The bolo tie is the official neckwear of Arizona,New Mexico and Texas. Who knew! I’ve heard of state flowers and birds….but a state necktie?
This came to my attention after a reader of a blog entry on neckties asked for more information specifically on bolo ties. So here you go:
The most common story about the origin of the tie came from a fellow named Victor Cedarstaff. He claimed to have invented it in the late 1940s. He said he was riding his horse one day near Wickenburg, Arizona when his hat blew off. Afraid of losing his silver-trimmed hatband, he slipped the band around his neck. His riding companion joked “That’s a nice-looking tie you’re wearing Vic.”
After thinking about it for a while, Cedarstaff took a strand of braided leather and added decorative metal tips to prevent the ends from fraying. A problem immediately became evident: there needed to be a way to hold the string together at the neck. A knot was too bulky. He experimented with a variety of slides until he perfected the design he patented in 1959.
According to one account, Cedarstaff first called his tie a“piggin necklet.” When that didn’t work out too well, he changed the name to bola tie because of its resemblance to the baleadora, a lariat used by Argentine cowboys.
But wouldn’t you know….Texans decided to call it a it a "Texas tie."
Historians say that various versions of the bolo were in use a long time before Cedarstaff’s hat blew off. Part of the dispute over the roots of the bolo tie stems from its variations. The Argentines had a version with leather straps. Native Americans used a shell or a silver conch to clasp bandanas around their necks. There was a British version made of bootlaces. Some experts assert the bolo tie is a pioneer creation that first showed up between 1866 and 1886. There’s a tie on display at a trading post in New Mexico which dates back that far.
The pop culture history of bolo ties is easier to chronicle. They’ve been seen on the silver screen for at least 50 years. The Cisco Kid, Hopalong Cassidy and Roy Rogers all wore bolo ties in the movies and on TV. In the 1980s bolo ties were revived as part of the rockabilly look. And John Travolta wore one in “Urban Cowboy,” which sparked another round of popularity.
Since the 1990s bolo ties have been big in Japan, Chinaand Korea. Part of their attraction is their association with Native Americans. Zuni, Hopi and Navaho silversmiths are well known for their elegant designs...though I’m not sure how many Chinese actually wear bolo ties.
My husband, who grew up in Nevada, has a whole collection of bolo ties which he never wears. I thought maybe I could sell them on ebay and make a few bucks. Unfortunately there are already over a thousand bolos up for grabs at prices starting at a penny. Looks like I won’t be getting rich any time soon.
Currently bolo ties seem to be most popular with old guys in Arizona, western state politicians, and stars walking down the red carpet. But you never can tell when they will become a red-hot fashion item again. It has already happened a couple of times in the past 70 years.
This came to my attention after a reader of a blog entry on neckties asked for more information specifically on bolo ties. So here you go:
The most common story about the origin of the tie came from a fellow named Victor Cedarstaff. He claimed to have invented it in the late 1940s. He said he was riding his horse one day near Wickenburg, Arizona when his hat blew off. Afraid of losing his silver-trimmed hatband, he slipped the band around his neck. His riding companion joked “That’s a nice-looking tie you’re wearing Vic.”
After thinking about it for a while, Cedarstaff took a strand of braided leather and added decorative metal tips to prevent the ends from fraying. A problem immediately became evident: there needed to be a way to hold the string together at the neck. A knot was too bulky. He experimented with a variety of slides until he perfected the design he patented in 1959.
According to one account, Cedarstaff first called his tie a“piggin necklet.” When that didn’t work out too well, he changed the name to bola tie because of its resemblance to the baleadora, a lariat used by Argentine cowboys.
But wouldn’t you know….Texans decided to call it a it a "Texas tie."
Historians say that various versions of the bolo were in use a long time before Cedarstaff’s hat blew off. Part of the dispute over the roots of the bolo tie stems from its variations. The Argentines had a version with leather straps. Native Americans used a shell or a silver conch to clasp bandanas around their necks. There was a British version made of bootlaces. Some experts assert the bolo tie is a pioneer creation that first showed up between 1866 and 1886. There’s a tie on display at a trading post in New Mexico which dates back that far.
The pop culture history of bolo ties is easier to chronicle. They’ve been seen on the silver screen for at least 50 years. The Cisco Kid, Hopalong Cassidy and Roy Rogers all wore bolo ties in the movies and on TV. In the 1980s bolo ties were revived as part of the rockabilly look. And John Travolta wore one in “Urban Cowboy,” which sparked another round of popularity.
Since the 1990s bolo ties have been big in Japan, Chinaand Korea. Part of their attraction is their association with Native Americans. Zuni, Hopi and Navaho silversmiths are well known for their elegant designs...though I’m not sure how many Chinese actually wear bolo ties.
My husband, who grew up in Nevada, has a whole collection of bolo ties which he never wears. I thought maybe I could sell them on ebay and make a few bucks. Unfortunately there are already over a thousand bolos up for grabs at prices starting at a penny. Looks like I won’t be getting rich any time soon.
Currently bolo ties seem to be most popular with old guys in Arizona, western state politicians, and stars walking down the red carpet. But you never can tell when they will become a red-hot fashion item again. It has already happened a couple of times in the past 70 years.