Akipper tie is a type ofnecktie primarily fashionable in Britain in the mid-1960s to late 1970s. The primary characteristics of the kipper tie are its extreme breadth (normally 4.5–5 inches (11–13 cm)) and often garish colours and patterns.
Wide neckties were fashionable in the 1940s: first amongZoot suiters rebelling against wartime austerity, and later as part of the "Bold Look" worn by World War II veterans returning to civilian life.[1] Ties of this period often featured bright colors and bold prints, including birds, animals, and floral designs likepaisley. British comedianMax Miller was well known for wearing suits and wide ties made from the same fabric asaloha shirts.[2]
Kipper ties made a comeback among the younger generation during the late 1960s and early 70s as the thin ties and slim fittingMod suits began to be replaced by the precursors todisco fashion.[3] British fashion designerMichael Fish designed the kipper tie in 1966 in his establishment inPiccadilly.[4]
Despite the backlash against disco during the early 1980s, thinner kipper ties continued to be worn, often withdouble-breasted"power suits". The end of the 80s saw ultra-thin ties become fashionable, together with 1950s-inspiredbolo ties. In the mid-1990s, kipper ties made a comeback due to aresurgence of interest in1970s fashion.[5] These were typically darker and lesskitsch than those from its heyday. By the 2000s, however, wide ties had become associated with older men, and fell out of favour as skinny ties influenced byindie pop andMod subculture became fashionable.[6]
It has alternatively been proposed that the name "kipper tie" is a reference to the extreme breadth of the tie resembling akipper,[7] or a sly reference to the designer, whose last name, Fish, was evocative of a kipper.[8]
The terminology itself "kipper tie" forms a part of a joke: "Who says Kipper Tie?" to which thepunch line is "ABrummie when you ask him whether he'd like a tea or a coffee!". It makes a joke of theBrummie dialect.[9]
