Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in a top hat and white tie. Black waistcoats were initially a popular alternative to the standard white pique; near the middle of the 20th century they waned in popularity and white became the most used color of waistcoat to be worn with white tie.

White tie (or evening dress, full evening dress; slang top hat and tails or white tie and tails, tailsuit, tails) is the most formal evening dress code in Western fashion. It is worn to ceremonial occasions such as state dinners in some countries, as well as to very formal balls and evening weddings. The chief components for men are the black dress coat commonly known as an evening tailcoat, white bow tie, white waistcoat and starched wing collar shirt, while women wear a suitable dress for the occasion, such as an evening gown.

As evening dress, white tie is traditionally considered correct only after 6 p.m. although some etiquette authorities allow for it anytime after dark even if that means prior to 6 p.m.^[1] The equivalent formal attire for daytime events is called morning dress. The less formal evening counterpart of white tie is black tie.

Elements[link]

Men's clothes[link]

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in white tie

Formal evening dress is strictly regulated, and properly consists of^[2]:

• Black or midnight blue dress coat (commonly known as an evening tailcoat) with silk (grosgrain or satin) facings, horizontally cut-away at the front
• Trousers of matching fabric with one single wide stripe or two narrow stripes of satin or braid in the United States, two stripes in Europe; and are worn with braces (suspenders in the U.S.)
• White plain stiff-fronted cotton shirt (usually cotton marcella, known as piqué in the U.S.)
• White stiff wing collar, preferably detachable
• White bow tie (usually cotton marcella)
• White low-cut waistcoat (usually cotton marcella, matching the bow tie and shirt)
• Black silk socks or stockings
• Black court pumps (with black silk bows)
• Minature decorations, if so entitled

Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding (1951)

The waistcoat and bow tie are usually made of cotton marcella (known in the United States as "piqué"), although plain white or off-white silk bow ties and waistcoats are sometimes worn. Many menswear authorities today ^[3] assert that the bottom of the waistcoat should not be visible below the front cutaway of the tailcoat. This has been the prevalent view in the United States since the 1920s, where actors such as Fred Astaire popularized the look of the unbroken black line from neck to feet which lengthened their silhouettes on-camera. The practice was also reinforced repeatedly by authorities dating back to at least World War I^[4] and is adhered to in numerous fashion magazines dating back to at least the 1840s.^[5] However, since full evening dress is the most conservative form of men's dress, and has otherwise changed very little since the 1870s when the bottom of the waistcoat was visible below the cutaway of the tailcoat^{[citation needed]}, some traditionalists (especially in Europe and among the aristocracy) tend to wear the waistcoat with its hem extending below the cutaway of the tailcoat by 1–2 cm. As for British royal authority on the matter, the waistcoat does not extend below the fronts.^[6] Worn either style, the waistcoat must cover the trouser waistline (which should never be seen).

The shirt should have a detachable stand up collar, with a plain but stiffly starched front, though shirts with attached collars are becoming more prevalent. Shirt fronts can be plain linen, plain cotton or cotton marcella. Shirt studs and cufflinks should be silver or white. A white pocket handkerchief and boutonnière may be worn although in France both may not be worn simultaneously and the boutonnière is traditionally a gardenia). At occasions of state, and in the presence of royalty, state decorations are worn by those who have been awarded them: miniature medals plus up to four breast stars, a narrow neck riband and a broad riband (sash).

The hat should be a black silk top hat which may be collapsible—a tradition which arose from the fact that opera houses traditionally lacked a cloak room to hand in a top hat. The overcoat should be a dark dress coat such as a Chesterfield overcoat, Inverness cloak, or opera cloak. White gloves were traditionally considered essential. A silk scarf and cane are optional extras.

At some state and heraldic occasions in Britain, knee-breeches and silk stockings are worn instead of trousers.^[7] This is particularly necessary where the garter of the Order of the Garter is intended to be worn. If a Knight of the Garter wears breeches, he wears his garter under his left knee. Ladies of the Garter wear their garters above their left elbows. (Buckled shoes, however, are not correct wear with white tie; rather, 'court pumps' (low-cut patent shoes with black bows) may be worn - either with breeches or with trousers.)

Women's clothes[link]

Although female dress is not as formally codified as that of men, women are expected to wear full-length dresses such as evening gowns. Dresses with lengths above the ankle (such as cocktail or tea-length dresses) are frowned upon and considered inappropriate. Depending on the formality of the event, bare shoulders may or may not be acceptable. Shawls and long gloves are common accessories. Women's gloves should be white and upper-length/opera-length^{[citation needed]} and are never taken off until seated at a table. Then they are to be put on again after the meal is finished. At the most formal balls, evening gowns are often required to be white. At hunt balls, evening gowns are often required to be black, white, silver or gold.

