Black Tie means a bow tie not a black coloured tie

[gilmore]

What is a prat?

What is a chav?

Should I be concerned?

[Nervous Jock]

What is a prat?

What is a chav?

Should I be concerned?

no, I love you crazy Americans

[xena]

What is a prat?

What is a chav?

Should I be concerned?

"Prat" is what you are likely sitting on. No, not the chair, your backside.

"Chav" is a derogatory term for child, although it can be applied to persons of almost any age. Rough equivalent to "trailer trash" without the trailer. Usually inclined to criminality, relatively uneducated and either in low paying jobs or unemployed.

Both terms are British in origin, and likely unfamiliar to people who speak "American."

No, I don't think you should be concerned. Someone is just venting. I am under the impression Chavs don't wear kilts much. Anyone from the right-hand side of the pond want to clarify?

But, I know what they mean. I went to my son's High School Graduation. Some of the parents there seemed to have the concept that having a clean T-shirt on was dressing up! I saw mullets too! Weren't they banned by international treaty?

[Carolina Kiltman]

Just have to throw in my tuppence worth. As a card carrying member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Old Farts, I am inclined to bemoan the demise of what I call "good taste" in clothing. I am not referring here to style, but to how the style is worn. I have seen T-Shirts and Jeans worn where I would wear at least a Sport Coat and a tieless shirt, and the wearer was neatly dressed. The T-shirt was clean, had no "message" on it, the Jeans were ditto, and pressed.

When I am working in my shop, I dress appropriately. When I go to a "Black Tie" dinner, I also dress appropriately. If I am mucking out a barn or stable, I dress appropriately. When I go into the "market" place, I do not wear the manure stained work clothes I wore in the barn.

That is, I think, the basic message of all the previous posts. I'll climb down now.

[Clockwork John]

Just have to throw in my tuppence worth. As a card carrying member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Old Farts, I am inclined to bemoan the demise of what I call "good taste" in clothing. I am not referring here to style, but to how the style is worn. I have seen T-Shirts and Jeans worn where I would wear at least a Sport Coat and a tieless shirt, and the wearer was neatly dressed. The T-shirt was clean, had no "message" on it, the Jeans were ditto, and pressed.

When I am working in my shop, I dress appropriately. When I go to a "Black Tie" dinner, I also dress appropriately. If I am mucking out a barn or stable, I dress appropriately. When I go into the "market" place, I do not wear the manure stained work clothes I wore in the barn.

That is, I think, the basic message of all the previous posts. I'll climb down now.

I think you really captured both the substance and tone of what was meant by the OP, as well as many who agreed with him, and several who, superficially at least, disagreed with him.

I may not be an "old fart"... I am, in fact, what you might call a "young upstart" or "whippersnapper" or something along those lines, but I agree completely.
I may have grown up poor (hell, I'm still poor, or at best "Working Class"), but I always try to dress well, and I darn sure make sure I dress as appropriately as my means permit for every occasion.

[kevinkinney]

Mind you....when Rex was hit by a cold blast of Duluth air, he completely forgot proper dress, and left his sporran in the hotel.



(hee hee, I have no idea who this gent really is, but the resemblance is striking.)

Kevin

[CDNSushi]

"Prat" is what you are likely sitting on. No, not the chair, your backside.

"Chav" is a derogatory term for child, although it can be applied to persons of almost any age. Rough equivalent to "trailer trash" without the trailer. Usually inclined to criminality, relatively uneducated and either in low paying jobs or unemployed.

Both terms are British in origin, and likely unfamiliar to people who speak "American."

Well, thank goodness SOMEBODY cleared that up. I thought it was some kind of skin condition.

As for speaking American, I've lived my entire life as an honest, humble Canadian, and I don't think I've ever seen or heard those terms until today. Funny, they didn't cover that vocabulary in college when I took English 101. Heh...