Tom Roper's Weblog

Tie blog

I have meant for a long time to have a tie photo blog, where I would record every tie I wore, every day. I've finally got round to it, and created a tie set in Flickr.

I shall add to it every day I wear a tie, with notes on provenance, knot, and sometimes the reason I chose the tie. The pictures are so far all taken with an iPhone. Readers who would like to investigate the fascinating topological theory behind tie knots, as well as understanding the history and the more practical aspects of tying them are recommended to read the following:
Pink, Thomas and Yong, Mao
The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie
London: Fourth Estate, 1999

The last word on striped ties...

...I promise. But here are those that lurk in my wardrobe:

From left to right, a pink and blue stripe from Hackett, sadly stained with coffee, an Old Persean tie, the next two, both from Hackett, are red on navy and a blue on yellow in linen; last of all, a Liberty tie. Liberty seem to have stopped making ties themselves. The last time I visited their shop, their own designs were nowhere to be seen.

American striped ties slant in the opposite direction. There are the bizarre traditions about old school ties; there used to be two versions, the crested one shown above and a plain one. It was considered more correct to war one in town and the other in the country, but I can't remember which. That admirable work, the Book of Public School Old Boys, University, Navy, Army, Air Force & Club Ties, London, Seeley Service, with an introudction by John Betjeman, may help. I have a copy in the garage.

Once more on striped ties

After posting my diatribe this morning, it occurred to me that readers might reasonably ask if striped ties may be found in my wardrobe. I have nothing to hide, indeed I once planned a blog devoted entirely to ties, with photographs, and daily posts showing that day's choice  accompanied by a full and frank disclosure of the reasons for my choice, accompanying shirt and suit, and so on. I have the following (photographs to follow):

Red and black diagonal striped tie from Hackett. Bought about ten years ago, slightly faux-regimental, but still good.

Blue diagonal striped tie from Liberty. Bought more recently. Good, but difficult to pair with shirts.

Old school tie: purple and white stripes on a navy ground, with pelicans. Rarely worn.

What the Well-Dressed Man is Wearing

Alas, I have no column in Milady's Boudoir but I have noticed that every second tie-wearer sports something with diagonal stripes. In pastel shades, and with stripes of irregular thickness, these bear no relation to the school ties of old, such as the purple and black forced round my neck from 1966-73. I think them rather  hideous