School tie

School tie
Uddingston Grammar School Ties.jpg
Sjacs tie.jpg
For the 1992 film directed by Robert Mandel see School Ties.

The school tie and the old school tie are a style of necktie which are British institutions particularly associated with public schools.

Contents

School tie

A school tie indicates membership of a particular school, and sometimes of a particular house in that school.

Old school tie

An old school tie is a tie that, on leaving school, former pupils are often entitled to wear, in their school or old-boy club colours. According to protocol, it may only be worn by former pupils. This symbol can be a discrete passport to the old boy network, and such ties can be an indication of one's social standing. Conversely, wearing a tie to which you have no right is a serious social gaffe.[1][2]

Although originally an institution of male-only schools, some schools of mixed or female-only membership do present their female leavers with a tie or other equivalent. Alternative clothing such as socks, scarfs pyjamas and even underwear may also be available in the old-boy colours.

Exclusive ties are not limited to British public schools: they are also a practice of some private schools in Australia, many clubs, military regiments and colleges of universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, and have also spread to some of Britain's former imperial possessions, including Canada and the United States.

As a metaphor

The 'old school tie' is used by the British press as a metaphor for old-boy social networks, nepotism, and the relatively disproportionate success of former pupils of major public schools, especially in politics and business. For example, after the 2010 General Election, The Times noted that 6% of the parliamentary Tory Party were Old Etonians, under the headline "Tories’ old school tie still rules".[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Old School Tie Is So Exclusive That Almost Anyone With A Neck Has One". Sports Illustrated. 19 April 1965. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1077131/index.htm. Retrieved 16 November 2010. 
  2. ^ "The Old School Tie". The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany London. http://www.london.diplo.de/Vertretung/london/en/02/Kanzlei__und__Residenz/An__Embassy__in__Belgrave__Square/Old__School__Tie__Seite.html. Retrieved 16 November 2010. 
  3. ^ "Tories’ old school tie still rules". The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7120770.ece. Retrieved 17 November 2010. 



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Look at other dictionaries:

  • school tie — n 1.) a special tie with a particular colour or pattern that children wear at some schools in Britain 2.) the old school tie BrE informal the unofficial system by which people who went to the same school, especially an expensive one, help each… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • school tie — n. OLD SCHOOL TIE * * * …   Universalium

  • school tie — school′ tie′ n. old school tie • Etymology: 1930–35 …   From formal English to slang

  • school tie — n. OLD SCHOOL TIE …   English World dictionary

  • school tie — noun (C) 1 a special tie with a particular colour or pattern that children wear at some schools in Britain 2 the old school tie BrE informal the unofficial system by which people who went to the same school, especially an expensive one, help each …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • school tie. — See old school tie. [1930 35] * * * …   Universalium

  • school tie — noun : old school tie …   Useful english dictionary

  • school tie. — See old school tie. [1930 35] …   Useful english dictionary

  • school tie — noun A necktie designated as (part of a) school uniform Alumni of prestigious schools fondly wear their school ties as a badge of honor …   Wiktionary

  • old school tie — n the old school tie BrE the situation that exists when people who went to the same private school use their influence to help each other get work or other advantages ▪ a system based on social class and the old school tie …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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