Men's cravats are conceptually an alternative for men's neckties. It is a neck wrap that is mid way between a men's scarf and a men's tie. The is the forerunner of the modern tailored necktie and bow tie, originating from 17th century Croatia . Cravats are worn as alternatives to ties for more formal occasions like weddings or because they are a comfortable break from the tight knots of ties they can be worn as a smart casual accessory.

Cravats for men can be made of a variety of fabric like cotton, silk, wool and linen  but the most popular material for cravats is silk. Silk cravats are highly popular because of their glossy finish and silky smoothness. Silk cravats have also become popular as wedding cravats for men, owing to their rich colour, royal finish, smoothness and obviously the neat, formal look that they lend to the overall outfit. Cravats can be worn by the groom, father of the bride, father of the groom, best man and the ushers. You can even get cravats for page boys. Usually everyone except the groom has coordinated cravats, possibly colour co-ordinated with the bridesmaids outfits. The groom needs to stand out and so usually has a different colour cravat, gold or silver are popular. Worn for the wedding or the evening reception cravats look sensational with a waistcoat in a matching fabric and when accompanied with a dress shirt and a morning suit or frock coat. For people who don’t wear cravats often pre-tied cravats (like pre-tied bow ties) are quite popular. They are easy to put on and knot is guaranteed to look good.

Outside of formal weddings, cravats for men have gone in and out of fashion over the decades . Cravats can work well with a cool, retro look. There have been photos of Jude Law and David Beckham wearing cravats in the last few years, and the trend has caught on. Younger men are pleased to wear a casual or day cravat with an open neck shirt, tied loosely and tucked in like a scarf.

Wedding cravats tend to be in plain bold colours, but day cravats are available in a wide variety of designs from stripes to checks, plains to polka, and dense prints like paisley. A day cravat is tied like scarf, with a big loose knot tucked into the shirt. The knot may be secured with a cravat pin. 

In shorts, for weddings a cravat is a must. For smart casual wear if you want to look a bit different, something stylish in a retro slightly eccentric way then why not try a silk day cravat.