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The "tie tuck".

Mindraker

Familiar Face
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The Garden of Eden
I had a fashion question about ties -- whether or not it was considered fashionably OK, or pass?©, to tuck one's tie into the first two buttons of one's shirt. It seemed much more common in the 1950s or in the military... I hardly see a man doing it now.
(I'm going to *gasp* give you wikipedia images: http://wiki.cadetstuff.org/index.php?title=Image:Wwiicap2.jpg
http://wiki.cadetstuff.org/index.php?title=Image:Capc.jpg
)
I thought it looked kind of sharp... but my fashion sense can be a little "off" at times.
 

Johnnysan

One Too Many
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Central Illinois
Generally, I would say no. However, I do this often, but only when eating something sloppy at lunch or about to stick my head near a moving fan belt! ;)
 

OldSkoolFrat

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With certain Army uniforms from the 40's it was supposed to be worn like that. In a similar USMC style of uniforms from that same era, they only wore the tie out. B/c for a Marine to tuck his tie in the shirt, that meant that he had surrendered.
 

Mindraker

Familiar Face
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The Garden of Eden
OldSkoolFrat said:
B/c for a Marine to tuck his tie in the shirt, that meant that he had surrendered.

I had heard the "urban myth" that it meant that if a Marine tucked his tie in, he was itching for a fight. Of course, that kind of contradicts the whole "Marine corps honor"-thing.
 

thunderw21

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It became a regulation in the U.S. Army (shortly before the U.S. entered the war, I believe) that if a service jacket (the four-pocket dress jacket) wasn't worn the tie had to be tucked inbetween the 2nd and 3rd buttons. If you look at wartime pictures of soldiers in khakis or wools who are wearing ties they will be most often than not tucked in.
Cheers
 

OldSkoolFrat

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Parts Unknown
Fletch said:
Marines (at least WW2 era Marines) also got to wear collar bars. The only soldier I ever saw wear one was MacArthur, who was known for bending uniform regs.

Since Marines don't tuck the tie in, they had to use someting to keep 'em straight and not flapping around.

Generals could get away with bending the regs: Who would dare put MacArthur on report? :D
 

farnham54

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Guelph, Ontario, Canada
I was under the impression (and please don't ask for sources, I honestly can't remember--it's a brain itch, thats all) that the Army's regulation of tucking ties comes from the sheer number of ties produced--Often, the point of the tie was a bit lop-sided or rough, and by tucking it you kept a uniform look that in my opinion looks damn sharp.

I have a NOS tie that confirms this theory to some degree, but it's barely noticable--the mind sees what they want to see perhaps?

Cheers
Craig
 

Mojave Jack

One Too Many
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Yucca Valley, California
Fletch said:
Marines (at least WW2 era Marines) also got to wear collar bars. The only soldier I ever saw wear one was MacArthur, who was known for bending uniform regs.
I'll have to hunt it up, but I have a pic of Hap Arnold wearing a collar bar, too. I believe he was a light bird at the time, but I'll have to check.

I've never seen any photos of anyone but the military wearing their ties tucked. I think that had more to do with safety and practicality than fashion. Ties were a required part of the uniform, but you obviously don't want them getting caught up in the breech of your artillery piece!

Has anyone seen any photos of civilians wearing their ties that way, other than for somespecific purpose, like checking their oil?
 

Haversack

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Clipperton Island
Two professions which from time to time have also practised the tie-tuck for practical reasons are waiters and draftsmen/engineers/architects. Waiters, who often are not permited to wear jewelry such as a tie-tack or tie bar, need to restain their tie so that it doesn't fall forward into their customers' dinner when they have to lean forward. Similarly, people who worked at a drafting table need to keep their ties from falling forward onto the board where things like graphite and ink live. Of course, so many architects resorted to bow ties instead that the bow tie almost became synonimous with architect.

Haversack.
 

Orgetorix

Call Me a Cab
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2,241
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Louisville, KY...and I'm a 42R, 7 1/2
Haversack said:
Of course, so many architects resorted to bow ties instead that the bow tie almost became synonimous with architect.

Example A (Le Corbusier):
lecorbusierzq9.jpg
 

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