BHS exam dress code, oh dear!

JFTD said:
Really? Even more ridiculous than boob tubes or mini skirts or mankinis?

Ultimately, a shirt and tie are traditional (but not antiquated) equestrian attire, which are still worn for tradition-rich activities in this country. It really doesn't matter what the general public think. I reckon there's a wide tract of society reckons cyclists look daft in their lycra body suits. That's not a valid reason to for them to change either!
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Well yes, IMO, because all of those three items are functional items of clothing that preserve modesty (at least to a degree ;) ). Lycra body suits may look daft, but its easy to understand their functional purpose - they prevent chafing, enhance air flow, provide support, bright colours make them more visible, etc etc etc. What purpose does a tie serve, other than to uphold a tradition for the sake of it?
 
I think we'll have to agree to disagree there, Jo - ties provide an air of professionalism and tradition which is a valuable and worthwhile contribution to the atmosphere of a workplace or event, in my opinion. For me, that's a far cry than upholding a tradition for the sake of it - though I accept that this is just an opinion ;)

The words mankini and modesty should never be used in the same sentence :eek3:
 
Well here's an idea then - if the idea of dressing smartly in a tie is so repulsive towards you, then don't do exams, don't do any showing classes and don't go hunting. No ones forcing you :rolleyes3:

And the suggestion that dressing smartly makes us look 'snobby' and 'Downton Abbey' esque is just ridiculous. All competitive sports have a dress code.
You wouldn't go play cricket in hot pants, even if it was baking hot as its just not the done thing.
You wouldn't play golf in a tatty old track suit and hoody, even though it may be comfortable, as again - it's just not smart.

So what's wrong with a hacking jacket and tie? Nothing! And if you think it IS wrong - then don't partake!
Simples!
 
Patterdale said:
Well here's an idea then - if the idea of dressing smartly in a tie is so repulsive towards you, then don't do exams, don't do any showing classes and don't go hunting. No ones forcing you :rolleyes3:

And the suggestion that dressing smartly makes us look 'snobby' and 'Downton Abbey' esque is just ridiculous. All competitive sports have a dress code.
You wouldn't go play cricket in hot pants, even if it was baking hot as its just not the done thing.
You wouldn't play golf in a tatty old track suit and hoody, even though it may be comfortable, as again - it's just not smart.

So what's wrong with a hacking jacket and tie? Nothing! And if you think it IS wrong - then don't partake!
Simples!
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Other sports with a long tradition have moved on, so why do some disciplines in equestrianism cling on to their outdated clothing ?
Golf,lacrosse, swimming, tennis, cycling, mountain climbing etc, etc have abandoned the restrictive and impractical dress for styles that give freedom of movement and are cool or warm as required.

Some equestrian sports have grown up, like point to point, XC and endurance. What other sport other than for example, showing or hunting, requires you to dress in a tie and woollen tweed jacket in a heat wave or in freezing driving rain ?

The dressage at the Olympics was embarrassing. The ridiculous tail coats and top hats without straps detracted from the skill of the athletes and served no purpose. Riders sweltered in the heat or got soaked during downpours when riding.

Hunting in a hat without a harness ? Tradition or idiotic ? Do racing cyclists wear a helmet without a strap ?

It's time we grew up and stopped playing fancy dress. The BHS should take the lead. Smart doesn't mean you can't be practical too.
 
horserider said:
Other sports with a long tradition have moved on, so why do some disciplines in equestrianism cling on to their outdated clothing ?
Golf,lacrosse, swimming, tennis, cycling, mountain climbing etc, etc have abandoned the restrictive and impractical dress for styles that give freedom of movement and are cool or warm as required.

Some equestrian sports have grown up, like point to point, XC and endurance. What other sport other than for example, showing or hunting, requires you to dress in a tie and woollen tweed jacket in a heat wave or in freezing driving rain ?

The dressage at the Olympics was embarrassing. The ridiculous tail coats and top hats without straps detracted from the skill of the athletes and served no purpose. Riders sweltered in the heat or got soaked during downpours when riding.

