Surf's Up For Richard Milhous Nixon and a Necktie

Richard Milhous Nixon Surfing in a Suit and Tie

Did the man who gave up the White House surf ?

This was one guy who really took neckties seriously.  That has been a well documented fact over the years when he was in the White House and prior those years when he was Vice President and a senator.  Recently a photograph of President Nixon with his tie loosened around his neck was recently used as comparison to what may be considered too casual for the commander in chief today who may even go tie-less..  From a post illustrating the last presidential election you can checkout the story as published  the Daily Sentinel Sept of 2012 "Loosen the tie? Why Knot  A black and white photo exists of Richard M. Nixon with his tie loosened. Eyes slightly narrowed, he looks off to the right while his left thumb and index finger rest on the real estate below his left ear.

Now concerning the photo of the president surfing - it is no secret that the 37th President of the United States had a great passion for the Pacific Ocean.  The other White House, near San Clemente, California was situated overlooking one of California's most treasured surf breaks, Trestles.  There is no evidence that President Nixon ever surfed however he did grow up in Southern California where surfing is just about a part of every young man's life at least for a while.  He did build a a bowling alley in the White House so he is on record as being a sportsman.  

I created this fun image of Richard Nixon surfing for kicks around here. In 1969 President Nixon built the 2nd White House bowling alley which may have cost a pretty penny but if he had actually been a surfing addict and he decided to build a wave machine surf pool it would have cost a lot more.  I often surfed at Trestles and never once did I see President Nixon in the line up.  That does not mean that he never rode the waves at Trestles because - if he did the Secrete Service would have cleared the beach and the surf before the commander in chief even thought about it.  

When the president was in San Clemente at the Western White House it was illegal to surf at Trestles or even be on the beach.  I know this as a matter of fact because I was arrested by the marines for surfing there one day when the president was there.  I talked my way out of that one - those were different times.

Now you may wonder what his affection for bowling or his love of California has anything to do with neckties and why I would include this post on the Blog About Ties.  The answer is, "this has nothing to do with neckties at all.  

President Nixon was very careful  regarding his style in neckties and that of his staff.  In the late 50's and during the time of his presidency neckties sent a clear message about the mindset of a man.   Nixon did wear neckties religiously and his taste was rather very conservative."  In this photo you can see Alfred Eisenstaedt adjusting Richard Nixon's tie and as well in the famous photo of a tired president still flashing his trademark victory stance he is wearing a traditional necktie fit for a serious president during his retreat from office after resigning from the Presidency.

Actually there is a great deal of interest in President Nixon's neckties on line.  It was noted in the Miami New on Nov 4th 1959 that Pat Nixon's picked out her husband's neckties when he was Vice President but he held veto power over her.  "Too shiny for television," he complained about her picks in a Beverly Hills shop. He finally settled for four of them at a cost of $54.50.

In November of 2010 the LA Times ran a piece entitled "Nixon's Neckties" which makes note of his traditionally conservative taste in neckties.

  

On Wearing Neckties

I found this post on  http://usuphilosophy.com/  

  Philosophy@Utah State   Happenings in and around the USU Philosophy program

Chalk one for neckties on the scoreboard. Finally there is some athoritive on the necktie and dressing. I have always said that a man wearing a tie was distinctive in more ways than just trying to be stylish. - Jeffrey Hunter

“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society” – Mark Twain

"The Alma Mater and the Necktie" - The problem with the loss of the necktie (and the general shabby dress of most academics these days), is that the loss of form leads to a loss of seriousness on the part of everyone involved in the education process.

I recently read an excellent book by Phillippe Beneton called “Equality by Default: An Essay on Modernity as Confinement.” Equality by default is “founded on an idea of man which breaks with all the humanism of the West. Man is pure indetermination, autonomy without a compass, liberty without a vocation, he is what he makes himself.” We have more rights in the modern age and our culture is more egalitarian, but we find ourselves dispossessed. Modern man finds himself emptied out and isolated. Since autonomy and liberty have become absolute values, and culture has been “deconstructed” and relativized to death, we have no bearings remaining to find our way. This, then, gives rise to a mechanistic understanding of the person and society as “virtues, customs, and forms recede in favor of methods, rules, and procedures.”

