Lower Standards?

[Wussername]

With a certain amount of concern I read in my Sunday Times this morning that Mr Bercow has decreed that the members of the House of Commons do not have to wear ties. How dreadful!

I was at the Royal Norfolk Show this week, on the first day of course, looking forward to Pimm’s on the Presidents lawn with friends from the country set. Because of the inclement weather this annual ritual was denied and I had to seek refuge in a beer tent. I did notice however that the stewards and show officials were suitably dressed in dark suits, ties and some with bowler hats.

As for the rest of the gentry, they all seemed to wear country tweed jackets. You couldn’t tell the beaters from the guns if you understand me.

I have not been to any of our many yacht clubs for some time now. I do hope that the commodores of these institutions in Broadland, in particular on regatta days as well as club days, are to be seen resplendent in their blazes and club ties.

The racing sailing cruisers these days seem to be manned by young men wearing tea shirts with CREW printed on the back. Whatever happened to the cravat? No respectable young man would venture on the river without one. Better still in his old school colours or indeed the colours of his regiment. What! What!

I blame the BA you know. I once saw Dr Packman on the river. He seems to favour a cowboy hat.

Talking of which have you seen a ranger lately (No, not the Lone Ranger, although you might be forgiven for thinking so). In years gone by The River Commissioner dressed in a smart navy blue, double breasted jacket, a cap with a shiny peak, and a white top. An immaculate white shirt, with of course a tie. And there he was magnificent in his uniform. A picture of authority.

And now, yes, only the other day I saw a ranger without a tie on. A blue fender moment if ever I saw one.

We must keep the standard up chaps. 

Tootle pip.

Wussername.

[Viking23]

Quite a coincidence this, the other day I was on the river, and I saw Dr Packman dressed as an indian, tomahawk, moccasins, the lot,  

I said... "Why are you dressed as an Indian, tomahawk, moccasins the lot ?"

 

He said... "I heard that Yare House were reorganising, and they were going to get rid of all the cowboys !"

 

lol

[Wussername]

Just now, Viking23 said:

Quite a coincidence this, the other day I was on the river, and I saw Dr Packman dressed as an indian, tomahawk, moccasins, the lot,  

I said... "Why are you dressed as an Indian, tomahawk, moccasins the lot ?"

 

He said... "I heard that Yare House were reorganising, and they were going to get rid of all the cowboys !"

 

lol

That would have been Tonto, his mate.

[Vaughan]

1 hour ago, Wussername said:

That would have been Tonto, his mate.

"White man speak with forked tongue, Kemo Sabay."

Seriously though, you are quite right. It is a matter of pride, respect, and standards.

It is already bad enough, in the eyes of the world, that Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is referred to as "Boris"!

 

[TheQ]

It is certainly the case that 90% of the time the Commodore, Vice Commodore and the Rear Commodore at Horning sailing club are properly dressed. Only when doing something dirty, like getting a rescue boat out, do they lower their standards a little bit, we have no paid staff you see...

[rightsaidfred]

I am afraid when you see and hear our illustrious MPs behaving like a rabble during what should be serious debates and making decisions that affect the lives of us all the lack of a tie is the least of my worries.

Fred

[thingamybob]

Ties? The only use for a tie is to stop spilled soup staining your shirt front .   Otherwise I consider it one the most useless piece of male dress, along with tail coats, top hats, bowler hats, jodhpurs, stiff collars, starched shirt fronts, cummerbunds, cravats and so it goes on.

Having worked in a financial employer for nearly forty years I cannot stand all the c**p. I used to leave home dressed in a suit (oh yes, I missed that one as one of useless garments) with my tie in my pocket and only put it on when I was paid to wear it. On leaving work my tie was ripped off and stuffed unceremoniously in my pocket until the next time I was paid to wear it.

I AM REVOLTING! I am retired and I am the scruffiest old geezer cruising on the Norfolk Broads.  And I really do not care.

Was that a rant?     

[grendel]

I was once informed that I must wear a tie. I just pointed at the printer and informed them that that piece of machinery contains pinch rollers, and refused to wear a tie on H&S grounds - we eventually compromised and I got a clip on tie (and kept my top button open.

[thingamybob]

We all go out to relax on the Broads. If the Vice Commodore and the Rear Commodore of the want to put on the garb to try and impress everybody let 'em do it. Just leave us happy, free, rebels to enjoy our Broads. We will dress how we want. Times have changed and we are not in the Twenties and some people should realise this.

Personally, there is no way I could ever join an organisation that had a Vice Commodore and a Rear Commodore. Just think about it.  

 

[MauriceMynah]

I'd prefer to belong to a club that had a Rear Commodore than one that had a Rear Admiral.

[JennyMorgan]

23 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

I'd prefer to belong to a club that had a Rear Commodore than one that had a Rear Admiral.

Just a question of taste, Rear or Vice.

[Timbo]

As much as I'm a scruff now I'm retired, I was a stickler for my team to be correctly attired. In the field then boots, shorts, t-shirt and stupid hat were the rule.

In the office collar and tie, jacket, pressed trousers. Shoes to be polished. At a black tie do the correct colour jacket to be worn, the plonker that turned up in a white jacket, unless we were on a boat, would be sent home. He would then find he was on another team the following day. Harsh I know, but when funding was at stake no room for slap dash. 

I don't deal with mp's, bank managers, solicitors or any business man incapable of dressing correctly. Of course I may be sat there with the holes in my string vest all joined up and dinner down my front but the person trying to sell me something had better look the part or they don't get the sale. 

The only exception is medical personnel. Ties and turn ups on trousers are a big NO, for obvious reasons. 

Hey, I'm old, got grey hair and everything. 

 

[grendel]

Tim, you cant be old - because that would make me old too.

[TheQ]

Titles of Commodore, are merely Titles in a marine enviroment, no different to calling them Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and he who does all the Work Executive.

Wearing of the Blazer has nothing to do with impressing anyone, it shows who has authority, who to go to if you need help. Not trying to search through 400 members wearing scruffs trying to find the right person.

No one it trying to impose on you what to wear, but if you came to visit the club and needed to find the right person. It's a lot easier to say go find him in the bazer and hat...

 

Times have not always changed for the better...

[JennyMorgan]

Blazers for the gaffers, rust red or washed out pink trousers held up with a tie instead of a belt for the members!

A stereotypical member, as older folk will recognise! The Seagull one being as they would head towards the marina on a Friday evening. Come Sunday evenings they would be faced the other way and possibly minus the ancient Seagull, that having been consigned to the deep after over 200 futile pulls on the starter string!

 

[Timbo]

13 hours ago, grendel said:

Tim, you cant be old - because that would make me old too.

I'm fairly sure Vaughan and Andrew inducted both of us into 'The Old Coots Club ' at the last meet Grendel! I 

[TheQ]

I resent the implications against a  Seagull, mine always started second pull, even after spending some time under water...

[thingamybob]

11 minutes ago, TheQ said:

I resent the implications against a  Seagull, mine always started second pull, even after spending some time under water...

Yep! There is nothing wrong with Seagull engines. Its their owners that are the problem. If you treat a Seagull properly and that is not hard to do they work admirably.

[JennyMorgan]

2 hours ago, thingamybob said:

Yep! There is nothing wrong with Seagull engines. Its their owners that are the problem. If you treat a Seagull properly and that is not hard to do they work admirably.

A bit like a woman really. Both play up when things aren't going entirely to their liking!

[vanessan]

Wow, that's fighting talk!! 

[Hockham Admiral]

Now,now, Peter...........