If a mere ATCO was to wear a shirt and tie then how much gold braid do the supervisors and watch managers wear. I used to wear jeans and a t shirt whilst at LATCC the bosses were not bothered as long as I did my job right. I did not keep my tie on during my flying career either. I wore it to and from the aircraft. For some of the naive people out there, take a trip to the area centre at Amsterdam where you will find jeans, t shirts, fag packets tucked under the sleeves etc. In a safety environment if there is no need for safety clothing then a person should be allowed to wear what they feel comfortable working in. i.e no distractions due to a tie. I remember one colleague working the Daventry sector (flat radar displays) lost sight of a few a/c due to his tie being on the display. Explain that.