The Complete History of the British Tie: From Cravat to Modern Necktie

By Emma Moore, Founder & Maker of Arsenic & Old Lace

Originally published June 2024 · Updated August 2026

The British tie.

A small strip of fabric that has somehow managed to survive wars, revolutions, changing dress codes, the rise of casual Fridays and some truly questionable 1970s fashion.

It has been worn by soldiers, aristocrats, dandies, schoolboys, politicians, jazz musicians, businessmen, rebels, grooms and men who have absolutely no idea how they managed to get the knot that wonky.

And I love it.

I've spent years designing and making ties, bow ties and pocket squares, and the more I learn about the history of men's neckwear, the more fascinated I become by how much meaning we've managed to attach to a piece of fabric.

Because the tie has never just been about keeping your shirt collar in place.

It has been a symbol of status, belonging, rebellion, professionalism, tradition and personality.

And, thankfully, it has also been a rather good excuse to play with beautiful fabrics.

So let's untangle the story.

The History of the Tie: The Short Version

If you've arrived here because you want the answer rather than several thousand words about neckwear, here's the quick version.

• 17th century: Croatian military neckwear helps inspire the European cravat.

• Late 1600s: The cravat becomes fashionable and increasingly elaborate.

• 1690s: The Steinkirk introduces a deliberately loose style of neckwear.

• 18th century: Cravats, stocks and other neckwear become important elements of men's dress.

• Early 19th century: Beau Brummell turns the business of tying a cravat into an art form.

• 19th century: Long neckties develop alongside modern men's tailoring.

• 19th century: The Ascot and bow tie become established forms of men's neckwear.

• Late 19th century: School, military, regimental and club ties become symbols of belonging.

• Early 20th century: The modern necktie becomes increasingly familiar.

• 1920s: Bias-cut construction helps establish the modern tie's familiar construction.

• 1950s–60s: Skinny ties become associated with youth culture, Mods and modern tailoring.

• 1970s: Tie widths become gloriously enormous.

• 1980s: The power tie becomes a symbol of corporate ambition.

• 1990s–2000s: Casual dress begins to loosen the tie's grip on everyday life.

• 2010s: Heritage fabrics, independent makers and vintage influences bring personality back to neckwear.

• 2020s: The tie becomes less of a requirement and more of a choice.

And that last point is perhaps the most interesting of all.

Because I think the tie is at its best when you choose to wear it.

Where Did the Tie Come From?

Here's where the history gets interesting.

There isn't one precise moment when somebody sat down and invented "the tie".

People have been wearing cloth, ribbons, scarves and decorative neckwear for centuries. There are examples of neck coverings from many cultures and periods, so it would be misleading to claim that one particular person invented the idea of putting fabric around your neck.

The story of the modern Western tie, however, is strongly connected to the cravat and to 17th-century Croatian soldiers serving in European armies.

During the Thirty Years' War, Croatian soldiers wore knotted cloths around their necks as part of their dress. When the style attracted attention in France, the French term cravate emerged from Croate, meaning Croatian. The Croatian origin of the word and the garment's connection to Croatian military dress are well documented. (Hrčak)

So, technically, the tie's family tree begins somewhere in Croatia before travelling through France and eventually becoming thoroughly entangled with British menswear.

Which feels rather appropriate.

Britain didn't invent the tie.

We just spent several hundred years making rules about how to wear it.

The 17th Century: Enter the Cravat

The early cravat looked very different from the modern necktie.

It was essentially a long piece of cloth worn around the neck, and it could be made from linen, muslin and other fabrics. Wealthier men could go considerably further, with fine lace and elaborate decoration.

And when I say elaborate, I mean properly elaborate.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has examples of 17th- and 18th-century cravat ends made with extraordinarily expensive lace. These weren't cheap accessories tucked into the back of a wardrobe. They were luxury objects requiring considerable craftsmanship. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

The cravat was therefore doing much more than keeping a collar tidy.

It told people something about the wearer.

It said:

I have money.

I have taste.

I have a valet.

Possibly all three.

The Steinkirk: The First Fashionably Messy Tie

By the late 17th century, men's neckwear had become increasingly elaborate.

