When and why did men start wearing ties? What is the point of them? They are uncomfortable and they dangle in your soup. | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk When and why did men start wearing ties? What is the point of them? They are uncomfortable and they dangle in your soup. Justin Rigden, Adelaide Australia Anthropologists would argue that the tie directs a viewer's attention downwards to the wearer's genitals (hence the arrow-like shape). A kind of displaced cod-piece. Elster, London But they are men's chance to have a little color with dark suits and white shirts. Freda Sedgwick, California USA I've heard it argued (predictably enough, given that it's a men-only item of clothing we're talking about here) that it's some kind of male virility thing. Apart from the somewhat phallic shape (if you stretch the imagination a little), a tie also forms a neat arrow - often in a bright colour that contrasts vividly with the typical dark suit / pale shirt combo - pointing directly at a man's genital area. Quite apart from that, it's also the only item of male business attire that you can have any fun with at all.

Women get to wear all sorts of lovely, bright colours, but try wearing a lime green suit and black shirt to the office and you'll just end up looking like some dodgy nightclub owner. Alistair, Mexico City, Mexico Isn't the point of ties to hide those terribly unsightly buttons? Susie Turner, London, UK I always assumed the point of ties was to conceal the buttons on a shirt, as they are functional rather than attractive. This belief is supported by the fact that ties are never worn with dress shirts, which generally have their buttons concealed anyway. Aidan Tolhurst, Manchester, UK A tie is uncomfortable only if it is tied too tight or you shirt collar is too small. It keep my neck warm on chilly days, and gives me the opportunity to be dressed somewhat decoratively in my conservative work environment. Simon Kaplan, Chapel Hill, USA The tie was an invention of the victorians. Supposedly it was to protect your shirt from the detritus of everyday. However, historically only two groups of people have anything around their necks, slaves and the hanged.

If you had said to a Roman 'here put this around your throat' he would have been highly insulted Richard, Dublin Ireland In the eighteenth century the practice was to wear a neckerchief inside your collar to keep out draughts, and to keep the collar clean. In the nineteenth centurty this practice continued until one bright Oxford Rowing Blue removed the decorative hatband from his straw hat and tied it around his neck, curse him. The Decorative hatband was apparently a sporting prize, much like a cap. Sad to say this action caught on, with results we see today. "Daily the modern man endures this civilised abuse, to place a blade against his throat and his head inside a noose." Fred Cairns, Bourne End UK I'd always understood that the danger posed by a tie was part of its appeal. When a factory worker joined the management class, he could wear his cravat long ... an indication that he no longer worked with machinery, and could dangle with his betters. Phil Cohen, Sydney Australia If the reason for wearing a tie is to add colour to drab, conservative workclothes why not wear colourful, adventurous workclothes.

The tie has got to be one of the most pointless articles of clothing ever invented. If we didn't have ties we could shirts without collars and jackets that fasten higher than half way up the body. Also men might eventually be allowed to wear something different to work that the almost obligatory suit. John Wright, Cockermouth England Not really an answer, but Linda Ellerbee (US journalist) is quoted as saying: "If men can run the world, why can't they stop wearing neckties? How intelligent is it to start the day by tying a noose around your neck?" I thought that part of the reason was so that men had a handkerchief near by for when they needed to blow their noses Alex, Melbourne Australia Maybe it is to cover the buttons of a shirt? Steven, Goose Creek USA It's continued in the pathetic hope that it instills an air of authority and professionalism in the wearer. As some one who works for the government, it neither adds credibility nor authority, but makes one look a stuffed shirt. George Putty, London UK Not really sure, but if I see another musical christmas tie I'm gonna savagely beat the monkey wearing it. Bav, Birmingham I don't know why people orginally wore ties.

But I think we should stop schools from making girls wear them, they are enough of a burden on us men. George Thomas, United Kingdom Being a good Croatian, I am staking our claim to the being the 'mother country of the necktie'. Apparently in 1635, a whole load of Croatian mercenaries went to Paris to support King Louis XIII, and fashionable Parisians were rather taken by the trendy coloured scarves they wore around their necks. They all started wearing neck scarves 'a la croate', which led to the birth of the cravat, or necktie. See here for more details: Tessa, Bangkok Thailand Tessa is correct. However, one of the oldest examples of a necktie is found on the life-size terracotta soldiers buried with Chinese emperor Shih Huang Ti in 210 B.C. Each solider wears a carefully wrapped silk cloth around its neck. Other early neckties are depicted on a marble column erected by Roman emperor Trajan in 113 A.D. The column shows legionnaires wearing three versions of neckwear. However, these images are unique, and there is no evidence that either Chinese or Roman men commonly wore neckties.

