"Neckties satisfy modern man'sdesire to dress in art."

~ Harry Anderson, magician and actor


That says a lot about the modern,artistically designed ties, doesn't it? Neckties have come a long way frombeing simple pieces of fabric tied around the necks of men to pieces ofdesigner fabric. They have evolved into an expression of art and thepersonality of the wearer.


This article studies the evolutionof this fashion accessory over time. It attempts to study the journey of thenecktie from its origin, through the development of various styles, to themodern designer ties available in the market today. It also gives a glimpse ofthe trends that are in vogue with respect to neckties.


www.fibre2fashion.comhad an exclusive conversation with Mr. Patrick McMurray on the subject of neckties.Mr. McMurray is an entrepreneur as well as strategic planning and businessalignment specialist, actively involved in market research of various fashionaccessory brands. He has an active interest in the evolution of fashion overthe years. Mr. McMurray expresses his views on various aspects related toneckties.


Origin and evolution


The necktie, so much a part oftoday's formal attire for men, is not something that came into existence acouple of years ago. It has been around for thousands of years. To be precise,the origin of the necktie dates as far back as 1660. It was in this year that Croatiansoldiers gained victory over Turkey, after a long and hard fight. As a part ofthe victory celebrations, a regiment of Croatian soldiers visited the court ofLouis XIV in Paris, who was well known for his liking for unique embellishments.The officers of this regiment were wearing pieces of silk cloth in bold coloursaround their necks. The monarch was highly impressed with this style, and headvocated the use of this style as a symbol of royalty. This soon became a fad,and the pieces of fabric began to be known as 'Cravats', derived from the word'Croats'.


Within a short time span, this fadhad passed on to England. It began to be considered highly fashionable to weara cravat. Almost 100 different styles of tying a cravat were developed in England. The English also began to experiment with various kinds of fabric and designs. Cravatsbecame highly ornamental. 'The more ornamental, the better' was the motto ofthe English during this period. Cravats with tassels, ribbon, lace, bows andembroidery began making an appearance.


The cravat retained its popularityfor several centuries, in different parts of the world. Later, with the passageof time, the cravat became narrower and well tailored, and became popular asthe 'necktie'. According to some experts, the cravat evolved into the bow tie,which, in turn, evolved into the necktie. However, this is uncertain.


The necktie as we know it todayemerged in the 1900s. During this period, the shape of the necktie became moreor less universal. 3-1/4 inches began to be accepted as the ideal width of atie, and 52 to 58 inches the ideal length. These measurements are stillconsidered to be standard.


 

Gradually, different patterns and styles of neckties were developed, as did various styles of tying the knot. Some of the commonly used styles of knotting the tie, in vogue till date, are the Four-in-hand knot, the Windsor knot and the half-Windsor knot.


In the later part of the 19th century, with the rising popularity of inter-school sports, different schools began to use the colours associated with them in their ties. Different organizations such as clubs began to follow suit, and the striped tie came into existence. Later, ties in bright colours became highly popular.


In the later part of the 1960s, ties became wider, and 'fat ties' became famous. In the 1980s, the trend changed to narrower ones, known as 'slim ties'. In the 1970s, however, wider and shorter than normal ties were very popular in Britain. These ties were known as 'kipper ties'. In the 1970s and 80s, a number of innovations took place in ties, such as the replacement of original silk fabric with artificial silk. Special printing techniques began to be used, and unique designs began to appear on ties. The faces of celebrities began to be used on ties for the first time.


It was in the 1980s that some of the classic patterns were developed, which are still in vogue. During this period, humorous ties also became popular, with cartoon characters on them.


In the 1900s, neckties became an inevitable part of men's wardrobes. In the 1960s, there was a decline in the popularity of neckties, as a result of a rebellion against tradition during that period. The popularity picked up again in the 1970s, and the demand for ties remained stable in the 1980s as well.


In the early part of the 20th century, ties became popular among ladies as well, as they started climbing the career ladder. Earlier, it was considered as a purely male domain.


The beginning of the 21st century saw many new innovations in the fabrics used for ties. Combinations of different fabrics such as wool and silk and wool and satin began to be used for making ties during this period.


The attitude of the people towards neckties has changed over the years. As Mr. McMurray puts it, "In the fashion industry attitudes are changing all the time, there was the dress down era, now we are returning to the dress up and dandy era, so as styles change so do attitudes."


