Ruche Ties

**Steve Ashton** · 25th February 25, 06:55 PM

The story goes that a clerk in a formal wear rental shop had a lot of ascots left over from back when and no one was renting them anymore.
So he tied an ascot into a 4-in-hand knot and called it a Ruche tie.

Ruche - defined by the Oxford Dictionary is - a strip of pleated or frilled lawn, lace, etc, used to decorate blouses, dresses, etc, or worn around the neck like a small ruff as in the 16th century

**Macman** · 25th February 25, 11:01 PM

Never worn one, never will. I'll stick to a bow tie.

**figheadair** · 25th February 25, 11:57 PM

Ruche ties scream hire shop wedding outfits. Having the misfortune to see one in a photograph is the closest I'd ever want to get to one.

GG · 26th February 25, 02:07 AM

Except for black-tie and white-tie events, hardly any men will wear a tie anymore, not even lawyers, bankers, and top Level management - at least not i Scandinavia.

**Jock Scot** · 26th February 25, 04:22 AM

I wear a tie most days except when I am on the farm where my sons have very sensibly introduced a "no tie" rule, amongst their "Health and Safety" regulations.

**Tomo** · 26th February 25, 04:47 AM

Most certainly a nay from me - wouldn't be seen dead in one

**Tomo** · 26th February 25, 04:52 AM

Originally Posted by GG

not even lawyers, bankers, and top Level management - at least not i Scandinavia.

As a lawyer, in Northern Europe, working for a Swedish company - my usual 'business' attire is T-shirt and Jeans - I don't think I have regularly worn a tie since about 2004 when I left a somewhat stuffy law firm in Nottingham - but the firm I was at before them adopted dress down (unless meeting clients) as early as 2000...

**CBH** · 26th February 25, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by GG

Except for black-tie and white-tie events, hardly any men will wear a tie anymore, not even lawyers, bankers, and top Level management - at least not i Scandinavia.

The US is largely the same. Even when high-visibility types still wear a suit, they usually ditch the tie.

its definitely not something I'll ever have to worry about.

**RGM1** · 27th February 25, 06:34 AM

I attended an event in tweed jacket and kilt last night with a tie and most of the men were wearing ties. Was annual business meeting for local scouting council business meeting and I would have been underdressed without it. As it was, I received some nice compliments. Helps to know audience.
Rare scouting meeting when scout uniform was not most common attire.
Audience heavily into supporting program and acquiring donations, many of whom would be comfortable in C level meetings.

**OC Richard** · 27th February 25, 07:21 AM

The thing about those hideous ruche ties is where did they come from in the first place?

It would be nice to know specific dates and places.

My impression is that they're recent. I can certainly remember a time when nobody wore them and I didn't see them in Hire Shops.

And they don't seem to exist in non-Highland contexts.

I just checked some London formal wear hire shops and they only have normal ties https://www.oliverbrownlondon.com/en...ns/hire?page=1

I also just checked some USA tux rental places and ditto, just ordinary bow ties and long ties.

Were ruche ties a thing for a while in non-Highland UK formal hire? Or have they always been a Kilt Hire thing only?

PS I just looked over some old 1980s kilt wedding photos online and the men are wearing either plain black bow ties or lace jabots (which I could also do without).

And there's this. Why choose between ruche and bow tie when you can do both?