Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette and our Bow Tie guide!
We discuss the history of bow ties, the different styles, the different options, how you wear
one, what you have to pay attention to and anything else you ever wanted to know about
bow ties.
Bow ties today are worn by people from all walks of life.
Even famous people in the past have worn them, such as actors Fred Astaire or Marlene Dietrich,
politicians like Winston Churchill, architects like Le Corbusier, scientists like Bill Nye
and lots of other people.
In my experience many men avoid bow ties because they don't think they can pull one off, they
don't know how to tie one or they think they don't have the occasion to wear one.
The truth is every man can pull off a bow tie and wear it well especially if you like
classic style.
Today, I wear bow ties about 30 percent of the time and has become an integral part of
my wardrobe.
Once you know how to tie them there are many occasions who can wear them at.
Hipsters wear them with just a regular shirt for everyday wear and it doesn't have to be
an evening occasion that's very formal.
Are you not sure how to tie a bow tie please check out this video here.
It has over a million views and has helped many many men tie a bow tie.
Honestly, the video has worked for everyone I've ever talked to except my friend Matt
Sysdek and he lives close enough to me so I can help him when he needs it.
Also if you know the basic way to tie a bow tie, please check out the video about our
advanced styles so you can really refine the look of your bow tie.
Alright now let's talk about the history of the bow tie.
Basically it's one of the oldest form of neck wear in men's wear.
The bow tie shares a history with the necktie in a sense that it originates from a different
piece of neckwear known as the cravat.
The first group of men known to decorate their neck with a piece of fabric were Croatian
mercenaries in the 30 Years War in the 17th century.
It became known as the cravate which is the French term for Croatian.
Cravats were usually worn loosely tied in elaborate fashions and sometimes it took hours
to get the look right.
The first bow tie that look somewhat similar to what we know it to be today came up in
the 1830s.
In the following 30 years, bow ties became progressively more prominent and by the 1860s
the traditional cravat has fallen mostly out of favor.
There's a famous photograph of Abraham Lincoln from 1863 showing the bow tie style in transition.
Lincoln is stoically staring ahead while wearing a black bow tie with pointed ends.
On the other hand his predecessor James Buchanan wore still a white cravat.
Between 1850 and the turn-of-the-century, bow ties dominated menswear and you could
see them mostly in black or white or variations thereof.
The beginning of the 20th century bow ties transitioned more into a specific style choice
because the traditional threefold necktie became more popular now.
Even though they would be progressively less popular now they still maintain their place
in a classic men's wardrobe in the first half of the 20th century.
At the turn of the century bow ties were usually quite small but frankly there were loads of
shapes and forms much more than you can find today.
By 1910 the bow tie had grown a little bit across the board but again there are lots
of choices out there.
In the 30s you'd often see smaller bow ties as well and bigger bow ties.
Generally they weren't quite as slim as later in the 50s or 60s.
However in the late 60s and early 70s bow ties became huge and have probably the biggest
you've ever seen.
It was the same with ties and shirt collars, sometimes also lapels.
By the 1990s and early 2000s, most men would not wear bow ties anymore it was only something
reserved for people who made a deliberate style choice and who wore bow ties because
other men did it.
I would guess that the overall market share of bow ties at that time was about five to
ten percent.
Thankfully bow ties today are not nearly as subjected to trends and they've become much
more mainstream and popular.
I would estimate the market share today to be anywhere between thirty and forty percent.
It seems to me that bow ties are much more flexible than they were in the past.
People wear them sometimes even with short sleeved shirts or just a dress shirt.
It doesn't require a jacket anymore and it's just a form of self-expression.
Despite this gain in popularity there's still some stereotypes that people have towards
wearers with bow ties.
Sometimes people think bow ties are just for nerds or worn by conservatives, eccentrics
or older men.
In my experience, confident men that are stylish wear bow ties simply because they like them
and that's a way for them to express themselves.
That aside it's much more comfortable to wear in the summer because it keeps your chest
a lot cooler than any kind of necktie would.
On top of that, it's very difficult to stain your bow tie with foods, whereas with a tie,
it's very easy to do so.
Of course it has always been a staple in the prep culture and for Ivy style.
So what different types of bow ties can you get?
Basically there's three main categories.
First there are the pre-tied bow ties that are probably the largest share in the market.
Sometimes they also come in a clip-on version and they're really popular with men who simply
don't know how to tie a bow tie and men who don't usually wear one.
There's a simple rule, if you want to be stylish never wear a pre-tied bow tie because it always
shows.
Typically they are made of cheaper, less expensive, often times more shiny fabrics and they are
very symmetrical and it screams my bow tie was pre-tied.
Wearing a pre-tied bow tie makes you look like a 16 year old attending prom and frankly
we believe they shouldn't wear them either.
The second option is the self tie bow tie and as the name implies you tie it yourself
every time.
It seems daunting.
