The Ascot Tie: A History and How-To

Joey — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:17:00 GMT

If you're reading this, chances are that you've sported your share of sharp, flattering ties. But how much do you know about the tie's stylistic ancestors—the cravat, for example, a men's neckband of Croatian origin circa 1630 A.D., or the ascot tie, a wide, formal band that preceded the modern necktie a gentleman wears today? Traditionally made of grey, patterned silk, the ascot tie entered the height of its popularity in the 1880s as a article of business dress and morning wear, and maintained in widespread usage among gentlemen until the early 20th century.

American portrait painter John Singer Sargeant, wearing an ascot tie circa 1880.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the ascot began to appear again on teenaged and adult men in the United Kingdom, especially but not exclusively among members of the Mod subculture. Since then, ascots have re-entered general use by gentlemen of all stylistic persuasions, much in line with their original function.

Again, Robert Redd was not the sort of man who would tell another how to dress. But for Search Engine Optimization purposes: How would Redd wear an ascot? MensFlair.com offers some helpful advice for first-timers, applicable both to the traditional ascot tie and other neck-covering garments, such as a scarf:

"To tie an ascot, pull the ascot around the back of your neck as you would a tie. Allow the left end to hang a little more than two inches longer than the right. Wrap the left end one and a half times over the right. Continue around, as if you were going to complete a second turn, but push the left end up, through the neck loop, so it emerges over the top. Make the top flap the only visible portion of the ascot, and spread this cascade out a bit at the sides. There should be small creases in the ascot. Undo the top button of your shirt and tuck the ends of the ascot into the opened front of your shirt and center it. For the finishing touch, you can secure your ascot with a stick pin."

Of course, this doesn't tell you much about how Redd would wear an ascot—he'd do it differently every time.

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The Ascot Tie: A History and How-To