Tie Line

June 15, 2003 12 AM PT

BEFORE 1600

ANCIENT TIES

Pieces of cloth start popping up around the necks of people in

different ancient civilizations. Some historians think the Egyptians

started the trend to indicate high social status, others think

Chinese soldiers were the first, and some point to Roman neckwear as

the modern tie’s ancestor.

1600

LOUIS, LOUIS

Look up the word cravat in the dictionary. Note that it’s derived

from the word “Croat,” a person from the Eastern European country

Croatia. In the early 1600s, Croatian soldiers involved in the Thirty

Year’s War visited France at the request of Louis XIV. The Croatians

were wearing decorative neckerchiefs. Louis XIV noticed this and

started a trend in his country.

1700-1900

BIG IN EUROPE

The cravat enjoys great popularity across Europe over the next

couple of centuries, evolving into a variety of different shapes,

sizes and textures. The craze spreads across the Atlantic and

flourishes in the colonies, and eventually the whole U.S. of A.

1900-1960

THIS IS A MODERN WORLD

In the early 1900s, the current look of the neck tie starts to

form in the U.S. after years of changes. Ties become a mainstay in

schools, the military and the work place.

1960-2000

COUNTER CULTURE

The ‘60s roll around, and suddenly, ties are more than just an

accessory. A symbol of the establishment, young men shed their ties

as an act of rebellion. That lasts for about a decade. Ties of all

shapes and sizes slowly make way back into popular culture and

fashion in the last years of the century.

2000s

AND NOW?

Ties can still be seen everywhere, mostly on businessmen and at

formal occasions. The tie continues to be a popular gift for men on

birthdays and holidays, especially Father’s Day.

For more information on ties, check out these Web sites from which

the timeline factoids and tie-tying instructions were gathered: