Your Most Misunderstood Piece of Vintage

[The Good]

I can't think of one, apart, perhaps, from ties.

I wear a tie because I feel naked without one. It's a LONG ingrained habit from my schooling days, when we weren't allowed to be around campus without one. As a result, I tend to wear one on a regular basis.

The thing is, 'round here, most people don't wear them. If you do, it's only for a "special occasion". So I do occasionally get questions like: "What are you all dressed up for?" and others along those lines.

Usually, I wear a tie for two reasons:

1. Completeness and style.

2. Warmth.

I got SICK AND TIRED of walking around with that oh-so-fashionable "open-collar" shirt-look that people love these days. Mostly because in winter, I get the wind blowing down my chest and it freezes me to the bone. Wearing a tie keeps my shirt shut, and my chest warm.

Exactly, ties can keep you warm. I find enough reason to be wearing one on a windy day even in Southern California. They are essentially like scarves. I personally have reservations about wearing an actual scarf, but a tie fills that role for me already.

Once in a small while, I get "Are you going to an interview," or "Where are you going?" type of questions for that. Wearing a hat seems to reduce those type of questions, as people wearing suits and ties for a job interview rarely if ever wear one.

 

[Isshinryu101]

The bright side is being hit on by the Amish gals lol

How does that usually work out?

 

[AtomicEraTom]

It's a lotta fun, but to them, not worth a shun

How does that usually work out?

 

[Hal]

I wear a tie because I feel naked without one. It's a LONG ingrained habit from my schooling days, when we weren't allowed to be around campus without one. As a result, I tend to wear one on a regular basis...
Usually, I wear a tie for two reasons:
1. Completeness and style.
2. Warmth.
I got SICK AND TIRED of walking around with that oh-so-fashionable "open-collar" shirt-look that people love these days...Wearing a tie keeps my shirt shut, and my chest warm.

Hear, hear! I couldn't agree more!
The open-collar shirt with a jacket, let alone with a suit, has always looked sloppy and unfinished to me. What is more, wearing a suit with an open-collar shirt is a MORE uniform and LESS individual look than wearing a tie.
The tieless-but-jacketed look calls to mind the sentence at the end of James Powers' postings, concerning those who think they are rebellious but are in fact the opposite.

 

[scottyrocks]

I love going out in a jacket, tie, and waistcoat. My wife, and friends, however, think I'm overdressed for most casual occasions.

Last weekend we had a dinner date and I decided I was going to split the difference. As collared shirts are not completely looked down upon in my circle, I wore a dress shirt buttoned all the way up with no tie, and a waistcoat, and a watch and chain. I didn;t feel sloppy buttoned up to the neck, and I think I was 'casual' enough to not make anyone uncomfortable. At any rate, I liked the look, so I'm going to use it often.

What is misunderstood? That this particular outfit is not 'dressed up,' at least for me.

 

[Hal]

I love going out in a jacket, tie, and waistcoat. My wife, and friends, however, think I'm overdressed for most casual occasions.
Last weekend we had a dinner date and I decided I was going to split the difference. As collared shirts are not completely looked down upon in my circle, I wore a dress shirt buttoned all the way up with no tie, and a waistcoat, and a watch and chain. I didn;t feel sloppy buttoned up to the neck, and I think I was 'casual' enough to not make anyone uncomfortable. At any rate, I liked the look, so I'm going to use it often.

I agree that this particular outfit is not "dressed up"; it's an interesting attempt. But surely the waistcoat, watch and chain are some degrees ABOVE the tie on the formality scale? To me there's incongruity here. I simply don't understand the prejudice against the tie.

 

[kiwilrdg]

The bright side is being hit on by the Amish gals

Wouldn't that mean thou were looking quite plain?

I once went to see a movie after work in Williamsburg, VA with some friends. We didn't bother to change out of 17th century kit. I heard a visitor (tourist) behind me whispering "I think they're like the Amish." At first that seemed odd then I realized it was a compliment because our kit was seen as clothing rather than costumes.

 

[rue]

Hats. I bought a few of them and tried wearing them out and about and people looked at me even more strangely, so I stopped. Well, all except for my cloche when it's snowing

 

[Isshinryu101]

I love going out in a jacket, tie, and waistcoat. My wife, and friends, however, think I'm overdressed for most casual occasions.

Last weekend we had a dinner date and I decided I was going to split the difference. As collared shirts are not completely looked down upon in my circle, I wore a dress shirt buttoned all the way up with no tie, and a waistcoat, and a watch and chain. I didn;t feel sloppy buttoned up to the neck, and I think I was 'casual' enough to not make anyone uncomfortable. At any rate, I liked the look, so I'm going to use it often.

What is misunderstood? That this particular outfit is not 'dressed up,' at least for me.

Don't have a waistcoat, but was ALWAYS told I was overdressed just for wearing a sportjacket, buttondown shirt & tie. This is the sad state of the US now, I think. It's "strange" to wear a suit or sportjacket, except to work, weddings & funerals.

 

[Isshinryu101]

Hats. I bought a few of them and tried wearing them out and about and people looked at me even more strangely, so I stopped. Well, all except for my cloche when it's snowing

The heck with that, wear those hats.

 

[BR Gordon]

The heck with that, wear those hats.

Hear, hear!!

 

[jamespowers]

Hear, hear!!

I second that.

 

[rue]

The heck with that, wear those hats.

Hear, hear!!

I second that.

I'll give it another whirl then

 

[jamespowers]

I'll give it another whirl then

Good!

 

[rue]

Good!

 

[Auld Edwardian]

There are several items that at times that draw less than polite comments at times. Some of them are: 1. My Bowler & Straw Boater hats from Locks in London. (Which I got in 1985 when I was in London. A fine firm I might add) 2. My pocket watches, chains and fobs. 3. My pinz nez specks. 4. And natty summer blazer I have that works nicely with my straw boater. However my wife has always like the way I dress, even before we were married. I personally care little what others say or think of a rude nature. And some of them have precious little room to talk considering WHAT THEY ARE WEARING!

 

[Shangas]

I've NEVER seen anyone wear Pince Nez. I can imagine that would draw comments. The others, I don't see why they should.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

I've NEVER seen anyone wear Pince Nez. I can imagine that would draw comments. The others, I don't see why they should.

Believe it or not they have all drawn comments, but the Pinz Nez get the most, especially my polarizing pair.

 

[scottyrocks]

I agree that this particular outfit is not "dressed up"; it's an interesting attempt. But surely the waistcoat, watch and chain are some degrees ABOVE the tie on the formality scale? To me there's incongruity here. I simply don't understand the prejudice against the tie.

In my experience, it is really the tie that puts it 'over the top' for most people. I think I might've even been able to add a sport jacket and had less objections than if I had added the tie without the jacket.

 

[Hal]

In my experience, it is really the tie that puts it 'over the top' for most people. I think I might've even been able to add a sport jacket and had less objections than if I had added the tie without the jacket.

This is probably a USA/UK difference. The tieless-but-jacketed look, though it was undoubtedly around in the 1930s and 1940s, was very much frowned on here during my formative years (the later 1950s, the period of my stylistic preference). Like Shangas, I LOATHE this "open-collar shirt" look. It briefly appeared in the early 1970s but came with a vengeance in the later 1990s. Sports jacket and tie has been accepted as professional and social wear in the UK for many decades now; as a teacher it was my daily "uniform" and is what I still wear to social events. I cannot see how adding a jacket to an open-necked-shirt ensemble adds any style or smartness (in the British sense of that word) at all.