It’s one of the toughest aspects of the end of summer: along with early starts, the commute between office and home (rather than hotel to beach), and an engorged email in-tray, back to work means back to stiff and square office gear. Happily, there is something new on the men’s wear horizon that can help bridge the gap between laissez faire and white collar: say hello to the knitted tie.

An under-the-radar trend for a few seasons now, this autumn the knitted tie has hit many a mainstream men’s wear collection. “Men have been looking for something more casual with neckwear for quite some time now,” says Ritchie Charlton, managing director of Savile Row tailor Douglas Hayward.

Complementing the trend for slimmer tailoring and narrow lapels, the knitted tie has a softer and more retro look. Andrew Roberts, 40, a Hayward client who works as communications director for Mercedes-Benz, prefers them for their versatility: “They can be dressed up for the evening or down for meetings during the day,” he says.