Do you agree ?

Maybe he wears a three-piece suit to the supermarket, with waistcoat and watch chain, and carries an umbrella? He probably insists that the children parade in full school uniform each morning complete with leather satchels, and that his wife salutes him before getting into bed.

What a dinosaur! (if it isn't tongue-in-cheek) He is lucky it is shirtsleeves and not a T-shirt with a cartoon on it, and that documents are not in a carrier bag. As for walking in the street clutching a coffee - he may have had Mrs Overall bring him a coffee and a rich tea biscuit at his desk, but the world has moved on. If you don't go out and bring one back, you go thirsty.

When Mr P's needs to see his Accountant, the chap comes to us on Saturday mornings, as Mr P is away during the week.

I was quite taken aback the first time, when he arrived suit, shirt, tie and all Last time he had thrown caution to the wind and had left off his tie.

I couldn't resist pointing out that we wouldn't mind in the least if he came in casual dress, as it might stop the neighbours from thinking we had the bailiffs in

phoenix

I still struggle to understand how a necktie, a strip of coloured material with no known purpose, can confer 'respectability'...

And, although slightly off piste (well, quite a bit, really) why are mens shirts sold by collar size?

When a woman buys an item to wear on the upper body, no-one asks what her neck measures!

I knew a chap once who insisted that he had always been a collar size 15.1/2.

Well, thats as maybe, but the circumference of his waist/stomach had certainly changed. If anyone had been sitting opposite him when he coughed, those flying shirt buttons could have had someones eye out!

I have been told three reasons why men wear ties.

1. It differentiated between the manual worker and those in non-manual worker. For example, a factory worker couldn't risk the tie catching in the machine and strangling him. The manager of the factory didn't face that risk.

2. It hides the buttons and helps to keep the shirt clean.

3. My favourite. It's a phallic symbol and an arrow pointing to and therefore drawing the eye to the man's genitals. A modern version of the cod piece

I think it's a bib substitute.

I have no objections to shirt sleeves, many of DBH's work shirts have short sleeves. He does have to wear a tie, and the neck size makes a world of difference to the comfort of his neck - you have forgotten their more prominent Adam's apples, phoenix.

I'll concede that, janerowena (the Aam's apple bit ), but it still doesn't allow for the fact that some gents measurements below the neck are way beyond THOSE sort of allowances!

DH is the other way round 38 waist but 16.5-17 collar

Men did wear suits much more in the past though, and not only white-collar workers. I have photos of both my grandfathers sitting on the beach in theirs. One grandpa was wearing his hat too.
In Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Arthur Seaton goes to work in the factory all week, but has a collection of suits in which to parade around at the weekend, one of which comes to a sorry end when the husband of the woman he's been carrying on with finds out about it

It sounds very sensible to me- I feel sorry for anyone who has to wear a jacket and tie in hot weather.
The one who wrote the letter would be appalled by what my sons wear in an office! I think he would have apoplexy at T shirts!

He irritates me at the start with 'how many others in their 60s feel.........' As if we should all have similar views because we have reached a similar age!

It took me ages to persuade DH when we retired not to wear a collar and tie if we are going out for the evening. Having worn a suit, collar and tie for 40 years he still thinks its the only way to look smart. He certainly wouldn't go the church in anything less. he would never wear a shirt sleeved shirt to work and it had to be tropical before he would even roll up the cuffs and as for loosening the tie - never!! I haven't asked him but I expect he would agree with this gentleman. He certainly hates the idea of carrying hot or cold drinks about and eating in the street horrifies him. The odd thing is he is an old hippy really and very relaxed about most things. He does look very sexy in a suit though - I love a nice bit of schmutter!

I agree with VampireQueen about ties differentiating between manual and non manual roles. The guys down the pub on a Saturday night wearing a suit and tie would invariably be manual/factory workers. I was always a clerical worker before ill health retirement so I dressed up with a tie every day, but wore casual clothes over the weekend. One think I dislike is the way men look when they seem to have a permanent stubble. I've even seen top people in the police going about unshaved and I think they should have a clean shave every day because they technically work for HM The Queen and should look clean.

The mention of T-shirt reminded me of the time I went into the tax office with a query. I was seen by a young man who was unkempt in appearance, wearing a Mickey Mouse T-shirt and he smelled strongly of beer. I just couldn't believe a civil servant was allowed to work in such a state.

One of our friends was a painter/decorator and had worked in Norway for a while. He said that at first he didn't do at all well because people thought he was very disreputable for not turning up in a suit to discuss the job.

Apart from the utility of the tie as a phallic symbol I think it is a relic of a bygone age. At my church many of the men go dressed casually, and I have no objection. Some however are what I would deem scruffy. and I don't like that.

I have yet to see a man who looks good in shorts - sorry, most of them just look silly.

Don't let my DH see that post happy I have only just persuaded him to wear shorts on holiday. It will (hopefully) be hot though

Many years ago I worked for a dentist, a really nice chap with a sense of humour.

He arrived at work one day, opened his case and found that his wife had "forgotten" to put a fresh dentists coat (you know, the white ones with short sleeves, though why it was down to his wife I don't know!)

Unperturbed, he disappeared into his office and emerged moments later wearing a T shirt with "I choked Linda Lovelace" emblazoned across the front

When we all said that there was no way he could wear that in front of patients, he pouted a bit, then disappeared again to return wearing one that said "Superdentist" instead

Did he keep a selection of T shirts in his office, then?

Happynan I think it very much depends on the style of the shorts and the shape of the man DH looks good in a polo shirt, smart cut shorts and deck shoes. Never socks and shorts though.

Skinny legs hanging out of baggy shorts is not a good look for a man!

I think he might have done Ana , bless him.

Perhaps he got a thrill out of being daring underneath his white coat!