Where state decorations are worn it will usually be appropriate for royal and aristocratic women to wear tiaras.

Variations[link]

Military mess dress may also be seen at a white-tie event on appropriate occasions. At hunt balls (run by fox hunting clubs) members who are entitled to may wear a scarlet tailcoat. This hunt attire is colloquially known as "drinking pinks", to distinguish it from the "pinks" intended to be worn while riding. A hunt ball invitation in America would generally specify the dress code as "black tie, or scarlet if convenient".^{[citation needed]}

National dress[link]

When specified, national costume may also be worn to white-tie functions.^[8]

Scottish Highland dress[link]

As a specific example of national dress, Scottish Highland dress may also be worn by men at most white-tie events.

The traditional white-tie version of Highland dress consists of:

• Formal kilt doublet in barathea or velvet— the regulation doublet, Montrose doublet, Sheriffmuir doublet, and Kenmore doublet are suitable in a variety of colours
• Waistcoat in white marcella, tartan (to match the kilt), or the same material as the doublet; no waistcoat is worn with the Kenmore doublet
• Kilt with formal kilt pin
• White stiff-front shirt with wing collar and white, gold, or silver studs and cufflinks for the regulation doublet, or a white formal shirt and optional lace cuffs for the Montrose, Sheriffmuir, and Kenmore doublets
• White lace jabot; a black silk or white marcella bow tie may be worn in place of the jabot with the regulation doublet (highland wear often includes a black bow tie even at white-tie events)
• Black formal shoes or black buckle brogues
• Tartan or diced kilt hose
• Silk garter flashes or garter ties
• Silver-mounted Sporran in fur, sealskin, or hair with a silver chain belt
• Black, silver-mounted, and jeweled sgian dubh
• Short belted plaid with silver plaid brooch (optional)
• Scottish dirk (optional)
• Highland bonnet with badge (only worn out of doors)^[9]

Traditional white-tie Lowland dress is a variant of the normal white tie that includes tartan trews rather than the usual trousers and may include a suitable kilt jacket or doublet instead of the tailcoat. Trews are often worn in summer and warm climes.

Appropriate occasions[link]

President of the United States Gerald Ford, First Lady Betty Ford, Japanese Emperor Hirohito and Empress Consort Nagako during a state dinner, 1975

Britain[link]

• State dinners (e.g. dinners with visiting heads of state)
• Some commemoration balls and May balls at the old universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge
• Very formal evening weddings
• Hunt balls
• Carnival balls
• CUCA & OCA Chairman's Dinners
• Some balls during the London Season
• the Lord Mayor of London's Mansion House Banquet (although Gordon Brown famously ignored the dress code whilst he was Chancellor of the Exchequer.)^[10]
• Formal Banquets in the City of London of the Livery Companies at either the Mansion House, the Guildhall or in a Livery Hall.
• International Standard and American Smooth ballroom dance competitions
• Christmas parties where the dress-code is "red carpet ready"

The dress coat is also part of other related codes, such as civilian day court dress in the royal court (in the United Kingdom). However, these alternatives are now being replaced by standard white tie for formal state occasions, such as for ambassadors at the State Opening of Parliament.

United States[link]

In the United States white tie has been replaced by black tie for many formal occasions such as evening weddings, the Academy Awards and even presidential inaugural balls. It is still occasionally seen at:

• very formal balls and cotillions
• very formal evening weddings
• Artistic premieres or the opening of an art season in large cities, such as the opera or ballet.^{[citation needed]}
• Some Masonic events
• In addition, musical conductors and members of an orchestra or symphony playing classical music often are dressed in white tie, as well as many college level choirs and glee clubs, and the occasional barbershop quartet.

Europe[link]

Swedish student wearing white tie with couleur

In some Nordic countries, both male and female doctors wear doctoral hat, instead of opera hat, as part of white tie at all outdoor occasions requiring white tie.

In Austria and elsewhere in Continental Europe there are many balls where white tie is worn; a notable example is the Vienna Opera Ball.

In Finland and Sweden as well as the Netherlands many academic traditions (disputations, commencement ceremonies, and academic balls) still require white tie, even during day time. In these countries, academic traditions require a black waistcoat for day-time ceremonies. If no ladies without doctoral degree are present, it is customary to wear a black waistcoat even in the evening.^[11] For formal academic balls of student unions, student nations, and other student organizations, couleur is worn with the white tie.

In some universities (most notably Aalto University), doctoral regalia includes a black tailcoat with facings bearing the insignia of the university, embroidered in gold or silver. Doctors from these universities may wear this regalia at all occasions requiring white tie. On the other hand, doctoral swords are not usually worn during normal white-tie occasions.Doctors may wear their doctoral headgear instead of opera hats even for non-academic occasions.