Therefore, I agree with Tessa that the necktie was popularized by Croatians. Steve, Belo Horizonte Brazil It is believed to have something to do with the spirit of your unborn child and to protect it whilst it's in the womb. Frank Lenon, New York, US Most respondents were correct by stating that the cravat is the forefather of the present day tie. Men continue to wear one because they believe that it gives them an air of intelligence and authority far greater than they actually have. If a tie gets you the job, it says a lot about the people who hired you. Jim Reilly Hamilton, Hamilton Canada If I wear one (which is rarely) I use it to keep stuff off my shirt or cover up a stain acquired while not wearing a necktie. You can wear one comfortably, the trick is to get a comfortable collar. When the tailor at the store tells you you need a 16 get a 16.5 or 17. You need to breath and move if you are going to wear this ridiculous article of clothing. Ron Black, Chicago, Illinois, USA Having read the other answers, mine seems a little more romantic than factual or historical, but entertaining nonetheless.

As a teacher, I have told my students the story of the necktie that I was told. The story goes that in ancient times when a man went off to battle, a lady in waiting (for the single warrior) or a wife (for her husband) would tie a scarf around his neck for safety and good luck in battle. Vicki Root, San Antonio, Texas USA Shirts were always white and cotton and stained easily so a tie would cover the main ally of food and drink spills. Methinks. karen, Mayberry USA I think that a tie is that which shows your personality or which shows that we are going to do important work. sumit sanghani, bramhapuri india It's firstly used by the people living in England. It is only used by the peoples who have cough. Now people name it and tie and used to indicate his/her personality. sanyamaske, bhilai India Freemasonry might have something to do with this, the first ritual you do involves having a noose around your head. Paul Jackson, London, England In pre-historic Roman communities, slaves were forced to wear a piece of cloth around their neck so that they could be identified by their masters.

Sabih, London UK I recall being told that a tie is supposed to be uncomfortable to remind the wearer to pay attention to business. In my experience when dealing with someone wearing a tie I should expect underhanded treachery and beware of them. Frank Bedell, Wiscasset USA I've read that the Roman soldiers wore a red scarf in battle to make it look like they were wounded. I seldom look at a red tie without thinking the guy is bluffing. Then the colors and designs add meaning. Like purple, high self esteem; brown, a follower; blue a worker; now designs also can send a signal. Stripes are straight; Plaids are thinkers; Logos and widths are attention getters. clifford Rothband, Cocnut Creek Fl USA Dogmatic wearing of the modern tie must have something to do with the military where people are told to obey rules without questioning. Some of the military rulers must have come to rule the corporate world and imposed the tie (and other things like shaving which by the conspiracy of Gillete got ingrained in military rules). This gives a reason to bosses to chastise the poor ignorant employee who continues to follow the tradition till his death.

oyearun, jaipur india Humans like to wear accessories, especially around their necks (necklaces, ties, scarves, etc.), I believe this is because of its ease to put on and just let it hang around. Now, a tie is just a manly accessory that goes around our necks. CÃ©sar RincÃ³n, Guadalajara, MÃ©xico Pride. Cravat bandage - definition of cravat bandage by The Free Dictionary Cravat bandage - definition of cravat bandage by The Free Dictionary (băn′dĭj) n. A strip of material such as gauze used to protect, immobilize, compress, or support a wound or injured body part. tr.v. band·aged, band·ag·ing, band·ag·es To apply a bandage to. [French, from Old French bande, band, strip; see band1.] band′ag·er n. (ˈbændɪdʒ) n 1. (Medicine) a piece of material used to dress a wound, bind a broken limb, etc 2.

a strip of any soft material used for binding, etc vb (Medicine) to cover or bind with a bandage [C16: from French, from band strip, band2] band•age (ˈbæn dɪdʒ) n., v. -aged, -ag•ing. n. 1. a strip of cloth or other material used to bind up a wound, sore, sprain, etc. 2. anything used as a band or ligature. v.t. 3. to bind or cover with a bandage. [1590–1600; < Middle French; see band 2, -age ] band′ag•er, n. I will have been bandaging you will have been bandaging he/she/it will have been bandaging we will have been bandaging you will have been bandaging they will have been bandaging Past Perfect Continuous Noun 1.