It's the only choice for an elegant gentleman and sometimes you can even find self tie bow
ties that have a little clip on mechanism that allows you to remove it so once you tie
it once you don't have to tie it again.
Personally I think that's not the way to do it because changing the look of your bow tie
every time gives your outfit a different air and sometimes you can decide to have a smaller
bow tie, other times a bigger one depending on your mood.
Among the self tie bow ties there are two subcategories.
For one, there is the adjustable bow tie which is by far the most popular version.
Usually you find them for all kind of day wear bow ties and the great advantage is that
you can simply adjust the size so sometimes you can have a smaller tie other times a bigger
tie and you can even lend it to your father, your brother or friend if they need one and
it'll work for them.
There are all kinds of adjustment mechanisms.
Some include metal clips, others have buttons.
I have all of them and in my experiences they all work.
The other sub category is a fixed-length self-tie bow tie.
So first of all, why would you want to limit yourself to just one size?
Basically for evening wear when you wear wing collars, the entire bow tie is visible and
having a little adjustment mechanism just looks weird and odd.
So what about wearing a tuxedo shirt with a turn down collar?
Well, basically at the end of the evening it's very typical practice to untie the bow
tie and when it dangles there you can still see the adjuster and because of that it's
always advisable to go with a fixed length neck size for evening bow ties.
Because I could never find a nice assortment of evening bow ties with fixed neck sizes,
I simply designed them and you can find all of them in our shop.
We even created a video on how to find the right black evening bow tie for yourself.
Check it out here.
The third category of bow ties our fashion-forward modern bow ties.
For example, with the gaining popularity in recent years we've seen wooden bow ties, we've
seen bow ties made out of bird feathers, as well as leather bow ties.
They're actually not tied they're simply like a clip-on bow tie they just have the shape
of a traditional bow tie.
Most of the time these items are very flashy and I believe it's a fad that won't stand
the test of time.
Of course if you literally want to look like a peacock you can go with them.
Otherwise, I suggest you stay with traditional self tie bow ties.
So what about the different styles and shapes of bow ties?
Basically the sky is the limit and if you look at old men's fashion magazines and books,
you'll see there were hundreds of different shapes around on the market.
Today, it basically boils down to five basic shapes and styles.
The first one is the butterfly shape which is called that way because it resembles a
butterfly.
It works well with the form of the chin and because of that it's very popular.
It's a style I really like for evening bow ties.
The butterfly shape we offer comes in different sizes so please check it out in our shop here.
It's that in a way that the knot is relatively small and you have beautiful wings just like
with a butterfly.
Also while cheaper bow ties curve at the outer edge of the bow tie, a butterfly bow tie will
remain straight edges.
Do you want your butterfly bow tie to stand a test of time?
Avoid the extremes.
Don't go too big, don't go too small and go something within the middle-of-the-road.
Of course if you have a smaller head, a smaller bow tie is much more appropriate for you and
vice versa.
The next popular style is the batwing bow tie which is basically a rectangular that
gets slimmer around the neck band but it makes for a bigger knot.
Because of that it can be harder to tie and in my opinion it sometimes looks a bit boring
but ultimately it's a very personal choice.
The third style of bow tie contains pointed ends.
It's like a little diamond and it has the advantage that it looks slightly different
every time and depending on how much you pull it out on either end the look will be different.
In any case it will always be asymmetrical because the pointed end is in the front on
one side then the back on the other side.
Overall it's a great option for day wear because it creates some form of casualness that's
a little more relaxed all the while being relatively formal.
In my experience it flatters most face shapes and because of that it's a very versatile
option.
The fourth kind of bow ties are very difficult to find today they're asymmetrical bow ties.
Meaning that the ends of the bow tie are not symmetrical either top to bottom or left side
to right side.
It might look really odd when a bow tie is untied but once you tie it, it creates that
desired effect that it's something is slightly askew, not 100% symmetrical and polished.
And in my experience, it's something really people are attracted to who already have lots
of regular bow ties in their closet and who simply want to change the look a little bit
or maybe even impress their other clotheshorse friends.
The 5th style of bow tie is a single end bow tie.
And it's called that way because it has that bow tie shape only on one end.
Once you tie it, it looks very similar to a regular bow tie with the exception that
it's cleaner and crisper because there's simply just one layer of fabric.
This style was popular for a short period in the 1930s especially for evening wear.
And to my knowledge, we're the only place who offers those kind of
bow ties online.
So for a selection head over here now.
And of course if you want to learn how to tie it we did so in our advanced bow tie guide
tutorial.
So when you wear a bow tie keep in mind that it already makes a louder statement than wearing
a regular necktie or no neck tie at all.
And because of that we suggest not to go overboard with super bright pink colors, lobster patterns
or maybe even patchwork bow ties with Madras seersucker and other fabrics because it's
simply over-the-top.
In terms of bow tie materials it's pretty much as varied as it is with ties.
