactics. But what seems to have interested many of its younger viewers is Timothée Chalamet’s costumes. While the twenty-something office worker is more often dressed as if it were a casual Friday than not, the pressed shirts, baggy double-breasted tailoring, and printed ties are unexpectedly inspiring.

Esquire has called it “one of the greatest menswear movies of our age”, while GQ described it as having a “mega menswear streak”. And these looks can’t be escaped on the little, pocket-friendly screen either, as social media reels have amassed fans trying to recreate the look.

News about the return of tailoring, and the tie in particular, has been mounting for some time. Ever since lockdowns were permanently lifted, the pendulum has swung towards more formal menswear with plenty of momentum behind it. 

Last Sunday, celebrities assembled in Santa Monica to kick off awards season with the Critics Choice Awards. Yes, there were a lot of suits – that’s to be expected. But going against the red-carpet dress codes from the past few years, really stylish actors like Jacob Elordi, Adam Brody, Michael B. Jordan, and the aforementioned Wonka star, all attended with their top button fastened and a tie around their necks. Just as we were getting used to the contemporary red-carpet tailoring that’s been around since the start of this decade – suits worn shirtless, or styled with a more casual shoe – traditional notions of how to wear a suit have returned.

That is not to say that you have to have conservative ideas to embrace this accessory. Quite the opposite if we look at Zohran Mamdani. The 34-year-old New York City mayor is only ever seen in a Suitsupply suit (that costs less than $500) and tie. When asked how he’d describe his style by Interview magazine, he answered: “What are the options? I’m kind of just thinking in casual, business casual, and formal. Formal? I don’t know.”

Mamdani is New York’s first Muslim and South Asian-American mayor, and the city’s youngest in the last century. He’s also likely the first to have worn a tie by New Delhi-based brand Kartik Research during his mayoral inauguration. At a time when all eyes are on him, wearing garbs that literally tie him (excuse the pun) to his heritage shouldn’t go unnoticed. Clearly in this instance, he believes his clothes have meaning. 

Historically, a suit and tie has been a symbol of authority, formality, and professionalism, and instead of revolting against the idea a politician has to be dressed in a particular way, he’s embraced it. 

In 2026, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist isn’t dressing as a reaction to the garments worn by their conservative counterparts, but in tandem with them. Subtle sartorial clues show their differences, but ultimately, those leaning to the left can also wear a suit and tie without it conflicting with their ideology. What a suit and tie represents is changing.

So, who will be the next unexpected person to be endorsing the traditional tie? As temperatures eventually start to rise, and wooly mufflers become less necessary, there will be plenty more public figures donning the accessory. More Windsor knots and pointed blades will appear in your everyday life, too.