What’s Around Dad’s Neck?

In honor of Father’s Day this Sunday we ask the following question: What is the purpose of wearing neckties?

The necktie can probably be traced back to a garment from the mid-16th century known as the ruff. Worn by both men and women, the ruff was a heavily starched, tightly pleated lace collar. It is speculated that the ruff was introduced during the reign of King Henri II of France around 1540. He began wearing them to conceal a scar on his neck. Soon everyone picked up on the style.

Though it began as a narrow collarlike adornment, the ruff soon grew to exaggerated proportions. Wearing a wide ruff was a method used by many to silently communicate their vast wealth. The wider the ruff, the more difficult it would be to perform manual labor. Therefore, a man or woman who wore a very wide ruff was saying to the world, “I’m so wealthy I don’t have to work, I have others to do that for me.” By 1579 the ruff grew to be as wide as seven inches, often reaching from the chin to the chest and making it virtually impossible for the wearers to turn their heads.

During the 17th century the ruff had reached such elaborate widths that it became impossible to wear and gave way in 1692 to another garment known as the cravat.

Originally worn by the Croats, the cravat was a beautiful length of fabric, usually muslin or lace, wound around the neck with the ends falling across the chest. The cravat, too, eventually reached exaggerated lengths of 10 feet or more.

Very little changed from the early 1700s to the time of the French Revolution in 1789. King Louis XVI was not interested in fashion and since many fashions at that time were started by copying what the king wore, his lack of interest in fashion resulted in few modifications.

Following the French Revolution in 1799, men’s fashion underwent drastic changes. The rich colors and fabrics previously so popular were replaced by a more politically correct “working man’s wardrobe.”

Gone were the elaborate colors, rich textures and expensive jewelry. Instead, men began wearing more functional clothing in drab, dark colors. The cravat, too, was gone. It was replaced by a thin, dark cord or silk ribbon worn around the neck. The one exception to this dull outfit was the vest.

Often the only colorful or decorative part of a man’s attire, the vest retained its popularity into the mid-1800s. Some men even began wearing two vests to add color to their outfits but the Industrial Revolution in France, Great Britain and the United States during this time brought an end to the double vest fashion. It was simply too bulky to permit the freedom of movement necessary for working. To retain a bit of color the dark silk ribbon worn around the neck was replaced by a strip of colorful fabric and the modern-day necktie was born.

Next week we’ll look at some of today’s fun tie designs. xxxx