I've just been looking at pictures and illustrations of old clothes and noticed that there were ruffs in the 1500s, then those frilly neck things in the 16/1700s, then neckties and bow ties in the 1800s and finally what is essentially the modern tie in the twentieth century. I was just wondering if there was a smooth transition over the centuries from ruff to tie. Could you say it is a direct descendant? Does the evolution go further back than this?