Tie trends: Thin is in

Blame it on Justin Timberlake. Or every one of those whiskey-guzzling, secretary-groping "Mad Men." The old cliche - thin is in - is true. At least when it comes to ties.

Not that men need to chuck their wider neckwear. There's room for diversity in men's ties, just as in women's hemlines. These days, no one specific look rules.

Still, that '60s vibe is definitely staging a comeback, and "if you're wearing your clothes slimmer, trimmer," says Jim Foley of Marshs in Huntington, "your tie needs to be, too."

"Generally speaking, you can't wear a wide tie with these new jackets that are cut closer to the body and have narrower lapels," agrees Kevin Quinn, of Victor Talbots menswear shop in Greenvale. "It throws things off balance."

Tell that to the dudes squawking on the Internet. Search "skinny ties," and you'll quickly find men's style forums with guys mouthing off about what's appropriate for work or job interviews. Slenderized neckwear often gets derided.

"A skinny tie is definitely not professional," says one buzz kill.

Really? We turned to four local menswear salesmen and asked them to pick a fave skinny tie from their store's fall inventory. They all agreed skinnies (generally two to three inches at the widest point, instead of three to four) could work at the office or out and about on weekends.

"The skinny wool tie is one of the strongest new neckwear trends we have seen in a long time," says Greg Shugar, lead designer at The Tie Bar, a large online retailer of neckties. Shugar and his wife, Gina, both former lawyers, launched thetiebar.com six years ago, and now offer hundreds of styles, from standard silks to wool skinnies in solids, plaids and college stripes (plus shirts, cuff links, pocket squares and directions on how to tie various tie knots). Best part? The ties are $15 each. At that price, you can't afford not to give a skinny a try. 

Long Islanders wear skinny ties, too

Who: Roy Gordon
Where: Bloomingdale's, Roosevelt Field

"I do a tie bar," says Gordon. "It makes the look a little more classic, more dressed up for the office, and if I move" - he gestures - "it all stays in place."

His tip: Don't bulk up a skinny tie with a fat Windsor knot, tied with all those extra loops - stick to the half-Windsor or four-in-hand (aka, the standard slip knot).

Who: Kevin Quinn
Where: Victor Talbots, Greenvale

"Traditionalists prefer strict rules," he says - like the general adage to wear a fatter tie with a spread collar, such as his. "Then again, rebels don't feel the need to be so 'proper.' I do what I like to do."

HIS TIP: Try skinny ties with slim-fit jackets (think Hugo Boss, Etro, Theory, John Varvatos) rather than fuller silhouettes (Zegna, Canali).

Who: Jim Foley
Where:Marshs, Huntington

"Men come in asking about what they've seen on TV," says Foley. "I guess guys like Ryan Seacrest have made an impression."

HIS TIP: Go for a slimmer shirt when wearing a narrow tie, so the tie doesn't get swallowed up in folds of fabric.

Who: Jary Jarre
Where: Saks Fifth Avenue, Walt Whitman Mall

Part of this neckwear's appeal seems historical and nostalgic, Jarre suggests. Some men may even regret all those old skinny ties they threw out. For younger customers, the skinnies signify cool, pure and simple. "These ties," says Jarre, "there's just something about them."

HIS TIP: Skinnies tend to look best with smaller collared shirts, but there are no hard and fast rules, says Jarre, who wears a more standard collar length here.