On the subject of neckties, a quote from Linda Ellerbee that I just love:

[niyad]

If men can run the world, why can't they stop wearing neckties? How intelligent is it to start the day by tying a little noose around your neck?

[MiHale]

1. Haven't worn a tie since my early 30's...

Or a belt..come to think of it tied up shoes. All the stuff they take away when you go to prison.

Getting out in a couple months…

[niyad]

4. we look forward to your return to society!!

[erronis]

13. Great to see your postings.

Please keep them up with some perhaps very good perspectives.

[MiHale]

47. If you're referring to my being in prison...

It was a very lame attempt at a joke. I have a kinda sarcastic dark side.

[2naSalit]

80. LOL!

[Biophilic]

2. Oh, my, goodness. Perfect.

Why on earth do they wear those things? Perhaps we should go back a couple hundred years for men’s clothing. They would still look ridiculous, but at least they would be colorful.

[demigoddess]

54. they wear ties to cover the buttons on the shirt.

[Biophilic]

65. Who knew buttons were bad. We women do all sorts of things with buttons.

[MyOwnPeace]

59. OK, but just so we don't end up with........

'THE PUFFY SHIRT!'

[sheshe2]

3. Lol

😂

[Deuxcents]

5. Maybe it's symbolism..they'd rather tie a knot

Around our necks for control.

[niyad]

7. more than likely.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

6. One of the mysteries of all times. nt

[yonder]

8. Great line and the question remains: Why knot?

I dont think I've heard her name since watching that late night news show she did with Hugh Downs 40 some years ago — which was close to the last time I wore a tie.

[niyad]

12. Snicker

[Aristus]

9. Um...excuse me...Hi!

Have to offer a little defense of the necktie. I wear a tie every day to clinic, even though it's not required. The PA who trained me practices medicine in cargo pants and an old sweater. And he's a brilliant clinician. But I wear a tie to show my respect for my homeless patients, who otherwise don't get many gestures of respect in the course of their day.

But at any rate, I love wearing ties. It's a rare case of a man being 'permitted', I guess, to wear something colorful that's purely for a decorative effect. I own over a hundred neckties (and about six or seven bow ties, although I never wear those to work), and I like to pair up a nice colorful one with an equally colorful shirt (no white-shirt-blue-tie, a la IBM management for me). In an increasingly careless, overtly casual society, where people wear pajamas to the movies, and cargo shorts and sandals to a fine-dining establishment, I like to jazz things up a bit. I know that makes me sound like a square, disapproving conservative wanker. But anyone who knows me knows I'm not.

Finally, I'm a pretty ordinary, unremarkable-looking guy. But when I dress up a bit, I feel better-looking. And when I wear a full suit-and-tie rig for dinner out, or black tie to the opera, I get complimented on my looks. Even though I know they're really complimenting what I'm wearing, it makes me feel good.

[niyad]

11. My Dear Aristus, you are, as ever, absolutely one of a very special, and best, kind.

I admire that you wear a tie as a gesture of respect for your clients, a most thoughtful action on your part. And I understand the fashion thing--some ties are truly gorgeous works of art, and some are just delightfully fun. As long as it is YOUR choice.

I can just imagine you in black tie, a truly impressive sight.

[Aristus]

17. I love getting dressed up for a night on the town.

When I was younger, and just discovering the power of clothing in making a statement, I vowed that I would one day be the kind of man who owns his own tuxedo. Now I own two of them; a traditional black one by Calvin Klein, and a smart-looking gray evening suit by Vera Wang. I also have a black-and-midnight-blue check dinner jacket, a Casablanca-style white dinner jacket, and (huge overindulgence) a silver brocade jacket that I had custom-fitted.

I also taught myself how to tie a bow tie. At the end of an evening out, I get to untie it and let it hang down the way Frank Sinatra used to do. I think if more guys knew how fun evening wear can be, they'd be less likely to call it a monkey suit.

[niyad]

19. Most impressive. Would love to see pics of the jackets???

Last edited Sat Sep 23, 2023, 05:15 PM - Edit history (1)

[Aristus]

26. If I can figure a way to upload them.

I had a free account with Photobucket for years. That was my source for uploading personal pics to DU. But then they started charging for their accounts, so I let it lapse, and they de-activated it. I'm sure I'll come up with another way.

[soldierant]

48. Do you ever read any site that uses Disqus for comments?

To use a picture in a Disqus comment, one needs to upload it from one's computer (drag amd drop works but I gereallt use File Expolorer myself because I'm a klutz.) Then Disqus assigns a URL tp it, and you can use that URL to post a picture anyplace which needs a URL.

