# What Happened To The Tie Clip? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646 "2010-02-12T02:53:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/21 "2010-02-12T16:08:57Z")
So, when are ties gonna go double, like in _Back to the Future II?_ ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/22 "2010-02-12T16:12:03Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Ties should fly in the wind. One of the doctors where I work - keeping in mind the idea that ties are often a big germ harbor/transmission source for doctors (considering how rarely they’re cleaned, and how often they might be idly adjusted/flop onto a patient/etc.) - tends to tuck the bottom half of his tie into his shirt between buttons before examining a patient, as the exam position tends to involve a reclined chair, and the tie might land on the patient in the process. Unfortunately, he then forgets and runs around half the day with his tie tucked into his shirt about halfway up. Points for attempts at cleanliness; perhaps he could suffer being behind in fashion rather than looking a little dorky. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/23 "2010-02-12T16:15:43Z")
The [_Wild Palms_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Palms) look was also kewl. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/24 "2010-02-12T16:17:03Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > One of the doctors where I work - keeping in mind the idea that ties are often a big germ harbor/transmission source for doctors (considering how rarely they’re cleaned, and how often they might be idly adjusted/flop onto a patient/etc.) - tends to tuck the bottom half of his tie into his shirt between buttons before examining a patient, as the exam position tends to involve a reclined chair, and the tie might land on the patient in the process. Unfortunately, he then forgets and runs around half the day with his tie tucked into his shirt about halfway up. Points for attempts at cleanliness; perhaps he could suffer being behind in fashion rather than looking a little dorky. 😉 Say, isn’t that how soldiers wear neckties with their uniforms (when they do)? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/25 "2010-02-12T17:28:40Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > I think you were misled. As a young hipster professional in the late 80s I wore tie tacks all the time. As I recall, we regarded them as cool retro throwbacks to the early 60s. Of all the guesses offered, I think this is closest. Back in the 1960s, suits were basically dark, shapeless boxes. Take a look at [Robert Reed and E.G. Marshall](http://static.open.salon.com/files/defenders_marshall_reed.jpg)in the 60s drama _The Defenders._ By the 1970s, corporate culture had widened a crack, and suits were more form fitting and brighter. Contrast Reed and Marshall with [Robert Stack, Gene Barry and Tony Franciosa](http://thevirginiantv.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/articleinline.jpg)in the 70s drama, _The Name of the Game._ Tie clips and tacks were an accessory to those old, boxy suits and simply went out of style, except as cool, retro throwbacks. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/26 "2010-02-12T17:37:03Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Say, isn’t that how soldiers wear neckties with their uniforms (when they do)? Not anymore, but at one time yes. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/27 "2010-02-14T16:56:54Z")
I still wear tie clips regulary as do many of my colleagues. The great thing with their being “out of style” (if they indeed are) is that they’re easy to pick up on ebay, and they’re also very inexpensive! Never liked tie tacs because of the aforementioned holes. Cuff links? Not in our neck of the woods. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/28 "2010-02-16T18:57:44Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I was watching reruns of “Barney Miller” and I noticed Wojo had a neat looking tie clip. It was a pair of handcuffs. > > Anyway I got to thinking, what happened to tie clips? When did they go out of style? > > I don’t recall ever wearing them and I’m 45, so they must’ve died out in the early 80s. > > As a side question, what’s the most interesting or unique kind of tie clip have you seen or owned? > > Note: I put this in Cafe Society as it’s sort of about fashion. Feel free to move it where appropriate. Being _slightly_ older than you, I concur that the tie clip died in the 80s, right after the tie pin, and collar bar. Two thing, IMHO, things contributed to its death: [ul] [li]Those damn new-wave ties were too skinny.[/li] [li]Some of those clips left indentations in the tie, which required either buying a new tie, or taking it to the cleaners excessively.[/li][/ul] I still have a few in my desk drawer, next to a Snoopy Tie Pin, and three collar bars. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/29 "2010-02-16T19:17:59Z")
> [@ministryman](#): > > Those damn new-wave ties were too skinny. Huh? Those skinny new-wave ties were exactly the same width as the [skinny ties of the 60s](http://beerinfood.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/dragnet.jpg), when tie clips and tie tacs were in their heyday. In fact, I resurrected a bunch of my dad’s old 1960s ties during the early-to-mid 80s for club wear. (Several of those ties bore the marks of tie tacs.) In fact, I think tie clips went out in the early 70s when the really wide ties started to come in. I think someone still wearing tie clips in the 70s would have been out of style. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/30 "2010-02-17T04:13:27Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I had a tie clip of a slide rule, with a cursor which moved. But it fell apart My dad had one like that too! I came in here specifically to post about it. Unfortunately it didn’t turn up when we sorted through his stuff after he died about a year ago. But he hadn’t worn a tie for ages, so I’ll bet it was long gone. Too bad; it was cool. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/31 "2010-02-17T15:52:21Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > Huh? Those skinny new-wave ties were exactly the same width as the [skinny ties of the 60s](http://beerinfood.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/dragnet.jpg), when tie clips and tie tacs were in their heyday. > > In fact, I resurrected a bunch of my dad’s old 1960s ties during the early-to-mid 80s for club wear. (Several of those ties bore the marks of tie tacs.) > > In fact, I think tie clips went out in the early 70s when the really wide ties started to come in. I think someone still wearing tie clips in the 70s would have been out of style. _Cough_ - I wore wide ties with wide tie clips in the 70’s ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/32 "2010-02-17T17:03:01Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Anyway I got to thinking, what happened to tie clips? I bought one for my husband who wore ties to work every day back then. He didn’t even take it out of the box & had me return it. ☹ (on a similar note, I’ve since learned that if he doesn’t pick something out with the specific color, size, style or model number, he doesn’t get it.) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/33 "2010-02-17T17:19:46Z")
Tie tacks for work and a clip for better places. I haven’t put on a tie for 15 years though and won’t. I will wear one of those string ties, but those are not really ties. Yee haw! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/34 "2010-02-17T18:45:01Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > Huh? Those skinny new-wave ties were exactly the same width as the [skinny ties of the 60s](http://beerinfood.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/dragnet.jpg), when tie clips and tie tacs were in their heyday. > > In fact, I resurrected a bunch of my dad’s old 1960s ties during the early-to-mid 80s for club wear. (Several of those ties bore the marks of tie tacs.) Funny - I didn’t resurrect any ties but I raided my grandfather’s jewelry box to find narrow tie clips - he hadn’t worn then since the 1960s but I found them handy to wear on the hipster skinny ties. Some of them were a silvertone or two-tone look that worked pretty well with the style of the time - lots of grays and blacks. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/35 "2010-02-17T19:18:48Z")
Am I the first person to point out that tie clips are extremely fashionable right now? Crack open a GQ from the past 18 months and you’ll see some. [Link](http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/2007/10/november-gq.html) [Link](http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/2008/03/from-sartorialist-in-march-gq.html) [Link](http://static.onesourcetalent.com/blog/images/justin-timberlake-gq-march2009.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/36 "2010-02-17T19:28:25Z")
A tie bar was a pin, with caps on both ends. You put it through your collar tabs, under your tie. Very cool 30’s look-can you still get them? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/37 "2010-02-17T20:23:17Z")
Not really - I always saw those sold as collar bars. Different thing entirely. ---
**Author:** ![davekhps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@davekhps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davekhps)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/38 "2010-02-17T21:12:58Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Am I the first person to point out that tie clips are extremely fashionable right now? Crack open a GQ from the past 18 months and you’ll see some.[Link](http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/2008/03/from-sartorialist-in-march-gq.html) I’d just like to state that while I appreciate sartorial adventurism as much as the next snappily-dressed man, there is no place on Earth where wearing an outfit like that is, or ever should be, considered fashionable. YEEESH. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/39 "2010-02-17T21:34:15Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > A tie bar was a pin, with caps on both ends. You put it through your collar tabs, under your tie. > Very cool 30’s look-can you still get them? I’ve seen them whatever they are called. I have no idea where. I have one somewhere that clips on to hold the collar. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646/40 "2010-02-17T21:40:56Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > Where do you work? Cuff links are more popular now than they’ve ever been. Thanks. I was worried, sitting here in my french-cuffed shirt after meeting with several other senior executives in french-cuffed shirts (and far more expensive suits than I was wearing) that we were all caught in a _Lost_-style time bubble. > [@](#): > > I’ve seen them whatever they are called. I have no idea where. I have one somewhere that clips on to hold the collar. I used to have a couple of these, but I haven’t seen one in years - probably over a decade. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-tie-clip/528646.md?page=3)