To wear a bow tie is to ask for attention. I definitely knew this was the case when I started to wear them two weeks ago, but once I put one around my neck, I’ve been noticed ever since, even after wearing bow ties several times.
I have always wanted to get at least one bow tie, but I’ve never known where to get them until recently. Of course, on the great marketplace of the Internet, there are websites such as Beau Ties Ltd, where they offer a variety of ties with colors and patterns ranging from elegant to very quirky. They even have videos to teach men how to tie their bow ties, including one for the lefties (which is how I learned). In addition to the online tie shops, I also found that some online clothiers, such as J. Crew and Brooks Brothers also offered their own takes on this eccentric accessory. There is no shortage of places to buy a bow tie online. But what if I wanted the experience of handling and sampling the item before buying?
I got lucky two weeks ago. Being at my summer workplace, where ties are required, I was bored of having a noose around my neck. I had little luck finding bow ties in shops in the past, but I decided to try it just for the hell of it. An after-work visit to Horton Plaza yielded some wonderful results. Nordstrom had a few bow ties in stock, and I bought one (the navy blue with dots in the photo). However, I couldn’t have just one.
I hoped to repeat my Horton Plaza success by visiting the Nordstrom in Fashion Valley. While they had a larger selection than their sister store, none really appealed to me. I then tried looking around at Macy’s (which I also did at Horton Plaza) with no success. However, I hit the mother lode when I walked into Bloomingdale’s. They had plenty of smart and colorful ties, and my only problem was choosing which ones I’d buy while promising myself to buy more later. To add more excitement to my discovery, I learned that they only got the ties in that week.
Those experience right should have told me that bow ties are habit forming. While I’m capable of selecting very smart neck ties, I don’t have the same enthusiasm. Whenever I have the rope around my neck, getting it off can’t happen soon enough. The bow tie, however, appeals to my dandy sensibility. And, it’s gotten me attention the way a neck tie rarely does. I’ll definitely get some more in the future. I may even make my own or recycle some old nooses.
Lefty bow tie tying lessons.
Scott Sternberg gives a hipster take on the bow tie.
GQ Style Guy Glenn O’Brien shows how to put on a bow tie with style.
Tags: bow ties, men's clothing, sartorial, ties
“Sartorial?” You sure you didn’t mean “satirical?”
I think bow ties are awesome, but they’ve had their reputation sullied a bit by Tucker Carlson.
thepete´s last blog ..Don’t mess with @ThePete and @KayThePal!
Agreed. They are awesome. I love the infinite variety one can have with these things.
I’ve gotten good at tying these things in a relatively short time, but it’s not easy. I need to watch myself in the mirror when tying it. A neck tie I can do with my eyes closed, but so does every other badly dressed male office worker. The question is, can they tie a good knot?
Tucker Carlson had his way with bow ties and moved on, only to come back for occasional flings. That said, I hope that association dissipates. I hope I have some part in rehabilitating the bow tie’s reputation.
I think bow ties are kind of cool.
Actually I refuse to where ties at all, and think that most of the people I work with, would die of shock if I showed up wearing a regular tie let alone a bow tie.
I saw your pic wearing a bow tie, and you look nice.
Andrew
Andrew´s last blog ..Monday, August 17, 2009
Thanks, Andrew for the compliment!
I can’t get over killing someone from shock. I can see it on CSI – death by neck tie, but no strangulation involved.