R. Rex Parris put forth his proposal earlier this month after reading a blog, Big Think, that mentions a new study warning that neckties may reduce blood flow to the brain by an average of 7.5%. That study also notes that for those with high blood pressure, wearing a tie could be fatal. Earlier research from ScienceDirect notes that blood flow to the brain is important for creativity.
"I spend a lot of hours every week on an elliptical or a bike just to increase blood flow to my brain, and it turns out every morning when I put on a tie I'm diminishing it," Parris says.
Apart from Parris' proposals, ties have taken a beating as of late. From tech workers who ditched ties, à la Steve Jobs, and 2015 guidance from the New York City Commission on Human Rights on gender identity and expression protections that notes requiring men to wear ties could violate the law, ties have lost favor in the business world.
Also, there has been a 10% increase over the last five years of employers that say it is alright to dress casual every day and about 50% of U.S. companies now say yes to a more relaxed dress code, the Society For Human Resource Management reports. And across the ocean, the British Parliament stripped ties from its dress code in 2017, a year after JPMorgan launched a business casual dress policy in 2016.
"I don't think it's appropriate in America today to make anyone do something that is now known to be detrimental to your health," Parris says. "Especially if it's based on gender."
But Aaron Marino, a menswear stylist from Atlanta, is not buying it. He says ties add a sophistication to the wearer's outfit and conveys confidence. "If you're wearing a necktie and it's cutting off circulation to your brain, your collar isn't the proper size," Marino says. "It's too tight. Don't blame the tie."