One chapter applies this view to academic dress (an essay called “The Alma Mater and the Necktie”). The problem with the loss of the necktie (and the general shabby dress of most academics these days), is that the loss of form leads to a loss of seriousness on the part of everyone involved in the education process. These forms (culturally inherited norms around dress and such things) help us to see distinctions “among activities, times, ways of being”. The academic who dresses in the proper form rejects the idea that everything is equivalent, that going to class is no more serious an affair than going to see a movie. The proper form of dress, then, helps to communicate the seriousness and nobility of the experience of philosophical inquiry and wonder to the student. After all, teaching is about more than transmitting information to students. Teaching also concerns teaching “attitudes of the intellect”. So, Beneton says, respect for proper academic dress help cultivate the “habitus required for intellectual life”.

One rather surprising claim – it is actually less de-personalizing to wear a “uniform” than to wear whatever one wants. When we wear whatever we want, he suggests, we make it more difficult to develop certain forms of personal relationships and to see distinctions between different activities and ways of being.

I think Beneton is really on to something with this view. One of the things I have learned from teaching large classes (150-200 students) is that form matters. In such classes, it is impossible to develop personal relationships with more than a handful of students. As such, many students make all sorts of judgments and pre-judgments about the instructor and even the discipline he teaches based on how the instructor walks into the room, what they wear, how they speak, etc. As a concrete example, I am always surprised by how often my beard comes up in my evaluations.

I have always dressed pretty well to teach, but have considered wearing a tie for some time. In particular, I have often considered wearing a bow tie. I like the bow tie because of how it looks, but I also have fond memories of them. I grew up wearing bow ties to Cotillion for many years as a child and young man. (Cotillions are ballroom dancing lessons – we learned to dance, boys learned to bow, girls learned to curtsy, we learned formal table manners and social graces, this sort of a thing).

Anyway, the Beneton essay put me over the top. Beneton is right, it is not up to me what I wear. To think it is entirely up to me is to think that I have liberty without vocation, autonomy without a compass, that I am whatever I make myself. The tie says NO to all of this modern autonomous nonsense. So, then, the tie and the bow tie will be my little contribution, the little blow I strike, against the culture of autonomy. Take that!

Philippe Beneton is a professor of political science on the Faculty of Law at the University of Rennes, France. This article was drawn from his book entitled Equality by Default.

PHILIPPE BENETON, True & False Tolerance - catholiceducation.org

Buy neckties at Nice Tie Store

All Tied Up A Man's Guide To Neckwear

NECKTIES - MEN'S ACCESSORIES

 

Written By: Grant Harris - Owner & Chief Style Consultant - Image Granted, LLC

The necktie is one of the most important and most versatile accessories a man can wear. Whether dressing up or down there is a tie for every occasion. Here we discuss the history, construction, and variety of the tie.

History

The Irishman, poet, prisoner, and eccentric dresser; Oscar Wilde; is famously quoted, "A well-tied tie is the first serious step in life". The history of the necktie dates back to 1600's when the Croatians defeated the Turks in battle while wearing silk handkerchiefs around their necks. The French King Louis XIV adopted the style for his royal regiment and the adornment eventually adopted the English when it became standard for men to wear some type of cloth around his neck. Over the years the necktie has evolved it its modern day form.

Attaching the Self Loop
Men's Flair

Construction

Originally all neckwear was cut from silk. A quality handmade necktie will be cut "on the bias" or against the grain of the fabric which gives the tie its three dimensional shape. The three main parts of the tie are the front or blade where the tie ends in a point; the neck where the tie is knotted; and the tail which is the smaller of the two sides. Most ties will have an additional piece of fabric sewn across the tail with its label. Tailors call this the "self loop" which holds the tail in place behind the blade. Try the Tiedown for another option to keep your tie in place.

