953 nut 60,348 #1 Posted Tuesday at 11:05 AM International Bow Day is celebrated annually on August 19 to honor the accessory that has influenced fashion for ages — bows! Adding accessories to almost any outfit improves it significantly. The bow tie can be traced back to Croatia in the 17th century. Croatian mercenaries tied scarves over their necks to keep the opening of their shirts together during the Prussian wars. The French upper class quickly adopted the Croats’ scarf-tied-around-the-neck notion, coining the term ‘cravat’ to describe it (French for ‘Croat’). The cravat’s popularity soared throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, thanks to France’s role as a fashion pioneer at the time. Over time, the cravat evolved into the bow ties. At the beginning of the century, bow ties were an essential part of men’s formal ‘full dress’ attire, and by the 1900s, they had become a staple in any fashion-conscious man’s wardrobe. During this period in history, bow ties were mostly used by academics and medical professionals. Following World War II, bow ties became less popular in everyday use, but they remained fashionable in formal attire. The bow tie has lost much of its ‘stuffy’ reputation in recent years. The quirky and confident style of a bow tie is finding its place across a variety of both fun and formal settings, from business to weddings to casual everyday wear, and is regaining some of its historic popularity among fashion-aware men. 3 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 28,588 #2 Posted Tuesday at 11:30 AM I'm a retired ski patroller. Cravats were a staple item in our packs. Used for arm slings and wound management... never thought of putting one around my neck, although perhaps Mrs. Sylvan has once or twice... 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 42,164 #3 Posted Tuesday at 07:16 PM Bows, we talkin bows. I've had many different styles. From the old days To my current bow 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites