Tuesday, January 11, 2011

One's Old School Ties, and Thoughts About Dress Codes In General

Now that the holidays are (finally) behind us, Reggie feels free to return to topics of more sustained interest to him than pretty bows and ornaments.  He's had a bit too much sugar in his diet, if you know what I mean . . .

Several months ago, the inestimable Admiral Cod wrote a thought-provoking post about old school ties that sent Reggie searching his closets and drawers to see what neckties he still owns of the schools, both preparatory and collegiate, that he attended.  And he came up with rather a lot of them.  It's not surprising that Reggie held on to so many of such ties over the years, since they are not exactly the kind of thing that one is inclined to throw away or send off to the jumble sale at one's local parish.  Heavens, that one should come across an unsuitable stranger wearing one's old school tie!

Pompey whizzing by Reggie's old school ties

When Reggie was a schoolboy he attended private and preparatory schools that required their students to wear uniforms or abide by dress codes.  From the time he entered fourth grade through when he graduated from prep school he was expected to wear a jacket and tie to school.  No questions asked.

Saint Grottlesex School ties

Reggie never found the wearing of uniforms or abiding by dress codes as a lad to be an unpleasant or restricting requirement.  Not only did they make his sartorial choices easier (or did away with them altogether), but they helped provide him with a greater sense of community with the other students he went to school with.  As an adult he has come to further appreciate that school (and other) uniforms and dress codes are a sign of respect for the institutions and places in which they are worn.

Sherborne School ties

Even though there was no formal dress code at Yale by the time he enrolled there in the mid-1970s, the wearing of a jacket and tie was expected of male undergraduates when attending university functions or other organized gatherings.  Reggie found himself donning a jacket and tie at least several times a week when he was an undergraduate at Yale.

When Reggie joined the workforce after college, taking a job in a large bank on Wall Street in New York City, men were expected to wear a suit and tie to the office each and every day of the week.  And so it was for the next fifteen years or so, until all Hell broke loose and "business casual" took over like so many canker sores.

Yale College ties

Reggie is a firm believer in the positive benefits of students and employees abiding by dress codes, and he rues the day that so many schools and places of employment relaxed or did away with such requirements altogether.  He would far rather see a young man wearing a jacket and tie in a lecture hall or his place of employment than one wearing an oversized golf shirt and ill-fitting, no-iron khakis.  Or—even worse—a tee shirt and blue jeans.

Yale Whiffenpoof ties

But Reggie isn't the only one who feels this way.  In the last several years there has been a movement in financial and other firms in New York City to reinstate the daily wearing of suits and ties in the office.  In fact, the Investment Bank where Reggie works on Park Avenue has recently re-instituted a policy that requires its client-facing male employees to wear suits and ties to work every day, at least during the cooler months of the year.  It's thought to be more respectful of the institution, our clients, and one's colleagues.  And it brings a level of discipline and professionalism to the firm that reflects well upon it.

Needless to say, Reggie is rather happy with this development.  And he would, of course, be overjoyed should his firm require men to start wearing proper hats again, too . . .

All photographs by Boy Fenwick

43 comments:

  1. I am surprised that private institutions have allowed this.
    I suppose that during during the last two economic bubbles, when the economy labored under the illuion of success, employers and private schools became more lax in order to attract individuals into their ranks, as competition was fierce.
    Now that the dust has settled and economy is faltering, the tables have (once again) turned; schools and businesses are allowed to dictate terms to the eager students and employees.
    It will probably change again when (if) the economy picks up and the employees start running the show!

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  2. I too would LOVE to see the return of men's hats! I wear a tie most days, which for whatever reason, astounds people. If they're uncomfortable, your shirt collar is too tight!

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  3. Oh Reggie I couldn't agree more. The whole ridiculous "Business Casual" has been extremely upsetting, especially for young people entering their first jobs. A young man I know in finance told me distressingly that it can mean jeans and a sweater or a suit without a tie.
    My children go to a school with uniforms and it is the best thing ever. My son looks darling in his school tie.

    Who doesn't love a man in a proper suit? MrBP is in law and wears a suit often, it is a very handsome way to dress.

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  4. Reggie, you must go read my blog today as Father C. has posted on how he did not wear ties at Stanford...Great minds. Confluence. Different choices. Different generations.

