Figure 1.-- Here we see an unidentified American boy wearing a necktie with a detachable collar. The portrait is undated, but was probably takden in the 1900s.

Neckties and bowties became common neckwear after the turn of the 20th century. We see neckties before the turn of the century, but they did not become an important item for boys until afterwards. We note men wearing ties in the late 19th century, but they were large bulky ties. These were not commonly worn by boys. The ties that boys began wearing were more narow versions. Not all boys wore ties or other neckwear, even for formal occassions. We see boys both wearing and not wearing ties with Eton and other detachable collars. Gradually the tie became standard when dressing up. The syles of neckwear reverted to the mid-19th century convention of being for both adults and boys. As floppy bows disappeared we see more and more neckties. The early ties we see were mostly solid colors. Soon a range of patterns developed. Diagonal striped ties seem to have been particularly popular. We see stripes in both directions as well as hoeizontal stripes. Grafually very loud patterns appeared. We see solid-colored ties as well. We notice modern-looking neckties in the 1910s. A good example is an American boy, Robert Hubbard, with a diagonal striped tie in 1917. We see an unidentified New York boy wearing a horizontally striped tie in the 1910s. A good example from the 1940s is Arian Viring in 1941. Some neckties were worn with Eton collars, but most were worn with soft collars.

Chronology

We first see neckties after the mid-19th century. They were very wide ties commonly worn by men with suits and vests. Thus we also see the very large tie knots. We only see men wearing them, mostly prosperous men. We first see boys wearing ties in the very late-19th century. Neckties and bowties only became common neckwear fir bots after the turn of the 20th century. We see neckties before the turn of the century, but they did not become an important item for boys until afterwards. We see boys wearing modern-looking neckties in the early-20century, especilly by the 1910s. A good example is an unidentified American boy. We note boys wearing ties with Eton and other detachable collars. Gradually the tie became standard when dressing up. The syles of neckwear in the 20th, especially after World War I, reverted to the mid-19th century convention of being for both adults and boys. As floppy bows disappeared we see more and more neckties.

Age

We note men wearing ties in the late 19th century, but they were large bulky ties. These were not commonly worn by boys. The ties that boys began wearing later were more narow versions. Younger boys wore floppy bows in the late-19th century. We se see younger boys wearing modern-looking ties by the 1910s. A good example is an unidentified American boy. Not all boys wore ties or other neckwear, even for formal occassions.

Collar Conventions

We see boys both wearing and not wearing neckties wih shirts. To an extent this was a reflection of formality. But we note the same pattern for boys wearing Eton collars. Some neckties were worn with Eton collars, but most were worn with soft collars.

Colors

The early ties we see were mostly solid colors. The first ones in the late 19th century look black. By the turn of the 20th century we see colors, including light colors. The blak and white photography f the day provides few clues as to the actual colors envolved. We do note solid colored ties in the early 20th century, but after Word War I patterns become much more popular.

Patterns

The first ties we see in the 19th century were solid colored ties, black ties worn by staid Victorian men men--among whom black was a favorite color. Ascboys began wearng ties, we eventually note a range of patterns appearing. This does not appeare to be a childish convention. We see men wearing the pattern ties as well. Diagonal striped ties seem to have been the first pattern and were particularly popular. particularly popular. We see stripes in both directions as well as hoeizontal stripes. Grafually very loud patterns appeared. We see solid-colored ties as well. We notice modern-looking neckties in the 1910s. A good example is an American boy, Robert Hubbard, with a diagonal striped tie in 1917. We see an unidentified New York boy wearing a horizontally striped tie in the 1910s. A good example from the 1940s is Arian Viring in 1941. Eventually we see a much greater range of patterns. By the 1930s we note loud, bold patterns becoming increasingly popular. The 194s were particylarly notable for wide, bold patterns diverging substantally from staid stripes. We al;so notice quite a range of colors being mixed up in the patterns. This began to chage in the mid-1950s and by the 1960s we no longer seen such lous pattens and the ies become much more narrow.

Bowties and Neckties

We are also not sure of the relationship between neckties and bow ties. They seem to have become popular at about the same time, more or less thec turn of the 20th century. Floppy bows went out of style during the 1900s and were replaced by bowties and neckties. We do not know, however, if they evolved independently or if there was a common thread. Neckties were by far the most important of the two. Boys commonly wore suits and ties to school in the early 20th century and we usually see at least one boy in class portaits wearing a bow tie, sometimes more in the 1900s and 10s. This became less common by the 1930s, both because bowties became less populsr and suits began to be worn less to school. We are not entirely sure why neckties became the standard neckwear for both men and boys.

Created: 1:54 AM 1/15/2008
Last updated: 6:54 AM 2/16/2010