Tartan Day in Balboa Park, San Diego

[OC Richard]

I just looked up House of Scotland Pipe Band, very impressive!

https://www.houseofscotland.org/pipe-band.html

A few familiar faces (the older folks) but also a great contingent of young players so the future is bright.

Isn't that the San Diego tartan? I've seen it up close, a kilt beautifully pleated to the stripe, it's a striking tartan.

As best I recall...we're talking 50 years ago...they were, at that time, the Loud MacLeod pipe band, wearing the yellow Allen Brothers "MacLeod" tartan.

[FossilHunter]

I'm jealous. "Permitted" to wear club ties that would sport decorating embroidery of a Bantam Rooster or an English Bulldog by the initials that can follow my name (issued by stodgy New England educational institutions), and being informed by Jock that THAT was what I should aspire to, I went in search for same and discovered that NEITHER of those institutions' souvenir collections available at their bookstores even BOTHERS to sell ANY neckties any more. Maybe it's emblematic of the frailty and transitory nature of American culture.

Here is my official university tie with the pattern of the university’s athletic program logo. Moving to the right is a red and black tie I purchased as an unofficial university tie (though it appears rather orange in this light). Then I have a nice club style tie I purchased from the Fort George website a few years ago.

I will post a second tie photo.

[FossilHunter]

Here are some official BSA ties I’ve collected that fit the British style. Two are Eagle Scout ties (club and striped) and the one in the center is a leader tie. I suspect the middle tie is probably similar to a regimental tie in the UK (though I haven’t confirmed that) so I probably wouldn’t wear it there but it’s an official BSA tie (you can tell from the logo near the bottom) so I have no qualms about wearing it in the US.

[Jock Scot]

Tie Etiquette.

I know it sounds a tad old fashioned, but there is a certain amount of tie etiquette to bare in mind. Particularly, I think, within the UK. But I think it is worth others from outwith the UK and The Commonwealth, having a gentle heads-up too.

Basically, with Old School, University/College, Club, and Regimental/Unit ties, it is very bad form to wear one if you are not entitled to it. Why? Well the tie tells others at glance a bit of who you are, without a word being spoken. It is actually very helpful at times. "It can't happen!" I hear you say! Well there was a Gurkha Brigade tie on show the other day, on this website, worn by a very nice person from the USA who, shall I say politely, would be better not to wear it!

There are of course other ties of assorted colours that anyone can wear such as the British Army Benevolent Fund(ABF) and Help For Heroes(H4H) ties, military charities, that some members here, from outwith the UK, wear quite correctly as the funds used to purchase the tie go straight to the worthy charity. So care with your tie choice would be appreciated.

[Sir William]

Tie Etiquette.

I know it sounds a tad old fashioned, but there is a certain amount of tie etiquette to bare in mind. Particularly, I think, within the UK. But I think it is worth others from outwith the UK and The Commonwealth, having a gentle heads-up too.

Basically, with Old School, University/College, Club, and Regimental/Unit ties, it is very bad form to wear one if you are not entitled to it. Why? Well the tie tells others at glance a bit of who you are, without a word being spoken. It is actually very helpful at times. "It can't happen!" I hear you say! Well there was a Gurkha Brigade tie on show the other day, on this website, worn by a very nice person from the USA who, shall I say politely, would be better not to wear it!

I have two British regimental ties gifted to me that I wore on occasion when I was working and had to wear a tie every day. The first was from a RM Colour Sergeant I closely worked with during the Falklands War. The other was from a Major in the Intelligence Corps who was on exchange with us for 3 years. I only wore them in the US as Americans had no idea what they represented. However, one day I met a RM who saw my tie and asked me "why?" I explained how I came to be wearing an RM tie and who gave it to me - turned out they had served together - and all went well after that. But, I've not worn either in the last 15 years as I seldom wear a tie anymore.

[FossilHunter]

Tie Etiquette.

I know it sounds a tad old fashioned, but there is a certain amount of tie etiquette to bare in mind. Particularly, I think, within the UK. But I think it is worth others from outwith the UK and The Commonwealth, having a gentle heads-up too.

Basically, with Old School, University/College, Club, and Regimental/Unit ties, it is very bad form to wear one if you are not entitled to it. Why? Well the tie tells others at glance a bit of who you are, without a word being spoken. It is actually very helpful at times. "It can't happen!" I hear you say! Well there was a Gurkha Brigade tie on show the other day, on this website, worn by a very nice person from the USA who, shall I say politely, would be better not to wear it!

There are of course other ties of assorted colours that anyone can wear such as the British Army Benevolent Fund(ABF) and Help For Heroes(H4H) ties, military charities, that some members here, from outwith the UK, wear quite correctly as the funds used to purchase the tie go straight to the worthy charity. So care with your tie choice would be appreciated.

This is good advice. This is why I stick with my BSA or my university ties if I want that look.

I believe my fort George military tattoo tie was sold as a charity tie.

[Jock Scot]

I have two British regimental ties gifted to me that I wore on occasion when I was working and had to wear a tie every day. The first was from a RM Colour Sergeant I closely worked with during the Falklands War. The other was from a Major in the Intelligence Corps who was on exchange with us for 3 years. I only wore them in the US as Americans had no idea what they represented. However, one day I met a RM who saw my tie and asked me "why?" I explained how I came to be wearing an RM tie and who gave it to me - turned out they had served together - and all went well after that. But, I've not worn either in the last 15 years as I seldom wear a tie anymore.

Hello there, Bill! How are you doing?

Personally I think as you were presented the ties by those that appreciated your input to "our" cause, you should wear the ties with pride. Yes you may be questioned about them by "those that don’t know",but I think your input had been noted without a further question, by those that do know!

Interestingly, my wife was looking at the RM "Bootneck Tartan tie" at a charity do and she asked if I wanted one! I refused, as I said that I was not entitled to wear it. A loud voice from behind me said "you have been raising money for the RM charity for years of course you can B........ wear it!" It was the RM Commandant General(a shooting acquaintance) and he bought it for me! Some years later at a RM function a familiar load voice from behind me demanded to know why I was improperly dressed! Where was my tie!? I said that I didn't feel that I was entitled to wear it. He bought another tie and insisted that I wore it there and then! Who was I to argue!

[jsrnephdoc]

Tie Etiquette.

I know it sounds a tad old fashioned, but there is a certain amount of tie etiquette to bare in mind. Particularly, I think, within the UK. But I think it is worth others from outwith the UK and The Commonwealth, having a gentle heads-up too.

Basically, with Old School, University/College, Club, and Regimental/Unit ties, it is very bad form to wear one if you are not entitled to it. Why? Well the tie tells others at glance a bit of who you are, without a word being spoken. It is actually very helpful at times. "It can't happen!" I hear you say! Well there was a Gurkha Brigade tie on show the other day, on this website, worn by a very nice person from the USA who, shall I say politely, would be better not to wear it!

There are of course other ties of assorted colours that anyone can wear such as the British Army Benevolent Fund(ABF) and Help For Heroes(H4H) ties, military charities, that some members here, from outwith the UK, wear quite correctly as the funds used to purchase the tie go straight to the worthy charity. So care with your tie choice would be appreciated.

(apologies in advance if this turns out to be a duplicate)

Jock, I hope you'll accept what follows as light-hearted in intent, rather than in any way accusatory. My previous activity here has concentrated on bemoaning the disappearance of the necktie from the American scene while expressing fondness for the device in British dress. When a necktie IS worn in the Colonies, it's often done so either carelessly: just witness the crimson neckwear of our own president, which typically extends halfway to his own knees. But, as to your post:

1. Although my own post-high-school educational institutions (Trinity College, CT and Yale University) are mere infants compared to those in Edinburgh and Glasgow, they seem to have fallen victim quickly to the effervescence of fashion in the US. When I was a student, sequentially at each, 5 decades ago, athletic mascot neckties were readily available at the bookstores of each, but NEITHER bothers to try to sell them today.
2. I suspect you may have fallen victim to an "attack of the AI merchants" or spell checkers in your own post in your suggestion that we "bare in mind" (which carries some rather gruesome anatomic consequences).

Before you rebuke me, I'll confess to a much worse battle with my own keyboard just a day ago. A very close friend has just learned and informed me he has a dangerous but hopefully treatable/curable malignancy. I have a second close friend who is a world-renowned oncologist. I appealed to friend #2 for some advice for friend #1 yesterday. He promptly replied that his training had NOT qualified him to answer my query, in which I had stated that friend #1 was having his "wide excision" surgery within the week. However, a slip of the finger had produced a question that asked about "wife excision" surgery.

[Jock Scot]

(apologies in advance if this turns out to be a duplicate)

Jock, I hope you'll accept what follows as light-hearted in intent, rather than in any way accusatory. My previous activity here has concentrated on bemoaning the disappearance of the necktie from the American scene while expressing fondness for the device in British dress. When a necktie IS worn in the Colonies, it's often done so either carelessly: just witness the crimson neckwear of our own president, which typically extends halfway to his own knees. But, as to your post:

1. Although my own post-high-school educational institutions (Trinity College, CT and Yale University) are mere infants compared to those in Edinburgh and Glasgow, they seem to have fallen victim quickly to the effervescence of fashion in the US. When I was a student, sequentially at each, 5 decades ago, athletic mascot neckties were readily available at the bookstores of each, but NEITHER bothers to try to sell them today.
2. I suspect you may have fallen victim to an "attack of the AI merchants" or spell checkers in your own post in your suggestion that we "bare in mind" (which carries some rather gruesome anatomic consequences).

Before you rebuke me, I'll confess to a much worse battle with my own keyboard just a day ago. A very close friend has just learned and informed me he has a dangerous but hopefully treatable/curable malignancy. I have a second close friend who is a world-renowned oncologist. I appealed to friend #2 for some advice for friend #1 yesterday. He promptly replied that his training had NOT qualified him to answer my query, in which I had stated that friend #1 was having his "wide excision" surgery within the week. However, a slip of the finger had produced a question that asked about "wife excision" surgery.

Oh don’t worry, basically I can’t spell! Never could.

[AFS1970]

I agree with tie etiquette, but there is probably a bit of a grey area. On my one trip across the pond, while in London, I went to a museum for St. John's Ambulance. Had a lovely chat with their Chief of Operations. They were selling a tie for their chivalric order in the gift shop. I didn't buy it, for the very reason that I didn't think it was right, but clearly the order had no problem with it being out there.