I have never tried loading the picture and then not posting the comment after the URL is assigned,, nor have I tried posting the comment, saving the URL, then deleting the comment at Siqus. But there is a possibility that might work. The URL assigned is visible before posting.

[A HERETIC I AM]

60. Postimage

Try these guys;

https://postimages.org/


I use them and since I don't have 10,000 images on there, it's never a problem.

Also for videos that I want to share on DU, instead of uploading them to my YouTube account, I use Vimeo;

https://vimeo.com/

To show quality, here's one I uploaded a month or so ago that is a conversation with the owner of a home on Fort Myers Beach that got washed away by Hurricane Ian. The video of that went viral. It's in vertical format because I intended it for my TikTok account.;

vimeo.com/843974735

They allow 5 GB of free usage, then the fees start at $7 per month allowing 5GB of uploads a WEEK, which is way more than I need.

When I get to the 5GB limit for the free account, I'll just delete an older vid I linked on a post on DU. Nobody is looking at videos I put up here 2 or 3 years ago.

[NBachers]

69. I use Imgur. It's easy, free, and trouble free.

[catchnrelease]

41. This sounds like one of my grandsons

He's 25 now and for several years has had a love of dressing well. He owns several suits that he bought in the UK when he did a course there. The full deal with coat, slacks, waistcoats etc. And not just in black or grey, but subtle plaids too. He has learned how to tie a tie with different kinds of knots, not just the traditional Windsor. And must have the pocket square as well.

No idea where this all came from but he's really into it. He's very quiet and introverted, so maybe he's letting his attire speak for him? (He does love historical things like fighting in armor, axe throwing, beer brewing etc. So maybe it's all cosplay in his mind, lol.)

[2naSalit]

81. +1

[fierywoman]

14. Beautiful! And I would wager that you address your clients as Sir or Ma'am.

[Aristus]

20. I don't actually. I usually address them by their first names.

My outfit might be business, but my demeanor is casual. I love my patients, and they know that. We don't really stand on ceremony during a clinic visit.

[MagickMuffin]

15. Have you ever tied your tie like these? They make ties look even better

?si=dtgjngdcvTJsCpYC

[niyad]

22. In some of the novels I read set in Regency and Victorian times, the descriptions of the cravats

and the intricate, complicated ties just cracks me up. It was a wonder some of those people could breathe.

[Aristus]

29. Beau Brummel used to complain that it took him an hour to make his cravat

look as if it had been carelessly and hastily tied.

There's something about that that is hilarious.

[niyad]

34. Speaking of bow ties--I was just watching an episode of "Gaudy Night", the third

of the Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane Mysteries, and Lord Peter has just tied his evening tie. Bunter says that it is too perfect, not quite the done thing. Peter fusses, reties it, and Bunter says, "perfect. That is to say, slightly flawed." I do adore Bunter in this series.

[Aristus]

37. I'll have to see if we can watch that on our streaming service.

The number of British television series Mrs. Aristus and I watch outnumber the American ones by probably three to one.

I used to watch the Jeeves & Wooster series when it was on. When Bertie Wooster was dressing in black tie or white tie for the evening, he used to hold one tail of his tie in his teeth until he had formed the first loop of the tie, then he let the other end fall before tying the knot.

I thought that was a very eccentric way of tying a bow tie.

[niyad]

38. I have been watching them just on youtube. Strong Poison, Have His Carcass, Gaudy Night.

I adore Jeeves and Wooster, watched them all years ago.

[Aristus]

23. I haven't. Those look great! I don't know if I have the skill to tie it like that.

I know four ways to tie a necktie, and I thought that was the height of sophistication. I can see I still have a lot to learn!

[ProfessorGAC]

57. I Used The One On The Upper Left

But, it was too easy to get too tight too soon & it wouldn't look right.
Since I could tie a Windsor is 10 seconds with my eyes closed, I abandoned it.

[Aristus]

68. I usually go for a half-Windor, and I had it down to muscle memory by the time

I was twelve.

When I was in the Army, I had to tie all of my buddies' neckties when we got dressed up in Class A's, because hardly any of them had ever tied a tie before. One guy in my platoon used a four-in-hand knot, which is what the Army recommends. But since the Army's knotting diagram sucked, so did my buddy's finished tie.

[catchnrelease]

42. I have to send this to my grandson!

I know he has used a couple of those but not sure if he knows all of them.

