Theschool tie is part of theschool uniform required by a large number of English schools. Theold school tie refers to atie voluntarily worn by alumni of long establishedBritish schools. Figuratively, it is used to refer to the connection between members of the elite who attended the institutions: this is particularly associated withpublic schools.[1]
A school tie indicates pupils of a particular school, or year group, or of a particularhouse in that school.[2][3] In addition, for some schools, the school tie is not merely an indication that the student belongs to a group or community but the tie is a part of the concept called "smart": which associates tidy school uniforms with high standards.[2]
The school tie can be a way for people to distinguish between groups andsocial classes in the way students are labelled according to the colour of their ties and their uniforms.[4]
Anold school tie orold boys tie is atie that, on leaving school, former pupils are entitled to wear. They will be in their old school or old-boy society colours. According to protocol, it may only be worn by former pupils. This symbol can be a discreet passport to theold boy network, and such ties can be an indication of one's social standing. Conversely, wearing a tie to which you have no right is a serious social gaffe.[5]
Although originally an institution of Englishpublic schools, some schools of mixed or female-only membership do present their female leavers with a tie or other equivalent. Alternative clothing such as socks, scarfs, pyjamas and even underwear may also be available in the old-boy/old-girl colours.[citation needed]
These exclusive ties are not limited to Britishpublic schools: they are also a practice of some elite schools in Australia, many private,state-integrated, and some of the more prestigiousstate schools inNew Zealand,Trinidad and Tobago many clubs, military regiments and colleges of universities such asOxford andCambridge, and have also spread to some of Britain's formerimperial possessions, includingCanada and theUnited States.[citation needed]
The "old school tie"[6] is used by the British press and many native English speakers as a metaphor forold-boy social networks,nepotism, and the relatively disproportionate success of former pupils of major public schools, especially in politics and business. For example, after the2010 General Election,The Times noted that 6% of the parliamentary Tory Party wereOld Etonians, under the headline "Tories' old school tie still rules".[7]Five years later, in 2015, theNew Statesman observed, "The power of the old boys' network lives on: privately educated students earn more than those with identical qualifications educated by the state".[8]
