Winston Churchill wore them, as did Groucho Marx, Orson Welles, Fred Astaire and Karl Lagerfield....
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| Stylish or silly? |
The world is divided on the bow tie issue, however as it's a relatively rare sight to see a guy trucking down the street in a big beautiful bow tie, I guess the anti-bow tie forces are out in front.
There are some who are willing to swim against the tide but are they just Art Gallery Directors, foppish ham actors and dust-covered, retired Latin professors...?
Not really..bow ties can look swish, elegant, manly and stylish. The secret is to wear them with confidence and not sheepishly...too self-conscious of the eccentric piece of fabric knotted around your neck. BT's are also worn by the seriously fashion conscious. Have a peek at Walking ART, who has that boy-reporter/Jimmy Olsen look thing going.
There are some who are willing to swim against the tide but are they just Art Gallery Directors, foppish ham actors and dust-covered, retired Latin professors...?
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| A young Orson Welles |
Not really..bow ties can look swish, elegant, manly and stylish. The secret is to wear them with confidence and not sheepishly...too self-conscious of the eccentric piece of fabric knotted around your neck. BT's are also worn by the seriously fashion conscious. Have a peek at Walking ART, who has that boy-reporter/Jimmy Olsen look thing going. The Origin of the Bow Tie
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| Marty, from Texas, circa 1960s |
Bow ties began with the Prussian war in the 17th Century. Croatian mercenaries used a scarf tied round their necks to hold their their shirt opening togeteher - they must have looked good because the French fashion elite adopted this 'neck tied' style and called it a cravat. From the cravat came the necktie and the bowtie. (wiki)
Traditionally, a bow tie is tied by hand, although modern versions may be pinned on or held together by an adjustable elasticised band. They also come in different lengths, according to neck size, though for formal wear, fixed length is desirable to provide that neat look.
Fabrics range from silk, linen, cotton, polyester (goes with the elasticized ones) and as far as design goes, the sky's the limit - big, small, flat, bulky and in checks, spots, tartans, florals, geometric designs etc, etc. Bow ties were particularly popular in the 1920s...they looked so good with a boater.
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| Alexis Mabille...definitely manly |
How to Tie a Bow Tie