Modern neckties


In the modern times, ties have emerged as a must for formal wear. Apart from being part of school and college wear, ties have become almost an inseparable part of work wear in case of high-profile jobs and at high-brow weddings and parties. The bow tie is highly preferred in Western countries as part of formal wear.


There are several accessories that are in use for keeping the tie in place. Some of them are the tie bar, tie clip, tie chain, tie tack and tie strap.


The current trend is that of designer ties. Fashion brands such as Forzieri, Bentley Cravats and Raffaello are very popular in the market for designer ties. These ties are distinguishable by their extremely good quality and exclusive price range. Apart from this, ties with unique designs are also popular on less formal occasions. For instance, a tie with a Harry Potter design on it.


Different organizations such as schools, colleges, clubs, and commercial establishments develop custom ties for their students, members and employees.


 

Ties that support worthy causes such as donating to the UNICEF as well as those that spread awareness about medical conditions like Parkinson's disease are also in vogue in today's times.


'Different' ties with unique patterns with them are also rising in popularity.


With work wear fast being replaced by casual wear in most workplaces, the use of ties is declining. However, it still is an essential part of formal wear at several events.


Recent trends


Speaking about the recent trends in neckties, Mr. McMurray opines, "The current trends vary from brand to brand. There is a strong generic flavour inherent in most mainline brands; stripes are the strongest and most popular, then there are polka dots, some paisley and interesting geometric shapes. The colours, still blues and reds, for conservatism. There are very few florals on the market, they too are quite generic."


The popular trends in neckties can be expanded on as under:


~ Designer ties are very much in.


~ Apart from ties having the ideal width, narrow ties or skinny ties are also in vogue. Some designers like City of London and Perry Ellis are coming up with ties that are narrower than the standard width. A designer group is also promoting the 'little black tie' that is even narrower and sleeker.


~ Dark colours seem to be in vogue. However, instead of dull colours, bright colours like magenta, chocolate brown and electric blue are in.


~ In terms of patterns, polka dots as well as floral patterns are in. Stripes, the perennial favourite in ties, are still in.


There are considerable changes that have been forecasted for the neckties market in the coming 5 years. Mr. McMurray says what these changes would be: "Women's fashion always has strong influences on men's fashion, only it is watered down to masculine acceptance. Spring-summer 2009 is going to be alive with florals for men and women. The skinny tie has withered away and the traditional broader style is back in vogue as always.


The next five years will see men making more of their own choices of clothing style, especially accessories. The demand for luxury, bespoke, handmade silk ties is steadily growing and helping keep a long-standing English weaving and manufacturing industry alive. Modern tie manufacturers are keeping with Jean Patou and French designers of the 1920s who used women's dress fabric material for their ties and had them displayed next to women's cosmetic sections. They were a huge hit, so we took a leaf out of his book and thought it time for a return to floral ties in the tradition of Jean Patou. The brands to watch over the next five years are Vivienne Westwood, Timothy Everest, Victoria Richards and Patrick McMurray; they are true independents that set standards of style at both ends of the scale."


 

How to choose a tie


There are a number of factors that make up a good tie. In the words of Mr. McMurray, "First of all, the proportions - Blade width and length, ideally this should be 85mm to 90mm x 1540 to 1560 mm long. The chosen fabric must incorporate a balance of colour, pattern and texture. There is also the quality of interlining. Many consider 100% wool to be best; however, it reacts greatly with atmospheric changes, absorbing moisture, and can buckle your tie. According to seasoned tie makers, wool blends are the best.They also recommend taffeta tipping instead of silk because it adds weight to the end of ties so it will hang better."


With the wide variety available in the market today, how does one choose the right tie? In choosing a suitable tie, there are several factors that need to be considered. Mr. McMurray sums them up: "Firstly, the value is in the product not the name. Depending on one's budget, feel for the weight of the tie, rub the fabric gently between your fingers and you can quite easily judge the density of the silk and lining. A well-designed tie, apart from construction, should contain the right balance of colour, pattern and texture, regardless of style type. You can expect to pay about 45 and upwards for a good quality tie handmade in England."


The bottom line


"A silk tie is the epitome of male self expression; it reflects his mood and character and brings a collection of clothing together. In fact, rather than being classified as an accessory, it becomes a central focal point for comment". So says Mr. McMurray.


Our special thanks to Mr. Patrick Mcmurray for sharing his views and permitting to incorporate them in this article. For more information on Neckties; please visit: http://www.patrickmcmurray.com/index.html


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