Tie widths through time

[Quigley Brown]

A lot of those early/mid-60s narrow ties were so long that men would tuck them in their pants. I have no idea why they were made so long.

 

[Pilgrim]

I have three nice knits in basic colors (wine, navy, yellow) from Land's End, but they make a huge knot unless I use the most economical knot and tie extremely carefully.

I do agree about fine checks and patterns - the only ties I'll wear with small patterns are solids or knits.

And I remember an elegantly simple answer from the Playboy Advisor in the late 60's. The question was: "When the tie extends below the belt, is the tie to be left out or tucked in?" The answer was: "Neither. When properly tied, a gentleman's tie does not extend below the belt."

My ties often extend into the belt line, but not below it.

 

[herringbonekid]

i think off-centre tips are just the result of lazy pressing.

 

[Wild Root]

What else would one wear with a brightly colored checked shirt?


I'm also interested in this question, Jack.

20's: very short and cravat-esque
30's: narrower, longer
40's: fatter, shorter
50's: narrower then VERY narrow
60's: pencil narrow.
70's: Narrow AND thick!

With lots of variations in each decade, of course.
This is pure guessing. What's the real dope?

Well, you're very close there friend! Now, the 70’s weren’t narrow! When has any one seen a narrow 70's tie? I know I haven't! All the 70's ties I've seen (I've seen a lot unfortunately) they are wide as 4" and wider and they are thick as you mentioned... we're talking couch cushion!

My experience with early to late ties are as fallows

1920-1929: average width then, narrow towards the later part of the decade. All were on the short side.

1930-1939: early on much like late 20's ties. Later in the decade, they were an average 3-3 1/2 width.

1940-1949: Early 40's were much like 1938 and 39 ties, they started to get longer and wider by 1946 to 1949.

1950-1959: Wide at first and longer. By the mid to late 50's, ties got narrow about 2" wide.

1960-1969: Narrow as I'll get out!

1970-1979: Big, thick, fat, nasty polyester nightmares!

1980-1989: Still thick, nasty, fat, ties till mid 80's when they became narrow again.

1990-1999: Who cares! lol

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

1920-1929: average width then, narrow towards the later part of the decade. All were on the short side.

Root is quite right, but let me add some details about early '20s ties ...

1920 and '21: VERY wide ties, looking pretty much like an ascot at the wide end. As flamboyant as "jazz" suits. (Wide ties seem to come at the end of wars. In this case, World War I had just ended.)

Here is a tie from about 1920. The photo doesn't give a good sense of its dimensions. At the bottom, it's 6 inches wide!

 

[jake_fink]

Well, you're very close there friend! Now, the 70’s weren’t narrow! When has any one seen a narrow 70's tie? I know I haven't! All the 70's ties I've seen (I've seen a lot unfortunately) they are wide as 4" and wider and they are thick as you mentioned... we're talking couch cushion!

Mostly true, but skinny ties came back but big for the punk and new wave crowd of 77-83 - a reaction to the fat ties of conservative sociey no doubt.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

1990-1999: Who cares!

lol

The irony is that, for the past 8 years, brocade ties have been ruling the roost in stores. Until about 2002, these "modern" brocades ripped off a lot of '30s designs. Today, they've moved more in the direction of '70s polyester brocades (only today's are made of silk).

Meanwhile, many of today's striped and plaid ties have designs and colors that echo '30s ties. (With a bit of the '70s thrown in, naturally. Ironic, since '70s fashion itself stole ideas from the '30s.)

I find it strange that original '30s brocade and striped ties, as imitated as they are today, go for peanuts on eBay and can't be given away at vintage clothing stores.

.

 

[jake_fink]

I find it strange that original '30s brocade and striped ties, as imitated as they are today, go for peanuts on eBay and can't be given away at vintage clothing stores.
.

I'm sure it's because of their length.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Mostly true, but skinny ties came back but big for the punk and new wave crowd of 77-83 - a reaction to the fat ties of conservative sociey no doubt.

Very true. So, for the record:

--------Late 1960s - late 1970s: wide, fat ties, often made of polyester.

.

 

[herringbonekid]

english 30s ties are almost impossible to find. all my 30s ties are american. you guys just made so much stuff.

 

[Wild Root]

I'm sure it's because of their length.

Yes, there were the Punk kids... but, the wide ties were worn also by not so much "Conservatives" but, "SuperFly" stylin' brothers of the projects! They wore some fat ties!

Ya dig?

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I'm sure it's because of their length.

Jake, you could be right ... but '40s ties are also short, and the really fancy ones are still going for big bucks on eBay. Meanwhile, the fanciest '30s brocades and stripes still go for peanuts, or don't sell at all.

.

 

[Wild Root]

I think it has a lot to do with them not knowing what they are! A lot of vintage shops don't know anything about vintage pre-1940's! they know what sells so, they only know to look out for hand painted ties and wild geometrics from the 40's and 50's. Also, most collectors don't care for the older stuff because it's not flashy or different... collectors want colors and bold patterns and nude pin-up art work. Anything that is very wild and different is very collectable! The length of the pre 40's ties are also an issue with most men, they don't like short ties! I love short ties, I wear'em all the time! I see how they were worn in photos and so, I do the same thing.

Some will tell me: Your tie is too short... I reply: Yes, isn't cool! lol

My self, that's ok because I can find a tie that's way older for a fraction of the price!

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

All my 30s ties are american. you guys just made so much stuff.

You're not kiddin'. Have you ever been in the back room of a big thrift store's "donation center"? It is INCREDIBLE how much stuff is left there every day. Even more incredible is the good quality and condition of a lot of it. I wonder, "Why would anyone give away a shirt like this? It's well made, looks pretty new, and is still in style." (Sure, some folks die and others gain or lose weight, but that doesn't account for most of donations.) Thank goodness for thrift stores; otherwise, our landfills would be bursting with jeans, khakis, t-shirts, polo shirts ...

U.S. charities such as "Goodwill" receive far more clothing donations than they can ever hope to sell back to us ... which is why they end up selling enormous amounts of it to rag merchants (who cut the stuff up to pieces), and to used clothing exporters, who send millions of clothes off to Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia, India, Latin America ...

America could clothe just about everyone on earth with the stuff it tosses away.


.

 

[Wild Root]

I hope you don't think I'm fallowing you around there Marc but, that's a good point!

Ever go to a "Rag mill" I used to go with Jeff and we'd dig around piles of clothes... we did find 40's stuff now and again... we would pay by the pound! We'd get a stack of stuff and put it on a scale... then pay the man by the pound! It was really cool and cheep till the Asian market stated to boom and the prices went up because they were letting these guys come in and buy it in huge bulks.

I haven't been in a Rag Mill for many years now; I miss doing that... wonder if there's anything good still to be had in them.... I wonder.

=WR=

 

[Mojave Jack]

My experience with early to late ties are as fallows

1920-1929: average width then, narrow towards the later part of the decade. All were on the short side.

1930-1939: early on much like late 20's ties. Later in the decade, they were an average 3-3 1/2 width.

1940-1949: Early 40's were much like 1938 and 39 ties, they started to get longer and wider by 1946 to 1949.

1950-1959: Wide at first and longer. By the mid to late 50's, ties got narrow about 2" wide.

1960-1969: Narrow as I'll get out!

1970-1979: Big, thick, fat, nasty polyester nightmares!

1980-1989: Still thick, nasty, fat, ties till mid 80's when they became narrow again.

1990-1999: Who cares! lol

=WR=

Good show, Root!

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

lol

I find it strange that original '30s brocade and striped ties, as imitated as they are today, go for peanuts on eBay and can't be given away at vintage clothing stores.

.

Which is too bad, since striped ties are just about all I wear. I would say 90% of the ties I own are striped repp ties, in very traditional English and American patterns. But I have found it very hard to find this type of stripe in a vintage tie.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I've known vintage clothing store owners who throw vintage repp stripe ties away when they receive them in a bulk shipment.

.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I've known vintage clothing store owners who throw vintage repp stripe ties away when they receive them in a bulk shipment.

.

For shame...

 

[Sefton]

The length of the pre 40's ties are also an issue with most men, they don't like short ties! I love short ties, I wear'em all the time! I see how they were worn in photos and so, I do the same thing.

Some will tell me: Your tie is too short... I reply: Yes, isn't cool! lol

My self, that's ok because I can find a tie that's way older for a fraction of the price!

=WR=

I just hope that short ties don't become trendy...I'd hate to see them become expensive just because some MTV goony-bird starts wearin' em!:rage: