Step aside, Brent – Gen Z has given the office tie a casual makeover

The ultimate symbol of office drudgery has somehow become cool again

But Gen Z, apparently unsatisfied with bringing back low-rise jeans, wired headphones and everything else millennials thought they had safely left behind, have now come for the humble necktie.

And somehow, they've made it cool.

Once synonymous with grey offices, uncomfortable family functions and David Brent prowling the corridors of Wernham Hogg, the tie has escaped the boardroom and found itself being worn with oversized shirts, miniskirts, baggy jeans and trainers.

New research from Aldi suggests more than four in ten Gen Z shoppers (41 per cent) now wear ties as fashion accessories, rather than simply because a dress code tells them to.

More than half (57 per cent) reckon ties are fashionable again, while 53 per cent say they're actually more likely to wear one socially than they are in the office.

So much for business casual.

The trend has been helped along by celebrities including Harry Styles, Zendaya and Hailey Bieber, who have all helped turn traditionally corporate tailoring into something considerably less The Office.

Almost a quarter of Brits (23 per cent) told Aldi that celebrity fashion had inspired them to embrace the trend, while 36 per cent said they'd worn a tie on a night out or to dinner.

It's part of a wider move towards raiding wardrobes for clothes that might previously have looked painfully old-fashioned.

Some 40 per cent of Brits admit they've borrowed clothes from their dad's, boyfriend's or husband's wardrobe, while seven in ten believe fashion rules are now less strict than they used to be.

And the tie appears to be leading the revival.

Asked which fashion items had made the biggest comeback in recent years, 30 per cent of Brits picked ties, putting them ahead of waistcoats and cargo trousers on 24 per cent.

Bomber jackets followed on 18 per cent, while flares and bucket hats both came in at 11 per cent.

Capri trousers, ballet pumps, leopard print and satchels also made the list, just in case you needed confirmation that absolutely nothing in your wardrobe ever truly dies.

Now Aldi has decided to get involved – in an extremely Aldi way.

The supermarket has launched a limited-edition range of "Special Ties" based on some of the products you'd normally expect to find in your shopping basket rather than around your neck.

The designs take inspiration from Aldi favourites including Nordpak Slightly Salted Butter, Bramwells Baked Beans and Professor Peppy.

Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: "The tie has had quite the glow-up, going from an office essential to must-have accessory.

"We couldn't resist putting our own Aldi spin on the trend by transforming some of our most iconic products into wearable fashion.

"Our Special Ties celebrate the return of a classic accessory and show that style inspiration can come from anywhere, even the supermarket aisles."

The ties aren't going on general sale, with shoppers instead able to win a set by emailing SpecialTies@aldi.co.uk with their full name before 11.59pm on August 27.

Which means the tie's journey is complete: from compulsory officewear, to something your dad stopped wearing when working from home became a thing, to an accessory Gen Z actively wants to put on for a night out.

David Brent walked so they could run.