# What, exactly, defines "power tie"?



## ashcroft99 (Dec 12, 2008)

Hello: I've heard the term many times--but what does it actually mean? Traditional/unpretentious? Or fashion forward, bright colors? Any specific colors?


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## Nerev (Apr 25, 2009)

Bright (but not whimsical) and solid bold colors like red's or blues. A strong colored red tie could be a power tie, but a strong colored pink tie definately would not be. Colors run more conservative too, something that you normally see in tie colors such as red, blue, gold. Grey lacks too much color to be a power tie, in my opinion, since it lacks a strong color.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

ashcroft99 said:


> Hello: I've heard the term many times--but what does it actually mean? Traditional/unpretentious? Or fashion forward, bright colors? Any specific colors?


A more useful question might be, who would define a tie as a power tie? My answer: someone trying to sell books, or ties. It's a nonsense term.


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## rojo (Apr 29, 2004)

Mostly a nonsense term, yes. In the 80s it was sometimes said to be a foulard pattern on a yellow background. In the early days of Bush 43 it was said by some to be a foulard pattern on a royal blue background. It depends what's in fashion and who's doing the talking (i.e. trying to sell books or ties).


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## 127.72 MHz (Feb 16, 2007)

Without doubt this is *the* answer. But the real question is, do you think this thread will reach fifty posts with every yahoo, myself included, and their next door neighbor chiming in with *the* definitive reply? :teacha:



Flanderian said:


> A more useful question might be, who would define a tie as a power tie? My answer: someone trying to sell books, or ties. It's nonsense term.


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## mbebeau (Feb 6, 2009)

Personally, I think that the term is very broad based without a real meaning.....

For what its worth, when I need a tie to go into a professional setting and look like a champ, it is a solid burgundy for me......then again this might be worth what you pay for it:icon_smile_big:


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I guess it depends on who you ask. But it makes me think of _American Psycho_, personally.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

A power tie is what one wears to a power luch, of course!!


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## DCLawyer68 (Jun 1, 2009)

Flanderian said:


> A more useful question might be, who would define a tie as a power tie? My answer: someone trying to sell books, or ties. It's a nonsense term.


+1 - it's not Trad to even ask...:icon_smile_wink:


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## Ron_A (Jun 5, 2007)

DCLawyer68 said:


> +1 - it's not Trad to even ask...:icon_smile_wink:


'Power Tie' strikes me as a term left over from the 1980s, used to describe ties worn by Gordon Gekko and those of his ilk (both real and fictional).


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## Serenus (Jun 19, 2009)

I suspect that it's a term to get a person to buy a tie that will make them feel "powerful" when they do not actually feel "powerful" inside. I pity these people.

It's sort of like putting gigantic tires on your truck so that you ride ten feet above everybody else...


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## Kurt N (Feb 11, 2009)

^ This is getting in the neighborhood of what was asked for, namely a definition of the concept, not a specific color or pattern. I think a power tie is supposed to be a tie that helps put the wearer in a position of psychological dominance over whoever he's talking to.

You'd think that the prime characteristic of such a tie would be size! But no, it's color. As I recall, back when the term was most popular, the alleged power color was a strong solid red. I suppose if you wanted theory to back this up, you could say that wearing the color of blood on your shirt front signals, "I'm not afraid to get in a fight, so don't mess with me." On that sort of theory, I don't think yellow comes out as a power-tie color.

Purple, I guess, might be a power color because the color connotes royalty.

I suppose a Trad power tie would be a bold, red-based regimental stripe, where the stripes connote military heritage and membership in an entrenched, moneyed establishment.

On the other hand, too timid and conventional a repp stripe pattern might connote conformity and lack of imagination, whereas a gold/aqua/pink paisley might signal that the wearer is too secure and too powerful to have to respect sartorial conventions. Which is to say, the whole power tie concept is a bit silly and suspect if overanalyzed, as everyone else here is saying. I just didn't want to pass up the chance to overanalyze something, because of how fun it is.

I do think the idea of dressing so as to enhance one's clout in conversation isn't completely invalid, and presumably the tie factors in there somewhere.


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## DCLawyer68 (Jun 1, 2009)

If you need a particular tie to be "powerful" or give you "psychological dominance" I'd suggest you give up. 

There are guys who dominate a room, but they'd do it with or without the tie.


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