Unknotting the Tie: A Brief History

PROTO-TIES. No one knows for sure the exact origins of the fashion phenomenon known as the tie, but it is believed that as early as the 2^nd century BC, Chinese warriors were buried with some kind of neck cloth on them. Even the Roman soldiers of 200 AD were sporting scarf-like neck pieces during their time.

FRENCH DRESSING. It was Louis XIV, however, who saw the promise of the decorative silk scarf in 1636. He adopted it from a group of Croatian mercenaries who visited his palace.

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT. At the beginning of the 20^th century, there were basically two types of ties, the long necktie and the short bow tie. The father of the modern tie is American manufacturer Jesse Langsdorf, who in the ‘20s patented the all-weather, wrinkle free tie. The secret ingredient was known to be "the all-important slip stitch running down the back of the tie which is held together from three pieces of material, cotton tape, and a lining of wool, or even rubber in the early versions." Talk about complicated!

AND WIDER AND WILDER. After the second world war, tie sported a new face, experimenting with bold prints and designs. The ties varied from conservative solids, to outrageous and even more expressive prints… hula girls, dogs and cowboys, atomic bombs, and geometric designs… you name it, they printed it. The tie also began to grow in width and length, and that goes to say that its fans also grew in number. In the late ‘40s, Frank Sinatra proclaimed his love for the tie and admitted he owned 500 pieces.

BOWED BUT UNBENT. Meanwhile, the bow tie remained a convenient alternative. With a rebirth in the ‘50s, its appearance casually in width. Strangely enough when the ‘60s came, the formal black tie now came in red, blue or green, invoking more freedom and individuality for the wearer.

THE POWER TIE. In the ‘70s, the ties were accompanied with safari suits and spread collars. The width of the tie continued to grow until the middle of the decade. During this time, labels like Pierre Cardin marketed the designer ties. The ‘80s, on the other hand, featured the "power tie," boasting a display of small dots and diamonds.

WOMEN’S WEAR. Celebrities and icons such as Madonna and Demi Moore have been sporting the tie in their shows and movies. Japanese teenagers have been wearing it in the most fashionable manner… and we don’t mean in school. With the freedom and individuality in fashion, girls can totally experiment and wear the tie in whichever manner they want to.