TO TIE OR NOT TO TIE

IN 1891, THE WRITER OSCAR WILDE DECLARED “A WELL-TIED TIE IS THE FIRST SERIOUS STEP IN LIFE.” THOUGH SARTORIAL RULES FOR MEN HAVE EVOLVED AND MOST WOULD NOW DISPUTE THIS STATEMENT, THEY STILL KEEP A FEW TIES IN THEIR WARDROBE.

Throughout history in most cultures men of high status have worn some neck detail, often described as jugular protection. In early times it could be beads or shells. Then began the age of accessories such as neckties and, in some cultures such as China, India or Iran, this was provided by the jacket having an elegant high neck.

A good starting point is the 7,500 Terracotta Warriors in Xian, China, sculpted for the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang who ruled between 247-200 BCE. They bear the first preserved evidence of neckerchiefs to signify high status.

Next is the marble column built in 113 CE in Rome to celebrate campaigns waged in Dacia (now Romania) by Emperor Trajan. Although covering the neck was deemed unmanly in Roman culture at this time, the 155 scenes show soldiers wearing neckcloths, presumably to protect them from the extreme weather endured, but also thought to be a badge of bravery and a status symbol.

However, the direct predecessor of the current Long Necktie appeared in the 17th century when Croatian soldiers who fought alongside France in the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) wore neckcloths. These elegant cravats were admired and then adopted by the French court, and the fashion spread abroad with examples in muslin, starched linen or expensive lace. Knotting was complex and competitive and Beau Brummell, the ultimate Dandy, could spend all morning with his valet until satisfied that his cravat would dazzle London society.

Eventually in the mid-19th century, the cravat died out when the Four in Hand or Long Necktie appeared. This was not beautiful and flamboyant like a delicate cravat, but easy to care for and therefore welcomed by the new urban workforce with less time to spend on their toilette. These simple rectangles of silk or wool resembled current ties but had identical square cut ends. Worn only by white-collar workers, not the blue-collar workforce involved in manual labor, they were seen as a badge of status.

A brilliant breakthrough came in 1926 when the New York tailor Jesse Langsdorf changed men’s neckwear forever! He altered tie construction so that the fabric could stretch, making knotting easy and ensuring the tie hangs straight and molds comfortably around the neck. This is achieved by using three pieces of fabric: a gusset, end and blade (check your tie for this) and cutting on the cross or true bias, that is diagonally or at a 45-degree angle across the warp and weft of a square of fabric.

An elegantly worn tie reaches the belt buckle, not above or below. The classic width of 3-3.5 inches is always comme il faut with high fashion currently favoring narrower ties. We can tell a lot from stripe direction! The stripes on Vice President Pence’s tie say ‘Made in America’ whereas President Trump’s ‘high left low right’ stripe direction, derived from European regimental ties, indicate it was manufactured elsewhere. If we look at world leaders apart from the USA, in general, their ties will follow the European model. In the intriguing book The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie, the physicists Fink and Mao explain that “knot sequences” are “random walks on a triangular lattice” but I’m sure you already knew that!

So far, we’ve talked about the golden age of ties but we cannot ignore the bitter truth. Sales of ties worldwide have declined. For example, statistics for the USA show a peak in 1995 at $1.3 billion with a 10% reduction by 2002 following the introduction of dress down days and by 2008 sales of just $677 million. There is, of course, variation in the degree of formality required in different countries but whereas until the ‘90s most professions required them, now only in traditional sectors such as finance and government are ties frequently worn. The casual dress code for both women and men originating in ‘90s California with the tech wizards of Silicon Valley resulted in companies such as IKEA, Apple, Google and Amazon abandoning them as is also the norm in many media, advertising and IT sectors. International Soho House who aim to “appeal to the creative industries” request no ties at their venues. During Obama’s presidency the Oval Office removed them. In 2017, one of the last bastions of formality, the Wall Street Bank, J.P. Morgan Chase, changed its dress code and stipulated ties only for client meetings. We saw Cedric Charbit, CEO of Balenciaga, fashion’s “hottest brand,” recently photographed wearing a Kering hoodie and, of course, Balenciaga’s own best- selling Triple Sole Sneakers, no tie in sight. Exuding “casual nonchalance” at a meeting with casual clothes but from top level brands, Charbit demonstrated that going tieless can signal a sort of ultra-status displayed by confidence.