In Finland and Sweden many weddings are white tie, as are the Nobel Prize ceremony and dinner occasions with the head of state.

Japan[link]

In Japan, white tie, or a variant combining the bow tie with a black lounge suit, is worn for school graduation ceremonies by the school principal and the teachers of the graduating students; and also for certain government functions.^{[citation needed]}

Related forms of dress[link]

White ties were historically worn by clerics and in the professions that formerly were filled by priests and minor clerics. In various forms they are still worn as part of:

• Clerical dress (by persons in holy orders)
• Clerical dress (by clerks etc. in Parliament)
• Court dress (in courts of law)
• Court dress (in the royal court)
• Academic dress (in the older universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, University of Durham, St David's College and St Andrews)
• The form of school dress known as 'stick-ups' is used to recognize senior pupils of note at Eton College
• The head boy at Harrow School has the distinction of wearing full white tie on Sundays and formal events; the School Captain of Whitgift School 'and his deputies' are also entitled to the privilege of wearing white tie at the school's Graduation Ball and the annual Prefects' Dinner.

White ties are not usually worn with military mess dress, where black ties are most often worn even with the most formal variants, though there are exceptions. In the Royal Navy, mess dress requires a white waistcoat but a black tie.

See also[link]

Film in which Fred Astaire sings "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails"

• "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails", 1935 Irving Berlin song celebrating invitation to a high class party. Written for the film Top Hat, it was introduced by Fred Astaire wearing white-tie apparel.

References[link]

White
— Common connotations —
purity, nobility, softness, East Asia, emptiness, God, sickness, ghosts, lack, snow, ice, heaven, Caucasian, peace, clean, air, sunlight, light, life, surrender, clouds, frost, milk, cream, good, cotton, angels, weakness, bones, protagonist, winter, innocence, amphetamine, Monarchism, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl
— Color coordinates —
Hex triplet		#FFFFFF
RGBB	(r, g, b)	(255, 255, 255)
HSV	(h, s, v)	(-°, 0%, 100%)
Source		By definition
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.^[1]

White light can be generated in many ways. The sun is such a source, electric incandescence is another. Modern light sources are fluorescent lamps and light-emitting diodes. An object whose surface reflects back most of the light it receives and does not alter its color will appear white, unless it has very high specular reflection.

Since white is the extreme end of the visual spectrum (in terms of both hue and shade), and since white objects - such as clouds, snow and flowers - appear often in nature, it has frequent symbolism. Human culture has many references to white, often related to purity and cleanness, whilst the high contrast between white and black is often used to represent opposite extremes.

Etymology[link]

The word white continues Old English hwīt, ultimately from a Common Germanic *χ^wītaz also reflected in OHG (h)wîz, ON hvítr, Goth. ƕeits. The root is ultimately from Proto-Indo-European language *k^wid-, surviving also in Sanskrit śveta "to be white or bright"^[2] and Slavonic světŭ "light".^[3][4] The Icelandic word for white, hvítur, is directly derived from the Old Norse form of the word hvítr. Common Germanic also had the word *blankaz ("white, bright, blinding"), borrowed into Late Latin as *blancus, which provided the source for Romance words for "white" (French blanc, Spanish blanco, Italian bianco, etc.). The root survives in English in the word black.^[5]

Light[link]

White light refracted in a prism revealing the color components.

Artist's conception of the debris disk of G29-38, courtesy NASA

Until Newton's work became accepted, most scientists believed that white was the fundamental color of light; and that other colors were formed only by adding something to white. Newton demonstrated this was not true by passing white light through a prism, then through another prism. If the colors were added by the prism, the second prism should have added further colors to the single-colored beam. Since the single-colored beam remained a single color, Newton concluded that the prism merely separated the colors already present in the light. White light is the effect of combining the visible colors of light in suitable proportions (the same present in solar light).

Since the impression of white is obtained by three summations of light intensity across the visible spectrum, the number of combinations of light wavelengths that produce the sensation of white is practically infinite. There are a number of different white light sources such as the midday sun, incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps and white LEDs; due to the phenomenon of metamerism, such sources can appear similar whilst having quite different spectra. The impression of white light can also be created by mixing appropriate intensities of the primary colors of light, red, green and blue (RGB), a process called additive mixing, as seen in many display technologies.

Color temperature[link]

The best known way to generate white light is by the process called incandescence, or black body radiation where bodies of atoms with a certain temperature emit a certain type of radiation. For example, the color of a black body at a temperature of 2,848 kelvins. This is closely matched by incandescent light bulbs. The correlated color temperature of such a light bulb is 2,848 K. Daylight can vary from a cool red up to a bluish 5,600 K. Not all black body radiation can be considered white light: the background radiation of the universe, to name an extreme example, is only a few kelvins hot, and is not visible.

