Ties That Blind

‘BOB Hope’s a lucky man. A strange thing to say maybe about a man who died yesterday at the age of 100 and who once said: ‘Dying is to be avoided – it can ruin your whole career.’

‘You just want to do it a little tighter, Mr President’

But, judging by the picture on the front page of the Independent, things could have been a lot worse for the king of the one-liner.

For in the picture (taken in 1954), Hope is wearing a tie – a sartorial choice that could easily have caused him to go blind.

The Guardian reports that eye specialists in New York believe a knot around the neck may increase the risk of glaucoma, a condition that can lead to loss of sight.

The paper says ‘men with thick necks and white-collar professionals’ will be unduly affected in what it calls ‘a fresh blow to the jacket-and-tie culture’.

‘The verdict will encourage men who prefer an open-necked dress code,’ the paper says, ‘but it could spell trouble for those who have tried to make ties fashion accessories rather than statements about their wearers’ old school or club.’

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Posted: 29th, July 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink