It was as though everything about the 80s was in opposition to the 70s.  Even as the 80s found its glamorous side, it couldn’t be anything like the decadently disco decade before it.  Ties, though just an accessory, have always been a sign of the times.  Thus, wide in the 70s translated directly into the skinny tie of the 80s.

Men began to don ties that were ridiculously skinny.  As simple as many of them were, typically a monochromatic black, many found lamé and leather to be excellent fabrics to help their ties pop with style, while others stood out with stripes and simple patterns. 

Skinny ties were a fashion statement adored by some punks, though widely accepted by the new romantics of the era.  The skinny tie wasn’t for the preppy set, who was more Miami Vice than Duran Duran.  The thin black tie was a favorite of pop culture icons such as Devo and Gary Numan, who would often pair a pastel shirt with the skinniest of black leather ties. 

The next step in skinny tie-dom was the bolo tie.  While some went the direction of the string of leather, it’s a look that kept primarily to the Southwest and to those interested in making the boldest of neckwear statements.