Then came the Steinkirk.

Named after the Battle of Steenkerque in 1692, the Steinkirk was a long neckcloth worn loosely around the neck, with its ends twisted and tucked away.

There is a famous story that soldiers hurriedly arranged their cravats before going into battle and the resulting untidy style became fashionable.

The exact origin story is rather more complicated than that, but the association with the battle is well established. (Wikisource)

What I particularly love about the Steinkirk is the idea behind it.

It was deliberately untidy.

In other words, men in the 17th century were already trying to achieve that thing we've been doing ever since:

looking as though we haven't tried very hard when we've actually tried enormously hard.

Some things never change.

The 18th Century: Neckwear Gets Serious

During the 18th century, men's neckwear continued to evolve.

Cravats remained important, but other forms of neckwear, including stocks and ribbons, also appeared.

White linen and cotton became particularly associated with refined dress, while wealthy men could use lace and intricate folds to demonstrate their status.

The neck became an important part of the male silhouette.

And this matters because the tie wasn't developing independently.

It was developing alongside the coat, waistcoat, shirt and collar.

Menswear was becoming a system.

Everything had to work together.

The neckwear framed the face, filled the gap between shirt and coat and helped create the overall shape of the fashionable gentleman.

Beau Brummell: The Man Who Made the Knot Matter

If we're talking about British men's style, we can't avoid Beau Brummell.

George Bryan Brummell became one of the most influential style figures of Regency Britain.

And his influence wasn't about wearing the loudest clothes.

Quite the opposite.

Brummell championed immaculate tailoring, cleanliness, simplicity and precision.

The cravat became a serious matter.

How it was folded.

How it was tied.

How it sat beneath the collar.

How it worked with the coat.

All of it mattered.

This helped establish a principle that still feels very British to me:

Good dressing should look effortless, even when it absolutely isn't.

There's something very appealing about that.

And if you've ever spent ten minutes adjusting a tie before pretending you just threw the outfit on, you'll understand exactly what I mean.

From Cravat to Tie

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the elaborate cravat gradually evolved into a variety of more manageable forms of neckwear.

The word tie increasingly came into use as the long neckcloth became simpler and more recognisable as the ancestor of the modern necktie.

One fascinating glimpse into this obsession with neckwear came in the early 19th century, when illustrated manuals were published showing different ways of tying and arranging a cravat.

In other words, gentlemen once needed an instruction manual to decide how to tie a piece of fabric around their neck.

I'm tempted to say we've come a long way.

Then I remember the number of people who have emailed me asking which knot they should use for a wedding.

Perhaps we haven't.

The Victorian Tie

The 19th century was when the story really starts moving towards the necktie we recognise today.

Britain was industrialising.

Cities were expanding.

A growing middle class was emerging.

Modern offices and professional occupations were developing.

And men's clothing was becoming increasingly structured around the suit.

The elaborate cravat began to give way to longer, simpler forms of neckwear.

The tie was becoming practical.

It was still decorative, of course, but it was now something that a much wider range of men could wear.

That transition is important.

The tie was moving from being primarily a luxury item to becoming part of everyday menswear.

The Ascot Tie

The 19th century also gave us the Ascot tie, associated with formal morning dress and, of course, Britain's famous racecourse.

The Ascot is a fascinating example of how sport, social occasion and clothing became intertwined.

It was wider and more formal than the modern necktie and was often secured with a pin.

And race days have continued to be one of the great places for men to have a little more fun with their accessories.

I love that.

Give someone a normal Tuesday and they might reach for navy.

Give them Royal Ascot and suddenly they're considering ochre, burgundy, florals, pale blue and tweed.

Quite right too.

The Bow Tie Joins the Story

The bow tie developed alongside the long necktie and became particularly associated with formal dress, evening wear and particular professions and subcultures.

It's easy to think of the bow tie as something completely separate from the necktie.

Historically, it isn't.

They're branches of the same rather tangled family tree.

And today, of course, the bow tie has developed a personality all of its own.

I've written more about that choice in Should You Wear a Bow Tie or a Neck Tie? Here's My Expert Guide.

