I rarely pass up the opportunity to spread a bit of gossip if it makes the competition look foolish. A correspondent in the office of a rival financial firm in Southern California has written to me. It appears the managing director there has imposed on the stockbrokers a "dimple rule" pertaining to the wearing of neck ties. All ties are to be dimpled, declares the manager, even going so far as to hold regular morning inspections of his staff. Miscreants are sent to the bog where they are expected to re-do their tie until they get it right. WTF?! It seems rather extreme. Maintaining a dimple in one's tie has always struck me as trying too hard, the mark of the grasping amateur, a concern of awkward i-gents on the interwebs. Certain neck ties lend themselves to a dimple; others do not. Technique aside, it is largely due to type and quality of cloth. So what can we conclude from this? Clients should re-assess their allegiance to a firm whose priorities are so glaringly focused elsewhere.
27 April 2011
Dimple Patrol
I rarely pass up the opportunity to spread a bit of gossip if it makes the competition look foolish. A correspondent in the office of a rival financial firm in Southern California has written to me. It appears the managing director there has imposed on the stockbrokers a "dimple rule" pertaining to the wearing of neck ties. All ties are to be dimpled, declares the manager, even going so far as to hold regular morning inspections of his staff. Miscreants are sent to the bog where they are expected to re-do their tie until they get it right. WTF?! It seems rather extreme. Maintaining a dimple in one's tie has always struck me as trying too hard, the mark of the grasping amateur, a concern of awkward i-gents on the interwebs. Certain neck ties lend themselves to a dimple; others do not. Technique aside, it is largely due to type and quality of cloth. So what can we conclude from this? Clients should re-assess their allegiance to a firm whose priorities are so glaringly focused elsewhere.
Greetings from Melbourne LBF.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I like the dimple look but I'm appalled that there are such draconian work place rules in existence today. Seems very Dickensian to me.
The Duke of Kent would probably be sacked if he worked at that office. And do you recall the way the model who featured in Bernard Roehtzel's "Gentlemen - a Timeless Fashion" wore his tie? No dimple at all and as far as I'm concerned, he was immaculately dressed.
Best wishes, Ian
Even if this rule may be quite presumtuous, I allways go for a dimple. Allways! It gives the necktie a better, 3 dimensional look. For me, it separates the one who knows from the one who doesn't know the rules of true style.
ReplyDeleteTake a look at HRH Prince Charles. He allways does a dimple even in the tiniest knots.
'Maintaining a dimple in one's tie has always struck me as trying too hard, the mark of the grasping amateur, a concern of awkward i-gents on the interwebs.'
ReplyDeleteI could never have said it better myself. An over-thought affection, in my humble view. What will dimple will dimple, sod retying it!
All this bother about the dimple must leave the knot depressed--or not. What ever happened to sprezzatura?
ReplyDeleteThis question is of little relevance to me (too) but I congratulate you on your self-advertising skills and acidic rhetorical talent! ;)
ReplyDeleteAdmiral, Dimpled cheeks and Dimples of Venus are God’s gifts to the lucky few. Dimpled ties on the other hand can be contrived by any cubicle-bound office boy, as your story evinces. Perhaps that’s why the likes of the Duke of Windsor and Errol Flynn made a point of wearing theirs without?
ReplyDeleteNice coat and tie on that coat looks great..........
ReplyDelete