The Gentleman's wardrobe: Neckties

Numerous publications about men's tie and its origin names Trajan's Column in Rome as an example for showing the prototype of this neck adornment. But what Roman legionnaires wore early in the second century AD, scarcely reminds about today's ties: it is a piece of cloth that is tied around the neck. The real predecessor of ties is more likely the neck cloth from the middle of the XVII century, which become a mandatory part of the male clothing. One arrow-headed 'tie' was a symbol of extraordinary wealth. Even the most expensive handmade ties nowadays are cheap compared to King Charles II acuminate cravat, worn in 1660. It cost 20 pounds and 12 shillings at a time when a few pounds were a good annuity.

We find the first prototype of today's tie in the USA from the XVIII century. The so-called Bandanna is a large patterned cloth that was wrapped several times around the neck and then tied with a ribbon. American boxer James Belcher made it popular.

The first dandy, Englishman George Bryan 'Beau' Brummell, in the beginning of the XIX century, made fashionable another attitude. This legendary dandy and stylist hated French flamboyant ornamentation in male clothing. According to Brummell, the attire of a real gentleman in any case shouldn't be overplayed and compulsive. So he reached to a look, consisting of a blue tailcoat, a beige jacket, black boots and a dazzling white tie. Brummell himself had a huge number of snow white linen ties and every morning he spent a really long time to create an enjoyable knot.

But the direct predecessor of modern necktie are actually high school and club ties. In 1880, members of Oxford University's Exeter College transformed the bands of their caps into the first club, adding just a simple knot. During the same year, on June 25, they ordered to a tailor, neckties in the same colors and so unleashed a fashion that was enthusiastically perceived by other English clubs and colleges.

And the predecessor of the patterned tie is the Macclesfield tie, named after a city in northwestern England, where processed raw silk from India and China. Here in 1990 was created patterned cravats in an unsuspected diversity - they were produced for the middle class, which by their ties wanted to verify what they have achieved.

Modern tie in its present form exists since 1924. These ties were cut on the full length of the fabric and after that - lined. This ties were worn out quickly and their knots' folds were unsatisfactory. This was until 1926, when New York tie maker, Jesse Langsdorf, came up with a method of cutting the fabric on the bias and sewing it in three segments. He patented his invention and sold it worldwide. Since that time, most men have worn the 'Langsdorf' tie.