Because after all these centuries, we're still asking the same basic question:

What on earth should I put around my neck?

The Tie Becomes a Badge of Belonging

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the tie acquired another fascinating role.

It began telling people where you belonged.

Schools.

Universities.

Military regiments.

Clubs.

Associations.

Organisations.

Striped ties became particularly associated with institutional identity.

The idea was wonderfully simple.

You could look at someone's tie and know something about them before they'd even introduced themselves.

That symbolism remains part of British culture today.

A school tie isn't just a piece of cloth.

A regimental tie isn't simply a pattern.

They're visual shorthand.

They communicate affiliation.

And that is one of the reasons the tie has remained so culturally powerful.

The Early 20th Century: The Modern Necktie Emerges

By the early 20th century, the long necktie was becoming increasingly familiar.

But there was still room for technical development.

One of the most important innovations came from Jesse Langsdorf, a New York tie maker who developed a construction method based on cutting the fabric on the bias.

Rather than simply cutting fabric straight across the weave, the bias is the diagonal direction of the fabric.

For a tie, this matters because it affects the way the fabric hangs, folds and recovers.

This is the sort of detail most people never think about when they buy a tie.

But when you make them, you notice.

A tie isn't simply a pretty piece of fabric.

The construction matters.

The cut matters.

The fabric matters.

The stitching matters.

And the way all those things work together determines how the finished tie behaves.

I've explored more of the craft and changing fashions of modern neckwear in Ties, Trends, and the Craft Behind Them.

The 1920s and the Birth of the Modern Silhouette

The 1920s brought a new sense of modernity to men's fashion.

The suit became increasingly streamlined.

Ties became an established part of everyday dress.

And improvements in manufacturing meant that well-made neckwear could be produced more efficiently.

The tie had become thoroughly embedded in the modern wardrobe.

It wasn't necessarily aristocratic anymore.

It wasn't necessarily military.

It wasn't necessarily ceremonial.

It was simply what men wore.

And that would remain true for much of the 20th century.

The 1930s and 1940s: Hollywood, War and the Everyday Tie

Cinema began to exert enormous influence over men's style.

Hollywood stars helped popularise particular suit shapes, collars, knots and tie patterns.

The tie became part of the visual language of masculinity.

Then came the Second World War.

As with almost everything else, clothing became more practical and materials were restricted.

But men still wore ties.

And I think there's something interesting about that.

Even during periods of enormous upheaval, clothing can provide a sense of normality.

Shirt.

Jacket.

Tie.

Out the door.

Some things continue because they're part of the rhythm of everyday life.

The 1950s: Respectable, Reliable and Everywhere

After the war, the suit and tie became an everyday uniform for millions of men.

Office workers.

Bankers.

Teachers.

Salesmen.

Managers.

Politicians.

The tie meant you were dressed.

It meant you were professional.

It meant you were going to work.

But eventually, as always happens with fashion, younger generations looked at the uniform their parents were wearing and thought:

Absolutely not.

Enter the skinny tie.

The Skinny Tie: Rebellion Around the Neck

The skinny tie became particularly associated with the 1950s and 1960s, and with the Mod movement and other youth cultures.

It was narrow.

Sharp.

Modern.

And very different from the traditional business tie.

Musicians loved them.

Young men loved them.

Jazz clubs loved them.

The skinny tie gave tailoring a completely different attitude.

I've always had a soft spot for skinny ties because they can make a conventional suit feel immediately more modern.

And yes, we've been making them for years.

The funny thing about fashion is that everyone eventually discovers something you were already doing.

The 1970s: Bigger Was Better

Then came the 1970s.

And subtlety packed its bags.

Ties became wider.

Lapels became wider.

Collars became wider.

Patterns became louder.

There were ties that seemed capable of covering half the shirt beneath them.

It was magnificent.

Possibly.

I'm not saying we should bring all of it back.

But I do think there's something healthy about fashion occasionally becoming completely ridiculous.

Because from those ridiculous moments come the ideas that eventually become classics.

The 1980s: Enter the Power Tie

Then the tie got serious again.