Hunting in a hat without a harness ? Tradition or idiotic ? Do racing cyclists wear a helmet without a strap ?

It's time we grew up and stopped playing fancy dress. The BHS should take the lead. Smart doesn't mean you can't be practical too.
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'Playing fancy dress'!?

Wow.

Look back at photos of people competing from the 50s. Dress HAS moved on, loads.

I wasn't embarrassed at all in the Olympics. I was very proud of all of our equestrian events.

And FTR I didn't see ANY athletes (with the exception of the sailors) wearing macs.

Modern riding wear is smart AND functional, whilst still remaining true to our heritage and tradition, which I for one am very proud of.
Things will always evolve and improve, you only have to look back at photos from the last hundred years, and I'm sure it will continue to do so.
But I for one would not like to see a drastic change to polo shirts and pink breeches for smart occasions, and luckily for me it would seem that most agree.
 
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Tradition aside I think a strict dress code (for anything) is a good indicator of whether someone can follow a basic instruction and what their attention to detail is like!
 
I agree that looking smart shows respect, but still can't shake the feeling that making an adult wear a tie is ridiculous. Why not just go for practical, and then with neutral colours and a modest cut for smartness' sake?

I understand the dress code in hunting (though am not a fan of the outfits or of hunting in general) as it's really a traditional pursuit rather than a competition. And showing, again, it's about outward appearance rather than a sport as such. But for eventing, sj and dressage?

I do know non-horsy people often find the get-up hilarious.
 
Nice to see people are still living sheltered lives if having to wear a tie is seen as ridiculous and unnecessary.

FWIW it's about a) following a simple instruction b) showing respect for the examiners and c) the respect of taking what are still seen as professional exams. In the same way you don't turn up to a job interview in jeans and a t-shirt.
 
Jo_x said:
Many people think that "standard smart equestrian wear" is hilarious because it is laughable how far it is from practical attire.
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I totally agree. Find show jackets, ties, stocks etc. totally impractical and embarassing to wear when we're meant to be doing a sport. I get why we have to be smart for showing of course, because its all about the image but other disiplines to me it makes no sense. To modernise our sport, we really should modernise the clothing... Sorry but hate the tradition of it, means nothing IMO. Modern materials all the way for me if I had the choice. I don't get why we in the UK are so strict. I remember watching top level show jumping at the Florida SJ tour a few years ago and all competed in stock shirts (any colour they wanted) and any colour jods they wanted as well. They wore what was comfy.

OP, I agree wearing a tie is pretty silly. Its almost like going back to Pony Club days ;) Its nothing to do with "showing respect", you can still be smartly turned out without wearing a tie...
 
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To my mind, neither hunting nor showing are sports. They're parades of tradition and that's fine by me.

Show jumping is moving with the times, from what I see of these new fangled jackety things. Like xc, endurance and racing, there are practical advantages to sportifying the attire.

I don't really feel that dressage has much to gain by dropping the tails. They don't impede the athlete (horse or rider) and don't have a detrimental effect on performance, as far as I can tell (alas I am not fit for tails myself to find out!). On a subjective level, I also think they look amazing. There is a movement away from top hats, even if it's only the minority who are choosing to opt for a crash hat. That is natural evolution of the sport.

I think it would be a terrible thing for the sport to dissociate itself from the traditions and history that underpin it. I think there are many who enjoy watching showing and dressage because of the meticulous turnout and overall spectacle it provides.
 
teapot said:
Nice to see people are still living sheltered lives if having to wear a tie is seen as ridiculous and unnecessary.

FWIW it's about a) following a simple instruction b) showing respect for the examiners and c) the respect of taking what are still seen as professional exams. In the same way you don't turn up to a job interview in jeans and a t-shirt.
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Absolutely right.

I truly don't see what all the fuss is about. They're not asking you to wear a dinner jacket, or a ball gown, or a mankini.

