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The Necktie: Whence? What? Whither?
| Article
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17710 |
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Section : |
LIFE
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| Issue
Date : |
6 / 1990 |
1,992 Words |
| Author
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Wendi Winters
Wendi Winters is the fashion writer for Manhattan's West Side
Spirit as well as a special correspondent for the Antelope
Valley Press. She has written several fashion articles for THE
WORLD & I. |
Belts and braces hold pants up. Studs and cuff links keep shirts together. Watch chains prevent pocked watches from going astray. Hats warm the head and sunglasses protect the eyes. Handkerchiefs are for runny noses and sweaty foreheads. But why do men wear neckties?
A necktie has no real reason for hanging around - it's about as useful as training wheels on a Hell's Angel's Harley. Yet from a sartorial standpoint, the tie is the center of the male fashion universe, the one spot of color in an otherwise ho-hum wardrobe. Some men wear tries to amplify and broadcast their personality; others, to blend anonymously with the pinstripe crowd.
With Father's Day approaching, may gift givers focus on this seemingly innocuous strip of fabric as the "perfect" present for Dad, not quite realizing its social and emotional implications. Dad may not tell you that not just any tie will do; he may not even understand it, except subliminally. For a tie to be chosen again and again, not exiled to the back of the rack, it and its wearer need a near-perfect character match.
Personality
To understand why choosing a tie should be an art rather than an impulse, look at how men have expressed themselves through their ties. Stan Laurel used his as a distress flag, helplessly flapping it whenever he was about to get a drubbing from Oliver Hardy or the cinema villains du jour. Rodney Dangerfield tugs compulsively at his tie, almost always a wide, solid version with a thick knot, as if to reassure himself his audience is not ready to hang him, - yet.
Arsenio Hall's ties are a lot like Arsenio - suave, elegant, ahead of the pack, scented with a hint of danger. Johnny Carson's recent ties look like a lot of his shows - reruns - though those worn by substitute host/comedian Jay Leno resemble his stand-up routines - young, hip, maybe a little bizarre, but acceptable to middle America.
Frequently avoided for his willingness to ask the troublesome questions, Sam Donaldson was the pit bull among the normally respectful White House reporters during the Reagan administration. He took to sporting bright red ties to news conferences because he noted President Reagan preferred to call on female reporters in vivid red dresses, a color frequently worn by his wife, Nancy,
Pee Wee
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