The bow tie automatically sparks conversation as an accessory, due to the style and individuality that it invokes more so than a than a traditional tie. Bow ties have moved in and out of fashion trends since their creation. There was a time when the bow tie was a staple in a man’s closet. In recent years it seems to be making a return for both men and women. Do you know the history of the bow tie?

Neckties are the descendants of strips of cloth worn around the necks of Croatian soldiers enlisted by the French in the 1660s. These were originally referred to as “croats” to refer to the soldiers themselves, but later became “la cravat” in French and then “cravat” or “kruh-VAT” in English.

As is outlined in this excerpt from his 1688 book, The Academy of Armoire by author Randle Holme III, “a cravat is another kind of adornment for the neck being nothing else, but a long towel put about the collar, and so tied before with a bow knot.”

The single end bow tie became top choice for the most formal of events, and the standard bow tie marched on, boldly boasting its day- to-day elegance and versatility.

Menswear historians point to the 1810s as around the time when the cravat came to be commonly called a “tie,” and it was commonly thought that a man’s character could be determined from the way he tied it. Each tie wearer of the time made the accessory their own, experimenting with fabrics, knots, a complementary accessory.

The early 1900’s saw a rise in the wearing of bow ties. Bow ties soon became the “it” accessory, and by the time the 1920s roared into history, they served as a signature piece for people of all persuasions. Famous bow tie wearers include Marlene Dietrich, Louis Armstrong, James Bond (yes, we know he isn’t a real person) Orville Redenbacher (The popcorn guy!) and Huckleberry Hound (a cartoon favorite).

THE BOW TIE