It. A. TIE.
 
Dunno why people think ties are so awful. Once at a rally a horse got kicked and it cut an artery in the leg. As you can imagine there was a lot of blood and a few ties around his leg probably saved his life. Another time a kid fell off and hurt their arm, the tie was great as a sling.

They are very useful, especially around horses and children.
 
LOL all this faff over having to wear a tie, TBH I think it looks smarter and respectful. When I did my BHS I didn't possess a hacking jacket so borrowed a Pony Club sweater (which was the only alternative) and had a shirt and tie. I wear one for dressage so don't really see what all the fuss is over. The lad who led up that horse for 3.6 milllion guineas was wearing a shirt, tie and tie pin!
 
If wearing a tie shows respect when taking professional exams, I wonder how my daughter managed to get a First class honours degree without one.

It's time the tie was ditched. Smart, clean and appropriate clothing for the activity is better.

It would be like bringing back starched linen caps, buckles and capes for nurses. Lovely tradition, but the uniform wasn't practical.
 
Kokopelli said:
Dunno why people think ties are so awful. Once at a rally a horse got kicked and it cut an artery in the leg. As you can imagine there was a lot of blood and a few ties around his leg probably saved his life. Another time a kid fell off and hurt their arm, the tie was great as a sling.

They are very useful, especially around horses and children.
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Strictly speaking, you could use a mankini for the same purpose.

Of course, you might be more reluctant to give it up than your tie if it's all you have to protect your modesty!
 
I still don't see how wearing a tie is unpractical. I go to shows on my own and get myself ready before my horse and never has a tie impeded my ability to tack up etc when I am doing dressage/hunting/showing, lol. Rules are rules, I just suck it up and don't question it, that is what I was getting at with respect. And FWIW I didn't ever need to wear a tie for my degree either but then it was not ever required if it had been I would have worn one. I wore one at school too as it was required never quibbled.
 
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Crikey what a fuss over a tie!!

I wear the equivalent of a stock for work, the men wear ties. We wear them for fifteen hour shifts sometimes in a practical job (not horses) and not one person ever complains and wishes they were in a tracksuit!! If you find a shirt and tie so uncomfortable and restrictive, it is quite possible you are in the wrong size shirt!

I personally like the smartness of equestrianism. I think show jumpers and their new sportswear often look scruffy. I love the look of dressage (although think real hats are safer and better).
 
dogatemysalad said:
If wearing a tie shows respect when taking professional exams, I wonder how my daughter managed to get a First class honours degree without one.

It's time the tie was ditched. Smart, clean and appropriate clothing for the activity is better.

It would be like bringing back starched linen caps, buckles and capes for nurses. Lovely tradition, but the uniform wasn't practical.
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Some older universities still have the rule that the lower level of academic dress is worn during exams (undress it's called ;) ) - ie an academic gown. And on graduation, which is the formal recognition of the exams, there are very few unis that don't insist on academic dress - at ours, we had to wear gowns, hoods, suits which cover elbow and knee (can be skirt suit for girls) with black unpatterned court shoes, black tights, AND the boys had to wear bow ties and bands.

I went to a very old and traditional uni, so that has coloured me in terms of dress codes - I would dress correctly for an academical, semi-formal, formal, black tie or white tie dress code, so if the dress code for the BHS is shirt and tie, I would follow it! It's only polite! And it could be worse than shirt and tie - it could be shirt, tie and tweed.
 
khalswitz said:
Some older universities still have the rule that the lower level of academic dress is worn during exams (undress it's called ;) ) - ie an academic gown. And on graduation, which is the formal recognition of the exams, there are very few unis that don't insist on academic dress - at ours, we had to wear gowns, hoods, suits which cover elbow and knee (can be skirt suit for girls) with black unpatterned court shoes, black tights, AND the boys had to wear bow ties and bands.

