In
a celebration of its hard-fought victory over the Ottoman
Empire, a group of soldiers from Croatia visited Paris.
They were presented as heroes to Louis XIV, who was known
for his love of fashion, and they happened to be wearing
brightly colored handkerchiefs made of silk around their
necks. He loved it, and from that moment on the necktie
fetish took off.
Soon,
the style reached England. Eventually it escalated to where
no "sophisticated" man considered himself "well-dressed"
if he was not wearing some sort of cloth around his neck.
And the more decorated the cloth was, the better (see the
nine neckties below for how far this concept has come!)
Some of these neckties, known as cravats, had adornments
such as:
- Tussled
strings
- Tufts
and bows of ribbon
- Lace
- Embroidered
linen
Apparently,
the men back then were extremely confident.
So
why have neckties lasted this long?
At
many times throughout history, fashion historians and sociologists
claimed the popularity of ties would die, as neckties provide
absolutely no function unlike most other garments. But though
there has been ebb and flow over time in their popularity,
they have never died. Now, after a "business casual"
work environment that hit an extreme in the 1990s, it seems
they are again increasing in popularity with men.
The
most prevalent theory on why ties just keep hanging around
(couldn't resist the bad pun) is that, as long as the big-wigs
keep wearing ties as a sign of their wealth and stature,
so will the young hopefuls who follow them.
Since
it looks like neckties are here to stay, therefore, you
should be aware of ...
Four
Necktie Risks and How to Avoid Them
1.
Don't Wear Your Necktie Too Tightly
You
should refrain from wearing your neckties too tight, as
this may result in serious health problems.
Researchers
have conducted experiments attempting to prove that too-tight
neckties may increase the risk of glaucoma. Such researchers
claim that tight neckties constrict neck veins and can
produce a sudden, mild increase in eye pressure, resulting
in cases of glaucoma. Glaucoma is the leading cause of
blindness in the United States, as it afflicts at least
three million Americans.
Also,
raised blood pressures in the eyes can lead to damage
to the optic nerve and loss of vision. This is because
such pressure squeezes and harms the optic nerve, which
carries visual signals from the eye to the brain.
Wearing
a tight necktie during an exam with the ophthalmologist
may also temporarily raise intraocular pressure, possibly
resulting in false readings.
One
doctor noted, "When I measure someone's intraocular
pressure, I tell patients not to hold their breath because
we know that can cause a (short-term) rise in intraocular
pressure. And that could influence how these levels are
read and the decided course of treatment. Wearing a necktie
seems to fall under that same category."
A
good rule of thumb worth passing along: If you can't get
your finger in between your neck and your collar easily,
it's too tight!
2.
Duck and Weave to Avoid Your Doctor's Bacteria-Ridden Necktie
In
a study, researchers analyzed the neckties of 42 doctors,
physician's assistants and medical students at a hospital.
The ties of ten hospital security guards were also included
in the analysis.
It
was discovered that nearly half -- 47.6 percent -- of
the neckties that belong to the doctors contained germs
that can cause illnesses such as pneumonia and urinary
tract infections. Further, the odds of a doctor wearing
a necktie harboring pathogens were eight times greater
than that of security personnel.
Therefore,
before your doc leans over you to inspect your eyes, ears,
etc., kindly ask him to tuck his tie in and to refrain
from brushing against you with it, as it is a likely carrier
of bacteria and other germs. Otherwise, and rather ironically,
your doctor could be passing an illness on to you.
If
you are a physician or other healthcare worker, meanwhile,
"first do no harm" by:
- Either
not wearing a tie, or making sure you wash it regularly.
Or try bringing the bow tie back into fashion!
- Wash
your hands very often, as touching your tie as many
inadvertently do and then touching others (or your own
face) is an easy way to pass along germs
3.
Don't Jump, Stoop, Twirl or Skip While Wearing a Tie Near
Elevators
It
has probably passed at least once through the mind of
any man who wears a necktie and routinely uses elevators:
"What could happen if my tie got caught in between
the elevator doors?"
There
are two sets of doors on any elevator, of course -- one
set that goes up and down with the elevator, the other
set that stays put -- so what could happen if a tie gets
caught in between the doors is not exactly pretty.
According
to the report, "Deaths
and Injuries Involving Escalators or Elevators"
by Michael McCann, Ph.D., CIH (The Center to Protect Workers
Rights, 3/2004), accidents involving elevators and escalators
kill about 30 people and injure another 17,000 more yearly
in the U.S.
Most
of these injuries and fatalities are from falls (please
always look before you step into an elevator to make sure
the elevator is really there!) A significant portion,
though, are from getting parts of the body trapped in
between elevator doors or in the moving parts of escalators.
While
specific garments associated with the accidents are not
cited in the study, it is quite conceivable that, because
ties dangle and flap more than most other clothes, they
are culprits in some of the accidents.
Bottom
line: Don't let your necktie flap and dangle near any
open elevator doors ... or anywhere else it might get
grabbed or snagged. Or at least wear a tie tack.
4.
Stop Giving Men the Neckties that They Don't Want
Paisley.
Stripes. Solids. Plaids. Enough already!
Don't
risk giving him the gift of another boring necktie he
has to force a cheery smile for, but doesn't really want.
Ties
have come a long way since the Croatian soldiers wore
those handkerchiefs around their necks back in 1636, and
now there are ties to fit any man's personality and taste.
Take, for example, the Elmo necktie you see below, which
is perfect for that rare man who still acts like a child.
Check
out all of the following "classiest" ties, and
click on any one of them and then scroll down on the page
and click "ties" to see many more. You're sure
to find one to fit any man's personality and bring a smile
to his face this holiday season ... just remind him not
to wear it too tightly and to watch for those elevator
doors.
