MARCH OF TIES
The evolution of the tie as a neckpiece dates
back as far as man himself. Man has constantly
decorated his neck clear back to the days when
he hung teeth and bones of savage beasts around
his neck as symbols of his conquests.
And so on down through the ages, neckwear,
in one form or another, has run the gamut from
bones and metals, heavy swathings of linens and
brocades, lace and pleated ruffs to trim present
day fashions of silk, rayon, nylon, wool and other
blends of fabrics worn in Windsor knots, four-in-
hands and bows.
The Men’s Tie Foundation, a trade organiza
tion representing the men’s neckwear industry, has
compiled many interesting facts in piecing to
gether the march of ties from primitive to mod
ern man.
The Persian Palm design that is used in the
paisley tie designs, a favorite among men to this
day, was brought from Persia to England by
Drake’s sailors in 1580. They used small pieces
of the material to tie up their pigtails.
The Croat troops, who came to France as Mer
cenaries in 1600, brought the first bright colored
fancy neckpieces with them. During the Thirty
Years War their neckpieces were adopted and
were called cravats after the Croats. The cravat was
introduced into England by Charles II in I66O
after his return from exile at the French Court.
Charles II loved ties so much that he was known
to have paid as high as $600 for a single tie.
The fashion of wearing cravats was brought to
a sudden end by the French Revolution. Wearing
of a cravat then was enough to make one suspect
ed of being an aristocrat. Only Robspierre and his
friends were allowed to wear ties.
According to Byron, the undisputed leader in
London fashion in the early 17th Century was
Beau Brummell, who dressed as if it were a sacred
ceremony, climaxed by the knotting of his white
tie. The Prince Regent, later George IV would
often come to witness the ceremony.
Etienne Demarekky, a French gentleman of the
early 1800’s conducted a school on how to tie a
tie. About the same time courses were started in
London and these classes were attended both by
gentlemen of the day and Valets.
Napoleon, who always wore a black tie, went
strictly formal to the Battle of Waterloo in 1815
for he is said to have worn a white tie.
During the Napoleonic wars in the late 18th
Century, red faces were considered an indication
of great health. Frequently ties were pulled tight
to make the face flush. It also made the wearers
eyes protrude like a frog’s. This is reputed to be
the origin of the name "Frog” as applied to the
French.
In 1823 the French had a special type of tie
for the heavy eaters which was called the "gas-
Above, combination stock collar and tie ivorn
ivith ruffled shirt, frock coat and fancy tveskit tvas
all the rage in the 1850’s
tronomical”. It was loosely arranged and un
starched so that it would not interfere with the
enjoyment of dinner. The color was pink like a
boiled ham.
Collars and ties made of steel were issued to
Officers of the U. S. Marines in the early 1800’s
as a protection in warfare. At the same time, en
listed men were issued leather collars. And that
gave the nickname, "Leathernecks” which they are
still called to this day.
During the late 17th Century the cravat worn
with several windings around the neck was cred
ited with saving many officers from sabre cuts.
When Antoine La Salle, a French General was
struck in the neck by a pistol ball, the camp phy
sician found the pistol ball lodged in the thick
fold of his cravat.
The polka dot is the earliest known design to
have been used in neckwear. It is supposed to
have been a tribute to the Sun God and during
the reign of Louis XIV bow ties made of lace
were popular, the larger the better.
The Cravat was still enormous in 1800 and
covered the chin in the manner common at the
time of the "Incroyables”, a fashionable set of
British dandies. It usually consisted of a square
piece of cloth folded in triangular fashion and
passed around the neck several times. About 1815
the high peaked starched shirt collar, the ends
of which stuck up around the wearers cheeks, was
worn with a white cravat lightly folded. Neckties
were either arranged by the wearer or were made
up; in the latter case they were fastened at the
back. George IV introduced the first ready made
cravat in 1829- It became known as the "Royal
George” tie.
Long ties began to be worn about 1840. They
were passed around the neck twice, and hung