It’s no secret that men love themselves a good tie to accompany their suit. But it’s also no secret that they enjoy some stress-free time, away from all things fancy-schmancy. And by fancy-schmancy, we mean the restless need to dress up to work and other evening-related events.

So how will you, a dress-for-the-occasion-programmed-human, substitute your age old tradition of wearing neckties and bowties with a little thing we like to call “creativity”? The answer is as simple as the drive to create the unexpected with what you have. For instance, some designers have sent out male models wearing a fancy boutonniere instead of a tie, or a twisted tie that gives off a creative allure instead of a bowtie. Other designers re-imagined the neckerchief in dapper modernized ways, allowing outerwear to go from fancy to smart-casual. Need we say more?

To help you out, we’ve gathered four different ways to let your creativity run wild in the Photo Gallery below.

Cindy Menassa