adhesive bandage - bandage consisting of a medical dressing of plain absorbent gauze held in place by a plastic or fabric tape coated with adhesive capeline bandage - bandage that covers the head or an amputation stump like a cap plaster bandage , plaster cast , cast - bandage consisting of a firm covering (often made of plaster of Paris) that immobilizes broken bones while they heal compression bandage , tourniquet - bandage that stops the flow of blood from an artery by applying pressure medical dressing , dressing - a cloth covering for a wound or sore elastic bandage - a bandage containing stretchable material that can apply local pressure four-tailed bandage - a bandage consisting of a strip of cloth split in two on both ends; the central part is placed under the chin to restrict motion of the mandible and the tails are tied over the top of the head gauze , gauze bandage - (medicine) bleached cotton cloth of plain weave used for bandages and dressings immovable bandage - a bandage of cloth impregnated with a substance (e.g., plaster of Paris) that hardens soon after it is applied oblique bandage - a bandage in which successive turns proceed obliqu

ely up or down a limb roller bandage - bandage consisting of a strip of sterile fabric (of variable width) rolled into a cylinder to facilitate application scarf bandage , triangular bandage , sling - bandage to support an injured forearm; consisting of a wide triangular piece of cloth hanging from around the neck suspensory , suspensory bandage - a bandage of elastic fabric applied to uplift a dependant part (as the scrotum or a pendulous breast) Cravat sling - definition of cravat sling by The Free Dictionary Cravat sling - definition of cravat sling by The Free Dictionary n.

1. a. A weapon consisting of a looped strap in which a stone is whirled and then let fly. b. A slingshot. 2. A looped rope, strap, or chain for supporting, cradling, or hoisting something, especially: a. A band suspended from the neck to support an injured arm or hand. b. A length of fabric worn on the body for carrying an infant. c. A strap of a shoe that fits over the heel. d. A strap used to carry a rifle over the shoulder. e. Nautical A rope or chain that attaches to the mast and supports a yard. 3. The act of hurling something. tr.v. slung (slŭng), sling·ing, slings 1. a. To hurl with a sling: sling stones. b. To throw or fling: "He ripped out the fish guts and slung them to the gulls" (Donna Morrissey). 2. a. To move by means of a sling; raise or lower in a sling: sling cargo into a hold. b. To place in a hanging or supported position: sling a towel over one's shoulder.

Idiom: A drink consisting of brandy, whiskey, or gin, sweetened and usually lemon-flavored. [Origin unknown.] (slɪŋ) n 1. (Arms & Armour (excluding Firearms)) a simple weapon consisting of a loop of leather, etc, in which a stone is whirled and then let fly 2. (Mechanical Engineering) a rope or strap by which something may be secured or lifted 3. (Mechanical Engineering) a rope net swung from a crane, used for loading and unloading cargo 4. (Nautical Terms) nautical a. a halyard for a yard b. (often plural) the part of a yard where the sling is attached 5. (Medicine) med a wide piece of cloth suspended from the neck for supporting an injured hand or arm across the front of the body 6. a loop or band attached to an object for carrying 7. (Mountaineering) mountaineering a loop of rope or tape used for support in belays, abseils, etc 8. the act of slinging vb, slings, slinging or slung 9. (tr) to hurl with or as if with a sling 10.

(Mechanical Engineering) to attach a sling or slings to (a load, etc) 11. (tr) to carry or hang loosely from or as if from a sling: to sling washing from the line. 12. informal to throw 13. (Industrial Relations & HR Terms) (intr) informal Austral to pay a part of one's wages or profits as a bribe or tip [C13: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse slyngva to hurl, Old High German slingan] ˈslinger n (Brewing) a mixed drink with a spirit base, usually sweetened [C19: of uncertain origin] (slɪŋ) n., v. slung, sling•ing. n. 1. a device for hurling a missile by hand, usually consisting of a strap with a string at each end that is whirled around in a circle to gain momentum before the missile is released. 2. a slingshot. 3. a strap or band forming a loop by which something is suspended, supported, or carried, as a bandage for an injured arm. 4. an act or instance of slinging. 5.

a rope, chain, net, etc., for hoisting or holding freight. v.t. 6. to throw or hurl; fling. 7. to place in or move by a sling, as freight. 8. to hang by a sling or place so as to swing loosely. Idioms: slings and arrows, harsh criticism. [1175–1225; (v.) Middle English slyngen < Old Norse slyngva to sling, fling, c. Old English slingan to wind, twist] sling2 an iced drink typically of gin, lemon or lime juice, sugar, and water or soda. [1785–95, Amer.; of uncertain orig.] sling I will have been slinging you will have been slinging he/she/it will have been slinging we will have been slinging you will have been slinging they will have been slinging Past Perfect Continuous 1.