Seven Fold Tie

The quality and price of tie is determined by the number of folds in the fabric. The average tie is folded on itself three times. The infamous seven fold tie is folded on itself seven times before it is fully constructed. This technique improves the "hand" or the feel of the tie when held. The more the folds the more easily the tie will hold a knot and its shape over time. On the tail of the blade there is small "slip stitch" joining the two folds of fabric. Upon folding back these two pieces of fabric there will be a long loop of thread. The purpose of this thread is to allow the tie fabric to move with the wearer according to each knot tied over time and return to its original shape.

On the reverse side of the bottom of the blade one will find the stitching of the lining. This process called "tipping" can be done in the same color and pattern as the front of the blade or in a different color and fabric. A quality handmade tie with the proper maintenance will afford the gentleman several years of enjoyable wear.

Variety

Neckwear can be had in several varieties of fabrics, colors, knits, prints, widths and shapes. Look for these options.

Fabrics

These are the most commonly found fabrics of neckties:
1. Silk - Most widely used and accepted
2. Wool - Best option for fall and winter ensembles
3. Cashmere - Most luxurious and exspensive option
4. Cotton - Least exspensive and most versatile fabric
5. Linen - Light and durable. Best worn during summer months

Colors

Ties can be found in any and all colors in the color wheel but to build a foundation a gentleman only needs the following:

1. Blue - Standard for business professionals
2. Black - Standard for formal events
3. Brown - Good option for country and/or weekend wear
4. Red - Wear this color to make a bold statement
5. Yellow and/or green - Wear during warm months as a playful option

Knit or Print

A knit tie is woven from a fabric such as silk or cashmere and has the design or graphic sewn into it. A printed tie has the design or graphic printed on the fabric itself and is not sewn in. A gentleman should have both in his wardrobe.





Silk Woven Knit Tie

  

Silk Printed Tie

Length, Width, and Shapes

Most ties come in length up to 58 inches, but extra long ties are available for men who are above average height. Tie width seems to change from generation to generation. From wide in the 70's, to skinny in the 80's, to standard in the 90's. Today ties have seen a migration back to the slim variety among younger professionals. However, the standard width accepted in most environments is 3 and 1/4 inches at its widest point. Most skinny ties will measure 2 and 1/2 inches at the widest point. Most ties worn in a professional environment will end with a pointed blade. However, many ties end a flat bottom. This is seen mostly on silk knit ties and is reserved for a casual environment.

Whether blue collar or professional, the necktie is an indispensible piece of any man's wardrobe and should be chosen with care, tied with dignity, and worn with ease (even when you don't have to). Stay tuned for our next segment on neckties where will discuss which knots to wear and how to wear them.

Check Out Image Granted For The Latest In Men's Fashion

Novelty and fashion ties at www.nicetiestore.com

Written By:
Grant Harris
Owner & Chief Style Consultant
Image Granted, LLC

"Dressing Men for the Life They Want"

CONTACT INFO:
Grant Harris, MBA
Phone - 703.554.9184
Email - corporate@imagegranted.com
Web Site - www.imageconsultant4men.com/
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Taking One Giant Step Toward Seriousness With Neckties

I found this post rather interesting.  It is dated but it is timeless in meaning and it makes a great point regarding dress codes and ties - Jeffrey Hunter


Published: November 16, 1990

To the Editor:

In "The Ties That Bind" (column, Oct. 25) William Safire commends Frank Mickens, principal of Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn, who wants to require his male students to wear neckties (news story, Oct. 19).

During my 10 years as music chairman at Boys High School (later merged with Girls High School to form the present amalgam), I often wondered what would happen if, by some wand of magic, the 3,000 boys would, just for one day, suddenly acquire notebooks and attend classes instead of loitering in the hallways and fighting in the lunchroom. Fat chance! Sadly, my fantasy was never fulfilled. Very few of the boys ever bothered to attend classes or even complete the basic academic curriculum. Perhaps neckties and a dress code might then have served as the alchemy for my magical wish.

Today, I fail to understand why there is such a fuss over a dress code for students. Any observer who has ever visited a high school knows that performing groups and gym classes (Frank Mickens was a gym teacher during my tenure at Boys High) have mandated dress for these students. Boys High School, even then, was no exception.

