"Let's all take our ties off this summer to save energy," Economy
Minister Pablo Longueira says in television spots airing around the
country.
In the commercial, he undoes the knot of his pink and white tie and
whips it off with gusto, unbuttoning the top of his shirt and smiling. A
tie-less energy minister and other senior government officials also
appear in the TV spot.
Mornings and evenings are still cool in Chile's capital Santiago but
the midday sun has already become quite strong and will remain so until
fall begins in March.
While many men welcome the idea of a tie-less summer, others are put off, saying that serious people need to dress the part.
"There are things that really go along with being formal and
well-structured," said Santiago resident Gonzalo Castro. "The president
can't go around without a tie. Nor should a government minister, an
engineer, a doctor or a journalist."
