# How long until women commonly wear ties? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 7, 2010, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608 "2010-05-07T05:50:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/1 "2010-05-07T05:50:55Z")
So I was watching this: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJE\_Sc1Wags](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJE_Sc1Wags) and I thought: That looks good. I wonder if ties will go the way of pants in terms of gender. It might sound ridiculous but less than 100 years ago, it just wasn’t done for women to wear pants yet now that’s commonly accepted. In more formal settings, a woman might wear a dress shirt with a pant suit; just the same as a man except for the tie. Women sometimes wear ties with non-suit outfits although they’re most often loosely worn. In terms of incentives: Ties are an accessory and many are pretty. Pant suits with ties are the outfit that looks the most professional, which might be an advantage in formal/business settings. I did interviews in law firms and women commonly didn’t look as professional as the men. They took more liberties and it ended up looking much more casual. They looked like they were on a date or going to a bar/lounge. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/2 "2010-05-07T06:22:00Z")
Hopefully never, but then I don’t like ties on men either. Pants and ties don’t compare very well, because pants have practical advantages over skirts; while wearing a tie has no practical advantages over not wearing one. The opposite if anything; a tie can easily get caught up in machinery and such. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/3 "2010-05-07T08:30:33Z")
Ties for men are more or less one of their few accessories in business wear and they’re becoming less common in today’s workplace. Women in a professional or office environment have always had and used a more acceptable variety of accessories than men. With the casualization of workplace dress for both genders, I can’t see a tie becoming the norm for women. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/4 "2010-05-07T08:37:31Z")
Heck, no. It seemed stupid enough to have to wear ties at school, so I won’t be volunteering to take up that habit. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/5 "2010-05-07T09:20:08Z")
Every so often there is a bit of a trend in dressing masculine, with magazine spreads featuring brogues, wide leg trou, waistcoats and ties. It’s a look - but it’s never going to become mainstream everyday wearing. We know they are out there, in general we just don’t want to wear them. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/6 "2010-05-07T09:46:32Z")
Women don’t have dicks, and thusly they won’t wear ties. (I heard ties originated as a form of napkin, but I still think they somewhat emulate the dingledongle, whether in anatomy or in culture, and therefore they will never be commonly-seen womens-wear. (I do think they look hot in the right context however, see Vocaloid Miku.)) ---
**Author:** ![nicole1912](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@nicole1912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicole1912)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/7 "2010-05-07T10:44:58Z")
We had to wear ties at school - it’s led to me having to tie ties for several men who have no idea how to do their own. I quite like them, but to be honest, if I wanted something round my neck, I’d wear a necklace. I think that’s the female equivalent, and there’s no real reason to swap to ties that I can see. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/8 "2010-05-07T11:46:52Z")
> [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#): > > Every so often there is a bit of a trend in dressing masculine, with magazine spreads featuring brogues, wide leg trou, waistcoats and ties. It’s a look - but it’s never going to become mainstream everyday wearing. We know they are out there, in general we just don’t want to wear them. Yep - the Annie Hall look. It sticks for a few years. Goes away. The women’s fashion industry is built on trends - ties don’t change enough for the industry. And I suspect that the women’s fashion industry is giving women what they want - which is something ‘different’ every few years. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/9 "2010-05-07T12:19:44Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > Women don’t have dicks, and thusly they won’t wear ties. > > (I heard ties originated as a form of napkin, but I still think they somewhat emulate the dingledongle, whether in anatomy or in culture, and therefore they will never be commonly-seen womens-wear. (I do think they look hot in the right context however, see Vocaloid Miku.)) 🆒 Makes sense to me! ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/10 "2010-05-07T12:50:27Z")
I think many women probably find them a bit butch. I might wear one occasionally if I was straight, as they can look great with the right combo, but as I’m a lesbian, I really don’t need ‘spot the dyke’ splashed across my chest. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/11 "2010-05-07T13:40:07Z")
What an odd question, why on earth do you think women might commonly wear ties, now or in the future? One of the few advantages of being a woman is being able to dress in a wide range of fashions, from casual to formal. Besides, wasn’t there a dressing-formally-for-business fad in the 70’s where women were expected to wear pinstripe suits (with modest length skirts) to the office with that white blouse with ascot (not a necktie, but part of the blouse) under the suit jacket?..In the 60’s I recall wearing a paisley miniskirt and coordinated blouse, with different color collar and cuffs, and the blouse actually came with a little knitted necktie. Cute as heck! I believe since the fashion was from England, it had something to do with the influence of English public school dress? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/12 "2010-05-07T13:52:22Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > I think many women probably find them a bit butch. I might wear one occasionally if I was straight, as they can look great with the right combo, but as I’m a lesbian, I really don’t need ‘spot the dyke’ splashed across my chest. I wear them occasionally and am straight. I also usually wear sensible shoes and I used to drive a Subaru. And I wear my hair short. This has been known to cause confusion. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/13 "2010-05-07T14:01:44Z")
I think most men wouldn’t wear them, either, except when they have to. Ties can look great on some women as a fashion statement, but I don’t think they’ll ever be something most women just wear to work or a formal event as a matter of course. Even the women who do wear ties as fashion don’t wear them like men do - they often wear them loose and over a more open shirt, not tied at the neck over a fully-buttoned dress shirt. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/14 "2010-05-07T14:11:37Z")
I forsee men giving up ties, rahter than women adopting them. We seem to be moving toward a more comfortable, unisex st of garments. I commonly see a man and woman in the same day wearing the same polo short and khakis. His shoes generally look more comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/15 "2010-05-07T14:12:25Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > I think most men wouldn’t wear them, either, except when they have to. As a group, men wear them less and less often, too. That’s the number 1 reason women will never wear ties regularly. You have a strong trend toward men needing to wear ties for fewer and fewer occasions, there’s no reason to think women will trend the opposite direction into uncharted tie wearing territory. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/16 "2010-05-07T14:24:06Z")
I’m going to say [-33 years](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/17 "2010-05-07T14:26:06Z")
Another vote for “Never.” Ties are going away, just not fast enough. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/18 "2010-05-07T14:31:29Z")
Ties will become extinct for men (I’m guessing this is going to happen relatively soon) before they become common for women. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/19 "2010-05-07T14:41:25Z")
Ties are generally worn with buttoned up shirts, so women adopting this would mean the End of Cleavage, no? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608/20 "2010-05-07T15:14:29Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > In terms of incentives: > Ties are an accessory and many are pretty. Ties are a noose you willingly tie around your own neck. I don’t care how pretty they are, that’s still what they are. I’d happily see them dispensed with for men, much less women. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-until-women-commonly-wear-ties/538608.md?page=2)