Guides

History of the necktie: from scarf to classic

How military neck cloths developed into a modern garment, and why tie shape, construction and knots continue to change with menswear.

Neck cloths before the modern tie

Cloths and bands worn at the neck are much older than today's tie. In seventeenth-century Europe, the neck cloths of Croatian soldiers attracted notice at the French court and were taken up in fashion. Words related to the French cravate developed around them, although those garments were unlike the present long tie.

They could be wrapped, draped and decorated with lace or bows. Function, status and fashion overlapped.

Towards the long form

During the nineteenth century, men's clothing and collars gradually became more restrained. Stocks, scarves, bows and early long forms coexisted. Softer turn-down collars and the business suit created space for a longer, narrower piece running down the shirt front.

Industrial textile production increased access to repeatable patterns, while fine weaving and hand finishing remained important in higher-quality pieces.

Twentieth-century construction

The modern tie is cut on the bias so it can flex during tying and recover after the knot is opened. Multiple sections, interlining, tipping and a flexible back seam define its construction. Width and length moved with the lapels, collars and silhouettes of each decade.

Knots also became part of style history, from compact asymmetric forms to the broad Windsor.

Why the tie continues

Dress codes have relaxed, which makes the tie more of a deliberate choice. It can formalise an outfit, bring colour towards the face or express affiliation. Unlike a short-lived accessory, it combines a recognisable form with immense variation in cloth and pattern.

Its history shows that there was never one permanently correct width or knot. The relationship to the rest of the clothing has always mattered most.