St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-19
CR AWAITS.
Evolution Of the NecktIe From the
Flowing Sailor Knot.

EVoIution OF the NecExtie From the
Flowing Sailor Knot.
Chicago Herald.
At first it was loose and flowing, made
of finest silk or lace, but the fashion
soon changed. 1t was thickened and stiff
ened, and increased fold by fold until it
grew into bolster that made the neck as
large or larger than the head.
Just before the French revolution the
craVat was the browning absurdty Of
dress. 1t took in the chin and sometimes
covered the mouth. In the pictures of the
period the handles look like wrapped up
mummieS.
We are told that in ane of the batrles of
that time the French Gen. Lasalle's cravat
was thick enough to turn bullht, and saved
his life
Napoleon modified somewhat the immen-
SIty OF the cravat, and he and his marshal
wore black silk neckerchiefs twice round,
tied in bow in front. At Waterloo. con-
erary to his custom, he wore white cravat
with flowing bow, and it has been limited
that he owed his defeat to that fact
The great hero of the cravat was Beau
Brummell the immortal London dandy of
the Prince Regents time. His neckcloth
was the despair and envy of the golden
youth Of the day. The craYat was then
worn without stiffening, and the result was
That 1t bagged in 'front.' and soon. by the
movement of the head, welded into a rope.
BrummelPs genius suggested starch. and
10. the man and the hour had come. But
it was a formidable business to put it OIL
satisfactorily. Even the great master him
self failed at it occasionally. These, :"
said his valet, coming down stairs one day
with a quantity of tumbled neckcloths un-
der his arm. ''are our failures"
Unmindful of the maxim ''try, try
again" Brummell never made second at
tempt to make q tie. If not unexception-
able at first the cravat was thrown aside
and fresh one taken. But when he was
in the full vigor of his intellect he generally
succeeded the fist time. 1t was by no
means the operation of a few moments
The collar, which was fixed to the shirt
was so large that before being turned
down, it completely hid the head and face,
and the cravat was foot in width. Stand
ing before his mirror, with shirt collar erect,
with his chin elevated as high as possible,
the cravat was folded about the neck.
Then the collar was artistically turned
over, and the chin, gradually descend
ing with slow and measured
to width of four inches Then came
the crisis of tying, and the thing was
done. Usually good mornings work. 1t
is said that duchess, with tears In her
eyes, implored Brummell to tell her the Sc
cret Of his necktie, that she might save the
life OF her son, but the dandy was inexor-
able. When at last he was compelled to
flee the country to escape his creditors he
left note on his dressing case containing
the words, ''Starch is the man."
The cravat la Byron succeeded the
Brummell tie, and was quite the rage dur
ing the poets popularity. 1t turned but
once around the neck, and was completed
by sailors knot. 1t was particularly
comfortable piece of neckwear.
Fifty years ago the military stock came
into vogue among the vOtares of fashion
for time but did not long remain popu-
lar. 1t was too stiff, and was constant
menace Of apoplexy and vertigos.
Then follows the modern period of sim
pie ties and scarf. A small black or col0red
band of ribbon, with a small bow-this is
considered the thing for morning wear or
a scarf and pin. In the evening a simple
white tie gives completeness to the dress
and leaves nothing to be desired. The stiff
imitation scarf of the furnishing stores are
i'll themselves an abominatiOn, being shams,
but they ill lOngfelt want Clumsy fin
gers cannot gracefully tie flowing scarf
So, stiff and prim as they look, they seem
to be in universal use. They were invented.
probably, by some shiftleSS fellow, or by
one whose linen would not bear inspection.
and undoubtedly they tend to economy on
laundry bills. But they are not thing of
beauty.
The most recent invention in the scarf
line is square piece of pasteboard sold on
the streets by an enterprising fakir. With
it he shows you how to fashion scarf out
of handkerchief, a rag, or even piece of
paper. in a moments time. He assures you
of a new scarf every day, and his deft way
of handling his subject brings many nickel
to his purse.