In the 1950’s, a man was considered under-dressed, incomplete without a tie. We have come a long way since, yet the significance of the tie holds strong till date. Since time immemorial fashion has dictated the trends of the day, of the many styles, garments and their accompaniments; the one accessory that has weathered the change of time is the ageless necktie. The earliest necktie or cravat was used by the Croats, who wore a small kerchief like piece of fabric tied around the neck.
Over time the necktie has been transformed to suit the varying changes in design and fashion. From the days of the cravat, scarf and bandanas that reigned popular until the 1850’s; the long thin necktie was brought in by the industrial revolution and is one that is worn till today. The late 1800’s till early 1900’s saw the advent of the bow tie and the fat pinned Ascot tie. In 1926, ingenious Jesse Langsdorf thought of cutting the fabric and sewing it up to form three segments, thus inventing the tie commonly worn throughout the world today, called the Langsdorf tie. With the shape having being defined the later centuries focused on the presentation and design. From the bold and elegant stripe to influences of pop art to art deco scenic photographs and hunting images were popular in the late 1900’s till date.
It was Oscar Wilde who, known for his flamboyant dress sense, said “A well tied tie is the first serious step in life”. And rightly so, one of the most cherished moments of a man’s life is the day his father teaches him to knot his tie, something passed on through generations from man to man, father to son. Going beyond all that is superficial, the act of learning to knot a tie is somewhat an initiation of man into society, where he is respected as a peer and not considered a puerile youth any longer.
The world today is growing fast, and is incredibly quick paced. No allowances are made for those who cannot adapt to these times. The average man hurries to work everyday, rushing through traffic, with less time to spare every day. How many times have you rushed out the door, tie in hand, since you spent a good amount of your incredibly valuable time merely looking for the most appropriate tie to match your suit? The wardrobe a mess with ties scattered all over the floor, not because you’re haphazard or clumsy, but because you don’t have the right tie rack.
Too many people are piqued from constantly having to bend every few minutes to pick a tie up off the floor. Although your wardrobe does have a storage unit for ties, it’s impractical and just a waste of space in the closet. A tie rack is the best option for the business man, to bring some semblance of order to the mess that is the tie pile. There are various types and models of tie racks available in the market now a day. One’s that run on batteries, one’s that that oscillate, hangers with pegs that pass for tie racks, so on and so forth. Even with these fine inventions, you can’t seem to keep any sort of order to the tie rack, with ties slipping off hooks or getting snagged on the fancy machine that is supposed to make life simpler and not further compound the problem.
The necktie butler is an ingenious design. Simple and effective it brings to the working man an easy to work with necktie rack that works marvelously. It is portable, takes no more than a shirt’s space in the closet and it will keep your neckties secure and will not let them fall prey to gravity.
Ah the relief, the hours of time saved, this is organization and innovation at its best. The necktie rack is nothing but practical, for the regular office man, nothing fits the bill better. The necktie butler is sleek and simplistic in design with a combination of wood, chrome and matte black triangles. While browsing for the right tie, if your arrangement bunches up in a corner, all you have to do is jiggle the necktie butler and voila, your collection is as organized as ever.
The end of your troubles and back aches, the necktie butler will not only better organize your wardrobe but bring with it many happy stress free days. You will now have the time to whistle a tune whilst leisurely knotting your tie. Thanks to the Original Necktie Butler.
Henry Ward Beecher said ‘Clothes and manners do not make the man; but, when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.’ For centuries the cravat or necktie has been a part of a gentleman’s attire. Taking from the cravat (scarf) wearing Croats the accessory was adopted by the French, after which the Belgians and Dutch accepted it, the cravat later moved to the British Isles from where the necktie culture spread to the world.
The English transformed the cravat to the necktie of today. Changing patterns, colour, style, technique of knotting, the English personified the necktie into an expression of character and distinction. Honore de Balzac who stated ‘Le Cravate, c’est l’homme’ (Tie is the man). The necktie distinguishes a man from the rest; it is very becoming, adorning the garment worn thus completing the ensemble while allowing the person a window of expression.
‘A true gent always wears his cravat well’ – theoretically there are 85 different styles to knotting a necktie. The most famous approach is the single or double Windsor knot which was introduced by the Duke of Windsor himself. Of the 85 techniques, there are thirteen tasteful or aesthetic necktie knots commonly used; according to Physicists Thomas Fink and Yong Mao in their book “The 85 ways to tie a tie. The Science and Aesthetics of Tie Knots”. Using Mathematical theory they have proved 85 ways to knot a necktie based on principles of symmetry and balance.
The thirteen styles of tying a necktie knot are – the oriental knot, the commonplace Four-in-hand knot, the Kelvin Knot, Nicky knot, Victoria knot, the Single or Half-Windsor knot, St. Andrew knot, Plattsburgh knot, Cavendish knot, the Double or Windsor knot, Grantchester knot, Hanover knot, and the Balthus knot. Of these thirteen, four styles are most widespread and frequently used.
Tying a necktie knot may seem like an impossible task for most. The confusion and frustration stemming from the many loops and under and across steps involved with tying the perfect knot. Explained below, in a way I hope is easy to understand, are the directions to tying the four most commonly necktie knots.