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  5. Higher education is somewhat different, unfortunately, though it did not used to be. I usually wear jackets, occasionally a bow tie, even in summer. I can understand that those who teach such subjects as sculpture and ceramics might want to wear protective clothing but shorts and T-shirts are not, as far as I am concerned, professional clothing. I fear my colleagues rather look down on me for my conventionality and intellectual superficiality.

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  6. My boys both attended a school where jacket and ties are (still) required for class dress. At one point when the school was considering abolishing the policy, they polled the students and the vote was a resounding yes in favor of keeping it!

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  7. I loathe the hygiene holiday that now represents the dress code of most client organizations I visit. Casual Friday was enough. Bring back the suits.

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  8. I agree. Casual clothes are fine for casual endeavors. Work and school are not casual endeavors.

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  9. I am highly in favor of business casual. 14 years of pantyhose was 13 1/2 too many.

    I also loved wearing a uniform to school.

    Maybe I'm not the best example.

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  10. It kills me to say it, really it does, but though I'm more forgiving of people's everyday and party wear than Reggie, I am glad to hear of a drift back to proper business attire. I find 'Casual Friday' at our local bank branch, with sweatshirts and jeans to be startling. I admit it. Slovenly and outlet driven and last year (oh who am I kidding, last DECADE) my own wardrobe may be everyday, I do dress appropriately for occasions, and I expect my banker to look like a banker. There, I said it...lightening can strike now...

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  11. I have always been a fan of Regimental and Old School ties. A cautionary tale was told to me once, however, by an American friend living in London where such things are taken very seriously (in certain circles, at least). He was invited to lunch at one of the grander men's clubs and was wearing a striped tie, courtesy of Ralph Lauren, that he had chosen purely by its fetching color combination. An old codger member of the club marched up to his host and harumphed very loudly, "your young friend couldn't possibly have served with the Queen's Own in the Crimea (or some such), so why is he wearing their tie?".

    As to contemporary standards of dress: To witness the end of civilization, take an airplane trip anywhere. Go ahead and splurge: Buy yourself a first class ticket. What people think is appropriate to wearin public is astounding.

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  12. Ha, Magnus, let's finish that thought: What people think is appropriate to wear in public is ALMOST as astounding as what they think is appropriate behavior in public. If one really wants to see the Dilettante get a little stuffy and bonkers in public, just stand him next to some middle age person on a cell phone, or some slacker texting away. Brings out the old codger in me every time. And people chewing gum in public? Or carrying coffee cups into stores? Careful, I'm just warming up. Some of these crimes make the wrong suit pale by comparison. Harumph. Let's face it. Civilization is dead. Some cute guy in shorts and flip flops when he should be wearing shoes and long pants, I can mostly forgive. A coffee cup while he's doing it, he's dead to me....

    Harumph!

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  13. Reggie,
    You and I could talk about this topic for hours! I am shocked by what passes as "business casual". Having had a previous life in the corporate world, I recall vividly when the "concept" of casual Friday was introduced. I was fine with it since most of us did not see client's on Fridays. As the years went by, it seems that it began sliding into other days. And now it seems to have taken over in the workforce...even in Washington DC! Our President, in my opinion, with his casual ease is adding to the compliance...no jackets required in the Oval office! Sad and wrong.

    I recall in college a male student I knew would always dress up on exams days and I asked him why. He said "Look good, feel good, do good." This response stayed with me and I've often thought about it versus the new thinking that being comfortable trumps being respectable. I am a huge fan of the school uniform and I only wish all public schools would see the value.

    I must admit that I love jeans and I think it is possible to pair them with something nice...but I think it also despends on what you do for a living as to whether you should wear them for anything work related. My personal pet peeve: men and woman(especially)who wear baseball hats and sweatpants to non-sporting events. Is there anything worse?!

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  14. And, DED, let's add to the list of lax standards: pushing past a woman or the elderly when entering or leaving ANYTHING; failing to offer your seat on a public conveyance to same; smoking on the street (wrong on just about every level) and tossing the butts onto the sidewalk or gutter; not parking your knife and fork correctly when you've finished eating; forgetting to say "Please" and "Thank you" when someone is serving or waiting on you. And that's just a start. "Were these people raised by wolves", I often ask myself. So much for today's scolding.

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  15. The current state of what is considered acceptable business wear is deplorable. As an architect, I do not usually wear a suit to a construction site, but I typically wear a jacket and a tie. There are exceptions, however, and I would not wear a tie to a construction site in the Hamptons in July, for example. And I learned early-on that there certain locations where a Ralph Lauren striped tie could cause problems!

