You might not give them much attention, but neckties are also a part of the great wave of style that happens every other season, more popularly known as Fashion Week. Although the tie is and will always be a formalwear institution that ought never to be bastardized, there are trends that emerge from season to season. The upcoming one is no different, with the runways presaging what you might just want to tie around your neck in spring.

Bow Ties
Who's afraid of bow ties? Not next seasons style conscious man, if the S/S shows were any indication. With a good number of designers showcasing looks that were topped off with a fanciful bow tie, it seems that this may soon become standard fare instead of being restricted to just the daring dandy.

Unless you actually plan to make an appearance at an award show, you may want to stay away from the Golden Globes variety of the necktie. Slim, solid black and immaculately tied is not the ideal style to bring out to the street, especially if you're wearing anything other than a tux. Don't worry, it also looks like the season will be bringing it's own supply of fun, more casual bow ties to try.
Instead of the kind that you'd wear with a tuxedo, try a bigger and more fantastical bow tie. The point of wearing one is to bring such a traditionally formal piece out of its usual zone and into a more casual outfit for some contrast and an eye catching detail. Solids also have the tendency to look very square and formal; try more imaginative prints like nautical blue dots against a white or cream background.

New Knit Ties
Ever since knit neckties entered the mainstream fashion consciousness of men this last decade, it seems that every other guy now has one. That isn't to say, though, that there's no more room to get creative with the knit necktie.

A few notable designers have released tonal and color blocked knit neckties which you may want to try as your own little style statement this season. Color blocking is nothing new, but it's uncharted territory in the land of knit ties, where solid black and navy have always been the gold standard. Black and navy are still the gold standard - don't get that wrong - but it's nice to know that there are some new options out there.

You'll want to try wearing one with a shirt in white or in any other color that won't match either of the necktie's colors. The idea is to focus the viewer's eye on the unusual colors of your tie, and to keep any other distraction from drawing attention away from just that. As if knit ties weren't casual enough, this style is even more so, and you have to think twice before you ever choose to wear it to the office.

Formally Casual
This last trend isn't so much a trend about a variety of neckties as it is about what you should wear with your own tie. There's a very varied mix of formal and sportswear in next season's collections of styles, and layering an office necktie look under something sporty looks set to become the next big fashion trend.

Again, this is far from a novel idea; the concept of formalwear, neckties and fine shirts, even, under sportier pieces has long been explored by the likes of Justin Timberlake. This season is the best time to follow those footsteps. Not only is everyone beginning to wear such outfits, but there's an abundance of jackets that are just perfect for the trend.

Balance is the key to making this look work, because you don't want to end up mixing pieces that are too formal and too casual. Your standard shirt and tie, the same ones you use for work, should suffice for this. Pay attention to the jacket, a bomber in vinyl, waxed cotton or leather, ideally, because it has to be similarly sharp to complement the formal base layer.  Hendrik Pohl