sling - a highball with liquor and water with sugar and lemon or lime juice highball - a mixed drink made of alcoholic liquor mixed with water or a carbonated beverage and served in a tall glass brandy sling - a sling made with brandy gin sling - a sling made with gin rum sling - a sling made with rum 2. sling - a plaything consisting of a Y-shaped stick with elastic between the arms; used to propel small stones plaything , toy - an artifact designed to be played with 3. shoe - footwear shaped to fit the foot (below the ankle) with a flexible upper of leather or plastic and a sole and heel of heavier material 4. sling - a simple weapon consisting of a looped strap in which a projectile is whirled and then released weapon , weapon system , arm - any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting; "he was licensed to carry a weapon" 5.

sling - bandage to support an injured forearm; consisting of a wide triangular piece of cloth hanging from around the neck bandage , patch - a piece of soft material that covers and protects an injured part of the body Verb sling - hang loosely or freely; let swing hang , hang up - cause to be hanging or suspended; "Hang that picture on the wall" 3. sling - move with a sling; "sling the cargo onto the ship" move , displace - cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense; "Move those boxes into the corner, please"; "I'm moving my money to another bank"; "The director moved more responsibilities onto his new assistant" 4. sling - hold or carry in a sling; "he cannot button his shirt with his slinged arm" carry , bear , hold - support or hold in a certain manner; "She holds her head high"; "He carried himself upright" sling verb 2. hang , swing , suspend , string , drape , dangle We slept in hammocks slung beneath the roof. noun 1.

harness , support , bandage , strap She was back at work with her arm in a sling. sling حَمَّالَة حَمّالَة البُنْدُقِيَّهشَبَكة حِبال الرَّفْعمِقلاعيُعَلِّق، يُدَلّي hoditpáskaprakřemensmyčkový závěs kol askısı tüfek kayışıasıp sallandırmakbucurgat halatıfırlatıp atmak băng đeo vào cổ [slɪŋ] (slung (vb: pt, pp)) A. N 2. (Med) → cabestrillo m to have one's arm in a sling → llevar el brazo en cabestrillo to have one's ass in a sling (esp US) → estar con el culo a rastras , tener la soga al cuello 3. (Naut) → eslinga f 4. (for rifle etc) → portafusil m B.

VT to sling sth over or across one's shoulder → lanzar algo al hombro with a rifle slung across his shoulder → con un fusil en bandolera to sling sth over to sb → tirar algo a algn sling away VT + ADV (= throw away) → echar , tirar , botar (LAm) sling out VT + ADV 2. (= throw out) [+ person] → echar , poner de patitas en la calle sling (for wounded arm) → écharpe f to have one's arm in a sling → avoir le bras en écharpe (for carrying baby) → porte-bébé m She slung the book across the room → Elle a lancé le livre à travers la pièce ., Elle a jeté le livre à travers la pièce .

sling vb: pret, ptp <slung> n (Med) → Schlinge f; to have one’s arm in a sling → den Arm in der Schlinge tragen (for hoisting) → Schlinge f, → Schlaufe f; (for rifle) → (Trag) riemen m; (for baby) → (Baby)tragetuch nt, → (Baby)trageschlinge f; to carry a rifle/baby in a sling → ein Gewehr am Riemen /ein Baby in einer or der Schlinge tragen (= weapon) → Schleuder f; slings and arrows (fig) → Missgeschicke pl vt (= throw) → schleudern ; (inf) → schmeißen (inf); to sling something away → etw wegschleudern/ wegschmeißen (inf); to sling something over to somebody (inf) → jdm etw zuschmeißen (inf); he slung the box onto his back → er warf sich (dat) → die Kiste auf den Rücken ; to sling one’s hook (Brit fig inf) → Leine ziehen (inf) (= hoist with

 a sling) → in einer Schlinge hochziehen adj sling shoes → Slingpumps pl; (= sandals) → Sandaletten pl n slings → Slings pl, → Slingpumps pl sling bag n (US) → (Stein) schleuder f sling 1.

n (weapon) → fionda ; (catapult) → catapulta (Med) → fascia a tracolla (Mountaineering) → anello di fettuccia to have one's arm in a sling → avere un braccio al collo 2. vt (fam) (throw) → scagliare ; (hang, hammock) → appendere to sling over or across one's shoulder (rifle, load) → mettere in spalla (coat, shawl) → buttarsi sulle spalle sling out vt + adv (fam) (object) → buttare via ; (person) → buttare fuori sling (sliŋ) noun 1. a type of bandage hanging from the neck or shoulders to support an injured arm. He had his broken arm in a sling.

