Father’s Day is just around the corner.  The holiday has been tied to men’s clothing since the 1920’s when trade groups helped promote it.  So, it’s no surprise that one of the most popular gifts and enduring symbols of Father’s Day is the necktie.

The necktie that we know has its origins in the 30 Year War.  King Louis XIII of France hired Croatian mercenaries to fight alongside the French.  The Croatian soldiers wore a cloth tied around their necks as part of their uniforms.  The cloth helped secure their cloaks and distinguish rank.  Officers wore cloths of silk or muslin, and ordinary soldiers wore cloths made of more common material.

The French loved the look of the neck cloths.  When King Louis XIV wore one in court, they became a necessary part of court dress for French nobility.  The accessory was initially called a “croate” from its Croatian origin, but later evolved into the word “cravat.”  The French cravats were far larger and fancier than the ones Croatian soldiers wore.  Rather than symbolizing military rank, it symbolized wealth and style.

By the 18th century, the cravat was also popular in England and Germany.  Beau Brummell is credited with making the knot with which a cravat was tied a more important fashion choice than the cloth itself. Brummell preferred a clean, tidy, less-is-more approach to fashion.  Rather than wearing a cravat with intricate lace and secured with a jewel, he wore a simple white cloth tied in intricate knots, folded and draped just so.  These knots could take several minutes or hours to perfect.  Entire manuals were published on how to tie them.  These manuals were the first to call them ties rather than cravats.

The Industrial Revolution made ties more accessible to middle-class men.  In the 1920’s, Jesse Langsdorf invented the modern-day tie.  He cut the cloth on a bias and sewed the tie in three segments.  This allowed the tie to lie flat when hanging and to return to its original shape once untied.  This innovation made tie-wearing even more accessible to men who did not have time to fuss over their attire.

Even though it has waned in popularity in recent years, the tie has remained an essential part of men’s formal attire since its adoption.  So, for those looking for a way to help Dad express his personality while still looking sharp, the tie remains an excellent Father’s Day gift.

Crystal Kelly is a feature writer for Bizarre Bytes with those unusual facts that you only need to know for Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy, or to stump your in-laws.

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Crystal Kelly is a feature writer for KnoxTNToday.