A length of fabric worn around the neck and tied or arranged as neckwear.
A cravat is fabric arranged around the neck as neckwear. In modern English usage, it commonly means a short, wide piece worn folded inside a shirt collar. Historical examples can take different forms. The V&A describes a square neckcloth folded repeatedly along the diagonal, wrapped around the neck and tied in a bow at the front. This shows why the term can encompass more than one shape or tying method. When identifying a cravat, consider how the cloth is folded and worn in relation to the shirt collar, rather than relying on the fabric’s outline alone.
In job listings
Few vacancies will use this word. It is most useful to menswear advisors and stylists helping with formal dress, and should be distinguished from a tie, in how it is worn and on what occasions. Search local jobs for “fashion”.
