Skirt Cafe is an on-line community dedicated to exploring, promoting and advocating skirts and kilts as a fashion choice for men, formerly known as men in skirts. We do this in the context of men's fashion freedom --- an expansion of choices beyond those commonly available for men to include kilts, skirts and other garments. We recognize a diversity of styles our members feel comfortable wearing, and do not exclude any potential choices. Continuing dialog on gender is encouraged in the context of fashion freedom for men. See here for more details.
Discussion of fashion elements and looks that are traditionally considered somewhat "femme" but are presented in a masculine context. This is NOT about transvestism or crossdressing.
Sarongman wrote:Those of us who are averse to ties may have a high profile ally in Richard Branson. I got the quote off LinkedIn that ties should be thrown out and----now this is really a call to common assault----"if you see a co worker in one, grab a pair of scissors and cut it off"
I guess that is not a surprise; after all Richard Branson has rarely said anything sensible.
Have fun (and ignore mindless attention seeking),
Ian.
Do not argue with idiots; they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
Cogito ergo sum - Descartes
Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum - Ambrose Bierce
It's hell when one has breasts and wears a bra as I do, and has to pull the shoulder straps toward the neck before they slip off the shoulders, and there is that damned tie in the way!
Another thing about ties - I like to call them gravy magnets. It seems when you go out to eat while wearing a tie you get spots on it. If it is a fine silk tie there does not seem to be anything you can do to restore the look minus the spots.
It's OK to wear a tie if it is optional. It is high time the our senators and representatives in Congress would not deprive their brains of blood flow by removing the requirement for males to wear nooses around their necks.
John
Last edited by JohnH on Tue Jul 09, 2013 12:15 am, edited 3 times in total.
There is another option that I have recently tried with a degree of success, and that is to roll a silk or acetate scarf of large size, (36" or greater) so as to wear it inside the shirt at the back, and tie a Windsor knot as per the tie. This means warmth at the back of the neck and a far more colourful ensemble than a tie. (Most colourful ties are so garish as to need sunglasses to see them without going blind!) Another advantage is the ability to wear this rig looser than a tie without looking slovenly; though slovenly is, admittedly, in the eye of the beholder. I source these scarves from my usual boutiques St Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army op shops. Invariably they are a paisley pattern, more like the 'wild rags' of the U.S. Western aficionados, so don't turn up all that often. The ability to wear it looser that a tie, with the need to have the top button done up being discarded, is a huge plus for comfort. Possibly, as a boy, wearing shirts that I was quickly growing out of scarred my psyche regarding ties with the connotation of a Saxon thrall ring!
It will not always be summer: build barns---Hesiod
Being required to wear --- anything --- doesn't sit well with me.
However, I chose to wear neckties because they give the illusion of authority. No, I did not always wear them, and no I was not required to wear them. As a college teacher, I chose to wear them at first only on special occasions, then for about the last half of my career, every day.
A young teacher asked my why. I told him that when I was his age, I relied on my rugged good looks, but now that I am older, I need the dignity of the necktie to enhance my looks.
My wife, daughters, and even some students would gift me ties at Christmas. It got to the point where I could go all semester without wearing the same tie twice. (I only bought one or two for myself - the rest just came my way via gifts!)
Since retirement, I have tossed those that were getting worn out - stained from whatever - but I still have nearly 50 or so that are quite wearable and will eventually loan them to my grandsons hopefully never to be returned.
The only thing that I really liked about neckties is that they allowed me an outlet of personal expression in an environment that was very drab. Besides, all the female teachers seemed to like the look as well.
What you propose is similar to a cravat. They came in paisley designs but were generally worn with a very loose knot at the front and with the top shirt button undone. Tucked nicely into the shirt collar. I used to wear them as I thought they looked cool at the time. I wonder what happened to them? Probably gone to a charity shop in the dim dark mists of time. Don't seem to see them much on sale now.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
knickerless wrote:I think I was criticised for wearing a tie in one of my photos!
nick
How come? You don't want to abolish gender boundaries, so why should you be someone you aren't? I couldn't think of something fancier than a necktie with white shirt, kilt, kilthoses and black shoes.
Necktie's or tie should be sent resigned to history as a bad idea. The thought of placing a piece of cloth around the neck and pulling it tight is beyond stupid. It might have been right in the time of Victoria when many odd things happened but not today.
I hate the things and only wear one to funerals, even then as soon as I can I remove the thing. I do have a few Ties some given to me at work to celebrate milestones ( one was for the 100th BAe 146 to come off the production line) I keep them locked away in a dark drawer never to see the light of day.
I have worked for many managers in my day and whether or not they were wearing a Tie had no bearing on my respect for them, authority and respect are not imparted by a piece of cloth. It is either earned or comes naturally, in fact one of the worst bosses I had wore formal attire everyday but he had neither respect from us or any authority over us, he was a total failure both as a manager and a human being.
One last point about ties and respect is that politicians from all western countries wear ties but very few have any respect for them, our Government here in the UK would be better if they all pulled their ties a bit tighter and gave us all a break!
Women had a 'burn the bra' campaign we need a 'burn the tie' campaign.
I've avoided the tie/skirt combo at the office up to now but this thread has given me an idea.
I may just give it a try and gauge the reaction, just not now, it's too damn hot.
I'd also add that I'd do this from choice because I'm lucky to be able to choose. When I was forced to wear a tie, I hated them as much as anyone else.
Steve.
We're a mixed bunch where I work. Some people wear a tie and a jacket, but I suspect that's just because they feel it's more appropriate and/or wore it at a previous job. A lot of us just wear smart trousers and a shirt, with no tie (me included) and some wear a company-branded polo shirt. The general rule seems to be that as long as it's reasonably smart and appropriate for work (i.e not jeans and a t shirt) just about anything goes.
I've always found ties to be uncomfortable and largely pointless, personally. I can never button the shirt up fully either as my neck is rather large compared to the rest of me, so I'm much better off without. I don't see why being smartly dressed must imply having a strip of material tied round your neck.
Buttoning the shirt all the wall up and putting that noose around my neck.... Always felt like I was being strangled. And for what? So I could look stupid.
I will still state that neckties, not worn as nooses, are very useful for a "pop" of colour as accessories. I don't much like them as a requirement of a dress code (although I think that dress-codes have their place especially given where I work at the moment where anything goes), but they have their place.
I still wear one once in a while mainly to fiddle with the small minds of middle management.
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
