Clip-on tie

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For more on Neckties see: Necktie
Clip-on tie. Inset: Metal Clip used to fasten it onto the front of a shirt
Clip-on tie. Inset: Metal Clip used to fasten it onto the front of a shirt

The clip-on tie is a bow tie or four-in-hand tie which is permanently tied into its knot with a dimple just below the knot, which is fixed only to the front of the shirt collar by a metal clip. It is primarily a 20th-century innovation. Many types of occupations require their personnel to wear clip-on ties for safety or efficiency reasons. These occupations include police, paramedics, and engineers.

Other people may wear a clip-on tie in lieu of a standard necktie if they do not know how to tie one, while others feel it is less constrictive than a standard necktie.

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[edit] Occupations commonly employing clip-on ties

  • Police officers, security guards - Standard issue as a precaution against the possibility of officers being strangled or pulled by a standard tied necktie. Often worn with a tie clip to stop the tie 'flying' in the wind, resulting in a neat uniform appearance.
  • Paramedics, first responders - Generally recommended, but not compulsory. Worn for safety, but also for ease of application and removal.
  • Engineers - Typically suggested if working around machinery, due to the possibility of a standard necktie presenting a danger if caught between moving parts.

[edit] School Uniform Ties

Some private schools requiring students to wear a necktie have encountered problems with pupils tying their ties improperly. Some of these schools have implemented clip on ties to eliminate this problem.

[edit] Additional reasons for use

  • Some people either do not know how, or do not feel comfortable, tying a standard necktie.
  • Arm amputation or other disabilities may make it impossible to tie a standard necktie.

[edit] Criticisms of the clip-on tie

  • People in white collar occupations are often mocked for wearing a clip-on tie in lieu of a standard necktie, the implication being that refusal to learn how to tie a "proper" tie reflects a wider lack of sophistication.
  • Clip-on ties are often available in limited styles, sizes, and prints relative to their conventional counterparts.

[edit] See also