Tie-less G8: Where are the mandatory necktie areas?

There is a lot of serious chatter going on at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland and Tuesday's discussions are likely to focus on the three Ts - tax, trade and transparency.

But what about that other T?

Ties, or rather the lack of them.

Cameron, Obama, Putin, every leader in fact. All tieless, striding along and shaking hands by the shores of Lough Erne.

They certainly did not forget to pack them and no doubt David Cameron had received a half-decent tie for Father's Day on Sunday.

By going open-necked, they seem to be trying to send the message that they are getting down to business and doing so in a matey-like manner.

UK Chancellor George Osborne told the BBC he had been told to "turn up in smart-casual wear".

They may just be strips of fabric but they have come to symbolise tidiness, respect and professionalism.

Presenter Jeremy Paxman caused a small storm last year when he did not sport a tie on Newsnight. He had previously described the tie as an "utterly useless part of the male wardrobe".

"It seems to me, the only people who wear the things daily are male politicians, the male reporters who interview them - and dodgy estate agents," he wrote.

But ties have stood the test of time - they are one of the few fashion accessories to have survived nearly many decades of social change.

And while the etiquette may have changed, York says they are here to stay.

He says the "studied informality" of open necks is a 90s development and coincided with a time of prosperity.

"When being nicely turned out become more commonplace and affordable, the leisure class stopped doing it," he said.

When asked which leader looked the best without a tie, there was no contest.