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  16. Divine Theater: I am afraid that under most circumstances once the standards are done away with to the degree that they appear to be in most places it is well nigh impossible to bring them back. Thank you for your comment.

    AD: You raise a very good point here--the horrible, one size fits all fit to most of today's off the rack clothes is a contributing factor to the spiraling down to the lowest common denominator that I see everywhere I go.

    DaniBP: Reggie is not surprised to read what you write, and he thanks you. Of course a lady who dresses as beautifully as you do would appreciate such things when considering the male of the species!

    LPC: I smiled with pleasure when I realized the coincidence. May I perhaps, suggest that I accompany your father to a reputable men's store on my next visit to California so that I may assist him in selecting ties that he would be more inclined to wear on a regular basis?

    Blue: Yes, there are places and professions where the wearing of a suit on a daily basis is not appropriate, as you rightly point out. I wince, however, at the smugness of your colleagues who consider your sartorial choices, which sound beyond reproach, with disdain. Respect is a two way street, I find.

    Quintessence: Out of the mouths of babes . . .

    ADG: Amen, brother!

    DocP: Amen, sister!

    Patsy: I understand that many share your opinion regarding panty hose. However, that doesn't mean that ladies cannot wear dresses or skirts anymore, does it?

    DED: Can I believe my eyes? You usually take Reggie to task for such things (Ancient is sure to do so when he bestirs himself to comment). I am all (quite pleased) astonishment.

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  17. "Look good, feel good, do good." I must try that one out on our college's students. Trouble is, I fear they think they do look good in low-cut jeans and skimpy tops that show off too much untoned bare body. At this point I'd be happy with properly-fitted khakis and polo shirts.
    Reggie, I thought of you at lunch today when I opened a new jar of Pine Club Salad Dressing. It was a Christmas gift.

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  18. Love the post on dress codes! I wish there was a dress code for what is acceptable dinner attire even at a casual restaurant!
    The advent of flip flops for men with jeans is deplorable and gross!
    I loved the photos of the ties!
    Thanks!
    Jamie Herzlinger

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  19. I've always been jealous of men and their suits: to have a wardrobe of relatively unchanging pieces (and relatively affordable, compared to women's clothing of the same quality), in which one always looks "right" for business, and never have to be under pressure (unless it's a pressure from oneself) to wear something new, different, or "fashionable" every day-- it sounds like perfect heaven to me.

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  20. Men in hats! I have fond memories of my father coming home from work, off the train...with his hat! (and for some reason this makes me remember the little rubber booties that he would place over his dress shoes in the rain...like the plastic bonnets women used to wear on rainy days) Now I need to go watch an episode of Mad Men!

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  21. Back again...having just seen an ad for Pajama Jeans..."Jeans that fit and feel like Pajamas...but that you can leave the house in b/c they look like JEANS"...not making this up. Those no iron khakis are looking pretty good right now...

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  22. Reggie --

    Om this point, at least, I am no longer a preservationist.

    A tie that one actually wears should be crisp and new: Brummell ought not to have died in penury in vain.

    By the same token, ties that look as if they were sent home to mother's washing machine three times a year should have been disposed of long ago.

    This explains, in a convoluted way, why my great-nephews wear Charvet and Sulka ties at their prep schools.

    (I know, I know, the burden of hand-me-downs.)

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  23. Magnus: I am always careful when in England (in particular and here on this side of the pond to a lesser degree) to only wear ties whose significance is one that I can with clear conscience lay a claim to, and eschew those I cannot. All of the ties shown here fall within such classifications. I do admit that I have one or two regimental ties that I wear in New York that an Englishman could, within reason, slap my face for having the impudence to wear in public. That being said, there are ties, such as one of an Old Etonian or a member of Skull and Bones, that I can never bring myself to wear as the associations are too close for comfort and the risk that I could find myself confronted by one whose claim to wear such a tie are legitimate are too close. I just can't do it. The rage for clothes and velvet slippers in recent years emblazoned with the Jolly Roger is one that I have steadfastedly avoided, even when riding on airplanes...

    DED: Welcome back! As a boy growing up the sin of chewing gum in public was considered by my parents to be worse than many others of a far more beastial nature, and the punishment of which was severe and cold-blooded. I cannot to this day bring myself to chew a stick of gum, even in the privacy of my own home, without feeling as if I will soon be caught out with unpleasant consequences soon to follow. Needless to say, I do not approve of others chewing it in public either...

