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Necktie

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A necktie is a long piece of cloth worn around the neck.

Memphis tie 1A
Memphis tie 1A

It usually sits under a folded shirt collar and hangs down the chest. People wear them for decoration or to show a special meaning. Most ties are worn with a collared shirt and a suit jacket.

Tie dimple
Tie dimple

Some people also wear them with sweaters or sport coats. In certain jobs, like the United States Marine Corps, the tie is tucked into the shirt. This keeps the tie out of the way during manual labor.

HH Polizeihauptmeister MZ
HH Polizeihauptmeister MZ

Making and wearing a tie involves many careful steps. First, the wearer fastens the top button of their shirt. Next, they tie a knot at the throat between the collar points. The style of the knot is very important to many people.

There are many different ways to tie a knot. Two common ones are the Windsor knot and the Pratt knot. In 1997, researchers found that 13 knots are especially good-looking. These were chosen from a total of 85 possible knots.

Tie collection
Tie collection

The history of the necktie goes back many centuries. It traces back to Croatian soldiers serving in France.

jabot
jabot

These soldiers wore small, knotted neckerchiefs around their necks. The French people called these items "cravats." This name came from the word for Croats. King Louis XIV of France began wearing lace cravats in 1646.

jabot
jabot

This helped make the style very popular among the French nobility. Many people then wore lace ruffles called jabots.

jabot
jabot

As time passed, different styles of neckwear appeared. In 1715, people began wearing "stocks." These were sometimes made of leather to help soldiers hold their heads high.

Man's tailcoat detail with stock and beaver top hat
Man's tailcoat detail with stock and beaver top hat

Later, in 1870, a shop in Oxford made the first modern necktie.

Theodore Roosevelt by the Pach Bros (4x5 cropped)
Theodore Roosevelt by the Pach Bros (4x5 cropped)

This design is very similar to the ones we see today. In 1922, Jesse Langsdorf created a new way to cut the fabric.

Krawaty
Krawaty

This method helped the tie keep its shape without twisting. This style is still used as a standard today.

Neckties have changed a lot in their look and width. In the 1940s, some ties were very wide and bright.

Portrait of Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee, Roy Eldridge, and Teddy Hill, Minton's Playhouse, New York, N.Y., ca. Sept. 1947
Portrait of Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee, Roy Eldridge, and Teddy Hill, Minton's Playhouse, New York, N.Y., ca. Sept. 1947

Jazz musicians often wore these flamboyant styles. By the 1960s, some ties became very thin.

Tie collection
Tie collection

Later, in the 1990s, tie sales in the United States reached 110 million.

Tie collection
Tie collection

Today, fewer people wear them to work than in the past. However, they are still used for many special and formal events.

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🖼️ Images & Media (21)
File:Memphis tie 1A.JPG
Memphis tie 1A.JPG
File:jabot.svg
jabot.svg
File:Neckcloth.JPG
Neckcloth.JPG
File:Man's tailcoat detail with stock and beaver top hat.jpg
Man's tailcoat detail with stock and...
File:Mathew Brady 1875 cropped.jpg
Mathew Brady 1875 cropped.jpg
File:Theodore Roosevelt by the Pach Bros (4x5 cropped).jpg
Theodore Roosevelt by the Pach Bros (4x5...
File:Portrait of Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee, Roy Eldridge, and Teddy Hill, Minton's Playhouse, New York, N.Y., ca. Sept. 1947.jpg
Portrait of Thelonious Monk, Howard...
File:Krawaty.jpg
Krawaty.jpg
File:HH Polizeihauptmeister MZ.jpg
HH Polizeihauptmeister MZ.jpg
File:Tie_collection.jpg
Tie_collection.jpg
File:GertrudeVanWagenen.jpg
GertrudeVanWagenen.jpg
File:Indian_school_children_at_Hnahthial.jpg
Indian_school_children_at_Hnahthial.jpg

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