From left to right:
- 17th Century: Croat mercenaries use scarves to hold their shirt collars together. The French take notice.
- 18th Century: The French adopt and adapt the look, calling it the “cravate” a bastardization of the French word for Croat. Over the next century the bow tie as we know it begins to take shape.
- 1861: Abraham Lincoln, the first US President to use photography for political purposes, poses for his portrait in a bow tie.
- 1886: Pierre Lorillard V invents the tuxedo, to be worn with white bow ties, as an alternative to the tailcoats.
- 1930: Ahead of her time, Marlene Dietrich proves bow ties aren’t just for boys.
- 1945: Winston Churchill announces the end of WW2 and rejoices in his bow tie.
- 1960: The first Playboy Club in Chicago opens and the bow-tie-wearing bunny is born.
- 1970-80s: The bow tie becomes synonymous with an era of geeks and nerds thanks to funny men like Pee-wee Herman, Jerry Lewis and U.S. Senator Paul Simon.
- 1984: Pop Queen Madonna popularizes the “80s bow-tie,” donning oversized versions of the neck knot on prom dresses and striped berets.
- 1990s: Chief Designer of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, rises as an industry icon and brings his signature look (sunglasses and a House of Papillon bow tie) to the runway.
- 2000s: Bow ties appear on TV as a daytime staple, as seen on Chuck Bass of Gossip Girl and later on the show choir kids on Glee.
- 2010s: As a major style revival, trendsetting ladies begin sporting bow ties on the red carpet. From Alexa Chung to Rihanna to Diane Kruger.
