The Short History of Neckties: from Croatia to England

Do you ever wonder when the tie was invented and by whom? This accessory was once used only by the nobility.

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The Story of Necktie

Nowadays, we can do many things online – if we want to buy a tie, for example, we can review and order dozens of models in a few minutes. Likewise, if we are looking for casino bonuses for a particular country, we can quickly find this information on a site like Vietnam-BonusesFinder.com/Online-Casinos/. But some things existed before the invention of the internet, and a necktie is one of them. Do you ever wonder about the history of this accessory?

It All Started With 30 Years’ War

In 1635, during the Thirty Years’ War in France, there were many soldiers fighting for King XIII Louis. The Croats were one of them, and although they were outnumbered, they were immediately noted for their appearance – all the Croatian soldiers had colorful strips of cloth around their necks. Croatian women tied these cloths around their necks and tied a knot to remind them of themselves when sending men off to war.

However, contrary to popular belief, these clothes did not become famous in the time of XIII Louis – this happened during the Renaissance era in the 1650s. It was common practice at the time to use collars around the neck, but because these collars were very difficult to clean, and people were ready to accept an alternative. The French court members admired the bravery of the Croatian soldiers, so they decided to look like them and tied a piece of cloth around their necks. This was called “a la croate” (Croatian style), which is why this accessory is known today as “cravat” in European countries.

Charles II brought this accessory with him when he returned from exile to England, and for a long time, the necktie was used as an accessory of the aristocracy. In other words, it was used as a symbol of social status and a sign of dignity. “A tie was part of the casino dress code for a long time,” says Tony Sloterman, Product Manager at Casino Bonuses Finder. “If you’re not wearing a tie, you won’t be able to get into almost any casino in Europe. There were even some Las Vegas casinos where this rule was enforced.”

It Has Become a Common Accessory Due to A “Scandal”

The tie was seen only as a noble accessory and was not used much in daily life until Edward VIII, Duke of England, caused a “scandal” and tied his tie more loosely than ever. However, this “reckless” act of Edward the Eighth caused fashion designers to consider the tie as a part of everyday wear, and that’s how people started to use it. In fact, this accessory was the most popular accessory of men all over the world until the 1960s. It was almost never used during the freedom movements in the 60s, but it has become popular again since the 70s and has reached the present day.

Today, it is accepted that a quality tie should be 8.5 – 10 cm wide and 140 cm long. However, this was not always the case – tie designs constantly changed over time and reflected the fashion trends of the period. For example, in the 70s, tie models with wide patterns and feminine motifs were common. In the 80s, narrow and classically patterned ties became fashionable. Likewise, even tie-tying techniques have changed over the years. Did you know that the most used tie-tying style today was actually invented by 19th-century London bus drivers?