In astronomy the stellar class of stars are determined by the color temperature. For instance are white dwarfs small dense stars thought to be the final evolutionary state.

Computer displays often have a color temperature control, allowing the user to select the color temperature (usually from a small set of fixed values) of the light emitted when the computer produces the electrical signal corresponding to white. The RGB coordinates of white are (1.0, 1.0, 1.0). When light hits another object it bends.

Objects[link]

Foam of a transparent and reflecting liquid, turning white when the size of the bubbles decreases.

Newly commissioned officers all in white, celebrate their new positions by throwing their midshipmen covers into the air as part of the U.S. Naval Academy class of 2005 graduation and commissioning ceremony.

White light reflected off objects can be seen when no part of the light spectrum is reflected significantly more than any other and the reflecting material has a degree of diffusion. People see this when transparent fibers, particles, or droplets are in a transparent matrix of a substantially different refractive index. Examples include classic "white" substances such as sugar, foam, pure sand or snow, cotton, clouds, and milk. Crystal boundaries and imperfections can also make otherwise transparent materials white, as in the milky quartz or the microcrystalline structure of a seashell. This is also true for artificial paints and pigments, where white results when finely divided transparent material of a high refractive index is suspended in a contrasting binder. Typically paints contain calcium carbonate or synthetic rutile with no other pigments if a white color is desired.

While the color of a light source can be reasonably measured by its correlated color temperature, a different approach is required for objects since different samples may appear white without a reference. Thus, assessment of whiteness requires a comparison. The International Commission on Illumination (CIE) prescribes one such method.

In painting, white can be crafted by reflecting ambient light from a white pigment, although the ambient light must be white light, or else the white pigment will appear the color of the light. White when mixed with black produces gray. In watercolor painting, white areas mark the absence of paint on the paper.

In nature[link]

Mont Blanc in the Alps

Snow and ice are normally white due to the diffusing structure of transparent water ice crystals. The same is true for many types of clouds where droplets of water diffuse the white light from the Sun. Many mountains with winter or year-round snow cover are named accordingly: Mauna Kea means white mountain in Hawaiian, Mont Blanc means white mountain in French. Changbai Mountains literally meaning 'Perpetually White' Mountains, marks the border between China and Korea and Mount Kilimanjaro's name could originate from Swahili meaning little white hill. The White Sea, an inlet of the Barents Sea on the northwest coast of Russia is undoubtedly named so due to the icy environment.

Beaches with sand containing high amounts of quartz also appear white, which may explain the number of islands called White Island around the world.

Cultural meaning[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008)

White materials show colored stains and dirt very clearly, due to the high contrast. This is the likely reason it is associated with purity and cleanness, and very often within a religious context. In Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Indian tradition, white is the color of mourning and death (or rebirth). However, white can also represent purity and enlightenment, as such, spiritual teachers in India often wear white as a sign of wisdom. White is also often coupled with red in some Indian garments.^{[citation needed]}

Symbolic dualism with black[link]

Black and white dualism in office spaces

White and black has the biggest visual contrast, this can easily be associated to other opposite concepts such as day and night or good and evil. White often represents purity or innocence in Western Civilization,^[6] particularly as white clothing or objects are easy to stain. In most Western countries white is the color worn by brides at weddings. Angels are typically depicted as clothed in white robes. Healing or "good" magic is called White magic.^[7] In early film Westerns the stereotypically "good guy" wore a white hat (earning them the name "White Hats") while the "bad guy" wore black (earning them the name "Black Hats"). This has given rise to the use of the names black hat and white hat for people who abuse and counter abuse of computer systems respectively. In popular culture this idea is sometimes reversed to play on reversal of stereotypes.

In taoism which has great influence in Eastern culture Yin and yang is usually depicted in black and white, depicting the two colors as opposites. The two opponents in board games of abstract strategy often has one as white, such as go, chess, and checkers.

Government and politics[link]

White Ribbon

White is often associated with Monarchism as opposed to other forms of government. This originated from Royalist rebellions against the French Revolution (see Revolt in the Vendée), known as the White terror. It re-emerged in the years following World War I, with civil wars fought between Reds and Whites, for instance the Civil War in Russia and the Civil War in Finland. A similar use is seen in the naming of the White Revolution (Persian: Enghelâb-e-Sefid‎),a far-reaching series of reforms launched in 1963 by the last Shah of Iran. If a strong leader emerges during a time of crisis, he is often referred to as a man on a white horse; this term is often associated with dictatorships.

