Photo: E. TautzWith warm weather approaching it's a good time to remind ourselves that every well-dressed man's wardrobe ought to include at least one patterned bow tie.
The keys to bow ties is that they should be hand tied and appear unexpectedly. Wear them every day and a man looks like he's channeling George Will. Wear them not at all and miss an opportunity, for they spice up a cocktail party or gallery opening. Wear them pre-tied and the entire point is lost.
Personally, I like to pair bow ties with a blazer as that has become my less-than-black-tie evening garb, but they work equally well with suits from seersucker to flannel (two button jackets are the weakest choice as they display too much shirt). Witness the young man in the photo.
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11 comments:
An opportunity indeed. Any well-dressed man has at his disposal multiple modes of neck decor: necktie, bow tie, ascot, neckerchief, neckerscarf and scarf.
Always leave home with a form of neckwear, as you would with a pair of shoes, and you will be thought worthy of emulation.
When I used to be a haberdasher, I was taught bow ties look best with a double-breasted suit. That appears to be what this man is wearing?
DBs and vested ensembles are best. Three buttons rolled to the top is also fine.
One and two button jackets are the least suited.
I disagree somewhat. I'm a 50/50% bowtie/necktie wearer, and I often do wear the bowties with a double-breasted suit or 3-piece suit (with a lapelled 6-button vest looks great). However, try a more boldly patterned shirt, with even a little bolder 2-button 2pc suit (windowpane?), and a little more subtler bowtie (add some colorful socks) and you can make a wickedly sharp outfit.
I agree across the board. I work a bow in about 2 or 3 times a month. Preferably when it would be least expected. I'll pair it with a 3 button roll, vest, sweater or bold patterned shirt (tatersall, bold stripes, etc.)
I think the key is to keep it from being the focal point. If they eye has a couple different places to go, a bow tie can be the icing on the cake instead of a handful of icing.
Timely piece, I tied one on today, actually. A little less unexpected in Charleston, but inspirational nonetheless.
Will
The bowtie is an intriguing piece of neck-wear for a variety of reasons. Although traditional, wearing one (outside of black tie attire) will undoubtedly raise eyebrows in most situations as being unusual. For many people, it marks the wearer as eccentric, old-fashioned or fastidious. Yet need it be so? Almost every Ralph Lauren advert I see shows at least one young man wearing a bowtie in a variety of colourful shades, to great effect.
I am a fan and would like to wear a bowtie more often. I wonder, Will, what your views are on the bowtie as appropriate neck-wear for the City? You say it works well with suits, and I don't disagree, but does it come across as too casual? Perhaps it is a good way to tone down the formality of a double-breasted suit, or perhaps, in this day and age where men rarely seem to wear a tie at all in the City, the relative formality of different types of neck-wear does not matter at all!
Bow ties look awesome with double-breasted suits.
One of my favorite patterns for bow ties has always been
the navy pin-dot as shown in the photo. Good choice Will. If you are having some neckwear made, or know a really good neckwear buyer, I would suggest several shades and bow-tie shapes- perhaps the oblong rather than the over-used butterfly- in ancient madder silk. They look terrific with plain or herringbone suits, and , as a gentleman noted previously, are marvelous, as bow-ties are, with boldly striped shirts.
Also, don't forget that the bow-tie was a very practical element of style for the architect and engineer of yesterday.
It obviated the problem of dragging neck-tie across drafting table, etc. Perhaps you have your own professional practicality for the use of the bow-tie today.
Also, keep in mind that a bow-tie can be a good shape for those with a long, thin face, or so your stylist might tell you.
Will,
Timely post - the Wall Street Journal just ran a piece on the bow tie's resurgence, particularly among younger wearers. I think the current 40-60 year old generation's aversion to the bow tie has actually made them popular (apparently the TV show Mad Men hasn't hurt either).
Knowing when to wear one is a tricky question.
A bow tie with a button down shirt and a traditional ivy league suit is extremely elegant, but it requires more confidence because unlike with a vest or DB, there's a lot of uncovered space.
Gentlemen,
Having just discovered this site,I was quite content to enjoy the posts an comments, but I would be remiss if I failed to add my two cents regarding bow -ties. In 2009 one can (and should) slap on a bow tie with khakis, or jeans.
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