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  24. I guess I'm in the minority here - very possibly a minority of one - being that I always prefer casual attire these days. And I do mean always. I grew up in a series of varied but generally similar school uniforms, and, like Reggie, I actually did appreciate the strict dress code as a child. It took the guesswork out of dressing. And since attempting to be like, and think like and dress like everyone else was a real goal of mine at that time, the uniform came in handy. But that was then, and I've since disposed of all my old school ties and jackets. Literally. Right into the trash they went.

    Nowadays I dress for comfort alone. Doesn't matter where I'm going or what I'm doing. And it's not that I don't have respect for other people, really. Courtesy is still very important to me as a rule, but when it comes to attire, I simply refuse to follow some rigid, pre-established guidelines that have no apparent rhyme or reason to them. When (and why and by whom) was it decided that the only way to be properly dressed as a male is to don a stiff-collared shirt with a strip of fabric wrapped tightly around the throat & knotted in the front, then cover this ensemble up with a constrictively constructed jacket featuring decorative but useless lapels? It's all so completely arbitrary. I cannot fathom why so many people still slavishly follow this old standard when it comes to clothing. Where's the creativity? Where's the individuality? More importantly, where's the comfort? Heck, I'd probably go about town completely naked if I didn't think it'd get me thrown into the slammer, not to mention psychologically scarring the neighborhood children.

    I'm sorry if my slovenly inappropriateness offends anyone's sensibilities, as that's never my intention, but I did my time in a suit & tie and now I'm done with it. These days my only fashion inspiration comes from the likes of Mr. Hugh Hefner or Ms. Martha Stewart. Humph!

    p.s.
    I'm pretty sure if my grandfather were around to read this, he'd be shaking his head and calling me a pinko right about now, or even worse, an "eccentric."

    p.p.s.
    Hats I like!

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  25. A&A: One does not deplore the wearing of jeans or sweat pants, but rather the choice made to wear them when it is inappropriate to do so. A great personal pet peeve of mine is the wearing of pajama pants in public, which I see all too regularly, with great distaste. It is all I can do not to shout at the offending cretin who does so (usually also wearing dirty Uggs I might add).

    Magnus: Twice in one day? Reggie is beside himself with pleasure! Yes, your list is an excellent one, albeit too short for the outrages one confronts on a daily basis...

    Sewing Librarian: Why is it that those that do shouldn't, and those that we would like to (more often than not) don't? I am happy you are enjoying you PC dressing, as mine is long been consumed...

    Jamie H: Thank you. Reggie was recently irritated to find himself in an expensive restaurant that had posted on its website that it would refuse entry to those wearing jeans or sneakers, yet did not turn away such patrons the night Reggie dined at said establishment. When I pointed this out to the maitre d' he shrugged his shoulders and said he couldn't turn the offending boobs away, as he needed the business. While one was sympathetic to the desire for customers, one was not pleased that standards were dashed in pursuit of them at any cost.

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  26. agreed standards must be upheld -- and thanking my lucky stars that those standards prohibit me from wearing a too-short pleated plaid skirt ever, ever again.

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  27. Zhush: Reggie owns a pair of those rubber booties that he wears to work over his good leather shoes when conditions are nasty. That is, when he doesn't wear his LL Bean Maine Hunting Shoes and change in to his Alden cordovan slip-ons when he arrives in the office...Oh, and pajama-jeans--Reggie had not heard of them heretofore; the very thought of them is revolting, even worse than jeggings! Thank you for this vision...

    The Ancient: One's hand-me-downs as a boy (and I largely lived in them as I had an older brother and a male cousin whose perfectly-good/almost-like-new outgrown clothes I was expected to wear) did not include clothing or accessories from Charvet or Sulka. I was delighted to get Brooks Brothers. But then Reggie suspects you and your relations live and lived a far grander life than he does or did or ever hopes to in his wildest dreams...

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  28. Reggie --

    Put another way, the past has me by the throat -- which is all the more reason to avoid club and school ties.

    (Why make the affliction quite so literal?)

    P.S. When making arrangements for a catered lunch later this week, I felt a little pang when I noticed the waiter would be wearing a tie and a white jacket. (This is all your fault.)

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  29. I am still wearing several of my old school ties from Australia, however alas some are now becoming a bit short (and worn). I teasure these dearly as they are a reminder of my rather somewhat fertile child and adolescenthood.

