Blame Louis XIV. There he was minding his stately business when he met some Croatian mercenaries working for the French Army during the Thirty Years War. They wore boldly patterned strips of fabric around their necks, ostensibly as a means of signalling their comradeship. But Louis rather took to the idea himself and, being king, what he wore was fashion. The cravat – and later the tie – was born.
Pity the pacifist – he has nothing to wear. Look over the male wardrobe and there are few civilian garments that did not go through military boot camp first.