The power tie became a symbol of corporate confidence.

Bold colours.

Strong patterns.

Wide proportions.

And, very often, red.

The message was clear:

I mean business.

This was the era when men's clothing became a visual expression of ambition.

The tie wasn't simply finishing the outfit.

It was part of the performance.

If you owned a particularly enormous red tie in the 1980s, there is a reasonable chance you also owned a mobile phone the size of a house brick.

And possibly a moustache.

The 1990s: The Tie Starts Losing Its Grip

Then things began to change.

Casual Fridays appeared.

Workplaces relaxed.

Technology companies introduced more informal dress codes.

The suit stopped being an everyday requirement for many men.

And the tie began to disappear from ordinary working life.

For a while, it looked as though the tie might become something you only wore when somebody specifically told you to.

Weddings.

Funerals.

Interviews.

Important meetings.

Formal occasions.

And that would have been a shame.

The 2000s: Business Casual Changes Everything

The rise of business casual continued.

Open collars became normal.

The jacket became optional.

The suit became something you chose rather than something you automatically wore.

The tie was still around, but it had lost its monopoly.

And, strangely enough, I think this eventually did the tie a favour.

Because when something stops being compulsory, people have to decide whether they actually like it.

The 2010s: Heritage, Craft and Personality

This is where things become particularly interesting from my point of view.

Men started rediscovering texture, heritage and individuality.

Wool.

Tweed.

Cotton.

Vintage-inspired prints.

Botanical patterns.

Independent makers.

Traditional tailoring with a modern twist.

The tie became less about conformity and more about personality.

And that's very much where I think we are today.

I don't want to make a tie that somebody wears because their boss told them to.

I want somebody to find a fabric they love and think:

"That needs to be around my neck."

The 2020s: The Tie Is Back — But Differently

The tie hasn't returned because everyone suddenly wants to dress like an accountant from 1987.

Thankfully.

The modern resurgence is different.

Skinny silhouettes have returned.

Texture matters.

Vintage ties are being rediscovered.

Bold colours and patterns are being worn in unexpected ways.

And younger people are experimenting with ties outside traditional formalwear.

We've written about this resurgence in Ties, Trends, and the Craft Behind Them.

For me, the important distinction is this:

The tie is becoming a fashion choice rather than a uniform.

And that makes it much more interesting.

So, Is the Tie Actually Making a Comeback?

Yes.

But I don't think we're going back to a world where every man has to wear a tie to work every Monday morning.

And I hope we don't.

I'd much rather see someone wearing a tie because they want to.

Wear one because you're going to a wedding.

Wear one because you're heading to the races.

Wear one because you love a particular piece of fabric.

Wear one because you're going to a jazz gig.

Wear one because you've decided that today is simply a tie day.

And, yes, there are occasions when I think you should take it off.

I know.

That probably goes against everything we live for at Arsenic & Old Lace.

But I'm willing to be brave.

I've written about the practical side of summer neckwear in How to Style a Tie in Hot Weather.

Because a tie should enhance an outfit, not slowly strangle its wearer.

The Modern Tie: Why Fabric Matters

One of the things I love most about modern neckwear is the return to interesting fabrics.

Cotton.

Wool.

Tweed.

Textured weaves.

Botanical prints.

Vintage fabrics.

The fabric changes the personality of the tie.

A smooth fabric can feel formal.

Cotton can feel relaxed.

Wool can feel substantial and traditional.

Tweed brings texture and heritage.

A floral print can completely transform a plain suit.

At Arsenic & Old Lace, we choose fabrics because we genuinely love them.

We work with cotton, wool and tweed, alongside distinctive prints including William Morris-inspired designs and Liberty London fabrics.

And because we're a small Nottingham-based business, we can be rather more selective about what makes it into the collection.

That matters to me.

I don't want a wardrobe full of identical ties.

I want each one to have a reason for being there.

Why Handmade Ties Are Different

This is also where history and craftsmanship meet.

The history of the tie isn't just a history of fashion.

It's a history of making.

How fabric is woven.

How it is cut.

How it is folded.

How it is stitched.

How it drapes.

How it feels in your hand.

A handmade tie gives those details somewhere to matter.

At Arsenic & Old Lace, our ties are handmade in Nottingham, with carefully selected fabrics and attention paid to the small details that make an accessory feel special.

We're not trying to pretend we're still living in the 19th century.

We're taking the bits of traditional craftsmanship that we love and making them relevant to modern wardrobes.

That's the difference.

Heritage doesn't have to mean old-fashioned.

The British Tie Today

So where has all this history left us?

With an accessory that is simultaneously traditional and completely open to reinvention.

The tie can still be formal.

It can still be professional.

It can still be ceremonial.

But it can also be funny.

Colourful.

Floral.

Skinny.

Textured.

Vintage.

Handmade.

Or completely outrageous.

And I think that's exactly why it has survived.

It changes.

What Does Your Tie Say About You?

This is perhaps my favourite part of the whole story.

Because for hundreds of years, the tie has been telling people something.

A cravat could signal wealth.

A carefully arranged Regency neckcloth could signal refinement.

A regimental tie could signal belonging.

A school tie could tell people where you'd been educated.

A skinny tie could signal youth and rebellion.

A power tie could signal ambition.

And today's tie?

It can say whatever you want.

That's rather wonderful.

A Little History From My Side of the Sewing Machine

One of the reasons I became fascinated by ties in the first place is that they sit in this lovely space between fashion and function.

They're small.

They don't take up much fabric.

They aren't particularly complicated garments.

But change the fabric and suddenly you've changed the entire mood.

A dark tweed tie can make a simple navy suit feel wonderfully British.

A bright floral can make the same suit feel playful.

A skinny tie can make it feel modern.

A Liberty print can make it feel completely personal.

I've seen this happen countless times when customers are choosing fabrics.

Someone will arrive thinking they want a sensible navy tie.

Then they'll spot a print.

They'll hold it against their shirt.

They'll look in the mirror.

And suddenly sensible navy is nowhere to be seen.

I love that moment.

Because that's when the tie stops being a dress-code requirement and starts becoming your tie.

The Future of the Tie

I don't think the tie is going anywhere.

But I don't think its future looks like its past either.

The future isn't necessarily every man wearing a tie every day.

It's people wearing better, more interesting ties when they choose to wear them.

It is about individuality.

It is about craftsmanship.

It is about fabrics that have texture and character.

It is about buying something because you genuinely love it rather than because you're filling a gap in a uniform.

And perhaps most importantly, it's about enjoying getting dressed.

Because clothing should be fun.

Even when it's serious.

Especially when it's serious.

The History of the British Tie: Timeline

Period	What Happened
17th century	Croatian military neckwear helps inspire the European cravat
Late 1600s	Elaborate cravats become fashionable
1690s	The Steinkirk introduces a looser style of neckwear
18th century	Cravats, stocks and ribbons dominate men's neckwear
Early 1800s	Beau Brummell makes precise neckwear part of British style
19th century	Long neckties develop alongside modern tailoring
19th century	Ascot and bow ties become established forms
Late 1800s	School, club and regimental ties become symbols of belonging
Early 1900s	The modern necktie becomes increasingly widespread
1920s	Bias-cut construction helps refine modern tie construction
1950s–60s	Skinny ties become associated with youth culture and Mods
1970s	Wide ties dominate
1980s	Power ties become symbols of corporate ambition
1990s–2000s	Business casual reduces everyday tie wearing
2010s	Heritage fabrics and independent makers regain attention
2020s	Ties return as an expression of individual style

British Tie History: Quick FAQ

When was the tie invented?

There isn't one definitive invention date. The modern Western tie developed gradually from earlier forms of neckwear, particularly the 17th-century cravat.

Where did the modern tie originate?

The history of the modern Western tie is closely associated with Croatian military neckwear adopted and developed into fashionable cravats in 17th-century France. The word cravat itself derives from Croate, meaning Croatian. (Hrčak)

Why is it called a cravat?

The French word cravate developed from the French term associated with Croats and Croatian soldiers whose neckwear influenced European fashion.

