The Bow Tie

Bow ties are officially back in vogue.  Case in point...

And in case J.T. isn't your personal beacon of style...

All this got me to wondering where the humble bow tie came from.

And the answer is...   

Croatia, of all places.

Back in the 1600s, Croatian mercenaries used tied scarves to hold the necks of their shirts closed.   

The style was adopted by stylish blokes in France, and the cravat (French, for Croat) was born.  Over the course of the 18th and 19th centuries, the cravat evolved into the bow tie, which then later gave rise to the more common necktie.  

Nowadays, bow ties are often associated with various occupations, such as professors, accountants, and pediatricians.  (The latter favored bow ties because infants couldn't grab them them as they could a necktie.)     And of course, bow ties are the go-to for any formal occasion.  

But if Beckham can wear a bow tie with jeans, why can't we all?!  I love this post from The Sartorialist.  And this one too.

Check out what we've got for Fall -- we're adding new bows every week.