Tapped for Greatness: Secret Society Neckwear

Today we  have  the pleasure of interviewing Nathan Green, the founder of Secret Society Neckwear.

Matthew Longcore: I read a great article about your brand by Eric Twardzik in Robb Report. In the article, you were quoted as saying: “If you’re wearing a tie in today’s world, it almost feels like you’re a member in this little, quiet, secret club.” I love that. Tell us more.

Nathan Green: Eric really nailed it and we’re grateful to him—he found us early and told our story in a cool way. But that quote genuinely reflects how the brand came to be. I wear a tie at least six days a week between work and church, and almost daily someone will look at me and say, “No one wears a tie anymore.” Meanwhile, I’m standing right there wearing one. I usually glance down just to make sure I didn’t somehow forget to put it on. That contradiction became the idea: No one wears a tie anymore… but us! So yeah, it feels like a quiet little club – but it’s growing!

Matthew Longcore: You are originally from Louisiana. As someone who grew up in Connecticut, I am curious to know if you see “ivy” and “preppy” style as substantially different in the South as compared with New England?

Nathan Green: To an extent, yes. Traditional New England prep is very well-defined, and the purists will always hold that line. Southern prep feels like its cousin – related but shaped by climate and culture. There are still plenty of Southern cities where dressing well is very much part of daily life, just with fewer tweeds and more heat-appropriate choices like seersucker. You could also argue that where New England Preppy leans academic, the South diverts some of that energy toward sports and social life. Thankfully, the Vanderbilts of the SEC help drag those GPAs up.

Matthew Longcore: You and I are both fraternity men who recall wearing ties in college at times when it was not commonplace to do so. How did that experience shape your view of the tie?

Nathan Green: I’ve always loved clothing, though that doesn’t mean I’ve always dressed well. I’ve made plenty of mistakes. In many ways, fraternity life helped me correct course. You’re learning how to present yourself and realizing that appearance is often the first impression of your personal brand. Our daily dress code requirements in the fraternity reinforced that idea. During pledgeship, we wore coat and tie to football games in the sweltering Louisiana heat. I didn’t have much money, so my ties were cheap and because of the humidity, sweat, and beer they would bleed onto my shirts. You’d think that would have soured the experience—but it did the opposite. It taught me that it didn’t necessarily take money or even a ton of effort to feel set apart and elevated. That feeling stuck with me, and I continued wearing ties to games long after college ended. The ties just got a little nicer over time. And I wore a Secret Society tie to a ballgame this year for the first time for the LSU/Clemson game!

Matthew Longcore: Like all aspects of clothing, people can get very particular about the details of ties – material, cut, width, etc. What are some of the details that make your ties distinctive?

Nathan Green: First and foremost, much of what we do is still made in America, which is increasingly rare. Our knits and a few select styles are made in Italy, but we’re committed to domestic production as long as we can be. We’re bullish that skilled American manufacturing will continue to return. Everything is done by hand—slip-stitched, hand bar-tacked—the same way the best ties in the world are made. We’re not reinventing the tie; we’re just trying to make a great one with a point of view. That distinction really shows in our patterns and colors. Alongside classic neats and foulards, we lean into bolder, more expressive designs. I love university oxford striped shirts too so bold stripes are big in our assortment. And we’re especially proud of our knits—the hand, the structure, and the slightly wider width set them apart.

Matthew Longcore: You have mentioned Ralph Lauren as a fashion inspiration. Please elaborate on that.

Nathan Green: Ralph Lauren was—and still is—the gateway drug into menswear for a lot of men. I grew up near a Ralph Lauren outlet with this little hidden section that always seemed to have random Purple Label and Rugby pieces. I’d buy anything close to my size and have it tailored to fit. Rugby really resonated with me in college—the storytelling, the branding, the world-building that Ralph is known for. Then, fast forward I find myself in Atlanta managing Sid Mashburn’s flagship store, and he’s very much a Ralph disciple, so I guess it’s in my blood. What I admire most, and work to emulate is the consistency of the messaging and how it always stays on brand. The name Polo evoked an emotion in people. It was aspirational. It was genteel and exclusive. That’s part of why we chose the name Secret Society. We hope it evokes a feeling of pride in being part of something. Like knowing about the cool dive-bar or restaurant no one else knows about.

Matthew Longcore: I have heard tie collectors say that ties are a “good investment” because they don’t get worn out like other articles of clothing. Do you collect ties and is this a fair assessment?

Nathan Green: Of course I collect ties. I started making my own bowties after college, then eventually once I had some money started buying them, and that collection ballooned to well over 100 ties. Then the tie obsession became the more traditional four ‘n’ hand (our little nod to the colloquial contraction in rock ‘n’ roll and guns ‘n’ roses).  Ties and pocket squares are the lowest barrier to entry in high-end menswear. Most people can afford a truly good tie. And if you want it to last a long time it really comes down to care. The quickest way to ruin a tie is yanking the knot straight down the blade when you take it off. Don’t do that! The proper way is to loosen the knot, slip it over your head, and gently untie it. Do that, and a great tie will last decades. Thank me later.

Matthew Longcore: Ties have been associated with conformity (example: regimental and school ties) and also with individualism (expressing one’s own personality). What do you think about that topic?

Nathan Green: Both are true. Ties were once compulsory, so it’s easy to understand why people rebelled against them. I wanted to be the lead singer of a hair-metal band as a kid—Axl Rose was my hero – so we embrace a bit of that rebellious spirit with Secret Society. Today, wearing a tie can feel like a rebellion of its own—a rejection of the hyper-casual, loungewear uniform that dominates menswear. Sometimes I’ll pair a bold, “go-to-hell” tie with an otherwise conservative suit. It’s the closest I’ll ever get to fronting a rock ‘n’ roll band.  It’s quiet rebellion, but it’s still rebellion.

Matthew Longcore: Wearing a tie has been described as the ultimate example of “enclothed cognition” for the well-dressed man. What are your thoughts about that?

Nathan Green: I completely agree. Yale even did a study on this a few years back with their debate teams. They tracked performance relative to how participants dressed. They consistently performed better when wearing coat and tie. So, it’s science! My theory for that is that when you’re confident in how you look, you stand taller, breathe better, and think more clearly. And even if that’s not entirely scientific—fake it till you make it still works.

Mathew Longcore: Does the future look bright for ties? Are we in the midst of a revival?

Nathan Green: I sure hope so! Haha. But seriously, we’re clearly in a menswear revival. Tailoring is back: double-breasted jackets, pleats, peak lapels, formality. When those elements return, ties naturally come back into play. The signs are all there! So, guys, stop wearing your suits without a tie. We implore you!