The tie is a sword. Now, you don't wear a sword to threaten violence. It's a social status symbol because only free people were allowed to have swords, much les

The tie is a sword. Now, you don't wear a sword to threaten violence. It's a social status symbol because only free people were allowed to have swords, much less wear them prominently, in the time that such was fashionable. Decorative rapiers were pitiful in comparison to battle weapons, but they made a point: high social class or (alternatively) the freedom (from typical aristocratic structures) of mercenary soldiers. In fact, the reason ties are called cravats is because they evolved from the cloth "knives" worn about the neck by Croatian mercenaries. The suit is, as one might imagine, armor. I don't see these as bad things. Unlike real swords, ties aren't hurting anyone. But yes, they go a long way back. There's a lot of legacy, for sure.