Boys' Neckwear


Figure 1.--This American boys was photographed in Washington, D.C. probably in the 1870s. We though at first he was wearing a cross tie, but on closer examonsation it looks like a small bow. We date the portrait to the 1870s in part because of the small size of his bow and collar.

Neckwear was not common in the early 19th century. Many boys had open collars. 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 eiyher neck ties or bowties. After the mid 20th century, however, neckwear became less commonly won by boys. By the late 20th century, neckwear became less and less common. We have noted a wide variety of boys' neckwear. Modern boys normally wear either bow ties or more commonly nevckties. We note many other styles of neckwear worn by boys over time, including cravats, stocks, and bows. There was also a variety of less important styles like string and bolo ties.

Cronology

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.

Types

We have noted a wide variety of boys' neckwear. Modern noys normally wear either bow ties or more commonly nevckties. We note many other styles of neckwear worn by boys over time, including cravats, stocks, and bows. There was also a variety of less important styles like string and bolo ties. Bows became enormously popular in the later half of the 19th Century. Bows are most associated of course with girls' clothing and hairstyles. Generally the largest, most prominent bows were used for girls. Bows were, however, also extensively used on boys, especially during the late 19th Century and early 20th Century. The history of modern neckwear begins in Croatia wear soldiers fighting Ottoman Turks would wear colorful cloths around their necks. This was picked up by the fashion conscious French in the 17th century who were soon sporting cravats. The crrevate lost the final "e" upon crossing the English Channel. Fashionable Frenchmen vied with themselves over the size of their cravats. Those who adopted massive cravats were called the incroyables , meaning the "incredible". They wore such large cravats that their chins were hidden. The "macaronis" appeared in England during the mid-18th century. They were dandies affecting an Italian-inspired fashion, coloring their cheeks with rouge and wearing diamond-studed pumps, and cravats with huge bows. The solitaire appeared in the mid-18th century. It was attached to the wigs that men wore at the time. It was attached in the back, wrapped around the neck, and brought to a bow in front over a cravat. Some alternatives to the cravat appeared in the 17th century. The most common was the stock. There were some other more bizarre alternatives. An alternative to the cravat existed in the 18th and well into the 19th century--the stock. A cravat was a generally long piece of cloth that would around the neck and tied in front. The stock, on the other hand, resembled protective collars that are today worn for whiplash or other neck injuries. The neck tie is the most vissible 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 accesory. The primary modern male neckwear can be be traced to the 17th-century cravat.

Country Trends

We have begun to build several country pages on neckwear. We do not yet have a great deal of country specific information. There seem to have been few neckwear types that were country specificic. The popularity of different styles have, however, varied by country. The huge floppy bow worn in the late 19th century, for example, was especially popular in America. This appears to have been largely stylistic differences affected by each country's historical experience. National wealth may have also been a factor. Religion and culture also affected national difference. Islamic countries, for example, tend to descourage neckties, presumably because it is identified with Western culture. We have begun to build individual country neckwear pages. One example is the Canadian neckwear page.







HBC




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Created: 3:45 AM 10/28/2004
Last updated: 2:08 AM 8/27/2008