Necktie fashion has Gen Z, millennials in a chokehold this fall: Not just boy fun

It’s got a glamorous grip on the throats of Gen Z — and it’s not letting up. The necktie, that is. Yes, the formal fashion frill once worn exclusively by blowhard businessmen and dads at funerals is, yet again, arising as the en-vogue accouterment for A-list luminaries and Big Apple tastemakers alike.   “Necktie = not just boy fun,” NYC content creator Natalie captioned a social media clip, crediting Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” for influencing her outfit.“Suddenly, neckties are my new favorite accessory.”It’s a modish middle finger to traditional women’s wear. The necktie trend first entered the zeitgeist with 1977’s “Annie Hall.” Many years later, it struck a chord with millennials during the early aughts, courtesy of rebel rockers like Avril Lavigne.

The then-teenage “Sk8er Boi” singer, now 40, made loose-fitting neckties a staple of her wardrobe, inspiring Y2K misfits to follow sassy suit. Now, thanks to the twenty-somethings on TikTok, youngsters obsessed with yesteryear’s gear like skinny jeans and the grungy “bra-over-shirt” look, haute clotheshorses are resurrecting the necktie style — and they’re adding polished twists of their own. Smoke shows like supermodel Bella Hadid and CDFA fashion icon, Zendaya, are at the forefront of the revival. Hadid, 28, sent tongues wagging while strutting her snazzy stuff in a suit and tie for Saint Laurent’s spring/summer 2025 runway show during Paris Fashion Week in September. Zendaya, 28, had an equally eye-popping effect in July when she sported a knit blue and white striped tie at the Wimbledon Championships.The “Challengers” star previously stole the spotlight in a leather tie at the Oscars 2022 after-party, serving up an androgynous aesthetic with her neckpiece as the pièce de résistance. But the luxe embellishment isn’t just all the rage amongst trendsetters under 30.  Victoria Beckham, 50, recently sent heads turning in a necktie paired with bespoke c...