White is also associated with peace. The white ribbon is worn by movements denouncing violence against women and the White Rose was a non-violent resistance group in Nazi Germany. This symbolism has long roots as seen by the white dove originating from the story of Noah. A white flag is an international sign of either surrender, or truce, that is, it is a sign of peaceful intent, typically at time of war. To show the white feather is to display cowardice. White is the purest of all colors. In Victorian Britain, a purported coward would be presented with a white feather.^{[citation needed]}

White as symbol of purity is seen in the expression Whitewash, which figuratively, means an attempt to obscure unpleasant facts by issuing a blanket of lies or misrepresentations. See propaganda. A white paper on the other hand will often be an authoritative report on a major issue, as by a team of experts; a government report outlining policy; or a short treatise whose purpose is to educate industry customers. Associating a paper with white may signify clean facts and unbiased information. White is known for its calming abilities.

Religion[link]

The association of white with purity and peace is used by many religions.

Boys supplicating whilst wearing the Ihram clothing during arafat

Wedding kimono

Mountain hare in winter camouflage

Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, by John Trumbull

Ihram clothing (also spelt Ahram clothing) includes men's and women's garments worn by Muslim people during the Ihram pilgrimage (Hajj). Men's garments often consist of two white un-hemmed sheets (usually towelling material) and are universal in appearance. The top (the riḍā) is draped over the torso and the bottom (the izār) is secured by a belt; plus a pair of sandals. Women's clothing, however, varies considerably and reflects regional as well as religious influences. Ihram is typically worn during Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month in the Islamic calendar.

Where liturgical robes of priests are often white, for instance the Roman Catholic Pope's cassock is white. White is the liturgical color in the Roman Catholic Church for the Easter season until Pentecost and (usually with gold) for the Christmas and Epiphany season, as well as for all solemnities and feasts commemmorating the Lord (e.g., Corpus Christi Sunday, Trinity Sunday, Feast of Christ the King) which are not sacrificial in nature and for the feasts of Saint John the Apostle (who was not martyred), the Birth of Saint John the Baptist, and all Saints who are not Confessors or Martyrs. It is also used in diaconal or priestly Ordinations and episcopal consecrations and installations, the abbatial blessing, the administration of the minor orders in the seminary and the reception of vows of religious men and women, the consecration of virgins, the dedication of a church, altar, or school, at Nuptial Masses, and (in modern times) at Requiem Masses. Only white clothing is worn inside Mormon Temples once they have been officially dedicated, due to white symbolizing purity.^[8] Many images dealing with God and heaven portray it as existing in the clouds, where everything is white. This phenomenon is not limited to western culture; in Yoruba religion, the orisha Obatala in the Ifá tradition is represented by white. Obatala is associated with calmness, morality, old age, and purity. Also more recently founded religions incorporate symbolism surrounding white. In Theosophy and similar religions, the deities called the Great White Brotherhood are said to have white auras.^[9]

A white light is often claimed to be seen by those who have had near death experiences. This, however, is probably caused by the brain being depraved of oxygen rather than a paranormal event.

White is the traditional color of bridal dress in both western (European) and Japanese weddings. In Western weddings, a white dress is thought to be symbolic of purity (the bride has not engaged in pre-marital sex). This is also said to be the symbolism of the veil. In Japanese weddings, white is to symbolize the "death"^{[citation needed]} of their former family and their introduction into their new family.

In some Asian and Slavic cultures, white is considered to be a color that represents death.^[10] White also represented death in ancient Egypt, representing the lifeless desert that covered much of the country; black was held to be the color of life, representing the mud-covered fertile lands created by the flooding of the Nile and giving the country its name (Kemet, or "black land").

Clothing[link]

White clothing can be practically used as camouflage in snowy environments, or for reflecting harsh sunlight. However, most uniforms with white elements are used as a sign of authority - dissociating the wearer from manual labor or a dirty environment. In a highly formal social function, the traditional dress for men attending is white tie, or white tie and tails, a white bow tie and a swallowtail coat. Physicians and scientists are known for wearing white coats both as a practical measure as protecting from and showing spills and stains, and as a sort of uniform showing authority.

Many traditional sports use white uniforms for players, such as Wimbledon tennis, cricket, and baseball and basketball, where white is the color typically used for uniforms worn by the home team. This may be a result of the sports being played outside exposing players to direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time.

Ethnography[link]

The term white is often used to denote the race of pale-skinned Caucasoids people of European descent perceived as being colored varying tones of pale off white to "white" skin color, whose actual skin color can also vary from pale pink to pale brown; it has been suggested that the colors beige or peach could also be used to represent the average color of most Caucasians. See White people.

