DID FATHER'S DAY BRING YOU MORE NASTY NECKWEAR? JOIN THE LEGIONS OF BUSINESSMEN REDISCOVERING POWER TIES.

Byline: Barbara De Witt Daily News Fashion Editor

There's a new power surge in the neckwear business.

Not only are more men buying more ties this year - menswear sales are up 6.7 percent nationwide - but there's a return to the power tie, which we last saw in the mid-'80s. Then it was a pale-yellow silk print, and now it's a woven, 18-karat-gold-colored design reflecting the renewed interest in luxury goods.

And you thought hemlines were the only barometer of business.

``Generally speaking, the better the economy, the wider the tie,'' said Tom Julian, trend analyst for Fallon-McElligott, a New York-based advertising agency.

But ties, like hemlines, are only a gauge, and the world's excitement over the end of the millennium has thrown market watchers a curve.

``Ties are getting wider, up to 4 inches (they reached 5 inches in the '70s), but it's not just a matter of width,'' Julian said. ``There's an emphasis in looking modern yet retro, reminiscent of the Hollywood glamour of the '40s.''

And fashion followers are still studying the stars. Instead of Cary Grant or Fred Astaire, it's Harrison Ford, ``NYPD Blue'' star Jimmy Smits and ``The Practice'' star Dylan McDermott who have generated tie sales, report fashion experts.

``Younger men are most excited about power ties because it's a whole new experience for them,'' said Leon Hall, spokesman for The Fashion Association and host of the E! channel's ``Fashion Emergency.'' He added that although the ``casual Friday'' concept has stirred up the menswear market in recent years, it's also had a backlash effect that's got men dressing up again.

He said the colored shirt with matching solid-color tie that was so hot last year fueled the fire. But soda-pop colors like lime, lavender and pale orange are cooling off, and deep jewel tones in classic stripes and small prints - still paired with blue or earth-toned dress shirts - are the big news now.

``It's called professionalism,'' Hall said. ``Casual Friday may be OK on Fridays in some offices, but I don't want to see my banker or doctor dressing less serious than I am. It undermines confidence.''

The local business scene agrees.

``There's definitely more interest in dressing up,'' said Megan Jordan, spokeswoman for Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Panorama City. ``It's come from the top and is being picked up by anybody aspiring to management.''

She attributed the overall trend to Kaiser's new management, which has created a new-found pride in the workplace.

``It's amazing,'' Jordan added. ``I'm noticing men talking to each other about their ties . . . which are often gold or blue with an iridescent sheen to them, worn with a matching shirt.''

Power ties at Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power in Canoga Park, which is now affiliated with Boeing, are also glowing in gold, but shades of red still mean business, said company spokesman Dan Beck. He was quick to add that Rocketdyne is not exactly a tie-wearing company, but he wears one, and favors woven styles with a '40s flavor.

``In our company, traditional stripes and prints like a subtle paisley are good,'' Beck said, ``but novelty prints would be frowned upon and regarded as too frivolous.''

Since it's a relatively casual atmosphere, anybody wearing his best suit and power tie would make people suspicious that he had a job interview at lunch, Beck added.

Speaking of job interviews, Hall said a dark suit, white dress shirt and rep (striped) tie or subtle woven design works best for almost all professions. ``It shows you're serious about the job,'' he added.

Rachel Gregory, a menswear buyer for Nordstrom stores, agreed with Hall but said that in a creative or fashion field, she'd expect prospective employees to be more edgy in their attire.

``I'd be most interested in the man who shows up in a French blue shirt with the season's power tie - a woven design in either gold or burgundy,'' Gregory said. ``And while tonals (solid colors) are still strong, stripes are newest.''

In the movie ``The Hucksters,'' Clark Gable said, ``Give me a sincere tie - I'm on my way to a very important meeting in my life.''

It's a concept that attorneys such as Christopher Keosian, a civil litigation and bankruptcy attorney with Keosian & Keosian of Century City, understand and utilize in their client's best interest.

``Attorneys will dress to impress other attorneys because they want to look successful . . . and maybe get referrals,'' he said. ``While some (attorneys) use the Johnnie Cochran theory (remember his flashy ties?) to impress the jury with how successful they are, my goal is to be a friend to the jury. For instance, I'd choose a less bold, more friendly tie, maybe with stripes, but definitely a conservative Brooks Bros. type.''

A plaintiff attorney, Keosian said he advises his clients to dress similarly, making sure the tie isn't too flashy, such as a polka-dot design, because it conveys a liberal, risky person. The best choice? It's usually a conservative striped tie with a white shirt.

Now that ties are wielding power again, take a look at that old white oxford button-down shirt.

The staple of preppy dressing, it was never designed to be worn with elegant suits. Fashion experts will tell you it's meant to be worn with summer seersuckers, navy-blue blazers and rep ties, or worn tieless with khakis on casual Fridays.

