The Neck Tie-Cravat
Hrvat means Croat=Cravat
As millions around the world dress to go to work each day or to go out for
the evening, most probably do not realize that a major accessory of their
wardrobe originated in Croatia. The necktie, or kravata, is Croatia's
contribution to the world of fashion. The use of the necktie in Croatia dates
back to as early as the mid-1600s. During the European Thirty Year War
(1618-1648), Croatian soldiers were also drawn into battle and sent to fight in
various regions of Europe. At that time, the traditional Croatian military dress
included a picturesque scarf tied around the neck in a manner which is very
similar to the style in which the necktie is worn today. In 1618, some agents of
the Holy Roman Emperor were in Prague being disagreeable. Some
citizens threw the agents out a window. The agents landed on a dunghill, so they
survived. Nevertheless, they were, in a foul temper, and (to simplify a bit) the
“Defenestration of Prague" led to the Thirty Years War, which quickly,
led to the need for Croatian mercenarie's. They were rough-and-ready fellows,
but they did not neglect the decorative arts: They wore colorful neckwear. The
word "'cravat" is derived from the word “Croat” and neckties are
descended from what those Croatians wore. It is unclear why those Croatians
execited so much imitation. Few people at the moment are sticklers about
following the fashions of Croatian mercenaries. Because some Croatian soldiers
were stationed in Paris, this "Croatian style" greatly impressed their
French counterparts. French men adopted this new fashion during the reign of
Louis XIV and referred to it as "a la Croate". Eventually, it became
known by the French word "cravate". The tie entered the bourgeois
fashion of that era as a sign of cultivation and elegance and went on to conquer
the whole of Europe. Today, men across the entire civilized world tie knots in
neckties in every imaginable color and made from a wide array of materials from
silk to burlap. Unlike many fashions, which fade or disappear over time, the
necktie has retained its popularity for hundreds of years and is still
considered a basic item of most men's wardrobes, rather than just a decorative
accessory. As the court of Lottis XIV was a trendsetter in culturevand fashion,
tile use of the "'cravate" becamne wide- spread across Europe, with
each country adopting a slightly altered word in their own language.
NAMES FOR THE NECKTIE (CRAVAT) AROUND THE WORLD: Hungarian: Kravat, English:
Cravat-Neck Tie, Portuguese: Oravata, Croatian: Kravata, Polish: Krawat, German:
Krawatte, Italian: Cravatta, French: Cravate, Spanish: Corvatta.