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To Stripe, or not to Stripe

GarfordJB

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Hello all,

Since school, I have eschewed the striped tie on the grounds that whenever I see someone wearing one, I wonder to which School, Association or Regiment he is aligning himself. I have always been slightly disappointed, for some unknown reason, when it turns out that the tie is simply of a design to which the wearer is fond.

I have therefore avoided wearing them because I do not wish to look like I am trying to belong to something when I do not, and also because I don't want to keep fielding questions about it.

Am I being completely ridiculous about this? Do striped-tie wearers feel that they are often asked about the origins of their ties?

Thanks for your help!

Garford.
 

msulinski

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Are you British? In the US, the striped tie/club affiliation doesn't exist, so we wear them without concern.
 

GarfordJB

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Hi Msulinski,

Thanks for responding. Yes, I'm British. I thought stripes had more of a political affiliation in the States. Is that not correct?

Garford.
 

msulinski

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Hi Msulinski,
Thanks for responding. Yes, I'm British. I thought stripes had more of a political affiliation in the States. Is that not correct?
Garford.
I am not aware of any political meaning/affiliation behind striped ties in the US. I was always told to avoid them in the UK however, as they typically indicate an affiliation to some kind of club. Your post seems to confirm this.
 

globetrotter

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you are not alone. I don't wear striped ties for that reason, either.
 

Ianiceman

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British ties go from top left to bottom right. American ties go the other way. It may be apocryphal but I understand that years ago Brooks wanted to emulate the British club tie look but didn't want their customers to cause offence by unwittingly passing themselves off as red brick university graduates or veterans from the Brigade of Guards so had their ties made with stripes in the opposite direction. I have about twenty repp stripe ties, about half English and half American and even one in my university colours ( black ground with green and purple narrow stripe) but in over twenty years living in the US have never been asked about belonging to a club or regiment.
 

Amiens

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The direction of the stripes is originally drawn from heraldry; the US style indicates illegitimacy in the wearer.
 

GarfordJB

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Thanks Globetrotter. Nice to know I'm not alone in feeling this. As beautiful as my new striped tie is, I can't see that I'll ever feel comfortable wearing it in the UK. Still, considerably more charming than the bizarre floral purple number I also received. Such is the Christmas lottery!
 

Ich_Dien

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Practically almost every time I wear a striped or club tie someone asks what it is / represents - so I only keep ones for which I am affiliated these days. "I just like the design" doesn't really cut the mustard with the type of person who asks. It's also poor form.

You're just asking for trouble if you wear them around knowledgeable people, really.
 
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DWFII

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British ties go from top left to bottom right. American ties go the other way.It may be apocryphal but I understand that years ago Brooks wanted to emulate the British club tie look but didn't want their customers to cause offence by unwittingly passing themselves off as red brick university graduates or veterans from the Brigade of Guards so had their ties made with stripes in the opposite direction. I have about twenty repp stripe ties, about half English and half American and even one in my university colours ( black ground with green and purple narrow stripe) but in over twenty years living in the US have never been asked about belonging to a club or regiment.


I don't believe that's strictly true. There are a number of British Regimental ties that go the other way. Among them are the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Tie and the 17th & 21st Lancers Regimental tie, the Scottish Rifles Regimental tie, the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Welsh Regiment tie...and quite a few others, actually, including the Royal Marines and the RAF ties.

There is also the ABF Soldiers Charity tie which is a striped tie that runs top left to bottom right and can be worn by anyone on either side of the pond with no cause for shame or hesitation.
 
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DWFII

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The direction of the stripes is originally drawn from heraldry; the US style indicates illegitimacy in the wearer.


The Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry tie runs top right to bottom left--two wide stripes, navy and green and one narrow tan/buff/taupe.
 

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