Did you know…that the necktie, or cravat, originated from Croatia!?! 
During the Thirty-Year War, (1618-1648) Croatian mercenaries, led by the Croatian Viceroy, went to Paris to give their support to King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu. The Croatian cavalrymen wore a type of scarf in order to distinguish themselves from other soldiers. The scarves were made of various cloths, ranging from coarse material for common soldiers, to fine cotton and silk for the officers.
The “Croatian style” captivated the French. They saw the Croatian neck scarf as practical and elegant in contrast to the lace collars that they wore. The French collars had to be kept white and carefully starched whereas the Croatian scarf was loosely tied around the neck and didn't require additional care. The French referred to this particular way of tying the scarf as “á la Croate” meaning “in the Croatian way.”
The Croatian scarf was soon adopted into French style. Since then, the tie, or cravat has become a standard symbol of smart, elegant dressing throughout the world.
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