Ascots

[Spitfire]

It was both. (And it might have been my A2 you saw) The british brass policewhistle was part of the emergency equipment every pilot (RAF and USAAF) got. It was placed in the collar or as a zipperpull at the A2 as a talisman. (Plus - placed there - it was easier to use, if you had the bad luck of ending up splashing 'round in the Channel.)

The photo is Major John T. Godfrey (RAF Eaglesquadron and later USAAF 4th Fighter Group, Debden UK)

The tradition with the whistle was widespread in the ETO. Primarily in UK based squadrons. The Mediteranian squadrons used a small "Capri Bell" instead - for good luck.

 

[Smithy]

What a great couple of cravats Spitfire and great ways of showing them. If your A-2 has the mustard lining then that cravat is going to work to perfection.

Good job :eusa_clap

 

[Spitfire]

Thanks Smithy, unfortunately the lining is not that moustard - more like rust/bric colour. Just have to keep it zipped up then

 

[Feng_Li]

I went and bought one.

As soon as I wear it out I'll take a picture.

It occurs to me: I wear the ascot under my collar, so it will get soiled. I'd think gentle handwashing would be the best thing, as there's no lining or structure to preserve as with a necktie. How do you gents keep yours clean?

 

[shindeco]

As soon as I wear it out I'll take a picture.

It occurs to me: I wear the ascot under my collar, so it will get soiled. I'd think gentle handwashing would be the best thing, as there's no lining or structure to preserve as with a necktie. How do you gents keep yours clean?

Believe it or not, I just toss mine in the washing machine. Stick it inside a pillow case, if you're worried. Otherwise; washing by hand in the sink is good.

 

[Spitfire]

My cravats are silk - and I prefere to handwash them - gently. Just let them soak in soapwater overnight. Washe them out with lots of cold water next day and dripdry. Iron with (silk)minimum heat.

Or maybe dryclean? Never tried that though.

 

[Edward]

Spitfire, thanks - interesting idea, and I think it's great to recreate those little period quirks - that's what, IMO, makes vintage or vintage repro authentic, the wearing and accessorising 'as-was'.

Feng_Li - I'm the same - I have put some of mine (cotton type) in the washing machine and washed with socks before, though most of the time (always with the silk / rayon type ones) I handwash - occasionally rinse and spin in the machine.

 

[shindeco]

Tying an ascot/cravat--alternatives

With the renewed interest in the ascot/cravat thread I thought it might be an idea to have somewhere where we can share different ways to tie them. Most people only use the half hitch but there have been other ways tried over the years.

I’ve cobbled together some pictures from other threads of some of the alternatives I’ve tried. Any others??


Regular Half Hitch
this is far and away the most common method.

Just wrap it around your neck and tie a half hitch



Tomasso posted this picture:

If you want more “body” of “puff” you can tie a four in hand knot but don’t push the tie through the knot. This gives a bit of padding under the cravat and makes it ride a bit higher. Useful if the fabric is thin.

You can also do this with a scarf inside your jacket. This was common in the thirties if you had to go somewhere and didn’t want to wear a shirt and collar. In fact, some men did away with the shirt altogether in hot weather. The scarf hid the fact that you weren’t wearing anything underneath.

 

[shindeco]

Stock

You can tie it like an eighteenth/nineteenth century stock.
This works with a scarf; not that well with a shaped cravat.

This is a picture of Okisaka-san from the thread of the same name.

I find I have to fold the scarf in half lengthwise to make this work. Start with the middle of the scarf at the front of your neck, wrap it around and bring the ends to the front. Tie it with a half hitch or a reef knot.

A variation is on the left in this picture that Marc Chevalier posted

It seems to me that this is actually a silk square folded into a strip on the diagonal; wrapped and the ends tied like a bowtie. I’ve tried this but it’s very bulky.

 

[shindeco]

Then there’s the bandascot (OK, I made up the name)

Big silk scarf folded in half; worn like a bandana at the back, like an ascot at the front. I actually used this once when I was working in the garden and could feel the back of neck getting sunburned. To me it’s more practical and less aesthetic (too much like playing cowboy for my taste...)

 

[shindeco]

I kind of like this one.

Tie a regular cravat in a four in hand and tuck it in your shirt. I was wearing this the other day. As there wasn’t a professional photographer hanging around (or an amateur one, for that matter) I tried to take a picture of it myself. Not the greatest shot but you get the idea.

 

[shindeco]

I noticed a few years ago that in the pictures from the thirties and forties ascots had much more variety in terms of tying than you see nowadays.
I've been toying with the idea of doing a thread for sharing different ways to tie an ascot/cravat and finally got around to it. I've done it as a separate thread for easier access and reference but if the barkeeps want to merge it with this one that's just fine with me.

 

[Edward]

I've only ever worn my cravats tied like a scarf - i.e. the four in hand without it being shoved down under the loop at the front, as per the illustration above. With some of them - particularly those in a satin or silk feel type fabric, I tend to put an extra wrap around before I pull it out over the top (i.e. double up on step 3 in the picture) to give them some more body and keep them from slipping too much, as I prefer to leave no skin on view there if possible, plus I also don't want to use a cravat pin - not unless I was gonig to wear it over the collar for formal wear anyhow.

I've seen them worn a lot with morning dress at weddings and such tied as a complete regular four in hand, which gives the effect of one of those wide Victorian ties (effectively I think that's what they were... I'm no expert, though!). Alas, most of the cravats you see at weddings over here nowadays aren't really cravats at all, but pre-tied monstrosities designed to look like a tied cravat, either as a four in hand or the "scarf" style. Vile things. I had to wear noe at my brother's weddings, and I'll swear it brought me out in a rash.

 

[Feng_Li]

Alright, my first attempt:

Not the best picture, I'm sorry. Me looking a bit tired and disheveled after a long day:

What an incredible useful item! It was over 100 degrees in Portland yesterday, and it seems counterintuitive that extra fabric around the neck would help you stay cool, but sure enough...

Detail of fabric:

 

[Westward]

Fine looking ascot. Nice picture. Might suggest a light colored cotton button down.

 

[Spitfire]

Welcome to the club Feng Li - looking sharp:eusa_clap

 

[Feng_Li]

Thank you, Spitfire, both for your kind words and your fine example.

 

[BJBAmerica]

Here is one of my ascot photos, on the roof deck in the summer:

Hemingway,

I'm in the market for a nice straw/panema hat before the family and I head down to Florida......Really like the one you have on it this pic.....Can you give any details about it?

Regards!

 

[Lionheart]

I thought some folks might get a kick out of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IcB-UIFhZk

I still say ascots are great. For all of you who have been sporting them in the this thread, keep lookin' sharp :eusa_clap

 

[Feraud]

Eugene Francis, East Side Kid in an ascot.