$50
The difference between pants and trousers
- Thread starter Desdinova
- Start date
In Britain, the pants go under the trousers!
Where the crease is 
Don't think that one did not cause a few initial gaffes on my part. Took me a few minutes to figure that one out.
Unless you name happens to be Superman.
He's American though! What do you expect?
"Donald, where's your pants" doesn't sound as funny.
You rang?
If you think the "pants" thing is funny, ask one of your English friends if he'd like to see the new pair of suspenders you just bought to wear with your business suits. He may noticeably distance himself from you ... or, he may invite you out for dinner and a show. 
Those small cultural differences can be sneaky poison in business. I heard one of our English vice-presidents ask my workmate, with obvious disdain, just when and where he'd served in the English Army. You see, my friend was wearing a "regimental" tie he'd picked up in a men's shop because he liked the colors, but it just happened to be the pattern of the VPO's old regiment.
Those small cultural differences can be sneaky poison in business. I heard one of our English vice-presidents ask my workmate, with obvious disdain, just when and where he'd served in the English Army. You see, my friend was wearing a "regimental" tie he'd picked up in a men's shop because he liked the colors, but it just happened to be the pattern of the VPO's old regiment.
Digging way back in my spotty memory, I'm thinking that the angle on a true regimental runs top left to lower right (or, maybe I have that backwards). So, you can get the similar effect without conflict by making certain that you're wearing essentially a mirror-image of a proper regimental. Honestly, I don't remember which is which, but was told (by a different Englishman) that opposite slant was a guarantee of safety if you didn't want to bother to learn all the military patterns.
Of course, if you stand no chance of running into a Britisher, South African, or anyone else who served in the colonies, it doesn't matter. I wore polkadot or paisley ties when I worked with that company just to be safe.
To a lot of Americans this sounds like a big fuss over nothing, and of them I ask - if you've never served in the Marine Corp but wear a tie with the globe and anchor as decoration, how do you think a real Marine is going to feel when he asks about it and you can't name your unit? It's just a caution so don't get too wound up in it, but for those who are striving to get a job or advance their careers, it's a potential snag you can avoid with a bit of research.
The same thing goes with school ties. Some people are surprisingly touchy about it, and the variety is even harder to track than regimentals. Even if you are an alumnus, a new graduate would be wise to keep his in his closet for a few years until he no longer looks like he just graduated.
Why people think these things are so important escapes me, I'm just trying to point out some pitfalls of what otherwise seems to be a simple style decision.
Digging way back in my spotty memory, I'm thinking that the angle on a true regimental runs top left to lower right (or, maybe I have that backwards). So, you can get the similar effect without conflict by making certain that you're wearing essentially a mirror-image of a proper regimental. Honestly, I don't remember which is which, but was told (by a different Englishman) that opposite slant was a guarantee of safety if you didn't want to bother to learn all the military patterns.
Of course, if you stand no chance of running into a Britisher, South African, or anyone else who served in the colonies, it doesn't matter. I wore polkadot or paisley ties when I worked with that company just to be safe.
To a lot of Americans this sounds like a big fuss over nothing, and of them I ask - if you've never served in the Marine Corp but wear a tie with the globe and anchor as decoration, how do you think a real Marine is going to feel when he asks about it and you can't name your unit? It's just a caution so don't get too wound up in it, but for those who are striving to get a job or advance their careers, it's a potential snag you can avoid with a bit of research.
The same thing goes with school ties. Some people are surprisingly touchy about it, and the variety is even harder to track than regimentals. Even if you are an alumnus, a new graduate would be wise to keep his in his closet for a few years until he no longer looks like he just graduated.
Why people think these things are so important escapes me, I'm just trying to point out some pitfalls of what otherwise seems to be a simple style decision.
Most regimental ties have the stripes going from left shoulder to right hip, but there are several exceptions!
There's a selection here.
IIRC they're all copyrighted designs so you shouldn't get an exact match to a genuine regimental tie by accident! Anyone who is entitled to wear one and sees a similar one, will generally be able to tell the difference and won't take offence...as long as you're not claiming you were in that regiment!
How about a nice pair of slacks?
And now, for the obligatory...
Wallace said:
Thank you! So, if I can remember "pistol belt, not sword belt" I should be safe most of the time.
Honestly, I'm long retired and don't have to worry about job interviews; however, I wouldn't offend if I can avoid it. The overly touchy folks will just have to deal with being overly touchy, but I see no point in aggravating if I can avoid it. That said, it seems that in much of the world today almost everyone is touchy about something as if we all live under that ancient Confucian curse. Politically interesting times, indeed.
I may wear my Curley, Larry & Moe time the next time I'm in a suit, unless it's a funeral. Depending on who died that just might read because I'm at a funeral.
If you think the "pants" thing is funny, ask one of your English friends if he'd like to see the new pair of suspenders you just bought to wear with your business suits. He may noticeably distance himself from you ... or, he may invite you out for dinner and a show.
Those small cultural differences can be sneaky poison in business. I heard one of our English vice-presidents ask my workmate, with obvious disdain, just when and where he'd served in the English Army. You see, my friend was wearing a "regimental" tie he'd picked up in a men's shop because he liked the colors, but it just happened to be the pattern of the VPO's old regiment.
Now that you mention "suspenders" I remember the Monty Python "Lumberjack song". I ends with:
"...suspenders and a bra
I wish I was a girlie
just like my dear ma-maaaaaa".
Who was it that said "two people seperated by a common language"?
Are they "braces" in the UK ?
Suspenders (US) = Braces (UK) and just to confuse you even more, kids wear braces on their teeth
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