Manifestly, neckties do, indeed, evoke lots of noise from various missionaries. But the latent issue in this urban school is that of education. In this setting the schoolhouse must be operated and viewed as a special place if it is to be successful. Therefore, appropriate dress indicates demonstratively that those who attend this place have acquired the requisite mind-set for effective building of character. Moreover, positive attitudes and seriousness of purpose regarding education and the business of life become cherished ideals. The side effect here is the enhancement of self-esteem. Furthermore, children in urban schools, especially adolescents, constantly demand of parents and those in loco parentis that they set limits. Neckties, as a minor cog, serve as a beginning in respect of pupils demands.

I am well aware of these demands of students because I served for 14 years as principal of a difficult but highly successful New York City public school. In 1978, I mandated a dress code for pupils and teachers. The pupils and parents welcomed it; the teachers didn't. The issue went to arbitration, and I was overruled. This case dealt with teachers' dress codes in New York City. However, after this decision the school's teachers established their own dress code and became models for pupils.

I submit: The dress code works wonders; the underlying concern is the setting of boundaries for effective education of urban children. Kudos is due Frank Mickens, and blessed be the ties. WILLIAM D. WHEELER Bronx, Oct. 26, 1990

Necktie History

From left to right are a Chinese "terra cotta" 
warrior, a Croatian soldier, and Beau Brummel

The History of Neckties - from 221 B.C. to Present Time


What does Rush Limbaugh, Peter Max, Salvador Dali, Jerry Garcia, King Loui the XIV of France, Croatian Mercenaries, Napolean, and the first emperor of China have in common?  The evolution of ties !

Actually the origin of neckties is not just fashion history, the tie is part of world history. This seemingly useless accessory of clothing that men either love or hate has taken quite a path through the ages.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Read more here  Our Revised The History of Neckties

Winston Churchill and a Secrete Alien Cover Up - Rep Striped Neckties

Winston Churchill, UFO's and aliens - Check out this stuff. Churchill covered up an official Royal Airforce Bombers encounter with a UFO during WWII.  

We all know that the politicians lie so no one should be so surprised at this. Almost everyone believes in aliens from outer space dropping by for a quick "look-see" from time to time. But there is a big surprise which will be my next post that will include a really interesting photograph - INDEED  !!!

Winston Churchill and an alien wearing a necktie? If I did not see it with my own two eyes I would never have believed this.

Now to be honest, I have always believed in UFOs and aliens, heck I think I may have had a few beers with some, or possibly worse. It is not that I could never believe that Churchill would lie about cruising around town with an alien from Outer Space. He was a politician and a master at it, and lying is a prerequisite of that job.

What worries me, is not a cover up about flying saucers - that's old news bro. It is way worse of a problem then the realization that government could trick us. This is a much greater concern as I am a little worried about necktie design, fashion trends and an outrageous inventory of wild ties that I have invested in. This is the same alien that has been photographed recently with President Obama and he is wearing the same conservative rep stripe tie. You can find our post about that right here An Alien Wearing a Tie With President Obama.

If these aliens are actually influencing the fashion design of ties then I could be ruined financially - besides the fact that the popular belief is that these aliens are trying to conquer or world - if that wasn't bad enough. That alien looks a bit stiff wearing that necktie and if you have read anything else on this blog you already know I am not fond of striped conservative neckties. Maybe I can find that alien's email address by searching Google and offer him a couple of complimentary novelty ties at Fun novelty ties at www.nicetestore.com. He may actually become a regular customer - and possibly his pals too.

Here is the rest of the scoop that we will post so you can get the whole story. This is what "they" are telling us now. I am hot on the trail of the Eisenhower files now - stay tuned.


As part of an ongoing project to declassify government reports related to unidentified flying objects, the Ministry of Defense and The National Archives Wednesday released about 5,000 pages of correspondence between the public and British authorities on UFO sightings.

One of the letters was from a man claiming his grandfather was present at a wartime meeting with Churchill and U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower. The declassified letter from 1999 redacts the names of the sender and his grandfather, but says the two leaders were briefed on a UFO incident reported by a Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber crew.

