A Brief History Of: The Necktie

Wide or skinny, plaid or plain, synthetic or silk, the tie is a Father's Day staple--nearly 4.5 million dads are getting one on June 15--and one of the few fashion accessories to have survived nearly 400 years of social change. Neck adornments have been worn since ancient times to signify title or wealth or even just to sop up sweat. But modern, mostly decorative neckwear dates from King Louis XIV of France, who first popularized the tie's predecessor, the cravat, after spotting the bow-tie-like embellishment on 17th century Croatian soldiers.

Two centuries later, the Industrial Revolution helped spread the style to...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!