verband مِقلاع превръзка през рамо tipoia páska die Schlinge slynge επίδεσμος υποστήριξης του βραχίονα cabestrillo lingside بند پارچه اي side écharpe מִתלֶה गल पट्टी povoj, povez u kojem se nosi ruka karfelkötő kendő ambin fatli fascia , benda つり包帯 삼각건 raištis lingas veida apsējs anduh mitella fatle temblak مچنوغزه، مچلوغه، مچوغنه ځوړندى: پټۍ، ندنى (لكه دتوپك) ځولۍ، غړوندى (چې ژوبل يا مات لاس پكې نيول كيږي) اړتاوول، ارتول (لكه مچنوغزه) الوزول: دوندنى په واسطه وړ

ل alça de fractura eşarfă перевязь (závesná) páska trikotna ruta poveska band, bindel แถบผ้าคล้องคอสำหรับแขวนมือหรือแขนที่บาดเจ็บ kol askısı 吊帶 перев'яз ٹوٹے ہاتھ کو سہارا دینے کے لیے گردن سے لٹکایا گیا تسمہ یا پٹی băng đeo 吊带 2.

a band of cloth etc worn over the shoulder for supporting a rifle etc on the back.

draagband حَمّالَة البُنْدُقِيَّه клуп bandoleira řemen der Tragriemen rem λουρί , αορτήρας bandolera kanderihm بند kantohihna bandoulière רצועה गोफना, गोफन remen puške, remenik vállszíj selempang axlaról cinghia 負い皮 걸빵 perpetės raištis, paraištė plecu siksna selempang draagriem gevær-/skulderreim pas بند bandoleira bandulieră ружейный ремень (závesný) remeň jermen prek rame remen rem สายสะพา��ปืน tüfek kayışı (槍的)背帶 ремінь بندوق کو لٹکانے کے لیے کندھوں پر بندھا تسمہ یا فیتہ dây đeo súng （枪的）背带 3.

a looped arrangement of ropes, chains etc for supporting, hoisting, carrying and lowering heavy objects. slinger شَبَكة حِبال الرَّفْع тех.

товароподемна примка estropo smyčkový závěs der Tragriemen slynge; strop σύστημα ανάρτησης eslinga de carga kinnitusköied, kinnitusketid حمايل talja élingue , cordages מִתלֶה कपड़े की लम्बी पट्टी uže za vuču, štrop hurok kerekan stroffa imbracatura つりなわ (짐 등을) 매다는 밧줄 stropas cilpa kerekan hijsstrop slynge, stropp; brok blok رسي، ريشمه estropo parâmă; funie петля , строп sťahovacie lano zanka naramenik repslinga, lastlänga, sling, stropp ห่วงเชือก สายหนัง หรือโซ่สำหรับดึงรั้งของหนัก bucurgat halatı 吊索鏈 ремінь; канат بھار

ی بھرکم چیزوں کو سہارنے اور اٹھانے کے لیے تسموں اور فیتوں کا جال dây quàng, dây đeo 吊索链 verb – past tense, past participle slung (slaŋ) – 1.

to throw violently. The boy slung a stone at the dog.

slinger يُلقي، يَرْمي بِعُنْف мятам atirar hodit schleudern slynge εκσφενδονίζω tirar , arrojar , lanzar pilduma پرتاب كردن viskata jeter לִזרוֹק בְּכוֹחַ पट्टी बांधना zavitlati praćkom, baciti što (na koga) (el)hajít melemparkan kasta tirare 投げる 세차게 던지다 sviesti sviest; mest melempar smijten slenge , kaste , kyle ciskać مچنوغزه، مچلوغه، مچوغنه ځوړندى: پټۍ، ندنى (لكه دتوپك) ځولۍ، غړوندى (چې ژوبل يا مات لاس پكې نيول كيږي) اړتاوول، ارتول (لكه مچنوغزه) الوزول

: دوندنى په واسطه وړل atirar a azvârli бросать , швырять hodiť vreči baciti slunga, slänga ขว้าง fırlatıp atmak 拋 кидати, шпурляти پھینک کر مارنا quăng, ném mạnh 抛 2.

to support, hang or swing by means of a strap, sling etc. He had a camera and binoculars slung round his neck.

aan 'n bandjie يُعَلِّق، يُدَلّي провесвам suspender zavěsit umhängen hænge αναρτώ, κρεμώ colgar rippuma, riputama لجن مال كردن ripustaa en bandoulière לִתלוֹת objesiti felakaszt mencangklong í ól (portare a tracolla) ぶらさげる (끈, 멜빵 등으로) 매달다 pakabinti pārmest pār plecu; pakārt plecā gantung hangen henge przewieszać مچنوغزه suspender a atârna подвешивать zavesiť obesiti prebaciti hänga [i en rem] คล้อง asıp sallandırmak 背，吊 вішати через плече پٹی سے سہارنا đeo, treo, móc 背，吊 ˈslingshot noun (American) a catapult.