What was the Steinkirk?

The Steinkirk was a loose style of cravat associated with the Battle of Steenkerque in 1692. It became fashionable despite — or perhaps because of — its deliberately untidy appearance. (Wikisource)

Who was Beau Brummell?

Beau Brummell was a highly influential Regency-era British style figure whose approach to tailoring, cleanliness and precise neckwear helped shape modern ideas of British men's dress.

When did the modern necktie appear?

The long necktie developed gradually during the 19th century. Modern tie construction was further refined in the early 20th century, including the development of bias-cut construction.

Why are ties cut on the bias?

Cutting fabric on the bias means cutting diagonally across the weave. For neckties, this affects the fabric's drape, flexibility and ability to hang naturally.

When did skinny ties become fashionable?

Skinny ties became particularly popular during the 1950s and 1960s and were strongly associated with modern youth culture, Mods and musicians.

Why were ties so wide in the 1970s?

Tie widths reflected the broader proportions of 1970s menswear, including wide lapels and large shirt collars.

What was the power tie?

The power tie was a bold, often wide tie associated particularly with 1980s corporate dress and the visual language of ambition and authority.

Why do school and regimental ties have stripes?

Striped ties became associated with schools, universities, military regiments, clubs and organisations, allowing the wearer to communicate affiliation through clothing.

Are ties still fashionable?

Yes. Ties are no longer compulsory in many workplaces, but they remain popular for weddings, formal occasions, tailoring, race days and individual fashion.

What are the best fabrics for ties?

There isn't one universally best fabric. Cotton, wool and tweed each create different effects and work particularly well for distinctive, textured neckwear.

Are handmade ties better?

Not automatically — but handmade construction can allow greater attention to fabric choice, cutting, stitching and finishing. For us, the attraction is the combination of craftsmanship and individuality.

Explore More From Arsenic & Old Lace

If you've enjoyed getting properly tangled up in the history of neckwear, I've got a few more things you might enjoy.

Ties, Trends, and the Craft Behind Them explores the modern resurgence of the tie, the return of skinny silhouettes and why texture and individuality are becoming increasingly important.

If you're torn between the two great branches of the neckwear family tree, try Should You Wear a Bow Tie or a Neck Tie? Here's My Expert Guide.

If bow ties are your thing, I've also written Self-Tie vs Pre-Tied Bow Tie: Which Should You Choose? — including the rather wonderful tradition of loosening your bow tie after dinner.

And if you're wondering whether any of this is remotely practical once the British summer decides to behave like the Mediterranean, read How to Style a Tie in Hot Weather.

Finally, if you'd like to see where the history ends up today, explore our handmade neck ties and discover the fabrics and designs we're creating in Nottingham.

A Final Word From Me

The history of the British tie is really a history of change.

It began with military neckwear.

It became a fashionable cravat.

It became a symbol of wealth.

Then refinement.

Then belonging.

Then professionalism.

Then rebellion.

Then corporate power.

Then, for a while, almost nothing at all.

And now?

It's a choice.

And I think that's rather brilliant.

Because when you have to wear something, it becomes part of the uniform.

When you choose to wear it, it becomes part of your personality.

That's what I love about ties.

A small piece of fabric can tell a story.

Sometimes it tells the story of where you've been.

Sometimes it tells people where you're going.

And sometimes, if you've chosen a particularly good fabric, it simply says:

"I really rather like this."

And honestly, isn't that enough?

About Emma Moore

Emma Moore is the founder and maker behind Arsenic & Old Lace, an independent British accessories brand based in Nottingham.

Emma designs and handmakes neck ties, bow ties, pocket squares and other men's accessories, with a particular love of unusual fabrics, heritage-inspired patterns and beautifully considered details.

Arsenic & Old Lace works with cotton, wool and tweed, alongside distinctive prints including William Morris-inspired designs and Liberty London fabrics.

The brand specialises in handmade accessories for weddings, race days, celebrations and everyday style, with customisation and fabric swatches available for customers who want something genuinely personal.

Emma believes a good tie can transform an outfit — and that getting dressed should be considerably more fun than most people make it.