The Windsor knot could be termed a business or an occasion knot. The Windsor knot is a large knot and compliments shirts with wide collars best.
· When tying the knot the wide end should be on your right and the narrow end on your left with the wide end about 10-12 inches below the narrow end.
· cross the wide end over the narrow end
· now bring the wide end up through the loop between collar and tie bringing it over to your right again
· bring the wide end underneath the narrow end from left to right
· then up through the top of the loop pulling it to your right as you come down
· now bring the wide end over the narrow end to the left
· take the wide end under the loop pulling it up to the center
· now slip the wide end through the knot in the front and using both hands straighten and tighten the knot
· Voila, you have now successfully tied a Windsor knot.
The single or half-Windsor knot is more for an occasion than an official or a business meeting. It is less voluminous than a Double Windsor and is ideal for thin vertically aligned ties.
· Start with the wide end on the right and narrow end on the left, with the wide end about 10-12 inches below the narrow end.
· Cross the wide end over and then around the narrow end
· Bring the wide end up and through the loop on the right then pull it over the narrow end to the left
· Now bring the wide end up through the loop again, slipping it though the knot on the way down
· Using both hands straighten and tighten the knot.
· There you are. You have tied a single Windsor necktie knot.
The Pratt or Shelby knot is a tidy, not too wide – not too narrow tie. It is suitable for almost any occasions and complements most shirt designs.
· Start with the necktie inside out, with the wide end about 10-12 inches below than the narrow end
· Cross the wide end under the narrow end
· Take the wide end over and under the narrow end forming a loop at the center
· Pull the loop down tightening it
· Cross the wide end over the narrow end to the right
· Pass it under the loop, pulling it out from the top then slip it through the knot and tighten.
The Four-in-hand knot is a narrow, more discreet and a bit asymmetrical, and easy to tie and untie.
· Start with the wide end to the right and narrow end to the left, with the wide end about 10-12 inches below the narrow end.
· Cross the wide end over the narrow end
· Pass it under the narrow end back to the right
· Cross the wide end over the narrow end again
· Now pull the wide end up through the loop around your neck slipping it through the knot on the way down
· Tighten the knot carefully by sliding the knot up using the narrow end.
And there you have it, four ways to knot a tie. Now that you are aware of how to knot a tie, the next thing to keep in mind is how to avoid making fashion faux pas when picking out a tie. The art of matching a necktie to a shirt or a suit is a subtle art. The process can get a wee bit tricky, if your basics are down right, you can avoid making these fashion misdemeanors.
First thing to remember is that the elements should not be very similar or very contrasting, for that would clash. Wearing stripes on stripes is alright as long as there is a variation in width. If you feel like you can play around with motifs when it comes to shape and size. For example, you can match a stripe with polka dots, as long as the size goes well together. The best way to test is to test is to check if the dots on the necktie fit between the shirt’s stripes. You can also match a tie according to its theme. For example, a hunting motif necktie goes superbly with a signature striped suit.
With all the designs, styles, and ways of knotting a necktie; storing the necktie becomes a problem. Neckties are usually made from silk, satin and other thin materials which, although, pretty are not easy to manage. The Necktie Butler is a handy, convenient and practical option to organizing your necktie collection. Of simple design, the Necktie Butler takes the least amount of space when in the closet rack. Easy to sift through and accommodating a collection of around 30 neckties per Butler, it invites room in an over crowded space constrained wardrobe.
Wear them skinny, wear them fat, a tie of design or a solid to define, to accentuate the neck and build the breast, the noted and articulate - tie is the best.
An ancient sign of distinction, the neck tie was popularized by King Louis XIV of France, who adopted this fine sense of dress from 17th Century Croatian soldiers. However, the inception of the tie cannot be given to the Croatians since the earliest record of the necktie goes all the way back to Pharaonic Egypt and is later seen in Ancient China. Emperor Shih Huan Ti, 210 BC, had an army of terracotta soldiers buried with him, and each of these soldiers sports handsome silk necktie rack depicted in clay and enamel.
The tie, albeit effeminate, was first adopted by soldiers and men or war and was very readily accepted as a fashionable accessory. The 1800s saw the introduction of the necktie in Literature with ‘The Art to Bear a Necktie’ by Honore de Balzac, who went on to elicit the aesthetics to wearing a tie. Then people would tie racks a cravat in a particular way to denote the individual’s diplomacy, loyalty, travel et al. The cravats would also carry the emblem of the bearer’s country of origin. Cravats or ties were an expression of the gentleman’s dress as well as representational of their social standing.
Decidedly, the tie is one of the few fashion accessories that have stood the test of time and change. With The Industrial Revolution, the tie spread among the masses as the fashion of the business class came about. In 1924, American tailor Jesse Langdorf created a modern three piece bias cut tie. Revolutionizing the cravat, the tie found its home in shape and thus became a necessity in everyman’s wardrobe. To quote Henry W. Beecher, noted American Preacher ‘Clothes and manners do not make the man; but, when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.’