Neckties and Culture Clashes

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad not wearing a necktie

The Government of Iran bans ties


Across the globe there are stark differences in the acceptance of men´s ties.   The strange fashion trends and the diverse opinions of neckties in modern society as a result of the acceptance of casual dressing, religious, ethnic, political or legal influence may surprise you.

As a sign of zero détente of late between the west and Iran there is new crackdown on Western, “Non-Islamic” fashion.  The Iranian government has banned men from wearing neckties again!

Former Iranian President Ahmadinejad, who never wears a necktie in public, has said that no religious leader has banned the tie, which since the 1979 Islamic revolution has been regarded as a symbol of Western culture.

Unlike Iran's current clerically-influenced dress code, ties were popular before the Islamic revolution.  Regarded as an icon of western decadence selling neckties was banned in Iran after the 1979 Islamic revolution however the ruling was mostly ignored.

Despite the ban on selling neckties, wearing a tie has not actually been an offence.   It is not considered acceptable for government employees to wear neckties.   Many men working in private companies wear ties on the job.   Some universities in Iran allow students to wear ties and wedding bridegrooms will wear a necktie now, many who have never worn one in the past. 

The extreme religious Muslims of Iran just do not want to look like Americans.  Personally I think that this is just a bit too extreme.  It is just a tie for Gods sake.  I wonder if they would outlaw Turbans if the men of the USA wore them.  I bet not, although this would never be as the same sentiments concerning the necktie for them would be conveyed towards the Turban by Americans.  The necktie, the turban our respectful governments have done a great job in indoctrinating the masses with propaganda driven by greed and intolerance of religious faith and foreign custom.



The ever sagging lower and
lower pants in the USA

There is a special religious police force in Iran that takes a very serious stand on loose hijabs and inappropriate hairstyles and beards.  This concept of a "fashion police force" would be a great idea for the west when considering men that wear their trousers well below the waist exposing their boxer shorts.  That enforcement of dressing would really makes sense unlike the objection to wearing neckties or not.  I wonder if young men in Iran wear their pants low enough to expose their underwear for the whole world to see. If so, surely those fashion police officers would be overlooking a mere infraction like the adorning of the necktie accessory.