    I refuse to recocognise "smart casual" as I see it as a decline. Suits and ties I believe should be an integral part of business atire and all my jobs have requireed the wearing of such. I was pleasantly surprised on a recent trip back home to Australia to see the majority of young men in the Central Business district of Sydney wearing a suit and tie along with French Cuffs and cufflinks

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  30. I agree Reggie. Mainly because there is entirely too much wiggle room in the Casual Friday scenario. It sends a confusing message to everyone involved. I know from my own experience it left me feeling vaguely uncomfy...I really enjoyed seeing your school ties. Especially the Yale Whiffenpoof.

    H.H.

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  31. Anon 2:27: Thank you for your comment, it is appreciated to hear from the "other side" so to speak. But yet when I was reading through your criticism of too constricting jackets and stiff collars, I wondered whether the problem was not with the form of the clothing, but rather the fit? As Architect Design notes, many people who believe that wearing a tie to be unpleasant don't realize that was is unpleasant is that their collar is too tight, and not the wearing of a cravat? I wonder...

    Ornamentalist: Most amusing, indeed. However, I am certain that there are certain gentlemen who would be quite pleased to see such a vision as you describe...

    Ancient: Thank you for the follow up, it is most enlightening, indeed. Reggie only rarely wears these ties any more, and usually only when attending gatherings where fellow "olds" will be out in full force. He holds on to them for sentimental reasons, and--to a far lesser extent--to keep them out of the hands of those who have no claim to wearing them in the first place...

    David Toms: Thank you for your comment, and welcome. I find that many young men, when introduced to the joys of well-fitting suits, french cuffed shirts, and handsome neckties, and who find themselves regularly among others similarly attired, take to them like the proverbial fish to water. As Reggie did, too.

    HHR: Thank you. I agree with you--I find "business casual"to be a too-loose term that leaves too much leeway to those who are subject to it. Many flounder as a result, unsure of themselves, and settle for the most banal, "safe" clothing options available to them.

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  32. I can't begin to think it would ever be thinkable, in a financial district or in a financial institution anywhere except in plainly inimical weather or hostilities, not to dress with deference to the fiduciary rĂ´le one accepts for oneself - even if only in an advisory sense. One morning, leaving for my office in San Francisco's financial district, my visiting father happened to see me in the clinky loafers of weekend wear, and asked if I were off to a party. And he was so right to do so, the recollection only burnishes my respect for him.

    As to entitlement to the ties and scarves we wear, I confess that the only alma mater whose necktie I wear with sartorial pleasure is from that quad across the street from the Beinecke Library, where Clarence Thomas later matriculated so famously against his will. It's a beautiful, elegant seal, but of course one couldn't possibly name the place with any favour, given one's undergraduate vows. :)

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  33. I just saw a photo of the JFK inauguration and noticed all the hats on men and women. It was terribly cold that day and hats certainly made sense. I too would like to see a return to hat wearing by both men and women.
    I'll have to ask Mr BHB if he still has his Lawrenceville ties...god knows he didn't wear one in his 1970's counter culture years at Stanford!

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  34. I don't mind business casual attire when the wearer isn't trying to emulate a plumber or some such other tradesperson. Many people have long since forgotten how to dress casually and with style.

    All the schools I attended had uniforms requiring a blazer and tie and a school cap was also required until age 13. Sadly, university was a more casual affair.

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  35. Random comments:

    I really miss the days when people dressed appropriately for the occasion. I've tried to become more "open" to the idea that many young people don't have the money to buy a suit or even jacket or tie especially if they aren't required to wear one at work. Most don't seem to go to church and when they do, the majority look like they just came in from feeding the chickens and slopping the hogs.

    However....speaking of church....it's appalling to see what people wear to funerals these days. The number of t-shirts and jeans on the older men in the crowd at the memorial in Arizona last night was very depressing.

    Even Mrs. Obama disappoints. Just saw her on tv and she's wearing a cardigan to the memorial tonight. Why, oh why, will the First Lady not wear a jacket? I really miss seeing a First Lady wearing a feminine, appropriate suit.

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  36. After a short-lived experiment with "business casual," my law firm has reverted to just plain "business attire." It had gotten to the point where the only men wearing ties were the young men who work in the mail room, which is run by an ex-military man with a sense of decorum.

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  37. I like your herringbone-pattern carpet.