[betsuni]

24. I love ties!

Same as wearing a scarf, a way to add something to your outfit and show personality.

My husband had an enormous tie collection that he gave away after retirement. They were beautiful! Each one had a story -- a few of them he had bought in thrift stores in the States still had their price tags on, he loves a bargain and to remember where he bought it and what we did that day.

[EarnestPutz]

25. Um...excuse me...Hi! (Returning your polite greeting) Occasionally someone on DU just....

....makes my day with a comment that gives me hope that kindness and respect will eventually win out in this world. You, sir, have done that today. I'm moving you up to the top of my list of favorite folks on this website.

[Aristus]

30. That's very kind. Thank you!

^
|
|
|

This isn't me, but I like the way he dresses.

[EarnestPutz]

39. You're welcome. Your take on colorful ties and pajamas in the movie theater also match my.....

.....own small hopes and grievances. You wouldn't be a 75 year old, male baby-boomer by chance, would you? Ex-hippie?

[Aristus]

45. I'm a fifty-five year-old Gen X-er, military veteran, reformed Republican

(oh the shame!), and once upon a time, a very boring khakis and polo dresser. Now I love tailored clothing and have the wardrobe of my dreams.

Never a hippie, but I owe a huge debt of thanks to an ex-hippie I knew in college. I was a straight-laced, stick-in-the-mud Southern boy, and a real annoying rah-rah patriot. He was a laid back guy named Mike, and we used to talk a lot in-between classes. He really helped me loosen up and embrace my inner liberal. If he saw me today, a staunch, die-hard liberal Democrat who embraces peace and love, the whole ball of wax, I like to think he'd be very proud.

[EarnestPutz]

51. Nice. Even better. Again, you've made my day.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

27. Great explanation for this SoCal surfer turned P.E. teacher. Not a lot of neck-ties in my group. nt

[3catwoman3]

31. You don't sound like a square to me.

Dynamic shirt and tie combinations are a joy to look at. Carry on!

I, too, like to dress well, and since retiring, I do miss that. I get a chance this evening. I’m going to a play that is a satirical look at women’s roles in the 1950s. Attendees are encouraged to wear 1950s fashion, so I am trying to channel Audrey Hepburn crossed with the Beatniks - skinny black pants, a crisp white blouse, a black and white scarf in my hair, and black ballet flats. And big silver hoop earrings. Te performance is entitled 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche. I was born in 1951, so i,m sure there will be many things I will recognize whe looking back on my mom and her friends.

If you enjoy whimsical socks, you might like a subscription sock delivery service called Sock Fancy. They pick the socks, and you can choose the plan - once a month, once a quarter, etc. I gave my sons this for Christmas for about 3 years in their early and mid twenties, and they enjoyed it. My older son made the amusing and cogent comment that, “You know you’re growing up when you are happy to get socks for Christmas. If you were 8, you’d cry.” How true.

[Aristus]

33. Your outfit sounds lovely, and I'm sure you'll be lovely in it.

I've always found flat shoes on a woman incredibly sexy, far more so than high heels (and so much better for good foot health!)

I have about forty pairs of what I call 'crazy socks'. Mrs. Aristus helped me step out of my comfort zone on that subject a number of years ago. Before that, my thing was "socks need to match the trousers!" Now I love them, and a really good pair, along with a shirt and tie like I've already described, really jazz up an outfit for a day of clinic.

I saw Justin Trudeau of Canada likes them, too.

[3catwoman3]

77. I considered it a major triumph when...

…I got my retired military/airline pilot husband to wear dress shirts that were neither white nor blue.

[Aristus]

79. I've got shirts of every color of the rainbow.

I even hang them in my closet in the ROY G BIV configuration, because I’m just that crazy. My closet looks like a float in a pride parade.

[3catwoman3]

86. I, too, group my hang up clothes by color, although...

…I haven’t done the ROYGBIV approach. I do have shirts/tops further divided by sleeve length - long, short, and sleeveless, and turtlenecks have a grouping of their own.

Here’s to those of us who like to dress well -

[calimary]

85. Intrigued! Sock Fancy? I gotta go take a look!

[soldierant]

44. If you are getting compliments like

"That looks great on you," yeah, it's the closthes.

But if you are getting compliments like "You look great," or eve "You look great in that," Then it's you. Sure the clothes help. But the best clothes for you let you shoine through.

