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There are many social norms that are widely accepted even though they don't really make sense, like when we think it's okay for everyone in a room to turn into an amateur exorcist as soon as another person sneezes. .
There's something to be said for the idealistic feeling of " never stopping asking questions ," but if you spend all day trying to understand the origins of the many rituals of daily life, you won't get very far. -thing.
As anyone who has been stuck with a five-year-old for more than four minutes knows, sometimes it's easier to not think too hard about why you're doing something and just accept " Because " as an answer. .
That said, “Because” isn’t always enough.
The tie is the essence of fashion and function, as having a long piece of fabric tied around your neck is more of a liability than anything else.
People have worn ties in various forms for thousands of years , but if you want to know the origins of the modern tie, you need to go back a few hundred years and familiarize yourself with the tie.
The tie – which is actually a light scarf – was the clothing accessory of choice for Croatian mercenaries hired by Louis XIII , who has the honor of being the member of the French nobility most frequently cited by rappers.
By the time Louis XIV came to power, the tie had taken Paris by storm. The city suddenly looks like a yo-yo competition at a scout camp, as people rush to find new ways to tie things up.
However, it will be a while before anyone figures out the "right" way.
The tie saw some evolution (as well as some competition) over the next centuries, but the next major step toward the modern tie didn't come until the 1860s, in the form of the four-handed knot.
This knot, which was originally used by coachmen to stop their ties from flapping in the wind when working in bad weather, is thought to have been adopted by members of an influential London social club of the same name before becoming popular with the public.
The four-in-hand became very popular as workers began to adapt to the impact of the Industrial Revolution and looked for an easier way to secure the fabric they still felt obligated to wear around their necks for one reason or another.
However, despite all the advancements of the time, it took some time before the modern tie as we know it saw the light of day.
In the 1920s, New York tailor Jesse Langsdorf devised a way to make a tie using three different pieces of fabric, so as to achieve a straighter cut and give its owner the option of wearing his tie more freely. 'once without having to wash it.
It was this style of tie that quickly became the everyday standard, while the bow tie – the Rick and Morty of ties – was reserved for more formal occasions (ascots were virtually forgotten by all except people who use cigarette holders when smoking and Fred from Scooby Doo).
Langsdorf's model has remained the standard, although the tie has constantly evolved since its creation.
There is no evidence that the tie - especially in its most recent form - ever had a tangible, practical role, in the same way that a coat protects you from the cold or a hat protects you from the sun (although some styles and patterns - like stripes - can make you look a little slimmer).
More than anything, ties are actually a fantastic anthropological barometer of fashion and culture over the last century.
The commonly accepted width and length have varied widely, with the thinnest ties reflecting periods when a more tailored look was fashionable (namely the 1950s and 1960s and the resurgence of skinny ties in the late 2000s and early 2000s). early 2010s).
In the 1970s, the tie became less of a fashion accessory and more of a form of expression, as more traditional patterns (or lack thereof) gave way to more colorful designs inspired by the tie movement. -culture.
Ties have continued to serve as a way for people who are otherwise limited by a standard dress code to display their personality with their outfit, which is why the 80s and 90s saw the rise of graphic ties covered in cartoon characters animated or drawn like a keyboard.
The pendulum eventually swung back the other way and we now live in a world where a more conservative, low-key look is the norm.
I personally blame the French, but it seems the real answer comes down to one thing: tradition.
As we have established, ties have no real purpose other than to improve dress. You could almost say the same thing about watches , which you could argue are just as useless now that everyone has a cell phone.
Yet they both continue to hold their own.
For now, the tie is the accessory of choice when you want to give an air of formality to a given situation, whether it is a party, a mourning or a business.
It's possible that it will one day meet the same fate as popped collars and Zubaz if another accessory shakes things up, but I don't see the tie disappearing anytime soon.
Find out how to draw a tie .
Find out if you should wear a tie to a funeral .
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