Old School Tie
Preserved but no longer current.
Literally a necktie of the colours of the wearer's public school, but more often used figuratively m a pejorative sense as a symbol of the class distinction allegedly assumed by those who went to a public school.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Old School Tie” mean?
Literally a necktie of the colours of the wearer's public school, but more often used figuratively m a pejorative sense as a symbol of the class distinction allegedly assumed by those who went to a public school.
Is “Old School Tie” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.