Hats went out of style because Kennedy didn’t wear one. I predict that ties will be the next to go. Most men I know hate wearing that noose around their neck. It’s really a remnant of outdated fashion when shirts were closed with a tie rather than with buttons. This is the 21st century! So in what year do you predict men will stop wearing ties?
It’s the only plumage that men get to wear. I expect ties will remain essential for business wear for my lifetime at least.
I must concur with bnorton. While there are many different varieties of suits out there, ties are the easiest way for men to express a level of individuality in a formal setting. like them or not, they serve a fashion purpose. personally, I like wearing ties from time to time(luckily my job doesn’t require them everyday). I don’t expect them to vanish any time soon.
If Bush keeps wearing pink ties, it might be sooner than later. 
Moderator’s Note: I think this is probably more of an IMHO question than a Great Debate.
I never have to wear a tie! Neener, neener, neener!
Yeah, sometimes I wish I didn’t have a neck, either.
I kid, I kid.
We could always start wearing those Samurai spine-mounted flags. Those of us from Western Europe could put our family coat of arms, or even or family tartan, on it, in lieu of a mon. 
Ranchoth
(No, huh?)
I think a better question is: Why has Western society’s business suit become THE thing to wear when men want to be Taken Seriously?
I mean, the Chinese premier, Arafat, Sharon, Bush, almost everyone but Saudi sheiks wear a notched lapeled suit with a standard necktie for business attire.
When will western-style suits go out of style?
Particularly in countries with 50c heat?
I remember a lot of buzz in the Western press about how stylish Afghan leader Hamid Karzai looks in his non-Western attire.
Took a look at those pictures. He’s wearing the notched lapeled jacket (with standart superfluous button hole!), with a sweater underneath sometimes.
The differences are the peaked cap, the wraparound collar, and the draping, um, shawl-thingy.
He does look good, mind you, but a lot of his stuff was borrowed from very un-Afghani sources. I think this is only partially proving my point. Well, I didn’t say EVERYone was dressing Western, but a lot sure are. Why did that become more respectable than more traditional dress in so many cases?
Well, “the West” has been dominating the planet (economically, militarily, politically, and culturally) to an increasing degree for the last several centuries.
Geez, maybe I should never have moved this thread…
Men have been wearing a shirt, suit, and tie for 150 years - can I say boring?
Go back and look at some old photos from the 1860’s, and see the men’s look is basically unchanged, and then look at the ladies and see how many different styles and different looks we have had each and every decade.
The tie is not going to go away, a man does not look dressed up in a suit without a tie. In fact, quite a few companies have reinstated their dress codes requiring men to wear coats and ties, in the past couple of years.
I think men will have to continue to wear have to wear coats and ties for at least another 150 years(or maybe forever), unless men can come up with an alternative. No one on this thread has thought of any alternative either. So far, men have rejected every alternative to the suit and tie, so it is the choice of the majority of men to continue to do so indefinitely.
how about a coat and a colored sweater? or a coat and a turtle neck?
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/world/0201/karzai.couture/gal.karzai.bush.jpg
Damn, Bush must like him. He’s grinning like a little schoolgirl there. Yeehaw, lookit my buddy with the hat, he’s sooooo cool. (Not that Karzai isn’t playing along. :))
I personally think hats are overdue to make a comeback, myself.
Carter went around in a cardigan and jeans but he didn’t change the fashion. (Curse him!)
My ties go out of style about 10 seconds after I buy them.
Ever notice on Star Trek how all the civilizations have evolved past the necktie?
I was wondering about this yesterday… why do all those sararimen over in Japan wear Western suits? Why not something more Japanese?
About the Japanese trend for Western-style business suits…I think I can answer this. Maybe. My Japanese Friends™ are pretty fashion-conscious, but they’re more situation-conscious as well. They stress over what level of formality to display in their wardrobe on occasions where it would not even occur to an American. Business is seen as a very formal affair in Japan, even more so than in most of the West; you have to dress up. Japan started to really emulate Western-style practices, especially business practices in the post-war era. So I suppose it’s natural they would adopt the Wester business suit for formal business occasions.
Japanese traditonal men’s attire is pretty complicated. Styles differ somewhat, but the formal-style men’s kimono consists of several layers, all of which have to be intricately tied on. This is a major pain to do every morning (without several retainers to help you dress) before catching several trains to work. And the less-formal traditional wear cannot even be considered- while comfortable and practical (to an extent) it’s just not formal enough for business.
(If you’d like more info on how to tie a traditonal kimono, and what this involves, check out this website Click on the webcatalog link and go to ‘kimonos’. I think then you’l see why this might not be the best idea for wearing to the office. Totally off-topic, but this site has a wealth of great information. Great to browse through on a boring day.)
I think it’s safe to say that the suit-and-tie combo evolved in an era when buildings and homes were not kept as warm as they are today, and a tie and jacket were essential items of everyday wear. This isn’t the case today, and I think it will one day go out of fashion, unless we are compelled forgo the ample heating that we now enjoy.
It’s interesting to note that women entered the workforce later, and their business attire allows far more leeway in the amount exposed skin that is allowed, and whether a tie is worn. Just a WAG, but I suspect that offices were beginning to be better heated by the time women were commonly employed in them, and that that might partly account for it.
(though I realize that standard business attire does stipulate pantyhose for women, which seem to be their equivalent of men’s neckties in that regard).