rekker آلة إطلاق الطائِرَه من على سَطْح السَّفينَه прашка estilingue prak die Schleuder katapult σφεντόνα tirachinas kada, ragulka تير كمان ritsa fronde מקלע गुलेल dječja praćka (na rašlje) csúzli ketepel teygjubyssa fionda ぱちんこ (항공) 비행기 사출기 timpa katapulta lastik katapult sprettert proca (لښ) يو ډول ما شين چه په هغه ډبرې ياغشى غورځى: په بېديو كې يوه اّله چه له هغه نه الوتكه الوځوى fisga praştie рогатка prak frača katapult slangbåge รูหนังสติ๊ก sapan (美國)彈弓 рогачка; катапульта گوپھن، فلاخن، گلیل

 súng cao su （美国）弹弓 sling → حَمَّالَة závěs slynge Schlinge σφεντόνα cabestrillo kantoside écharpe povoj fascia 吊り包帯 삼각건 draagband slynge proca alça петля mitella ห่วงเชือก สายหนัง หรือโซ่สำหรับดึงรั้งของ kol askısı băng đeo vào cổ 背带 sling Dress Like A Grownup!: Day Cravattitude.

Dress Like A Grownup! Thoughts on the state of today's masculine attire. Irascible grousing on the one hand, helpful advice on the other. Gentle admonition for modern youths, and a wakeup call for adults. One man amongst many, sounding the sartorial clarion call. Friday, September 21, 2012 (Part 7 of the series, "The Secret Life of the Tie.") Chapter 85 This week, we continue our walking-tour of the various forms of proper men's neckwear, and take a look at the unique and versatile day cravat. The first thing to learn is, don't call it an ascot. I know, most people do...but they are WRONG, and that error leads to much confusion. The ascot, as we saw last week, refers to a formal cravat worn in the daytime. Logically, you'd think that would be the thing called a "day cravat." Nope: the "day cravat" is more closely allied with the scarf, worn under the shirt against the neck.

It is not a cravat at all, and it certainly was never acceptable to wear at Royal Ascot -- unlike the ascot, which was. Confused? Don't worry, most people are. Take a deep breath, and empty your mind of your preconceived ideas and anything you think you know on the matter. Now, absorb this: an ascot is a formal nœud Gordien or Ruche cravat, that is to be worn only with daytime formal wear. We covered it thoroughly last week. Nothing else is an ascot. Next, absorb this: a day cravat is a loosely tied scarf, worn a certain way under an open-collar shirt. Nothing else is a day cravat. Finally, absorb this: Jeremy Piven is one of those people who are confused. He thinks this is an "ascot," and since ascots are "formal," he can wear it with a tuxedo to awards ceremonies. Wrong, wrong; oh, how horribly wrong. A day cravat is sports wear, that has been worn since the 1920s. It was a rakish, comfortable alternative to wearing an everyday tie. It is leisure wear.

It is resort, lounge, casual, day wear. It is in no way, shape, manner, or form, anything remotely related to anything close to approaching formal wear. This is an important point, which is why I'm drilling it into your skull. Because a day cravat is not dressy, the opportunities to wear it in one's everyday life explode into endless possibility. Consider: 1. It is comfortable, more than any other mode of neckwear. It is worn loose around the neck, under an open shirt collar. 2. It is versatile. It can be worn under anything with a neck opening: button-down or dress shirts, sweaters, even tee-shirts and jackets. 3. It is easy to tie, simpler than the easiest long tie knot. 4. It is casual: no jacket or waistcoat is required, it looks just fine with shirtsleeves, and doesn't look as "studied" as a bow tie. 5. It is subtle. Unlike a dangling long tie, a day cravat affords the barest bit of color and interest at the neck. 6. It is elegant.

Subtle as it is, it adds a note of insouciance to any casual outfit, without glaring out or resulting in an affected appearance. 7. It is nearly universal. Just about any scarf or square or scrap of fabric can be pressed into service as a day cravat. It is this last point, on the universality of the day cravat, on which we'll spend some time today. Day cravats can be purchased as ready-made items, of course. As a rule, they look like this, rather like wide-bladed ties that are pleated in the center. (Compare this to last week's ascot, and you will see that the two items look similar, but are made completely differently.) These can be purchased for the day-cravat-inclined, and are still sold in surprisingly large numbers by any number of retailers worldwide. Day cravat wearers are on the rise, although most of them will insist that they are wearing ascots. Like the ascot, ready-to-wear day cravats are not inexpensive, nor are they required for the novice or student cravatsman.

