The reason you see neckties is because Ron Moore doesn't want you to notice the costumes or equipment. It should feel comfortable and familiar to not detract from the story. In this case you are being distracted form the story by the mundaneness of the costumes which is the flipside of the coin. You get used to it pretty quick, and you really should be watching them. Since I only get antennae tv, I have to go to extraordinary measures (begging, pleading relatives and friends to DVR it) just to watch the show every week. Its worth it though. Start with the DVD miniseries, then buy the DVDs of season 2 and 3 to get caught up. Its much better than anything else you are watching with the possible exception of Lost.

It more than just neckties too. In one episode they showed a Humvee and in another they showed a Citroen. Moore defended it on the same premise, that these people had vehicles like this, why go to the expens of dressing them up when the humvee will do. The citroen actually worked fairly well, since only people who have been to europe would even recognize them.