Tying a Bow Tie

If you are one of my regular readers, then chances are you already know how to tie a bow tie. If you don’t, then stop procrastinating, and learn to master this gentlemanly skill. If you prefer classic illustrations then check out my bow tie tying guide. For those of you who don’t like to read, HERE are some awesome GIFs on tying different types of ties – including a bow tie.

Some Notes on Proper Bow Tie Fit

Dressing well is all about mastering proportions correctly. Just like your tie width and collar depth should be in proportion to your lapel size, the width of the bow tie should be in proportion to the width of your face. Ideally the end of the bow tie is in line with the width of your face. It should not extend past your ears, and should not be narrower than the outer point of your eyes.

Finding a Pattern that Suits the Occasion

Bow ties are no longer solely worn at formal, aka “Black Tie“, functions. In fact, bow ties have become hugely popular in the past few year. Bow tie sales in the US have grown 4x faster than the sale of neckties – making up 7% of the total neckwear sales in the US in 2013 (source: Bloomberg)

Because bow ties are now common for everyday wear, they are easy to find in any pattern, shape, fabric, and color combination. When it comes to finding the right pattern, use the general rule that “less is more” as a guidance. The less embellished the pattern, the more formal it will look. For example: If you want a casual bow tie to wear with your seersucker suit and boat shoes, then by all means have fun and sport a bold madras plaid. For more information on neckwear formality, check out this visual guide here

What Days are the Most Bow Ties Worn?

It always surprises me what type of date is available when looking at keyword search traffic on major search engines. When looking at the popular keyword “how to tie a bow tie” it is instantly clear that there are some days that have huge search traffic spikes. The #1 day that has most men dressed in bow ties is New Years Eve, followed by Christmas and Halloween (apparently Pee Wee Herman remains a popular Halloween Costume). National Bow Tie Day, which falls on August 28th, comes in at #5 on the list.

I hope you enjoyed this “bow tie 101” post. As always, your input, comments, and feedback is appreciated. Simply write a comment below and I will do my best to respond within a day or two.

Thanks for reading!

Hendrik

Seriously, who cares about the name of the stripe on your tie? It is true, while the name may not matter a whole lot, and knowing such probably won’t make for a good pick up line either, knowing how to wear a particular stripe does indeed matter. It matters a whole lot in fact simply because certain stripes are better suited for certain occasions and look better with a certain type of dress shirt. To understand when and when not to wear a certain striped tie, here is all you need to know:

Regimental Striped Ties

Key: Ribbed Texture, “Regimental” Colors, Stripe runs bottom left to top right
Best for: Navy Blazers, Tweed Sport Coats, Button Down Collar Shirts
Avoid: When too skinny (under 2.5″), avoid non traditional colors

Repp Striped Ties

Key: Ribbed Texture, Matte Sheen, Stripe runs top left to bottom right
Best for: narrow ties (2.5″ – 3.1″ in width), worn with a tie bar/clip
Avoid: More than 3 colors are present in design

Horizontal Stripes

Key: Stripe runs vertically
Best for: Knitted Ties, Ties with Square Tip
Avoid: Ties wider than 3″

Pencil Stripes

Key: Narrow diagonal stripes, stripes narrower than 1/8″
Best for: Always a great pick
Avoid: When worn with pin striped shirt, more than 2 colors present on the tie

Bar Code Stripe

Key: Lots of narrow stripes in various sizes and colors
Best for: Colorful combinations in Summer and Spring
Avoid: When wearing a striped shirt

Awning Stripes

Key: Stripes spaced evenly apart 1/2 – 1 inch wide
Best for: Summer colors, Pair with narrow striped or tattersall check shirts
Avoid: For formal evening dress

Candy Cane Stripes

Key: 2 colors, stripes 1/8″ – 1/4″ wide and spaced evenly apart
Best for: Strong contrasting color combination on the tie (light and dark)
Avoid: When wearing a striped shirt

Club Striped Ties

Key: Repp stripes with woven crests in between
Best for: Skinny ties and preppy outfits
Avoid: When too bright in color

Monochromatic Striped Ties

Key: Stripe design all in one single color
Best for: Formal events, easy to match to any shirt pattern
Avoid: When not wearing a suit

Other Suggested Articles:
Guide to Check Patterns
Learn the History of the Necktie

Thanks for reading!

Hendrik
Tie Aficionado
Owner of Tie-a-Tie.net