|
| |
Necktie (n)- a long strip of cloth worn around the neck and tied in an
orderly fashion.
The four-in-hand necktie (as distinct from the four-in-hand knot) was
fashionable in Great Britain in the 1850s... How to Tie
a Bow Tie
A Brief History on the Tie
The necktie (or tie) is a long piece of cloth worn around the neck, resting
under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat. The modern necktie, ascot, and
bow tie are descended from the cravat. Men and women wear neckties as part of
regular office attire or formal wear. Neckties can also be worn as part of a
uniform (e.g. military, school, waitstaff).
Variants include the bow tie, ascot tie, bola tie, and the clip-on tie.
History
The necktie can be traced back to the time of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648)
when Croatian mercenaries in French service, wearing their traditional small,
knotted neckerchiefs, aroused the interest of the Parisians. The new article of
clothing started a fashion craze in Europe where both men and women wore pieces
of fabric around their necks. In the late seventeenth century, the men wore lace
cravats that took a large amount of time and effort to arrange. These cravats
were often tied in place by cravat strings, arranged neatly and tied in a bow.
1650-1720: the Steinkirk
The Battle of Steenkerque took place in 1692. In this battle, the princes, while
hurriedly dressing for battle, just wound these cravats around their necks. They
twisted the ends of the fabric together and passed the twisted ends through a
jacket buttonhole. These cravats were generally referred to as Steinkirks.
1720-1800: Stocks, Solitaires, Neckcloths, Cravats
In 1715, another kind of neckwear, called "Stocks" made its appearance. Stocks
were initially just a small piece of muslin folded into a narrow band wound a
few times round the shirt collar and secured from behind with a pin. It was
fashionable for the men to wear their hair long, past shoulder length. The ends
were tucked into a black silk bag worn at the nape of the neck. This was known
as the bag-wig hairstyle, and the neckwear worn with it was the stock.
A variation of the bag wig would be the solitaire. This form had matching
ribbons stitched around the bag. After the stock was in place, the ribbons would
be brought forward and tied in a large bow in front of the wearer.
Sometime in the late eighteenth century, cravats began to make an appearance
again. This can be attributed to a group of young men called the maccaronis (of
Yankee Doodle fame). These were young Englishmen who returned from Europe and
brought with them new ideas about fashion from Italy. The French contemporaries
of the maccaronis were the Incroyables.
1800-1850: Cravat, Stocks, Scarves, Bandannas
At this time, there was also much interest in the way to tie a proper cravat and
this led to a series of publications. This began with Neckclothitania, which is
a book that contained instructions and illustrations on how to tie 14 different
cravats. It was also the first book to use the word ‘tie’ in association with
neckwear.
It was about this time that black stocks made their appearance. Their popularity
eclipsed the white Cravat, except for formal and evening wear. These remained
popular through to the 1850s. At this time, another form of neckwear worn was
the scarf. This was where a neckerchief or bandanna was held in place by
slipping the ends through a finger or scarf ring at the neck instead of using a
knot. This is the classic sailor neckwear and may have been adopted from them.
1860-1920s: Bow ties, Scarf/Neckerchief, the Ascot, the Long tie
The industrial revolution created a need for neckwear that was easy to put on,
comfortable and would last an entire workday. The modern necktie, as is still
worn by millions of men today, was born. It was long, thin and easy to knot and
it didn’t come undone.
The English called it the “four in hand” because the knot resembled the reins of
the four horse carriage used by the British upper class. By this time, the
sometimes complicated array of knots and styles of neckwear gave way to the
neckties and bow ties, the latter a much smaller, more convenient version of the
cravat. In formal dinner parties and when attending races, another type of
neckwear was considered de rigueur; this was the Ascot tie, which had wide flaps
that were crossed and pinned together on the chest.
This was until[when?] a New York tie maker, Jesse Langsdorf came up with a
method of cutting the fabric on the bias and sewing it in three segments. This
technique improved elasticity and facilitated the fabric's return to its
original shape. Since that time, most men have worn the “Langsdorf” tie. Yet
another development of that time was the method used to secure the lining and
interlining once the tie had been folded into shape. Richard Atkinson and
Company of Belfast claim to have introduced the slipstitch for this purpose in
the late 1920s.
1920s-present day
After the First World War, hand-painted ties became an accepted form of
decoration in America. The widths of some of these ties went up to 4.5 inches
(110 mm). These loud, flamboyant ties sold very well all the way through the
1950s.
In Britain, Regimental stripes have been continuously used in tie designs since
the 1920s. Traditionally, English stripes ran from the left shoulder down to the
right side; however, when Brooks Brothers introduced the striped ties in the
United States around the beginning of the 20th century, they had theirs cut in
the opposite direction.
Before the Second World War ties were worn shorter as well as wider than they
are today; although in Britain in the 1970's short and wide ties (known as
'Kipper ties') became fashionable for a few years.
The 1960s brought about an influx of pop art influenced designs. The first was
designed by Michael Fish when he worked at Turnbull & Asser. The term kipper was
a pun on his name. The exuberance of the styles of the late 1960s and early
1970s gradually gave way to more restrained designs. Ties became narrower,
returning to their 2-3 inch width with subdued colors and motifs, traditional
designs of the 1930s and 1950s reappeared, particularly Paisley patterns. Ties
began to be sold along with shirts and designers slowly began to experiment with
bolder colors.
This continued in the 1980s, when very narrow ties approximately 1 inch wide
became popular. Into the 1990s, increasingly unusual designs became common, such
as joke ties or deliberately kitsch ties designed to make a statement. These
included ties featuring cartoon characters or made of unusual materials such as
plastic or wood.
Types
A Necktie from a 1913 Arrow Collar Ad
A Necktie from a 1913 Arrow Collar Ad
A page from Neckclothitania showing different Cravat Knots.
A page from Neckclothitania showing different Cravat Knots.
Cravat
In 1660, in celebration of its hard-fought victory over Ottoman Empire, a crack
regiment from Croatia visited Paris. There, the soldiers were presented as
glorious heroes to Louis XIV, a monarch well known for his eye toward personal
adornment. It so happened that the officers of this regiment were wearing
brightly colored handkerchiefs fashioned of silk around their necks. These neck
cloths struck the fancy of the king, and he soon made them an insignia of
royalty as he created a regiment of Royal Cravattes. The word "cravat" is
derived from the "a la croate" - like the Croats (wear them).
Four-in-hand
The four-in-hand necktie (as distinct from the four-in-hand knot) was
fashionable in Great Britain in the 1850s. Early neckties were simple,
rectangular cloth strips cut on the square, with square ends. The term
"four-in-hand" originally described a carriage with four horses and a driver;
later, it also was the name of a London gentlemen's club. Some etymologic
reports are that carriage drivers knotted their reins with a four-in-hand knot
(see below), whilst others claim the carriage drivers wore their scarves knotted
'four-in-hand', but, most likely, members of the club began wearing their
neckties so knotted, thus making it fashionable. In the latter half of the 19th
century, the four-in-hand knot and the four-in-hand necktie were synonymous. As
fashion changed from stiff shirt collars to soft, turned-down collars, the
four-in-hand necktie knot gained popularity; its sartorial dominance rendered
the term "four-in-hand" redundant usage, shortened "long tie" and "tie".
In 1926, Jesse Langsdorf from New York introduced ties cut on the bias (US) or
cross-grain (UK), allowing the tie to evenly fall from the knot without
twisting; this also caused any woven pattern such as stripes to appear
diagonally across the tie.
Today, four-in-hand ties are part of men's formal clothing in both Western and
non-Western societies, particularly for business.
Four-in-hand ties are generally made from silk, cotton, polyester or, common
before World War II but not as popular nowadays, wool. They appear in a very
wide variety of colours and patterns, notably striped (often diagonally), club
ties (often with a small motif repeated regularly all over the tie) and solids.
"Novelty ties" featuring icons from popular culture (such as cartoons, actors,
holiday images), sometimes with flashing lights, have been quite prevalent since
the 1990s, as have paisley ties.
Six- and seven-fold tie
The sevenfold tie is a construction variant of the four-in-hand necktie revived
after the austerity of the Great Depression. A square yard of silk (usually two
or more pieces sewn together) is folded to seven sections of silk between the
folds. Its weight and body derive exclusively from the layering of silk. It can
require an hour or more to construct.
There are newly designed spinoffs to sevenfold ties, often referred to as four
folds, or lined seven folds. These imposters frequently have the folds of the
silk ending halfway through the middle of the inside of the tie. These ties,
while very thick, are essentially the same as regular lined ties, with the
exception of the decorative origami like folds at the ends of the tie. They are
most easily identified by the bottom square, the part of the back of the tie
that hangs in front of the belt, which is not one single sheet of silk-normally
the introverted pattern is exposed-but is two pieces of the silk with the liner
in between. In contrast to authentic sevenfolds, these ties' heft and body are
derived by the weight of created by the folding of the silk upon itelf.
These other "seven-fold ties" are also referred to as Six-fold ties. They are
typically self-tipped and lined. These are historically Italian made, although
they are increasingly being made elsewhere. For this reason, they are often
referrd to as being "Italian style", while the sevenfold tie is usually
untipped, unlined and is the "American style". The Talbott (Robert) Family is
often credited with bringing back the sevenfold design which was almost lost as
a result of the 1920's era depression. It was much more expensive to make a tie
completely of silk, so the lined tie with other tiping fabric was born. The
classic sevenfold tie has no interfacing (interlining) of any kind yet drapes
beautifully due to the weight derived from the precise folding of the silk upon
itself. Generally a medium weight, 25-30mm, silk is best used for creating one
of these truly handmade ties.
Clip-on tie
M Clip-on tie
The clip-on necktie is permanently knotted bow tie or four-in-hand style affixed
with a metal clip to the front of the shirt collar. This 20th-century innovation
is considered by some to be stylistically inferior, but may be considered
appropriate by some for wear in occupations (e.g., law enforcement, service
clerks, airline pilots, etc.) where a traditional necktie could pose a safety
hazard. Clip-on ties are also the most common form of child-sized ties.
Types of knots
See also Category:Necktie knots
A half windsor knot with a dimple
A half windsor knot with a dimple
There are four main knots used to knot neckties. The simplest, the four-in-hand
knot, may be the most common. The others (in order of difficulty) are:
* the Pratt knot (the Shelby knot)
* the half-Windsor knot
* the Windsor knot (also erroneously called the "double-Windsor"). The Windsor
knot is the thickest knot of the four, since its tying has the most steps.
The Windsor knot is named after the Duke of Windsor, although he did not invent
it. The Duke did favour a voluminous knot; however, he achieved this by having
neckties specially made of thicker cloths.
In the late 1990s, two researchers, Thomas Fink and Yong Mao of Cambridge's
Cavendish Laboratory, used mathematical modeling to discover that eighty-five
(85) knots are possible with a conventional tie. (They limited the number of
"moves" used to tie the knot to nine; longer sequences of moves result in too
large a knot or leave the hanging ends of the tie too short.)
Ties as signs of membership
This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources.
Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (November 2007)
The two variants of the school tie for Phillips Academy. The striped version
uses American-style stripes (high side of stripe on wearer's right).
The two variants of the school tie for Phillips Academy. The striped version
uses American-style stripes (high side of stripe on wearer's right).
A cryptic motif on the official WE.177 project tie.
A cryptic motif on the official WE.177 project tie.
The use of coloured and patterned neckties indicating the wearer's membership in
a club, military regiment, school, et cetera, dates only from late-nineteenth
century England. The first definite occurrence was in 1880, when Exeter College,
Oxford rowers took the College-colour ribbons from their straw boaters and wore
them as neckties (knotted four-in-hand), and then went on to order a proper set
of ties in the same colours, thus creating the first example of a college
necktie.
Soon other colleges followed suit, as well as schools, universities, and clubs.
At about the same time, the British military moved from dressing in brightly and
distinctively coloured uniforms to subdued and discreet uniforms, and they used
neckties to retain regimental colours.
Some secondary schools in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand maintain
the wearing of a tie as part of their school uniforms, with its design being
specified. Some primary schools also permit pupils to wear ties.
The most common pattern for such ties in the UK and most of Europe consists of
diagonal stripes of alternating colours running down the tie from the wearer's
left. Note that neckties are cut on the bias (diagonally), so the stripes on the
source cloth are parallel or perpendicular to the selvage, not diagonal.
The colours themselves may be particularly significant. The dark blue and red
regimental tie of the Household Cavalry is said to represent the blue blood
(i.e. nobility) of the Royal Family, and the red blood of the Guards.
In the United States, diagonally striped ties are commonly worn with no
connotation of group membership. Typically, American striped ties have the
stripes running downward from the wearer's right (the opposite of the European
style). However, when Americans wear striped ties as a sign of membership, the
European stripe style may be used.
An alternative membership tie pattern to diagonal stripes is either a single
emblem or a crest centred and placed where a tie pin normally would be, or a
repeated pattern of such motifs. Sometimes, both types are used by an
organisation, either simply to offer a choice or to indicate a distinction among
and levels of membership. Occasionally, a hybrid design is used, in which
alternating stripes of colour are overlaid with repeated motif pattern.
Many British schools use variations on their basic necktie to indicate the
wearer's age, house, status (e.g. prefect), or participation in competition
(especially sports). Usually, the Old Boys and Girls (alumni) wear a different
design.
Opposition to and problems with neckties
The debate between proponents and opponents of the necktie center on social
conformity, professional expectation, and personal, sartorial expression.
