The Myth of the Dickie

Dickies, or fake turtleneck sweaters are often described as a “fashion don’t”, but are you aware of where this awful clothing article originated? In the Elizabethan Era, layers were all the rage. In simpler terms, the more you wore the higher your social status was. All in all, this reasoning seemed flawless for the overall population of this time, but like all genius ideas there was a single flaw. One of the fashion statements of this era was the white and stiff collared look, also known as a “ruff”. I’m not sure why anyone would want to wear such a comical piece of clothing now, but in that time it was a necessity. However, even though the collar was a look of beauty it was extremely uncomfortable and incredibly itchy! The royals tried many different tactics in hopes to end the war of neck discomfort, but nothing seemed to work! The most common tactic they attempted was applying baby powder to the back of their necks, but this option proved to be a royal mess. To make a long story short, Queen Elizabeth decided that she had had enough of this uncomfortable lifestyle. Before getting dressed for brunch one day, she decided to sew some fabric together in a cylinder shape and slip this over her head and around her neck. She sported the neck wrap with pride and when she arrived to brunch, everyone was raving at the marvel of the piece. Thus the “Dickie” was born!