 Yahoo News - Churchill 'banned UFO report to avoid mass panic'

Watch this ABC News Clip if you have any doubts

And don't forget to view this clip also

A Brief History of: The Necktie

BB

TIME MAGAZINE AND CNN

Wide or skinny, plaid or plain, synthetic or silk, the tie is a Father's Day staple--nearly 4.5 million dads are getting one on June 15--and one of the few fashion accessories to have survived nearly 400 years of social change. Neck adornments have been worn since ancient times to signify title or wealth or even just to sop up sweat. But modern, mostly decorative neckwear dates from King Louis XIV of France, who first popularized the tie's predecessor, the cravat, after spotting the bow-tie-like embellishment on 17th century Croatian soldiers.

New York City Tenement Necktie Workshop 1889

Two centuries later, the Industrial Revolution helped spread the style to the masses, as millions of workers migrated from farmlands to factories and the business class was born. In 1924 an American tailor named Jesse Langsdorf created--and patented--the tie's modern look, with its bias cut and three-piece construction. By the 1950s, it was said that a man wasn't fully dressed until he had put on his tie. But as the high age of the Organization Man faded, the tie came to symbolize individuality as much as conformity. Ralph Lauren launched the ill-advised 4-in.-wide (10 cm) trend in the 1970s, and the following decade saw the accessory appropriated by everyone from Ivy Leaguers (striped ties!) to punks (skinny ties!) to Wall Street moguls (power ties!).

Tie sales hit a peak of $1.3 billion in 1995 but steadily declined as the dotcom boom threatened to obliterate neckwear entirely and business casual took hold in the workplace. Just last week the Men's Dress Furnishings Association, which represents American tiemakers, announced it will close its doors. Still, some analysts see an upside in the current economic downturn: laid-off workers looking to stand out in job interviews could spark a tie-wearing boom.

Read more:

Another Great Fashion Statement of a Necktie That is Out Of This World

Now That's Style

Well, I will just say one thing about this fashion statement. Everyone knows that the ethnic guys know how to dress. This dude is a bit further ethnic than most . Kind of out of this world ethnic. Actually, that ethnic label has always bothered me - truly one guy's ethic dude is another guy's home boy. Anyway, besides, keeping the beat on the dance floor those brothers, homies, and other non regular guys ( maybe the regular guys are actually irregular guys ) sure can do the color thing. What the heck does an alien "dressed to the nines" have to do with neckties. Not much unless you have read the article posted a few days ago, UFOs, Aliens and Necktie History found right here. Then you will understand the alien connection.

http://nicetiestore.blogspot.com/2010/07/alien-neckties-and-ufo-origin-of-tie.html

Continuing our fascination with aliens and neckties is besides the point of this post. The point is, I like this image and this ethic dude is not so threatening like some other far, far away galaxy ethic dudes are. He has character even though he has no neck, an apparently disproportionate head, not to mention the cyclops thing and the opposite of a uni-brow. He may be green and ugly but he does know color. Interior designers love to clash colors as do fashion designers unless they are kissing up to the conservative "stuffed shirts". Versacci sure pushed that envelope.

This is style for sue, but I must admit if I had a sister and she married this ethic dude - I would have to kick his ethic but and hers to - flashy attire or not. I could not even imagine the offspring that would result from that union. Hopefully this post is not perceived now as a racist statement, it is hardly that. I love those "ethic" ties and those ethic guys too, as they do not cave in to fashion whims and trends. Besides, I sell those wild ties on the web site catalog - URL Addresses below.

Check them out unless you dress according to trend. Being distinctive does have its way of getting places and being remembered.

Martin Wong Panel Ties
Electric Neckties
Portofino Ties
J. Blades Ties

Further Evidence That Neckties Are From Outer Space

He is not such a theatening looking dude in a necktie, but if you want my opinion on this I can only say that bow ties are silly looking.   This is not just proof that Aliens wear ties, it is proof that bow ties look rather silly, alien or not. 

Now if you are looking to purchase a bow tie do not visit http://www.nicetiestore.com/ because we do not sell bow ties, just neckties. 

If you are a bit confuzed please go to this post I have made on our blog a few days ago, UFOs - Aliens and the History of Neckties   It will all become so simple once you read this article on the Aliens From Outer Space and the Origin of Ties.