Vexillology and heraldry[link]

Vatican City has a flag of yellow and white, although in normal European heraldry one is not supposed to use these two colors together adjacently because both represent metals--yellow represents gold and white represents silver), to deliberately show that the Church is not bound by secular rules.^[11] In English heraldry, white or silver signified brightness, purity, virtue, and innocence.^[12]

See also[link]

• Color realism (art style)
• List of colors
• Variations of white

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: White

Look up white in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Look up tie in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Tie may refer to:

• Necktie, a long piece of cloth worn around the neck or shoulders
  • Cravat, the forerunner to the modern tie
• Tie (draw), a finish to a competition with identical results, particularly sports
• Tie (engineering), a strong component designed to keep two objects closely linked together
• Tie (information technology), a concept to bind a distributed object to a class
• Tie (music), a musical notation symbol joining two notes without a break
• Tie (typography), a punctuation and diacritical sign
• Railroad tie, a rectangular support for the rail
• Simpson Tie or Strong-Tie, a connector used in building
• Interpersonal ties in sociology and psychology.

TIE may refer to:

• TIE receptors, specific types of cell surface receptors
• Tensilica Instruction Extension, a verilog like language that is used to describe the instruction extensions to the Xtensa processor core
• Telx Internet Exchange
• Times Interest Earned, a financial ratio
• Transport Initiatives Edinburgh Ltd., an Edinburgh based public transport company
• Titanium Metals Corporation, based on its stock symbol on the New York Stock Exchange
• TIE fighter, a fictional spacecraft in the Star Wars universe

TiE may refer to

• TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs)

See also[link]

• All pages beginning with "Tie"
• All pages with titles containing "Tie"
• Blood Ties (disambiguation)
• Ti (disambiguation)
• Tye (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Al Bowlly
Born	Albert Allick Bowlly (1898-01-07)7 January 1898 Lourenço Marques, Mozambique
Died	17 April 1941(1941-04-17) (aged 43) London, United Kingdom
Occupation	Singer, guitarist, songwriter, composer, and band leader
Years active	1927 - 1941

Albert Allick Bowlly (7 January 1898^[1] – 17 April 1941) was a Southern-African singer, songwriter, composer and band leader, who became a popular Jazz crooner during the British dance band era of the 1930s and later worked in the United States. He recorded more than 1,000 records between 1927 and 1941. His most popular songs include "Midnight, the Stars and You", "Goodnight, Sweetheart", "The Very Thought of You", "Guilty", and "Love Is the Sweetest Thing".

Born in Lourenço Marques in the then-Portuguese colony of Mozambique, Bowlly gained his musical experience singing for a dance band led by Edgar Adeler on a tour of South Africa, Rhodesia, India and Indonesia during the mid-1920s. He was then employed by Jimmy Liquime to perform in India, Calcutta, Singapore and the Raffles Hotel. In 1928, he arrived in England and briefly took part in a jazz band before being made redundant due to the 1930s depression. In 1930, he was spotted and signed to accompany both Roy Fox's and Ray Noble's orchestras that November. The signing with Noble led a to a successful association between the two which resulted in over 500 records being produced over a four-year period.

In 1933, Bowlly began to collaborate with Lew Stone and had further success producing some of the most popular jazz records of the 1930s. A year later, Bowlly travelled abroad to New York which resulted in further success, and an introduction into the American charts. During the mid-1930s, Bowlly recorded "Blue Moon", "Easy to Love", "I've Got You Under My Skin", and "My Melancholy Baby" which were all sizable successes.

By 1938, Bowlly began to suffer problems with his throat and was forced to return to London. His absence from the UK had damaged his popularity with British audiences and he toured regional theatres and continued his recording career, performing with different orchestras in order to make a living. In 1940, he formed a double act with Jimmy Messene and took part in Radio Stars with Two Guitars, performing in theatres across London. His last recorded song was a duet with Messene of Irving Berlin's satirical song on Hitler, entitled "When That Man Is Dead and Gone". It was his last venture before his death in an air raid in April 1941.

Biography[link]

Early life and career[link]

Bowlly was born in Lourenço Marques in the then Portuguese colony of Mozambique, to Greek and Lebanese^[2] parents who met en route to Australia and moved to South Africa. He was brought up in Johannesburg, South Africa. After a series of odd jobs across South Africa in his youth, namely as a barber and jockey, he gained his musical experience singing for a dance band led by Edgar Adeler on a tour of South Africa, Rhodesia, India and Indonesia during the mid-1920s. However, he fell out with Adeler, throwing a cushion at his head as he played piano on stage and was fired whilst the band was in Surabaya, Indonesia.

