History

• Neckwear became popular in 1660 after Louis XIV greatly admired the colored scarves worn by officers in his military regiments. He liked them so much that they became an official symbol of royalty and were often known as "royal cravattes," typically made of ruffled lace.
  
  

Fun Fact

• When the trend became popular in England, men everywhere began wearing various types of neckwear, some tied so tightly that they couldn't turn their heads. Some had material so thick that it saved men from a sword's blade.
  
  

Identification

• The bow tie, or butterfly tie, is the neckwear most often worn with the tuxedo, and must be either tied by hand or used in a clip-on format. The ascot, or English ascot, is a wide scarf usually wrapped around the neck and tied loosely under the chin and inside the shirt collar.
  
  

Effects

• There are several knots used to tie the most popular of the ties, the standard necktie. The most popular is the Windsor knot, while other popular types include the Atlantic, the diagonal, the four-in-hand, the half-Windsor, the Kelvin, the Pratt and the simple double.
  
  

Considerations

• The type of knot used to tie the necktie depends on the type of shirt and collar that the man will be wearing. Consider how open or stiff the collar will be and the occasion.