Quoting architect Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright said: "Form follows
function". Applied sartorially, the necktie's decorative function is so
criticized. In 2005, Arizona State University established to not discriminate by
gender, however, it retained the rule requiring men to wear neckties and women
to wear nylon stockings and high heeled shoes in the office of the president,
and for ambassador visits and official meetings.
Health issues
Necktie opponents cite risks of wearing a necktie as argument for discontinuing
it. Their cited risks are entanglement, infection, and vascular constriction.
Entanglement when working with machinery or dangerous, possibly violent jobs
such as policemen and prison guards, and certain medical fields. The answer is
to avoid wearing neckties, or to wear pre-knotted neckties that easily detach
from the wearer when grabbed; vascular constriction occurs with over-tight
collars. Studies have shown increased intraocular pressure in such cases, which
can aggravate the condition of people with weakened retinas. There may be
additional risks for people with glaucoma Sensible precautions can mitigate the
risk. Paramedics performing life support remove an injured man's necktie as a
first step to ensure it does not block his airway. Neckties might also be a
health risk for persons other than the wearer. They are believed to be major
vectors in disease transmission in hospitals. Notwithstanding such fears,
doctors and dentists wear neckties for a professional image. Hospitals take
seriously the cross-infection of patients by doctors wearing infected neckties,
because neckties are less frequently cleaned than most other clothes. On 17
September 2007, British hospitals published rules banning neckties. Doctors
routinely lean across patients and ties frequently come into contact with
patients — although this can be countered somewhat by a tie bar. As a result,
bow ties have traditionally been popular with doctors, especially so with
Gynecologists. Medical professionals can mitigate this problem by changing into
a newly washed tie each day.
Wearers also need to be careful when cooking to avoid the tie coming into
contact with any flames. Consequently, blue collar workers are rarely required
to wear ties. Instead, they may wear coveralls.
In some UK schools a prank known as peanuting results in the tie being pulled by
the front to make the knot become tight. This may seem harmless but can be
dangerous.
Anti-necktie sentiment
Globe icon
The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a
worldwide view of the subject.
Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page.
In the early 20th century, the number of office workers began increasing. Many
such men and women were required to wear neckties, because it was perceived as
improving work attitudes, morale, and sales.
Removing the necktie as a social and sartorial business requirement (and
sometimes forbidding it) is a modern trend often attributed to the rise of
popular culture. Although it was common as everyday wear as late as 1966, over
the years 1967–69, the necktie fell out of fashion almost everywhere, except
where required. There was a resurgence in the 1980s, but in the 1990s, ties
again fell out of favor, with many Internet-based companies having very casual
dress requirements.
Casual Fridays has become a very popular tradition, in which employees were not
required to wear ties on Fridays, and then — increasingly — on other, announced,
special days. Some businesses extended casual-dress days to Thursday, and even
Wednesday; others required neckties only on Monday (to start the work week). At
the furniture company IKEA, neckties are not allowed.
An extreme example of anti-necktie sentiment is found in Iran, whose theocratic
rulers have denounced the accessory as a decadent symbol of Western oppression.
In the late 1970s (at the time of the Islamic Revolution) members of the US
press even metonymized Iran's hardliners as turbans and its moderates as
neckties. To date, most Iranian men have retained the Western-style long-sleeved
collared shirt and three-piece suit, while excluding the necktie.
Designers of neckties
Most designer labels release a collection of neckwear each season, however some
popular UK designers are renowned for their neckties. Within the UK silk neck
ties are available from John Lewis Partnership, House of Fraser, Selfridges,
Liberty of London, Harrods and many other menswear stores.
Many clubs, associations, schools, churches and businesses will have custom
woven and printed ties manufactured in specific colors, patterns and designs to
signify membership. They are available internationally from companies like
Bowler & Blake and American fashion designer Marisol Deluna in addition to their
own signature collections.
For 60 years, designers and manufacturers of neckties were members of the Men's
Dress Furnishings Association but the trade group shut down in 2008 due to
declining membership due to the declining numbers of men wearing neckties.
Neckties as phallic symbols
The tie has been seen by some as a phallic symbol , due to its shape and the
idea that it points the way to the wearer's genitals. In the Catholic parts of
Germany when the Weiberfastnacht, or Women's Carnival is celebrated, it is the
custom for women to cut off men's ties, which can be interpreted as a symbol of
castration analogously.
Use by women
Neckties are sometimes part of uniforms worn by women, particularly at
restaurants and hotels. Many secondary school students in countries requiring
ties also require girls to wear them as part of the uniform. It can also be used
by women as a fashion statement, becoming especially popular after Diane Keaton
wore a tie as the titular character in Annie Hall.
| |
|
