Ties,regimental,university,college, club.

[Cavebear58]

12345

[macwilkin]

I'm fascinated where all the organisations come from and get their names from? Other than freemasons, who seem to me to be a very different beast in the UK to the USA, (but that's only as an outsider) we don't really get anywhere near as many of these kinds of outfit. What's their history and why do you chaps have so many of them with such exotic sounding names?

Cheers, Graham.

The Society of King Charles the Martyr is a UK Anglican organisation with a North American branch. It is a devotional society to Charles I, martyred by Cromwell and the Roundheads.

The International Order of St. Vincent is also an Anglican devotional order for altar servers, sub-deacons, vergers, etc. But again, the British counterpart, The Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary has us beat in the name department. St. Vincent of Saragossa is the patron saint of acolytes and altar servers.

Finally, MOLLUS is a hereditary society for descendants of Union Army officers in the Civil War. It was started not long after Lincoln's murder, and many prominent Federal officers were members, including Scottish-American and Medal of Honor receipient, Arthur MacArthur. Much like the Grand Army of the Republic, once its original members began to pass to the final muster, the organisation allowed sons and grandsons of members to join.

If you look hard enough in the UK, you'll find some organisations with exotic-sounding names as well.

Regards,

Todd

[gilmore]

...We in the UK wear more ties than you chaps over there,that I understand,but we over here have a more subtle way of demonstrating our,military past,university past, college, or club than you chaps seem to do over there.We don't go in for unit badges,insignia and all that over here, when retired. What do we do?We wear a tie! ...
I understand that regimental,club,university,college ties are not common in the USA, they do exist, I will prove it in a minute!The great thing is that these ties do go well with the kilt for any sort of business,church type function. I am surprised that as the USA are renowned for picking up on good ideas this one has not taken off over there. You ex military men(not sure that the ex military women would be interested) could have your own unit ties. I note that the 101st airborne do, by the way!

...

I suspect that much of Americans' not wearing such ties has to do with the weather. In most of the country it's so much warmer most of the year than in the UK. Ties hold heat, and just aren't as comfortable to wear as an open shirt. In fact there is an ecological debate about energy wasted in cooling office buildings sufficiently for men in suits and ties to feel comfortable, rather than men simply not weating jackets and ties at work. And as more women enter the workplace wearing skirts, dresses, and blouses not usually buttoned at the neck, they often come down on the side of not cooling offices.

Nonetheless, ties with diagonal stripes are aesthetically pleasing, I think, and there was a vogue for them in the 1950's-70's. I guess one would characterize them as pseudo-regimental or old school ties, that didn't represent anything.

[Jock Scot]

Funnily enough Matt, some colours of regimental/club ties have such odd hues that they match up with very little! Yet they are worn with pride from funerals(oh yes!) to weddings, from a garden party at Buckingham Palace to Henley Regatta ,tennis at Wimbledon to the grouse moors of Perthshire, around the home to going to the pub and no one worries one jot if the colours match.

[McMurdo]

I too knew of regimental ties and was recently given my Uncles Royal Navy tie, he severed in WWII. I however will not wear it. I believe the same as Jock if you were not part of a particular regiment, university, college or club wearing the tie associated with it is simply bad form.

[Bugbear]

I have several ties with diagonal stripes, but I can't think of any thing that I have belonged to that had a tie like the ties being discussed.

Unfortunatly, I have one tartan four-in-hand tie.

[dfmacliam]

I have actually been doing a search the past few days for a Marine Corps Regimental Tie.. I have found two different ones but both have the red and gold stripe similar to the Royal Marine stripes but with no space between the red and gold.. Sgt Grit has one with a blue back ground and several other sites have one with a green background... I rather fancy the green tie myself and will probably be ordering it the next day or so..

Yes Jock, your words do not fall on deaf ears..and I do pay attention to what's said.. I believe this is a tradition I will start using more often..... And thank you.

[Galician]

Is it just me, but does wearing a striped tie not seem to clash with tartan? When I do wear a tie while kilted, I prefer a solid color.

[macwilkin]

Is it just me, but does wearing a striped tie not seem to clash with tartan? When I do wear a tie while kilted, I prefer a solid color.

This is an American worry that generally does not afflict Highland Scots.

Take a look at the photos of HRH the Duke of Rothesay and see how sharp striped ties are with tartan, especially when worn with a waistcoat.

T.

[davedove]

If anyone is interested, Medals of America, http://www.usmedals.com/, has a selection of regimental style ties for the different services, some based on different medals, and other classifications.