Let's look at some day cravat options: First, we'll make a day cravat out of a simple scarf. This one is silk, tasselled on the ends, and is 12 inches wide by 40 inches long: just fine for our purposes. (I picked it up at the local secondhand shop for a couple of dollars.) For this series, I'll use a neutral-color buttondown shirt over my tailor's form, to give a sense of the finished effect. The first thing to do is lay out the scarf and fold it lengthwise into a narrow strap. For this one, folding in thirds, and then in thirds again, did the trick. Lay the strap across the back of your neck, the right end over the left. Then, (using long tie notation) tie the knot with a Li Ro Li Co -- essentially, a simple Onassis finish to a four-in-hand. Spread out the end of the scarf... ...and fold it down over the knot. Straighten the cascade... ...and button your shirt to the first button. (Only cads wear day cravats with two buttons unfastened!) Adjust to show as much or as little pattern as you wish.

The neckband can sit proud of the collar, with a prominant puff to the front, or it can sit low, with just a bit showing out the front. Several previous installments have extolled the virtues of wearing an unlined jacket on the beach or at a resort, worn with a scarf in lieu of a shirt, and Bermuda shorts. Here is an example of that mode, and it is just about the most comfortable thing you can imagine. Now let's look at another option, this one a kerchief, 26 inches square. (Same secondhand shop, one dollar.) Diagonally, it measures about 40 inches: good for our purposes! To form the neckband, lay out the square in a diamond shape. Fold in thirds by bringing the top and bottom points in. Fold in thirds twice more. Lay the strap across -- this time keep the left hand short and the right hand long. Cross the right over the left, and form the knot as before... ...but this time, "unfurl" the point before making the final Co move. Bring the point over and down... ...button up, and adjust. Here's the effect with a v-neck sweater instead of a shirt.

(This is as much of a day cravat as you'd want to show: it works a bit better with a crewneck.) This looks quite sporty with a jacket. I have also mentioned the combination of a jacket, tee-shirt, and day cravat in a previous installment. As you can see, a wide variety of scarves and fabrics can be used as day cravats. Most of these can be found in the ladies' section of Your Favourite Store. No fear, scarves are unisex for our purposes here. As long as it's at least six inches wide and somewhat longer than a yard long, it can be made to work. Remember that at most only a few square inches of the pattern will be seen under a shirt -- so a scarf that looks positively garish when seen all at once, may just work well as a day cravat. Keep your eyes and your mind open, scout for patterns, and you just may find pleasant surprises in the oddest places. There is another option, that you may have in your closet right now. Yes, a common long tie can be made into a passable day cravat...but it requires a little minor surgery.

The back seam needs to be released about four inches up the back of the wide blade, to give a suitable width to the blade. Needless to say, don't do this with your favorite tie! Remove the label and tack-stitch, and then unzip the back. After surgery. Leave the tip in place. You'll probably uncover the woolen interlining, but that's okay -- it won't show. Pull the right end short, and cross over the left end. Make the knot as before, spread the end out flat... ...and fold over the front. The narrow end of the tie will hang down low. A convenient way to deal with this is to pull the narrow end up and pin it to the wide end. This will also give some weight to the blade and keep it from pulling free. The effect after buttoning. Many secondhand ties that would be otherwise unwearable can be given second lives by wearing them as day cravats. So, we've seen that nearly anything can be tied under a shirt as a day cravat. Where, then, shall you wear it? In short, just about anywhere that you would go in shirtsleeves.

Day cravats are sporty, outdoorsey things, just the ticket for those days when we slide into Autumn. Walks, picnics, croquet, bocce, lawn-bowling, or those sorts of traditional Anglophilic pursuits, of course. But, really, when's the last time you'd played bocce? I thought so. Think of it this way: you wear a long tie most days. On some days you wear a bow tie. That leaves a lot of days when you walk around with your shirt open. Nothing wrong with that -- you can't be buttoned up every day of your life. But now you have a little something new to put under your shirt on those days you do go tie-less. It's quick, easy, effortlessly elegant, and you just might get attached to them. You owe it to yourself to give it a try! How to Make a Cravat | eHow How to Make a Cravat Stockbyte/Valueline/Getty Images A cravat is the forerunner of the modern tie and there are those that still refer to neckties as cravats.

