Figure 1.--This American portrait is undated. It is a high-quality image, not the work of a naive artist, but unfortunately we do not know who the artist was. It looks to have been done in the 1850s. I'm not precisely sure how to describe the neckwear here. Notice the center hair part, unusual for boys in the mid-19th century.

Neckwear was not common in the early 19th century. Many boys had open collars. We do not see many boys in skeleton suits wearing neckwear. I'm less sure about what boys wore with tunics. We see boys beginning to wear neckwear about the 1830s. Stocks became common in the mid-19th cetury. Some of the most destinctive neckwear for boys were the bows boys began wearing in the 1870s. Sometimes the bows were quite large, if not enormous. They were popular in the late 19th century. A much wider diversity of neckwear was worn in the first half of the 20th century. Boys commonly wore either neck ties or bowties. Bowties were especially commonb fgor younger boys. After the mid 20th century, however, necvkwear became less commonly won by boys. By the late 20th century, neckwear became less and less common. Most modern boys avoid wearing neckties whenever possible.

Ancient Civilizations

There are ancient precursors to the modern necktie, although they are not directly related. Excavations near the Chinese city of Xi'an yielded an amazing find of a 3rd century BC army of terra-cota soldiers. The figures of the unearthed warriors yielded exacting details of their uniforms which included neck scarves. Chinese legend has it that the scarves protected the Adam's apple which was believed to be the source of their strength. Roman legionaries in the 2nd century AD reportedly began tying bands of cloth around their necks. This does not seem to have been a fashion statement, but rather an effort to stay warm in cold weather. Neck cloths called fascalia were also worn by Roman orators to warm the vocal chords, st

The 17th Century

The neck tie is the most visible and variable fashion accessory worn by men. "Ties are very related to their times, reflective of trends in society," reports Mark-Evan Blackman, Chairman of the menswear department of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. Neckties as we now know them are a relatively recent fashion accessory. The primary modern male neckwear can be be traced to the 17th-century cravat, a style developed from Croatian mercenaries honored by Louis XIV. As with so much of male fashion, the style is military in origin.

The 18th Century

The 19th Century

We notice boys wearing a wide range of neckwear in the 19th century. Some of tghe styles look very dated while some imnages show boys wearing neckwear that looks surprisingly modern. This somewhat complicated dating images which lavl provinnce. Neckwear was not common in the early 19th century. Many boys had open collars. We do not see many boys in skeleton suits wearing neckwear. I'm less sure about what boys wore with tunics. We see boys beginning to wear neckwear about the 1830s. Stocks became common in the mid-19th cetury. Some of the most destinctive neckwear for boys were the bows boys began wearing in the 1870s. Sometimes the bows were quite large, if not enormous. They were popular in the late 19th century.

The 20th Century

Ties have only been worn by boys since the 1900s, although they only became widely accepted in the 1920s. They were extensively worn in the 1920s-40s as boys routinely wore suits or blazers to school and to a variety of events and activities that now would call for casual clothes. In our more casual modern era, many American boys rarely wear ties and may not, in fact, learn to tie a knot until their teens. Usually British boys learn to handle a tie at an earlier age. A much more limited range of neckwear was worn by boys in the first half of the 20th century. Boys commonly wore either neck ties or bowties. Bowties were especially common fgor younger boys. Boys commonly wore bowties or neckties when dressing up in the early 20th century. We note some styles like string ties, but they were not commonly worn. After the mid 20th century, however, neckwear became less commonly won by boys. By the late 20th century, neckwear became less and less common. Most modern boys avoid wearing neckties whenever possible.

Created: 4:16 AM 10/28/2004
Last updated: 6:10 AM 11/4/2004