After a spell with a Filipino band in Surabayo he was then employed by Jimmy Liquime in India (Calcutta) and Singapore (Raffles Hotel). Bowlly had to work his passage back home, through busking. Just one year after his 1927 debut recording date in Berlin, where he recorded Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" with Edgar Adeler, Bowlly arrived in London for the first time as part of Fred Elizalde's orchestra, though nearly didn't make it after foolishly frittering away the fare which was sent to him by Elizalde. That year, "If I Had You" became one of the first popular songs by an English jazz band to become well known in America as well, and Bowlly had gone out on his own by the beginning of the 1930s. First, however, the onset of the Great Depression in 1929 resulted in Bowlly being made redundant and returning to several months of busking to survive.

In the 1930s, he signed two contracts — one in May 1931 with Roy Fox, singing in his live band for the Monseigneur Restaurant in London, the other a record contract with Ray Noble's orchestra in November 1930.

During the next four years, he recorded over 500 songs. By 1933 Lew Stone had ousted Fox as bandleader, and Bowlly was singing Stone's arrangements with Stone's band. After much radio exposure and a successful UK tour with Stone, Bowlly was inundated with demands for personal appearances and gigs—including undertaking a subsequent solo UK tour - but continued to make the bulk of his recordings with Noble. There was considerable competition between Noble and Stone for Bowlly's time as, for much of the year, Bowlly would spend all day in the recording studio with Noble's band, rehearsing and recording, only then to spend the evening playing live at the Monseigneur with Stone's band.

Move to the United States and return to Britain[link]

A visit to New York in 1934 with Noble resulted in more success, and their recordings first achieved popularity in the USA; he appeared at the head of an orchestra hand-picked for him and Noble by Glenn Miller (the band included Claude Thornhill, Charlie Spivak, and Bud Freeman, among others).

During the mid-1930s, such songs as "Blue Moon", "Easy to Love", "I've Got You Under My Skin", and "My Melancholy Baby" were sizable American successes — so much so that Bowlly gained his own radio series on NBC and traveled to Hollywood to co-star in 1936 with Bing Crosby, one of his biggest competitors, in The Big Broadcast.

He had appeared with his own band, the Radio City Rhythm Makers, but they had split by late 1937 when his vocal problems were traced to a wart in his throat, which briefly caused him to lose his voice. With him and Marjie separated and his band dissolved, that year he was once again down on his luck. Al was forced to borrow money from friends for a trip to New York for the surgery of which he was so in need. In 1938, he finally returned to the USA to undergo successful major throat surgery for the removal of his vocal wart, but still had difficulties later in his career.

Later career[link]

His absence from the UK when he moved to the States in 1934 damaged his popularity with British audiences. His career also began to suffer as a result of problems with his voice from around 1936, which affected the frequency of his recordings. He also played a few small parts in films around this time, yet never professed to be an actor. The parts he did play were often cut, and scenes that were shown were brief. Noble was offered a role in Hollywood although the offer did not, unfortunately, include Bowlly, as a singer had already been instated. Consequently, he moved back to London with his wife Marjie in January 1937, but never really explained why he had returned, with contemporaries and fans being treated to a variety of stories ranging from the fact that he missed London to claims that he got mixed up with a gangster's moll, so had been run out of America.

With his diminished success in Britain, he toured regional theatres and recorded as often as possible to make a living, moving from orchestra to orchestra, including those of Sydney Lipton, Geraldo, and Ken Johnson. He underwent a revival from 1940, as part of a double act with Jimmy Messene (whose career had also suffered a recent downturn), with an act called Radio Stars with Two Guitars, performing on the London stage. It was his last venture before his death in April 1941. The partnership was an uneasy one, as Messene suffered from a serious drinking problem by this stage, and was known to turn up incapable on stage, or to not turn up at all, much to Bowlly's consternation. His last recorded song, made two weeks before his death, was a duet with Messene of Irving Berlin's satirical song on Hitler, "When That Man is Dead and Gone".

Personal life and death[link]

In December 1931, Bowlly married Constance Freda Roberts in St Martins District, London, but Bowlly discovered his new wife in bed with another man on their wedding night. The couple separated after two weeks, and sought a rapid divorce. He remarried in December 1934, this time to Marjie Fairless, the marriage lasting until his death. (Freda remarried in 1965, dying in Richmond-upon-Thames in 1967.)

On 17 April 1941, Bowlly and Messene had just given a performance at the Rex Cinema in Oxford Street, High Wycombe, now demolished. Both were offered the opportunity of an overnight stay in the town, but Bowlly opted to take the last train home to his flat at 32 Duke Street, Dukes Court, St James, London. His decision proved to be fatal, as he was killed by a Luftwaffe parachute mine which detonated outside his flat later that evening.^[3] His body appeared unmarked: although the massive explosion had not disfigured him, it had blown his bedroom door off its hinges and the impact against his head proved fatal. He was buried with other bombing victims in a mass grave at the Hanwell Cemetery(originally City of Westminster Cemetery), Uxbridge Road, Hanwell, London, where his name is spelled Albert Alex Bowlly.