Silk is probably the most popular and widespread material and it comes in all kind of shapes
and weaves.
It comes in shiny silk not so shiny silk, a coarser silk, silks with natural knobs in
them and it's just a wonderful material for bow ties.
However you can also find linen bow ties, cotton bow ties, blended bow ties, as well
as wool bow ties.
Personally I'd stay clear of nylon or polyester bow tie because it's just a lower end cheaper
product that won't look as nice.
Another really great option for bow ties is velvet because it changes the look with the
light and it can look very debonair especially with a dinner jacket.
One thing to keep in mind with bow ties is that a very fine weave that is tighter is
always better, because men usually grow facial hair and the bow tie is much closer to your
hair thus picking on the fabric and if the weave is too loose let's say in the form of
a grenadine you're much more likely to pull threads from your bow tie.
And even if you have a tighter woven silk it's normal to pull out some threads but you
can get rid of those either with a very fine pair of scissors or with a cuticle clipper
for example.
In terms of bow tie sizing, you don't have to worry about it if you get an
adjustable bow tie.
If you get a fixed size bow tie, I suggest to measure your neck because sometimes your
shirt says it's a size 15 when in fact it measures 16 inches or it can say 39 centimeters
and it's in fact 41 centimeters and that will throw the proportions if you get the bow tie.
So when and how should you wear a bow tie?
Basically, the sky's the limit.
You can wear it very formal events, for weddings or garden parties, black tie or white tie
events.
And to learn more, please check out the video on how to pull off the bow tie.
In my experience, there are four tips I would tell anyone who is considering wearing a bow
tie.
The first is always practice tying your bow tie just so you understand how it works even
in a stressful situation because I can't tell you how many grooms have contacted us the
day off trying to understand how to tie your bow tie.
Fortunately we had the video that we could refer them to but it's always a very stressful
situation so practice it when you have the time.
When you're just starting out keep it simple.
Use classic patterns such as small micro patterns or Macclesfield neats.
Maybe avoid the super-loud Paisleys and just work yourself up to that.
Also buy moderately sized bow ties because you can wear them now or 10 years from now
and that will never go out of style.
Four, I think a bow tie looks better when worn with a jacket.
Otherwise, it reminds me more of the little flower boys at weddings where there wear little
dress shirts with the bow ties.
Of course, ultimately the choice is entirely up to you.
So how many bow ties should you own?
Of course the answer is, it depends.
Personally I've probably around 100 or even more.
Other people get away with just three or four.
A general person who's interested in classic men's clothing should probably invest in about
11 of them.
And which ones those are?
You can find out in this video here.
If you're just starting out wearing bow ties, I suggest you invest in a simple black bow
tie that you can wear for evening events.
Go with silk.
And to learn which one is right for you check out this video here.
The second bow tie would be a classic business bow tie, maybe in blue or in red with a smaller
micro pattern that is very easy to combine with lots of items in your wardrobe.
The third bow tie would be a slightly more brighter color that you can wear in summer,
maybe even with seersucker and it's just more of a summery feel.
The fourth bow tie would be a fall bow tie I suggest you get this one in a wool challis.
Simply because it's a great fabric for the fall winter season.
It comes in more subdued colors.
It's a little crisper.
It doesn't wrinkle as much and it doesn't have any shine.
So what makes Fort Belvedere ties more special than others?
Basically we source very high-end fabrics from small weavers exclusively in England
and in Italy.
It's not something you can find at department stores or at places that sell bow ties for
20 bucks because the fabric for a bow tie already costs more than that.
We also strive to use the proper interlining for a bow tie so it ties very easily.
On top of that we offer our bow ties in different shapes and different
sizes.
And we have an extensive selection of evening bow ties for black tie and white tie that
is unparalleled and you won't find a better selection elsewhere.
All of our bow ties are self tie.
The day ones are adjustable.
The evening ones are fixed neck sizes.
And of course we also offer single end bow ties which you can't find elsewhere.
So in today's video, I'm wearing a classic light blue striped business shirt with a Macclesfield
neats bow tie.
It's smaller micro pattern with a buff background which is a mix between yellow and beige.
I combined it with a pastel yellow pocket square with hand rolled edges with an X stitch.
It picks up the colors yet it doesn't have the pattern.
It both stands out on the light blue shirt as well as the navy blazer jacket which has
a faint windowpane and is part of a suit.
My pants are light blue flat front chinos.
I'm combining them with a pair of full brogues in a dark chocolate brown.
The shoelaces are somewhat contrasting in a reddish brown and you can find them from
Fort Belvedere in our shop here.
The same is true for my socks which are shadow striped in light gray and blue that pick up
the color of my pants.
Of course you can find the pocket square and the bow tie in our shop as well.
And the ring I'm wearing is a lapis lazuli stone with sterling silver and the sterling
silver goes well with my belt buckle.
And the belt itself matches and coordinates the color with my shoes.