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  38. Applause! Applause! I wore uniforms all of my school years and wish my daughter wore one instead of having a dress code (although it is strictly inforced). I would also like to bring back white gloves and hats for ladies; at weddings at least, for goodness sakes. I do hope Kate Middleton can help us with that one.
    Best,
    Colleen

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  39. Reggie, I'm sure you're right about some of us necktie-haters wearing collars that are simply too tight. For me that's not the issue though. I wore a suit and tie every day of my life for many years and was completely accustomed to that mode of dress, but since I've taken to regularly wearing more loose-fitting clothing, I find the ties and jackets too constricting. It's mostly about the way they're constructed, I suppose. If a jacket prevents me from moving my arms high enough to produce a fully formed snow angel, then I will not likely be comfortable in that jacket. Of course some clothiers made better products than others, I once borrowed a suit jacket that my brother bought at Huntsman's in London, and it was easily one of the most comfortable articles of "dress" clothing I ever wore. I actually considered sleeping in it - it was that comfortable - but knowing how much brother paid for it, I decided against that:)

    And for me, it's not just the lack of comfort that tuned me against the old jacket and tie. It's also the fact that as I get older, I tend to do what *I* want to do, and I care less what others think of me. The arguments in favor of dressing "appropriately" (which always seems to mean a suit and tie) just aren't strong enough to get me back into that outfit. "It's expected of you" or "everyone else will be wearing this" or "that's the dress code" just aren't good enough reasons for me to arbitrarily climb into an ensemble which hasn't changed to any notable degree since Victorian times. Is there really such a dearth of creativity in our culture that all males will be forcibly married to this boring old business type suit until the sun burns out? At least the ladies have enough sense to change their style of clothing every now and then. I don't see them slavishly sticking to whatever outfit their great grandmothers wore.

    The pajamas in public thing made me chuckle. Even for someone like me, that's a bit much, but we happen to have a neighbor in the country who does just that. And she's not a kid either. Mrs. E. is a middle aged woman who's married to the son of a European nobleman and an American banking heiress. She herself grew up obscenely rich, and she regularly appears in the Social Diary (all glammed up of course) and she's been on the Forbes 400. She has also chaired several large museums, charities and civic organizations in New York, but when she goes into town to do some shopping or to post a letter or whatever, she usually does so in a raggedy old house-dress and a pair of fuzzy bedroom slippers. Personally I LOVE that she cares so little about what people will say...and people always do have a lot to say about her wardrobe. Hey, she and I are both inappropriate together. Hooray!

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  40. Early in Reggie's career at The Bank (sometime before 1985), I carefully chose a tie for him to wear to work. It was a nice silk tie from the men's department at Thalhimer's Department Store here in Richmond. Paisley seemed quite conservative to me so I picked one in colors that would suit Reggie's hair (he still had some back then) and eyes. Much to my dismay, he could not wear it to The Bank because it was not a "traditional" paisley colorway.

    I've always felt somewhat miffed by that because I have extensive training and knowledge of textile techniques and history. And, believe me, that tie was not in the least bit wild - or even outside the colorways of genuine paisleys.

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  41. This post should be mandatory reading for all the school districts in the nation! The way I see children dressing, especially teenagers, is so absolutely horrible...and they are just going to grow up into adults that have no sense what so ever of what proper attire is. I believe behavior is so reflected by dress, that if some type of uniform was instituted again, it would be such a breath of fresh air and possibly save whole generations from the lack of civility that is permiating our society. Whew...that felt good to say!

    I admire Stacey and Clinton from What Not To Wear for picking up this battle and taking on this nation of neglegent dressers, one misguided soul at a time, and rescuing them from a serious lack decent fashion.
    It seems that you are too Reggie and I applaud you for it!
    xo J~

    ps- love your ties!

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  42. I believe the wearing of suits and a formal dressing are only part of a "social code". I think most people would agree that dressing like that becomes very unpractical in the day to day. Some others might find joy in it because they are still thinking about past times. It is not a matter of fashion, it is a matter of practicality. Especially if you're going to be in an office 8 hours a day you might as well be comfortable. The times, they are a changin.

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  43. I am strongly in favor of boys wearing a dress shirt and necktie to school, epecially at the middle and high school level. It is cool see a bunch of guys wearing neckties-bowties are great also.

    Sincerely
    George Ellison, Glendale, California June 27, 2011

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Please do comment! I welcome and encourage them, and enjoy the dialogue.