Archive for the ‘narrow ties’ tag
Thin Ties Are Making A Comeback
What comes around goes around. That is the case with mens thin neckties. The style started in the first part of the 20th century and achieved its highest popularity during the 50′s and 1960′s, then made a stylish resurgence in the 80′s. Now they are returning to fashion again with stars like Leonardo DeCaprio, Will Arnett and other celebrities choosing narrow black neckties to accessorize their tuxedos at the recent Acadamy Awards.
Thin Ties of the 20′s
It is regularly acknowledged that narrow mens neckties vary in width from 1 to 3 inches across the widest section of the tie. Both pointed neckties and flat bottom narrow neckties during the first ten years of the 20th century were thin, ranging from 2 to 2 ½ inches wide. Some ties measuring as thin as 1 ½ inches, were even referred to by people at the time as string ties. Due to lack of materials associated with World War I, ties remained unchanged for the next ten years. 2 inch wide neckties remained in fashion through the 1920′s and then disapeared until the 1950′s.
In the period after the war, as notes Sarah Gibbings, in her fantastic volume “The Tie: Trends and Traditions”, the austerity of WW II left no money, no available materials or factories in Europe. The United States became an originator of change and positive postwar aspirations for a devastated Europe. Returning soldiers were seeking bright and bold patterns, anything exuberant and modern. The United States delivered with a movement toward the broad, flamboyant and extravagantly colored ties which went on to dominate the 1940′s and early 50′s. In order to display these ties, the men’s jacket lapels started to become broader and suits were buttoned lower which gave the man more area for the tie.
1950′s Skinny Ties
By the mid 50’s, the American reaction to the the Korean War, Cold War and a recession dampned the American psyche. Men’s suits reflected the country’s more somber attitude. Fashions became more conservative, with slimmer trousers, smaller lapels and skinnier ties to match. Bright and brilliant color combinations were pushed out by restrained patterns and plain colors. Thus the quintessential skinny black necktie was reborn.
As popular celebrities such as Elvis started to wear narrow neckties, the teenagers copied their style. By the mid 1960′s ties as skinny as 1 inch were worn by conservative men and young men alike.
Thin Neckties of the 80′s
Narrow neckties made another appearance in the 1980′s, especially in the new wave music scene, which was a rejection of the flowery and excessive style of the 1970′s.
Narrow Neckties Are Popular Today
Skinny ties are here today. Just the other night attorney Anthony Romero, executive director of the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) appeared on the Colbert Report sporting a dark narrow tie. During the segment, Stephen Colbert asked him to show something wrong with him. After a quick look at Colbert’s wide yellow foulard style tie, Romero promptly replied, “That tie is not my favorite”, which predictably got lots of of giggles at Colbert’s expense.
While there is certainly room for all styles of ties to match one’s own style and comfort zone, there will always be something classy about the sleek and tailored look of a well dressed man sporting a extraordinary thin tie. Original vintage narrow ties from the 1950′s, 1960′s and 80′s are available online when searching for “vintage skinny ties”. Try one today!
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