Ties remain one of the top gift ideas for men, particularly when Father's Day arrives.
Despite the emergence of casual, dress-down days in the workplace, ties remain popular and practical gifts.
They are a go-to fashion choice for dressing up a wardrobe and especially prized for special events and to denote rank within organizations.
As commonplace as ties may be, certain facts surrounding their use and origin are widely unknown.
Here are eight fun facts about the necktie:
1. The original people to wear neckties were soldiers in the Croatian army. The silk scarf tie was recognized as an elite symbol.
2. The first name given to the tie was "cravat."
3. Ties weren't always fashion symbols. Roughly 300 years ago, the English developed neckwear so thick it could be used to protect against a sword thrust. Today, it is possible to buy a bulletproof tie.
4. Stripes on a British tie run from top left to bottom right, while the stripes on American ties go in the opposite direction.
5. The bolo tie is the official tie of the state of Arizona.
6. Many of today's ties are produced in China.
7. The city of Shengzhou is one of the world's largest tie producers, exporting more than 200 million ties worldwide.
8. A person who collects ties is known as a "grabatologist."