I went to a very old and traditional uni, so that has coloured me in terms of dress codes - I would dress correctly for an academical, semi-formal, formal, black tie or white tie dress code, so if the dress code for the BHS is shirt and tie, I would follow it! It's only polite! And it could be worse than shirt and tie - it could be shirt, tie and tweed.
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I was just about to say that certain universities still expect exams to taken in academic dress but you got there first :biggrin3:

It's not about what you wear and wearing x will mean you'll pass/get a First etc. It's the impression given off that you take things seriously.
 
teapot said:
I was just about to say that certain universities still expect exams to taken in academic dress but you got there first :biggrin3:

It's not about what you wear and wearing x will mean you'll pass/get a First etc. It's the impression given off that you take things seriously.
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But the impression that the examiners get of you has no reflection on how you dress for the exam, given that papers are (or at least should be!) marked anonymously.

I'm so glad that my uni didnt give a toss what I wore whilst spending hours sat in exam halls, given that what I wear gives absolutely no reflection of my intelligence or ability in the subject.
 
Jo_x said:
But the impression that the examiners get of you has no reflection on how you dress for the exam, given that papers are (or at least should be!) marked anonymously.

I'm so glad that my uni didnt give a toss what I wore whilst spending hours sat in exam halls, given that what I wear gives absolutely no reflection of my intelligence or ability in the subject.
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Yes but it is a sign of respect. What you wear has no reflection of intelligence - it's just a sign of respect for the examiners who are giving up however many hours to watch you panic, then however many hours to mark your papers, then however many hours of trying to collate results and get them back to you. It harks back to when things were more formal, and how you dressed was a visible mark of respect - and respect was much quicker to be shown to people in authority. I went to a school that had a uniform, and therefore I had to wear it - doesn't affect my exams etc compared to a school without uniform, it is just a formality!

Oxford had a vote on whether to make academic dress optional in exams and it was rejected by 80% of the student body - people take a pride in their traditions. And when your adrenaline is high in the middle of an exam you've spent months revising for you'll be uncomfortable in whatever you wear. If you are used to wearing formal clothes you don't notice it!

Ultimately, the point is that it is a dress code - in those situations, you wouldn't be allowed to sit your exams without your dress code being met. Same for the BHS. It's just a formality that has to be met.
 
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Capriole said:
And some weekend meals in the Dining Hall :p
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We had Formal Hall every night in our college - that was a formal dress code with gowns. Then for special dinners we had black tie dress codes, sometimes with and sometimes without gowns dependent on the occasion. And then there was Boat Club Dinner, where we all wore our blazers and black tie. So there was a dress code for every occasion - you get used to it very quickly. I've found it harder since leaving college as most places don't have a dress code - so much harder to decide what to wear! I like my old traditions ;)
 
khalswitz said:
Some older universities still have the rule that the lower level of academic dress is worn during exams (undress it's called ;) ) - ie an academic gown. And on graduation, which is the formal recognition of the exams, there are very few unis that don't insist on academic dress - at ours, we had to wear gowns, hoods, suits which cover elbow and knee (can be skirt suit for girls) with black unpatterned court shoes, black tights, AND the boys had to wear bow ties and bands.

I went to a very old and traditional uni, so that has coloured me in terms of dress codes - I would dress correctly for an academical, semi-formal, formal, black tie or white tie dress code, so if the dress code for the BHS is shirt and tie, I would follow it! It's only polite! And it could be worse than shirt and tie - it could be shirt, tie and tweed.
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Two of my brothers went to Balliol, and other universities in the UK and USA and regarded wearing the gowns as dressing up. A waste of money but didn't restrict their ability to write or read. I doubt they'd have wanted to wear it when playing rugby.
That would be silly, wouldn't it ?
 
JFTD said:
Strictly speaking, you could use a mankini for the same purpose.

Of course, you might be more reluctant to give it up than your tie if it's all you have to protect your modesty!
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Lol just spat my tea out!!! Pretty sure you would get some sort of law suit from the pc mums if you had to use a mankini as a sling! Would love to see the look on their faces though. :)
 
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