Accessory · Neckwear
The bow tie
A bow tie you tie yourself sits slightly lopsided and at a small angle, which looks right in a way a pre-tied one never does.
A bow tie is a short length of cloth tied at the collar. The essential distinction is between one you tie and one that arrives tied: a hand-tied bow is slightly asymmetric and sits at a small angle, which is what makes it look correct. Shapes are butterfly, semi-butterfly, batwing and diamond point.
Why hand-tied
A tied bow has irregularities (one wing a little larger, a slight tilt, a knot that is not perfectly square ) and the eye reads those as correct. A pre-tied bow is symmetrical and flat, and it looks like an object attached to a neck rather than a knot.
Learning takes an evening. It is the same movement as tying a shoelace, performed at an inconvenient angle.
With what
Black silk with a dinner jacket; white piqué with a tailcoat. Beyond evening dress a bow tie is a distinctly personal choice, and it works best with a collar that has enough spread and height to frame it.
A bow tie with a button-down collar is an established American combination; with a very narrow point collar it looks cramped.
Shapes
- Butterfly: the widest, most flared. The traditional evening shape.
- Semi-butterfly: narrower; the most generally useful.
- Batwing: straight-sided, narrow, modern.
- Diamond point: pointed ends, producing an asymmetric bow.
- Width should relate to the face and the collar. A very narrow bow on a wide face looks apologetic.
Learning to tie one
It is a shoelace knot tied under the chin, and the reason it feels impossible at first is the angle rather than the knot. Practise it around a thigh, where you can see what your hands are doing, then transfer it to the neck.
Set the length so the bow ends roughly at the outer corners of the eyes, and adjust once it is tied; a bow that has been pulled square looks pre-tied, which defeats the object.
Images
Licensing →
At a glance
Picture credits 2
- An untied black silk bow tie: Original art · Il Sartoriale · Il Sartoriale · Il Sartoriale original art
- Portrait, moustache, bow tie Fortepan 57391: Photograph · FOTO:Fortepan — ID 57391 : Adományozó/Donor: Karabélyos Péter. archive copy at the Wayback Machine · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain