History of the modern necktie.

The roots of the modern necktie can be traced back to the Thirty Year's War which was a battle that started from religious conflict and was fought from 1618 to 1648. Many of the Croatian men that were fighting for the french wore small, knotted neckerchiefs.
These neckties being woren by the Croatian soldiers started a fashion craze among both men and women in Europe where they too were wearing pieces of fabric around their necks.
Here's a excerpt from wikipedia:
In the late seventeenth century, the men wore lace cravats that took a large amount of time and effort to arrange. These cravats were often tied in place by cravat strings, arranged neatly and tied in a bow.