Ties seem to have been invented by some one who designed them for revenge against the male gender or needed to hide their top button.

------------------
Edward F Sutton

Fellas, you'll have to blame Beau Brummel for the curse of the neck tie.

The style of the well dressed man was defined by Brummell as that which drew no attention to himself. Dark coats, unadorned, but of the most exquisite cut were worn over linen of the snowiest white and well starched neckcloths. Only the waistcoat could display the lavish embroidery and design. The Dandies followed Brummell and the Prince of Wales to have their coats made by Schweitzer and Davidson in Cork Street, and later Mayer, also on Cork Street. Ulimately Brummell's tailor of choice was Weston in Conduit Street. Another well known tailor of the time was Stulze - for Brummell, one could tell a Stulze coat anywhere which was enough to damn it in his eyes. "Give me a man who makes the tailor, not the Tailor who makes the man." Despite this damning appraisal Stulze was popular with such notaries as the Duke of Wellington.

The Neckcloth, under the influence of Beau Brummell the finely arranged cravat became the sign of the truly fashionable man.

The Duke of Wellington was nicknamed 'the Dandy' by his men for his satorial elegance on the field, and was known to dress for his battles in grey greatcoat with a cape and a white cravat. This was unusual for the time as military men generally used a black stock. Napoleon, who respected the Duke and attempted to imitate his style, changed his own black stock for a white cravat on the day of the battle at Waterloo, not apparently with an increase in his fortunes.

White linen was the traditional material for neckcloths, however after the Beau's flight to France other colours became acceptable.

Starch was an essential element in neckcloths until the 1820's when the styles such as 'The Byron' were draped and softer. This style did not really gain popularity until the 1830's.

The Neckclothitania (picutred here) was published in 1818 and showed some of the popular styles of the day. It was published as partly as a satirical document, but it provided information on the styles that were actually affected at the time. Styles such as the Mail Coach were so bulky as to be almost ridiculous and completely at odd's with Brummell's original ideals. He did not affect extreme's of fashion, but believed that style was essential in the quality of ones linen rather than the extremity of it. Another difference by 1818 was the colours were becoming fashionable in neckcloths, in Brummell's day, the only acceptable colour for man's neck-cloth was blanc d'innocence virginale , the purest white.

His collar was copied and grew to extreme heights that covered the ears and were held away from the neck by whale bone stiffeners, and meant men could no longer turn their heads to see, but had to turn their entire bodies. It did however spawn an industry of publications and experts who taught men of fashion how to tie their cravats.

There were, of course, cravat styles for members of certain clubs, The Whip, the Barouche, the Defiance and the 'Four-in-Hand'.

The Four-in-Hand is the basis of the style of neck tie that every man now wears.

Brummell's Method

Brummell's morning toilette was a long drawn out affair, often taking upwards of two hours. He often allowed his friends to sit in the room adjoining his dressing room as he tied his neckcloth so there are numerous accounts of his art.

First a collar was attached to his shirt - before being folded down this was so large it hid his face and head. Then the neckcloth was wound around the outside of the collar and the collar turned down. Brummell then acheived the effect he desired by standing before his looking glass, his chin poked to the ceiling. By gradual and gentle declensions of his jaw he would crease the cravat into the desired shape, dabbing at it with a piece of linen to keep the creases even.

Brummell deplored excess - and the later fashion for ridiculously high collars and neckcloths gained only his sardonic amusement rather than his sartorial approval.

So, guys, now you know who to blame for your misery.

------------------
________________________
Even so come, Lord Jesus
Linda

[This message has been edited by Linda Sutton (edited February 05, 2001).]

those neck tie pictures look more like they were invented by some angry wife who wanted to get rid of her husband by means of choking.

It almost puts a stop to my breathing- just looking at them.

In French the tie is called "cravat."

This is from when the French saw Croatian (hense, "cravat") soldiers wearing scarves similar to our ties around their necks.

The fancily tied scarves were purely ornamental, to the point of appearing rather arrogant (yet appealing) to the French. (?!)

Soon the French fashion designers developed the "cravats" into the ties that we're supposed to wear with business suits behind our church pulpits today.

------------------
Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. Rom. 12:12 NLT

Most interesting!

__________________________
In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

I don't know if this may have already been posted in this topic, however, here is an interesting EGW quote relevant to this topic:

quote:

---

Many need instruction as to how they should appear in the assembly for worship on the Sabbath. They are not to enter the presence of God in the common clothing worn during the week. All should have a special Sabbath suit, to be worn when attending service in God's house. While we should not conform to worldly fashions, we are not to be indifferent in regard to our outward appearance. We are to be neat and trim, though without adornment. The children of God should be pure within and without. {6T 355.2}

---

Sounds clear and concise to me.

And Daryl, as I said before when this was posted elsewhere, for those of us obliged to where a suit and tie all the rest of the week, such is our common every day wear. That should mean that we should wear something different, say with no tie. I should hope it doens't mean that we should dress up more. I am not going to start wearing a tux to church...

Tom

Perhaps you should ware some robes

Tom,

you and your wife going to church dressed as if it was a classical wedding or a ball, wouldnt that be something?

/Thomas

In your case then Tom, and from what I understand what EGW is saying, shouldn't you then have clothes laid aside to be used only for church on Sabbath?

That could be something for us all to consider; wearing clothes (common clothes) during the week, and wearing clothes, laid aside only for Sabbath use, on the Sabbath.