Neck and bow tie pattern
Simplicity
1945-50
Gift of Helen McKenna
2006.864.3
The elongated, relatively slim silhouette of the modern neck tie emerged in the mid-nineteenth century. Unlike its predecessor, the cravat, the neck tie didn't require careful starching, arranging and continual readjustment. This 1818 image from a satirical essay called Neckclothitania; or Tietania mocks the various and complicated methods of tying the neck cloth or cravat. It was much easier to knot a neck tie in place, securely tucking the ends inside the waistcoat and jacket. The simplicity and speed with which a neck tie could be donned was a boon to men who entered the office-based workforce during the Industrial Revolution. The necktie continued to gain favor as stiff, standing collars were gradually replaced by softer collars with turn-down points. Another form of neck wear, the bow tie, remained popular into the twentieth century as demonstrated by the Simplicity pattern pictured above. Increasingly, however, the bow tie was associated with formal wear and not everyday business dress.