The cravat has its beginnings in 17th Century Croatia when men wore either silk or cotton scarves tied under their collars. Today, cravats are still worn as a part of men's formal wear and are often used as an alternative to a bow tie or necktie with tuxedos. Cravats can be purchased at most menswear stores, but you can also make your own. Things You'll Need Thread that matches the fabric Sewing machine or needle Ironing board 3 inch by 12 inch piece of interfacing Cut open a brown paper shopping bag and spread it out flat. You will use this as paper for your cravat pattern. Draw the collar piece, which is a rectangle that is 13.5 inches long and 3 inches wide. Add a slight curve to the bottom line of the rectangle. Use your measuring tape for correct measurements. Draw the tie portion of the cravat on the brown paper. The tie piece is a rectangle that is 12 inches wide and 34 inches high. Leave one short end of the rectangle open and draw a v-shape that goes down 7 inches. The point of the V-shape should be centered in the rectangle.

Cut out the pattern from the brown paper. Lay your fabric, good side down, on a flat surface. Pin the collar and tie pattern to the fabric using straight pins and cut around the pattern. Remove the pins from the pattern and place the fabric pieces you just cut out to the side. Re-pin the pattern pieces to the large piece of fabric and cut a second set of collar and tie pieces from the fabric. Remove the pins and paper pattern from the second set of fabric pieces. Fold one of the fabric tie pieces in half lengthwise, with the V-shaped portions and the long ends of the rectangle meeting together. Pin the fabric together along both the long side and the V-shaped side. Repeat the process with the other fabric tie piece. If you are using fabric that has a good side and a bad side, fold the fabric and pin it with the good side, or the side you intend to have showing, facing inside. Sew a seam along the pinned sides of the tie 1/4 inch in from the end of the material. Do not sew the short, straight end of the tie which you did not pin. You can either use a sewing machine and thread that matches your fabric or a needle and matching thread to complete the sewing.

Remove the pins and turn the tie right side out, pulling the sewed edges through the open side. Repeat the process with the other tie piece. Place the tie pieces on an ironing board with the long seam to the side and iron the tie pieces to remove any wrinkles. Other People Are Reading How to Make a Day Cravat Place the collar fabric pieces on top of each other with the good sides facing in. Put a 3 inch by 12 inch piece of interfacing on top of the collar fabric pieces and pin the pieces and interfacing together along the two long sides. Sew a seam on the long sides of the collar 1/4 inch in from the end. Remove the pins from the fabric and pull the collar right side out through one of the open ends. Once the good side of the fabric is facing out, turn the edges of the collar inside, to cover the rough finish. Place the collar on the ironing board with the long seams at the top and bottom and press with an iron. Place two straight pins on each side of the open end of one of the tie pieces. The straight pins should go in the top of the long seams and, when the pins are in place, it will resemble a football goalpost.

Wrap one end of a piece of thread tightly around the end of one of the pins. You will need to wrap the thread around the head of the pin at least four times. Once the thread is securely on the pin, hold the pin with the thread with one hand and pull lightly on the other end of the thread with your other hand. Pulling the thread should cause the tie material to bunch up and make the opening smaller. Continue to pull on the thread until the tie opening is the same size as one of the openings in the collar. Wrap the loose end of the thread tightly around the other straight pin once you have reached the desired width. Sew the opening on the tie piece closed with your sewing machine or a needle and thread. The seam should be 1/4-inch from the edge of the fabric. Remove the pins and the thread once the sewing is complete. Place two straight pins on each side of the open end of the remaining tie piece. The straight pins should go in the top of the long seams and, when the pins are in place, it will resemble a football goalpost. Wrap one end of a piece of thread tightly around the end of one of the pins, just as you did with the other tie piece.

You will need to wrap the thread around the head of the pin at least four times. Once the thread is securely on the pin, hold the pin with one hand and pull lightly on the other end of the thread with your other hand. Pulling the thread should cause the tie material to bunch up and make the opening smaller. Continue to pull on the thread until the tie opening is the same size as one of the openings in the collar. Wrap the loose end of the thread tightly around the other straight pin once you have reached the desired width. Sew the opening on the second tie piece closed with your sewing machine or a needle and thread. The seam should be 1/4-inch from the edge of the fabric. Remove the pins and the thread once the sewing is complete. Place the tie ends that you just sewed into each of the open ends of the collar. The tie pieces should go 1 to 1/2 inches into the collar piece. Pin the tie pieces into place and sew the pieces together where the end of the tie meets the collar. When you are finished, you will have a collar piece with a tie piece on either side.

Remove any loose threads and give the cravat a final press with your iron, laying the cravat on the ironing board with the seams to the side.

Question: A cravat is worn on which part of the body?
Answer: Neck