Dickie bow

[FredPuli43]

Why is a formal shirt front called a dickie or dicky ? And is the dickie bow, the bow tie, related to that?

[Tilly2]

I bet it's something to do with the Duke of Windsor or somebody like that.

[hc4361]

A dickie is properly called a 'detachable bosom' so it is probably a shortened form.

[Infomaniac]

Found this explanation:

"This is pretty much a reasoned guess! A Bow Tie could, effectively be worn with anything. A hat, a dress or even on a parcel.

"So to distinguish the Bow Tie worn with a shirt, it was called a Dicky Bow, following the cockney rhyming slang, 'dicky dirt' for shirt."

[Tilly2]

Not the Duke of Windsor then? I was thinking of his tie-knot, I suppose.