Legacy[link]

Al Bowlly is invariably credited with inventing crooning, or "The Modern Singing Style", releasing a book of the same name. Bowlly experimented with new methods of amplification, not least with his Melody Maker advert, showing him endorsing a portable vocal megaphone. With the advent of the microphone in 1931, Al adapted his singing style, moving away from the Jazz singing style of the 20s, into the softer, more expressive crooning singing style used in popular music of the 30s and 40s. It was Al's technique, sincerity, diction and his personality that distinguish him from many other singers of the 30s era.

Al is also credited with being the first "pop star". Prior to the advent of Bowlly, the bandleaders were the stars and the main attractions, with the records being sold as "Ray Noble and his orchestra (with vocal refrain)", a phenomenon that can be seen on 78s of the period. Most singers were all but anonymous; however, Al's popularity changed this, with him being the first singer to be given a solo spot on BBC radio due to popular demand, and records appearing featuring his own name. Bowlly's personality, good looks, charisma, and above all his voice, earned him the nickname "The Big Swoon", with Al finding himself being mobbed by female fans for autographs and photos after his performances.

As well as singing, Bowlly played both the guitar and the ukulele, with Joyce Stone, widow of Lew Stone, saying "You only had to play anything once to Al and he'd got it." Bowlly remains one of the most highly regarded singers of his era because of his extraordinary range, his command of pitch and rhythm, and, above all, the sincerity with which he could deliver a lyric. Ray Noble is often quoted as saying that Al often stepped away from the microphone with tears in his eyes; "never mind him making you cry, he could make himself cry!"

A Blue Plaque has been approved by English Heritage and a suitable location is currently being finalised.^[4]

References in popular culture[link]

• "My Hat's On the Side of My Head" was prominently featured in the movie Murphy's War (1971)
• "Midnight, the Stars and You" and "It's All Forgotten Now" were featured in the Stanley Kubrick film The Shining (1980).

• Bowlly's music is an integral part of many Dennis Potter teledramas such as The Singing Detective (1986), Pennies from Heaven (1978) and in particular Moonlight on the Highway (1969). Potter also used Bowlly's song titles as titles for his plays, e.g., Rain on the Roof and Cream in My Coffee.

• In 1978, "Isn't It Heavenly" by Lew Stone and his Band featuring Al Bowlly was used in the award-winning Edward and Mrs Simpson TV Series made by Thames Television, starring Edward Fox and Cynthia Harris in the lead roles. The couple are seen dancing in their Hotel suite ca. 1935. It is a touching moment as the couple romantically live Al Bowlly's song message. There were two recordings of this song for Decca Records on 1 August 1933 and 25 October 1933 respectively, listing Lew Stone and the Monseigneur Band. It is not known which recording was selected for the TV series.

• In 1986, British singer/songwriter/guitarist Richard Thompson paid tribute on his album Daring Adventures with the song "Al Bowlly's in Heaven" about a veteran who reminisces on the days when he used to see Bowlly sing in the clubs of London.

• "Midnight, the Stars and You" has been the signature piece and the final music cut since 2001 on the John Batchelor Show, an American national radio program.

• Played by Danny Huston, Bowlly comes to life as a fantasy character in the 2007 film I Really Hate My Job.

• Bowlly is portrayed by Graham McPherson in the 2008 film The Edge of Love. Also, Bowlly's version of "My Hat's on the Side of My Head" is heard later in the film.

• Bowlly's recording of "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)" was used in Steven Spielberg's 1987 film Empire of the Sun.

• Al Bowlly's "Guilty" was featured in the soundtrack for the French film Amelie.

• The song "Guilty" was used by the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 2000, playing over the end credits instead of the programme's usual title music to signify the final appearance of character Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin) who had persuaded her friend Dot Cotton (June Brown) to help her die.^[5]

• His rendition of "Love is the Sweetest Thing" was used in the 2004 adaptation of Death on the Nile in the series Agatha Christie's Poirot.

• In 1997, Bowlly's "My Woman" was sampled by the British one-man band White Town, appearing in the song "Your Woman." The same sample may have served as John Williams' inspiration for the Star Wars "Imperial March."^[6]

• The song "Hang Out the Stars In Indiana" was featured in the cult comedy film Withnail and I.

• In December 2009, Al Bowlly - Megaphone to Microphone had its first performance at the Jermyn Street Theatre.

• Suspense novelist Jack Higgins regards Al Bowlly highly in many of his novels.

• He is mentioned in the novel, White Lies by Raymond Wacks set in the Sixties in South Africa.

• An Al Bowlly version of "Empty Saddles" figures prominently in the novel A Good Clean Fight by Derek Robinson.

Partial discography[link]