History of the Tie...

THERE MAY BE a connection between the French word "cravat" and the French word "Croat" meaning Croatian: it is thought that King Louis XIV took up the fashion of neckerchiefs after seeing them on victorious Croatian mercenaries during the Thirty Years' War. As for bow ties, the term may come from the French word jabot, a form of tie in the early days of neckerchiefs.

The style of neck scarves of silk in vibrant colors became fashionable in the 19th century. Eventually, )after an evolution that included white lace, long bows, "stocks" of bound cotton, and a variety of other impenetrable garments,) the "four-in-hand" was born, paired with the starched, detachable upturn collars that appeared in the 1860's. The English called it the four-in-hand because its knot, with two long, trailing ends, resembled the reins of the four-horse carriages used by the British aristocracy.