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Wearing a necktie has always been a familiar part of a man’s wardrobe. The mere act of wearing a tie sends a serious message and sets a business like tone because wearing a tie doesn’t come as easy as buttoning buttons and zipping zippers. Tying the perfect knot and balancing the knot with the size of the collar is almost an art form, not to mention pairing the right color and design of the necktie with the shirt and the suit as a whole. So wearing a tie has consistently been associated with a certain mood.
The tie is an article of men’s clothing simply described as a long piece of cloth that rests under the shirt collar, knotted in the throat and is descended from the cravat. Ties became a staple in men’s wardrobe since the 17th century during the Thirty Years War when it first appeared worn by Croatian mercenaries hired by the French. After that it became all the rage with Parisian men and in the 1800s rules and illustrations on how to properly wear a tie started coming out. The modern necktie and bow tie are the most commonly used nowadays but mens ties come in other variants apart from what was mentioned. When discussing men’s ties and the history of neckwear the ascot tie, the bolo tie, and the clip on tie at one point will pop up. The best way to describe an ascot tie is that it’s a narrow neckband with pointed wings, usually folded over and fastened with a stickpin or tie tack. The bolo tie is more commonly associated with cowboys and western wear. It is usually a piece of cord or braided leather secured together by a clasp. The easiest variant of tie to be worn is the clip on tie whether in bow tie form or the four in hand tie, the clip on is permanently tied. The clip on tie came about for the need of easy wearing in professions such as the police and paramedics. For most fashion critics fashion editors, and fashion watchers a bolo tie and a clip on tie is a major no-no.
In recent years necktie wearing has been in decline. The stuffiness and the stiffness it was associated with was partly a reason. Emerging trends as well doesn’t compliment tie wearing especially the jeans trend. Nonetheless neckties at one point or another will be needed and in important occasions to be worn. In buying a necktie in the 21st century means buying a slimmer version of the traditional tie but not super skinny ones. Something that measures 3 inches at its widest is the latest ideal. French and Italian silks are the favored materials for high end brands of neckties like Hermes and Gucci but necktie shouldn’t be restricted to these materials as cotton twill, wool, and knit are available for quirkier and hipper versions of this men’s fashion accessory staple. Some years ago women’s fashion magazines featured wearing men’s ties as belts so the decline may not just happen yet with neckties. One thing’s for sure men’s ties have been around for centuries and fashion is fickle so it’s best to hold on to a necktie or two.