[Aristus]

49. The best compliment I ever received (other than from my wife) was at the opera one night.

I had just purchased my white dinner jacket, and decided to test-drive it that night at the opera. I held no illusions that I looked like James Bond. But I felt good in it. At intermission, we were having some champagne, and then Mrs. Aristus went off to the ladies room. I was just idly looking at my phone when I sensed someone drawing near. I heard a woman's voice exclaim: "You look beautiful!"

I looked up to see a dazzlingly lovely woman in a sparkly evening gown. She was breathtaking. Like Marg Helgenberger before all the plastic surgery. *Gulp!*

"So are you!" was all I was able to croak out.

Just then, a tiny, older lady (her mother, I guessed) came up to the woman and said "What are you two talking about, dear?"

"I was telling him how nice he looks."

"And I told her the same thing."

The mother said: "Ah! A mutual admiration society, eh?"

I said: "Well she started it!" and we all laughed. Then the old lady took me by the arm and said "Tell me, young man; are you staying for the rest of the opera?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Most definitely."

She patted my arm and said: "Good".

Her daughter kind of steered her away with a "Come along, mother", and flashed a brilliant smile at me over her shoulder as they walked away. I could only assume the mother was an incorrigible matchmaker.

When Mrs. Aristus got back from the ladies room, we had a good laugh about that.

I've never forgotten that compliment. The thoughtfulness shown to a complete stranger.

[soldierant]

71. I know that we are all responsible for our own actions

including their words. But, having had a moment somewhat similar in which I felt compelled to tell a complete stranger how perfectly gorgeous her dress was - it doesn't feel like you have a choice to tell the person or not to - it just pours out.

[NNadir]

10. When wearing ties became a "thing of the past" I personally felt liberated.

Interestingly, I went to a series of scientific talks last week, part of a series I regularly attend, and was surprised that the moderator of the talks was wearing a suit with a tie.

He was the only person there wearing one. It looked, frankly, odd. He's a nice guy and I like him, but, well, it was odd almost to the point of weird.

I used to feel compelled to wear ties to meetings, and it always felt exceedingly stupid, but the business culture in which I was working required it.

An upside of Covid, if there is one, is that it seemed to put the final nail in that coffin of tie wearing.

[erronis]

16. I change my tie every week. I use both sides to wipe my mouth and nose.

After a while it offends even me.

My family had a xmas tradition of trading an old tie found on the street in Salem, Mass. Every year some gent was required to wear it. It got worn out (or thrown out) eventually.

[niyad]

18. I remember reading, years ago, that neckties actually evolved from men wearing their napkins around

their necks, as opposed to just tucking them under their necks. but, a quick google earlier told me that it started with soldiers in the thirty years war.

[housecat]

21. One other thing I don't understand--besides neckties, men wear a button-up shirt and a jacket, while

women wear anything from a swimsuit to a sweater and jacket. If they can scold Fetterman for not wearing an uncomfortable uniform, does anyone mention how women's dress ranges from attractive and appropriate to ridiculous? Just look at men in suits next to women in various sleeveless tops. Sorry, I think it's stupid.

[soldierant]

46. You do know that

Susan Collins threatened to wear a bikini in protest, right?

[housecat]

64. Yes, and threatened is the right word

[soldierant]

72. She certainly meant it as a threat.

But she could pull it off better than I ever could.

[Nasruddin]

28. Johnson's view

“Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.”
- Samuel Johnson

[cutroot]

32. One day my three year old son came walking in with a jump rope tied around his neck

I immediately told him that it was dangerous and that he should remove it and never put it there again. He pointed to my tie and asked me why I do it. I took it off and never wore one again

[Duppers]

35. Most workplaces have stopped requiring ties.

Have they not?

[paleotn]

36. I despise them. Ties that is. Always have.

Outside of DC or Wall Street, they're pretty rare these days. I haven't worn a suit and tie for work stuff since the late 80's. Business casual has been the rule even when chatting with customers. If I do see someone at work sporting a suit and tie, obviously they're interviewing. Rare even at our corporate mothership and that suits me fine.

[JoseBalow]

40. If I had Thousand-Dollar suits

I'd wear a Wembly Tie

[niyad]

63. Welcome to our DU family.

[JoseBalow]

73. Thanks!

Cheers!

[Seinan Sensei]

43. Sometimes makes a difference

I usually wore a tie when I was teaching.
My distinct recollection was that students generally behaved better when I was wearing a necktie.

[spooky3]

50. I always wore suits and sometimes scarves when teaching. I

Agree that it affected how students perceived and treated you. And pantsuits for women are comfortable (and generally flattering).

