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Home / New Zealand

Prime Minister John Key: I own hundreds of ties

NZ Herald
18 Aug, 2016 01:27 AM2 mins to read

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Prime Minister John Key addresses media , wearing a striking purple tie. Photo/ Dean Purcell

Prime Minister John Key addresses media , wearing a striking purple tie. Photo/ Dean Purcell

How many ties does a man need in his wardrobe?

If you're the Prime Minister of New Zealand it turns out to be hundreds. Not quite 500 but definitely a couple of hundred.

This morning John Key told More FM's Si and Gary he owned a large collection of high-quality silk ties.

Today he was wearing a paisley-patterned pink tie. Tomorrow it would be blue polka dot.

Key said it was the only item in his restricted formal wardrobe where he could make a stylish statement.

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"What can you change as a bloke? I've got 10 suits and I've got a lot of shirts but you don't really notice all that stuff. The thing you notice is a tie."

Asked if he was the Imelda Marcos of the tie world Key said though he was partial to a high-quality silk tie his collection was constantly changing.

"I often give them away so even though I actually pay a lot for my ties as a general rule I'll sign them for charities and donate them."

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But for the designs that made up his permanent tie wardrobe there was an effort to get his money's worth.

"I just don't wear them once - I'm not quite that bad."

Asked if he had some "naughty" ones hanging in the wardrobe Key replied he had "had them all".

"I had the leopard skin one that I got given the other day but I thought that was a stretch too far and that didn't last long."

A photograph from early in his political career shows a man still developing his tie game. Photo/Mark Mitchell
John breaks out the big guns for Bronagh's first public appearance. Photo/File
A wild red tie appears and John Key fully commits. Photo/File
Prime Minister John Key captivates media with a swirly tie. Photo/Dean Purcell
John Key and Barack Obama have an epic tie-off at the White House. Photo/Supplied
John Key delivering a solid tie performance here. Photo/Doug Sherring
Prime Minister John Key is a vision in shiny purple. Photo/Mark Mitchell
Prime Minister John Key sports an animal-themed tie. Photo/Greg Bowker
To tie, or not to tie? That is the question. Photo/File
How did this get here? Photo/Mark Mitchell

Image 1 of 10: A photograph from early in his political career shows a man still developing his tie game. Photo/Mark Mitchell

And though he was often seen wearing the obligatory blue tie to National Party events it appeared he was not averse to switching up his look with a range of colours and patterns.

"Today will be a paisley and pinkish one and I'm going to Christchurch tomorrow so if you notice me walking down the street I'll be the guy in the blue polka dots."

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