To tie or not to tie, that is the question

Are we seeing the end of suits in the office? While businesswear is becoming less formal, the columnist would rather keep a tie in his pocket just in case. — Pixabay.com

So there I was, at a conference organised by Bank Negara Malaysia, when a well-dressed banker confided in me about something he had observed: He seemed to be the only person at the event who was wearing a tie, and that included officers from the host organisation.

I merely nodded dumbfounded, dressed as I was in a polo shirt and jacket, but I couldn’t help but agree with what this “new normal” in the world of workplace attire implied.