A cravat is a decorative piece of fabric worn around the neck, like a fancy scarf or an ancestor of the modern necktie. European nobles thought these looked stylish and started wearing their own elaborate versions, often made of silk or fine linen and tied in careful knots.

For centuries, tying a cravat properly was considered an essential skill for well-dressed gentlemen. Some would spend hours perfecting the folds and knots, and there were dozens of approved styles with names like “the waterfall” or “the oriental.” Getting it wrong could be embarrassing at fancy events.

Today, the word cravat usually refers to a short, wide piece of silk worn tucked into an open-collared shirt, creating a formal but somewhat old-fashioned look. You might see someone wearing one at a wedding or a fancy dinner party. The modern necktie evolved from the cravat but is longer, narrower, and easier to tie. When someone describes a bow tie or ascot as a type of cravat, they're recognizing the whole family of neckwear that grew from this earlier style.