Ties,regimental,university,college, club.

[Jock Scot]

I have been giving the following suggestion a fair bit of thought since I mentioned it in another thread. Before I go any further, this suggestion is only that and I am in no way telling you chaps in the USA(mainly) and particularly ex servicemen how they should do things. So again, this is just something for you to ponder on-----nothing more.

We in the UK wear more ties than you chaps over there,that I understand,but we over here have a more subtle way of demonstrating our,military past,university past, college, or club than you chaps seem to do over there.We don't go in for unit badges,insignia and all that over here, when retired. What do we do?We wear a tie! However that tie says everything!They are respected and as jealously guarded as any unit badge.

I understand that regimental,club,university,college ties are not common in the USA, they do exist, I will prove it in a minute!The great thing is that these ties do go well with the kilt for any sort of business,church type function. I am surprised that as the USA are renowned for picking up on good ideas this one has not taken off over there. You ex military men(not sure that the ex military women would be interested) could have your own unit ties. I note that the 101st airborne do, by the way!

Have a look at www.smartturnout.com for some ideas of what I am talking about. Just floating an idea past you, that is all.

[caig]

Jock, I am with you on this. When I wear a jacket with the kilt it is usually some sort of "event", whether casual or daytime formal. I almost always wear a military tie on these occasions. I was commissioned at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst into the Territorial Army, so my favourite tie is Sandhurst, although I do wear the Royal Army Ordnance Corps tie on lesser occasions.

I think a military tie really sets off a kilt in a formal setting.

[Phil]

I don't know if I should be pitching in here as I think it is aimed across the water, but why not?
Regimental, club etc. ties all denote membership of a fairly exclusive group, i.e. you either joined and served in them or simply joined and paid the annual fee. As a result, they are quite entitled to claim exclusivity for their particular pattern of tie and anyone infringing that exclusivity would be regarded as anything from simply impolite to downright fraudulent (yes - it has happened, people worming their way into jobs etc. wearing a regimental/university tie to which they are not entitled). I think we can all agree on this whereas claiming a similar exclusivity for tartans is a different matter altogether.

[Jock Scot]

I don't know if I should be pitching in here as I think it is aimed across the water, but why not?
Regimental, club etc. ties all denote membership of a fairly exclusive group, i.e. you either joined and served in them or simply joined and paid the annual fee. As a result, they are quite entitled to claim exclusivity for their particular pattern of tie and anyone infringing that exclusivity would be regarded as anything from simply impolite to downright fraudulent (yes - it has happened, people worming their way into jobs etc. wearing a regimental/university tie to which they are not entitled). I think we can all agree on this whereas claiming a similar exclusivity for tartans is a different matter altogether.

Why not chip in Phil? That is a very relevant point you have made and I am glad you made it.

[Jock Scot]

Deleted-------- dual post.

[Highland Logan]

Jock,

I tend to wear my "zig zag" artillery tie wen going out somewhere special.

Frank

[Jock Scot]

Jock,

I tend to wear my "zig zag" artillery tie wen going out somewhere special.

Frank

I have always fancied one of those, but-------.

[UglyMike]

In my humble American opinion I think you have it right on the money in your opening post. Americans tend to be much much less subtle in showing their pride when it comes to military service or alma mater. Personally I like the idea of the tie but usually here, when someone wishes to be subtle, you see them with a ring (class ring, military service ring etc...) The tie is one of those really cool cultural things that I'm sure most Americans never heard of (I know I hadn't until today).

Mike

[Sir William]

Jock,

Couldn't agree more, except that American military units typially (there are exceptions) and sadly don't have an official tie, though many have an "Association" tie of sorts. We tend to wear various badges or pins to show our military service.

The Marine Corps doesn't have an "official" regimental tie, though there are plenty with our "cap badge" (the Eagle, Globe and Anchor) that can be had. One of the uniform tailors in Quantico Town once (and may still do so) sold a "regimental" green-based striped tie but I've only seen a handful of people wear one in the 30 years since I got mine. I recently saw a blue-based USMC regimental tie sold at the Pentagon - again, very unofficial.

That said, when I went to Scotland recently, I wore my Marine Corps Heritage Association tie and the blue-base tie mentioned above. The Heritage tie is more subtle than the typical USMC tie as it shows the early Marine Corps emblem (before the EGA) which is now displayed on the uniform buttons.

[Sir William]

I don't know if I should be pitching in here as I think it is aimed across the water, but why not?
Regimental, club etc. ties all denote membership of a fairly exclusive group, i.e. you either joined and served in them or simply joined and paid the annual fee. As a result, they are quite entitled to claim exclusivity for their particular pattern of tie and anyone infringing that exclusivity would be regarded as anything from simply impolite to downright fraudulent (yes - it has happened, people worming their way into jobs etc. wearing a regimental/university tie to which they are not entitled). I think we can all agree on this whereas claiming a similar exclusivity for tartans is a different matter altogether.

Phil,

I stand accused and unapologetic. I have a number of British regimental ties that I wear. I wear them because I admire a particular regiment though I have no official connection to them. I wear them to work but I never wear them when I'm in the UK - for obvious reasons. I'd say 99.9% of the Americans I meet don't even know they are regimental ties.

Twice when wearing the RM tie in Washington, DC I've met up with an RM. I explained that I was an American Marine and had served with RMs (and even almost enlisted in the RM when much younger) but that I'd never been an RM. I wore it because I greatly admired and respected the RM - but I did stress that I would never wear it in the UK and I had no reason to pose as an RM because I was an American Marine. Neither RM had any problem and actually expressed their appreciation that I thought so highly of their Corps.