[delisen]

52. That puts things into perspective. nt

[AllaN01Bear]

53. i wear a bolo

[BMW2020RT]

55. I generally don't wear ties except for a job I worked for 35 years.

We had a uniform that included a tie. Clip on ties were an option. Several of my male associates I knew to wear the clip on variety. One told me the reason he did was concern that a customer would grab him by the tie and swing him around by his neck or choke him with it. My interaction with the public was not that confrontational, so I was not fearfilled about being attacked. Mostly I wore a tied tie because that is the point. If it is a clip on it is not a tie. A man should know how to tie one whether he wears it regularly or not. I know just one knot, the half Windsor. That is enough for me.

[multigraincracker]

56. Long time ago,

I made head bands out of mine. No hair now.

[Warpy]

62. I knew a freak who went to work in a yellow tie over a red shirt

He didn't last long at that job.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

58. Funny story - At the convention center here in San Diego there were two conventions

booked: one for physical educators (adapted, aquatics, fitness, etc) and one for attorneys. My friend and I were Adapted Aquatics/P.E. teachers. We stopped in at the front reception area and the gentleman there said "you must be with the P.E. group." We looked around at the neck ties & high heels, and said "yep, we're with the shorts and tennis shoes group."

[Warpy]

61. And so it goes

She's one of the news people I miss the most.

Plus, she's correct. I suppose we can be thankful they got rid of the ruff, which had to be heavily starched and precisely ironed and the job took about 2 hours to do properly. Or the frilly type of ascot, ditto on the ironing.

Here in the southwest, the bolo tie can be substituted. It makes a better garrotte, I suppose, but the only other advantage is that one doesn't need instructions in how to tie the damned thing. It's still a silly vestige of a once grand fashion statement plus a loud announcement of masculine herd mentality.

Y'all do love your uniforms.

[90-percent]

66. Frank Zappa used to call Ellerbee

link::::https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/may/23/dad-daze-linda-ellerbee-offers-tv-journalism-tips-/

The members of the Grateful Dead tuned in. Frank Zappa and Sammy Davis Jr. would call me. Frank, who was a very bright guy, would like to debate me, and he never wanted to stop talking. I would say, ‘Frank, I have to go home and go to bed.’ ”


zappa mention is brief. there's a better article in the orlando sentinel, but it has a pay wall. Frank also conversed with Daniel Schorr, and wanted to produce a program with him Both journalists had nice eulogies about Frank on npr back then.




-90% Jimmy

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

67. Linda Ellerbee is one of my favorite people in the news business.

When local television stations stopped doing real news and turned the presenters into happy talk anchors, she coined the term "twinkies" to describe them -- pretty on the outside and no substance on the inside. Her show, "NBC News Overnight," got me through law school, along with "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood." And so it goes was her trademark closing.

[czarjak]

70. Stuffed-Shirts-Matter

[republianmushroom]

74. Like the posting

[niyad]

82. Congratulations on your 10,000 post milestone.

[treestar]

75. good one

I always felt sorry for them in the summer. With the buttoned shirt, tie and suit jacket. As a woman I could wear a short sleeved blouse with no buttons (in the 80s, recall the style with the plain blouses). Just seemed they would be sweating under all that close off of air.

[Xavier Breath]

76. I first saw her on a show she co-hosted with Lloyd Dobbins about forty years ago.

I had to use the Google machine because I couldn't recall the name of the program. It was called NBC News Overnight. It was smart and funny and came on right after Letterman, and 16 year old me on summer vacation loved it. Sadly, it didn't last long, only about 18 months. But, I still remember their sign-off "...and so it goes...."

[PatrickforB]

78. Back in the 90s we were told that wearing a necktie boosts one's IQ by 10 points in

the eyes of the beholder.

However, since they do constrict your throat, they actually reduce your IQ by 10 points.

I have not worn a tie in over six years. And, barring funerals, I don't expect to wear one again. Not even when I'm put to rest, because I'm going to be cremated. No ties for old Patrick!

[malthaussen]

83. Well, there you have it. Men *can't* run the world...

... they just expect to be treated as if they can.

-- Mal

[moniss]

84. Great quote

and I've gone both ways on suits and ties. I still like a nicely tailored suit etc. but some people take casual too far for me. I don't want to go to a supper club where some guy comes in and sits down at the table in a sweaty tank top with shorts and flip-flops. Slacks and a shirt (not a t-shirt) with shoes shouldn't be too much to ask. I'm all for jacket optional at the supper club especially in the summer. But I have decried before the loss of the times when it was special to get nicely dressed in a suit and tie to take your significant other out for dinner and dancing.