Originally the distinction of a warrior, neck ties in various forms have existed for more than two millennia. When the panache they added to a military uniform was noted and copied by European nobility, the look began to trickle down through the masses until a tie became a vital accessory for the well-dressed man of any class.

First Sighting
In 1970, archaeologists discovered in China thousands of terracotta figures of soldiers from 221 B.C. wearing something around their necks, although ties worn by Chinese men wouldn't become widespread until the 20th century.

Military Influence
Pictures of Roman soldiers from approximately 100 B.C. show them wearing neck cloths. Roman orators at the time also wore cloths wrapped around their throats to keep their vocal cords warm.

In Europe during the Middle Ages, a regiment of mercenary Croatian soldiers called the Royal Cravates fought with the support of France's Louis XIV. The Cravates wore neck clothes of linen, lace and muslin.

Ruff Replacement
Use of the ruff, an ornate lace collar, began to decline because it was so expensive. In 1623, it was banned altogether in Catholic countries, Austria and all lands under Spanish rule because turn-down shirt collars came into style. But men needed something to keep the collars closed.

Louis XIV admired the Royal Cravates' neck wear so much he began wearing it himself. He even had his own "cravatier" to help dress him each day from his large cravat collection. Within a year, King Charles II of England was wearing cravats, too.

English Influence
In the early 1800s, England took France's place as a fashion trendsetter, largely because of George "Beau" Brummel, a social-climbing clothing aficionado whose innovations with knots and design were widely copied in Europe, although ties were primarily still black or white. It wasn't until the mid-1800s that colors and patterns became common.
Neck tie use spread around the world through British colonization, until virtually every great man of the day wore one, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

Modern Design
American men aspired to set themselves apart from Europeans, so colors and patterns continued to evolve. In 1924, an American tie manufacturer named Jesse Langsdorf designed a tie by sewing three pieces of fabric with a slip stitch along the back so the tie could be knotted and removed with minimal wear and tear. That basic design prevails today.

As collars and coat lapels change with the times, ties grow wider or slim down to stay in proportion and some men prefer bow ties. But neck wear is still considered a must for business or formal dress and the myriad choices available make ties a form of male self expression.