To show that new power tie to its best advantage, Nordstrom buyer Gregory advises shoppers to look for dress shirts with a spread collar or ``curved spread'' to accommodate the bigger knot that the woven tie makes. To make the knot look its best, she suggests using a four-in-hand instead of a half-Windsor, making sure the tip of the tie ends at the belt buckle.

And keep your '70s tie tack in the drawer. It's still tacky.

HOW WIDE?

Bow ties, string ties, and super skinnies from the '50s are geeky, and super-wide (5-inchers) from the '70s are too loud, says Dan Beck, spokesman for Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power in Canoga Park. The classic 3-inch style is always in good taste; however the tie packing the most power measures 3-1/2 to 4 inches across.

HOW LONG?

Your tie should end at the middle of the belt buckle. The ends of the tie should be equal, or the smaller one a tad shorter, according to Alan Flusser, author of numerous menswear books, including ``Clothes and the Man'' (Villard Books; $29.95).

ODD JOBS

Not sure how a power tie fits in at your workplace? Some options:

The dishwasher safe Rubbernecker tie is perfect for the man who gets dirty at work. Made from recycled tires, each $25 tie comes with a 500-year warranty. [phone] or online at www.nicetie.com

Even techies who aren't usually required to wear a tie may have a sudden meeting with the boss. Enter the virtual tie, available free at http://doppler.thp.univie.ac.at/-hpt/tienveren.htm. Simply download, cut out, glue together and put on.

THE TACK

Even if the tie tack is a two-carat diamond, it's still tacky, says Leon Hall, spokesman for the New York-based Fashion Association. Looking for a hot accessory? Try cuff links.

TIE TALK

BOW TIE: Those little pieces of fabric tied in a bow around the neck look best in black with a tuxedo, but they are showing up again in arty neighborhoods. Although it's tricky to tie a bow properly, show some class and avoid the clip-ons.

CLUB: A solid-colored silk tie with tiny insignias repeated in rows that were worn by members of men's clubs so they could recognize each other at business meetings (kinda like a secret handshake). Few folks will recognize the insignias today, but it still has an old money mood.

CONVERSATION PRINTS: These ties were a hit in the '80s (a backlash to power ties), noted for whimsical themes and favored by guys who just wanted to have fun with their wardrobe. They're a major fashion faux pas for anybody dressing for success.

CRAVAT: It's the distant ancestor of the tie we know today. Originally it was a scarf tied around the neck, worn by Croatian soldiers, and their bright colors caught the eye of King Louis XIV, who made them the insignia for his new Royal Cravattes regiment.

FOULARD: A lightweight silk with a twilled surface, printed with small, evenly spaced patterns or figures that works well at the office.

KNOTS: Half or full Windsor knots are popular, but they make a much bigger knot than the four-in-hand style, which is considered the most elegant.

POLKA DOTS: A springtime favorite that looks great with glen plaid and pinstripe suits. Dots bigger than a dime can make you look too frivolous, so keep them small on a subdued background if you're dressing to impress.

REGIMENTAL STRIPES: Originally designed to represent regiments of the British Army. You can buy authentic regimental stripes, or fashion-forward combos such as red and gold.

REP STRIPES: A closely woven ribbed fabric with diagonal stripes that create a slimming, conservative image. To the fashion-impaired, it's hard to tell the difference between regimental and Repp stripes.

WOVENS:This year's power tie, usually with a small all-over design woven (instead of printed) into the silk. Look for solids, checks and stripes.

--- Barbara De Witt

FIT TO BE TIED

Oscar Wilde said, ``A well-tied tie is the first serious step in life.''

But which tie for which step?

Here's some strategy for tying one on in style - and good taste.

The job interview

Show how much you want the job by looking your best. Go for something conservative, like repstripes or a woven design, worn with a white dress shirt.

A big presentation

Pull out the power tie - a golden woven design. If it's a liberal company, match to a colored dress shirt, otherwise stick with white or medium blue.

Dinner with the boss

Play it conservative with stripes or a club print. If your boss is fashion-savvy, go for the solid color woven tie with matching shirt in mustard, blue or green.

Casual Friday

Choose a less serious tie, such as a solid color knit or a silk tie with a bold pattern.

Your court defense

Always go for conservative in dark suit, white shirt and rep striped tie in navy or burgundy.

Asking for a raise

Look successful, not too elegant. Dress fashionable, but avoid an obvious designer label.

CAPTION(S):

9 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1--Color) no caption (Lightbulb-headed fashion model)

Photo illustration by Bonita Clark/Daily News

(2--Color) The job interview

(3--Color) A big presentation

(4--Color) Dinner with the boss

(5--Color) Casual Friday

(6--Color) Asking for a raise

(7--Color) Your court defense

(8--Color) How Long?

Shirts and ties courtesy Nordstrom, Topanga Plaza

(9) Hollywood icon Fred Astaire sported many styles of neckwear.

BOX: TIE TALK (see text)