Wearing a bow-tie without looking like a tool

When tying a necktie, one should consider a number of things: the length of the shirt's collar points, size and shape of face, and width of lapels. This can and does wreak havoc on many a novice. Whether it's the sportscaster look with Windsor knots the size of apples or the anemic skinny-ties that fall in and out of fashion, there are no shortage of ill-knotted ties. Unfortunately there's no simple rule for appropriate necktie width or knot size. Bow-ties on the other hand, are quite simple.The only proportion you have to consider when tying a bow is that of your own face. The ideal width for a  bow should be as wide as the distance between the outer corners your left and right eyes. That's it. It's that simple. As wide as your eyes. If you want to err on the side of caution, it's better to go slightly narrower than slightly wider.Keeping our first item in mind, remember; bow-ties are like any other tie. Most men wouldn't dream of wearing a clip-on neck tie, yet many of them think nothing of strapping on a “pre-tied” bow-tie. This is a fashion faux-pas. If you plan on incorporating bows into your wardrobe, it behooves you to learn how to tie one.Tying a bow is incredibly simple. In fact, if you can tie your shoes, you can probably already tie a bow tie, you just don't know it yet. It's typical for a man to learn to tie a tie from his father, but America is a couple of generations removed from the time when bows were common place. That's where Youtube comes into play. Youtube knows all the things your father never learned. Youtube is your new father. Sorry, dads.View the list »
Bows and neckties represent the same level of formality. If your outfit wouldn't work with a neck-tie, it's safe to assume that a bow-tie would also be inappropriate. Just as the short-sleeved shirt and necktie combo recalls fast-food managers and Mormon missionaries, so does the bow-tie and short-sleeve combo remind us of a 50's era short order cook. Bows work best when paired with jackets or sweaters.

Men's Style newsletter

Once the provenance of soda jerks, aging academics and members of the Nation of Islam, the bow-tie has see its popularity soar in the past few years. Bows are popping up in offices, college campuses and NBA post-game press conferences alike. For those out you considering adding bow ties to your wardrobe, here are a few tips to ensure that you're doing it right.

Related topics

Advertisement
View the list
  • Bows and neckties represent the same level of formality. If your outfit wouldn't work with a neck-tie, it's safe to assume that a bow-tie would also be inappropriate. Just as the short-sleeved shirt and necktie combo recalls fast-food managers and Mormon missionaries, so does the bow-tie and short-sleeve combo remind us of a 50's era short order cook. Bows work best when paired with jackets or sweaters.
  • Keeping our first item in mind, remember; bow-ties are like any other tie. Most men wouldn't dream of wearing a clip-on neck tie, yet many of them think nothing of strapping on a “pre-tied” bow-tie. This is a fashion faux-pas. If you plan on incorporating bows into your wardrobe, it behooves you to learn how to tie one.Tying a bow is incredibly simple. In fact, if you can tie your shoes, you can probably already tie a bow tie, you just don't know it yet. It's typical for a man to learn to tie a tie from his father, but America is a couple of generations removed from the time when bows were common place. That's where Youtube comes into play. Youtube knows all the things your father never learned. Youtube is your new father. Sorry, dads.
  • When tying a necktie, one should consider a number of things: the length of the shirt's collar points, size and shape of face, and width of lapels. This can and does wreak havoc on many a novice. Whether it's the sportscaster look with Windsor knots the size of apples or the anemic skinny-ties that fall in and out of fashion, there are no shortage of ill-knotted ties. Unfortunately there's no simple rule for appropriate necktie width or knot size. Bow-ties on the other hand, are quite simple.The only proportion you have to consider when tying a bow is that of your own face. The ideal width for a  bow should be as wide as the distance between the outer corners your left and right eyes. That's it. It's that simple. As wide as your eyes. If you want to err on the side of caution, it's better to go slightly narrower than slightly wider.
View the list

, Pittsburgh Men's Style Examiner

Jason Johnson is a Pittsburgh-based sports, fashion and pop-culture writer. His work has been featured on Complex.com and referenced by GQ and Yahoo Sports. Jason can usually be found doing road runs around his adopted city or on one of his two sports/style blogs StylePoints and...

Advertisement

Today's top buzz...