Striped "regimental" tie question

[Holcombe Thomas]

I once wore a nice striped tie to an Anzac Day commemoration in Auckland, New Zealand. It turned out that the tie was that of the Coldstream Guards. The gentleman who asked when I served in the regiment was gracious when I explained that I was American (obvious, I suppose, from the accent) and had not served in the Guards. I was, however, thoroughly chagrined.

By and large, I don't wear striped ties anymore. It is worth it to me to avoid offense to those who earned the right to wear their ties or other mementos or insignia.

Holcombe

[FossilHunter]

I have a similar issue, as I'm sure most graduates of American universities do. We have school colours but no official striped tie pattern. As my school colours are maroon and white (Texas A&M University), I have no idea if there is a regimental tie out there that I might be treading on. So if I wear a maroon and white striped tie, I wear it with an ATM logo tie tack. If you can find a tie tack with your school's logo on it, that goes a long way in avoiding confusion.

This sounds like a good solution. You're correct in that most of our universities lack striped ties. From what I can tell, striped university ties seem to be more common with the old east coast universities (Yale, Harvard, etc).

[FossilHunter]

This is the only licensed tie I've been able to find for sdsu:

https://www.victorytailgate.com/p-21...+Tie+Red+.html

It also comes in black but it's not an attractive tie (and it's polyester). That's the reason I thought a striped tie would look nicer and be more traditional with the kilt.

[ctbuchanan]

It would seem that Jesus College Cambridge is a scarlet/black stripe
https://www.ryderamies.co.uk/shop/je...e-striped-tie/

as is the National Fire Services tie. red/black/silver

CTB

[FossilHunter]

It would seem that Jesus College Cambridge is a scarlet/black stripe
https://www.ryderamies.co.uk/shop/je...e-striped-tie/

as is the National Fire Services tie. red/black/silver

CTB

I also see that the brigade of guards had a tie identical to Jesus college. I wonder what happens when two people wearing the same tie from different institutions in the U.K. meet.

I feel that if two organizations in the U.K. can wear the same tie without issue, that so long as I have a connection to those colors through my own university, I wouldn't be uncomfortable with it.

I do want to add that some posts seem to be touching on the subject of wearing striped ties as fashion accessories in general. My original question was aimed solely at wearing a striped tie in red and black and only because those are my alma mater's official colors. Honestly if it were just for looks I would never choose that combination ��

[ctbuchanan]

I would think it would be fine. If anyone spotted it and asked just say it is your university colors. Why should anyone object to that?

My father served in the RHA and I wear his tie on occasion here in the States to honor his service. I had one instance when a Brit identified it and I explained my reason - he was fine with it and we had a long talk about where my father served (Egypt in the 1930's).

[Jock Scot]

FossilHunter, ctbuchanan.

I have no idea if the Jesus College Cambridge tie has a black stripe, but the Household Division(Guards) tie has a dark blue stripe, not black.

[FossilHunter]

ctbuchanan.

I have no idea if the Jesus College tie has a black stripe, but the Household Division(Guards) tie has a dark blue stripe, not black.

Ah. I'm outside so the dark blue looked black on my phone. Even better, I don't feel nearly as bad about offending a fellow academic from a college that simply shares our colors as I would a military veteran.

I'd also point out that I plan on following the advice of not wearing striped ties outside the US unless it something like the charity tie that's been mentioned already.

[Nomad]

I have a number of striped ties that were bought as striped ties. At a recent wedding my sister asked if they were school or military, my reply was no just striped ties that I liked.

In my opinion as long as you aren't pretending to be from said school/military club or are wearing it in support of that school/military club then people can take a running jump if they get all upset over an item of clothing that just happens to look like their "club" tie, get a life.

What's the difference between wearing a kilt and a tie, if you have no "right" to wear the said item of clothing a statement saying that you wear it because you love the colours should be enough to placate most people.

There are exceptions to every rule of course, despite me being ex military I would never wear something with someone else's regimental badge on it without a very good reason I.e in support of said regiment, otherwise I could be regarded as a prat or Walter Mitty type.

[Taskr]

Why are you wearing that red and black striped tie?

- I like the colours
- its my school/university/organization colours
- I like striped ties
- its my military/school/university/college tie
- it goes with the shirt and kilt
- as you now know, its a conversation starter
- was the only clean one
- my wife made me buy it/wear it



- Thank you for noticing