Are you contemplating wearing a necktie this week but find the long tie too serious for the look you want to pull off? Try a bow tie. It’s classic and gentlemanly. If you’ve got a dinner, prom, wedding party or any event that requires you pull off a classic look, these easy tips on how to wear a bow tie like a boss are here to get you started.
Though not the best for business settings, bow ties are very cool accessories for men. They give this business casual look if your intentions are to look casual yet suave. Not many men know how to wear a bow tie like a boss. If you’re one of them this article is for you.
Types of Bow Tie
Before checking out the tips on how to wear a bow tie, why don’t we start with the types of bow tie? There are basically three types of bow ties:
1. Pre-Tie
These types of bow ties, as the name implies, are already tied. They are suitable for proms and occasions in which the wearer has little or no experience with bow ties.
2. Clip-on
A clip-on bow tie does not go around the neck but simply stays clipped to the collar points.
3. Self-Tie
This type of bow tie requires you to tie it yourself. There are no clips to help. You simply knot it yourself and wear it around your neck.
Bow Tie Styles
Bow ties come in various styles. When wearing a bow tie, you need to consider your face shape as the different styles of bow ties are designed to suit different shapes of faces. They include:
1. Diamond Point Bow Ties
These bow ties have diamond-shaped tips. They suit just any man, regardless of his stature. If you have a round or heart-shaped face, a diamond point bow tie will suit you better.
2. Butterfly Bow Ties
Also known as thistle bow tie, the butterfly bow tie is the commonest shape of bow ties. It is of two sizes: Regular and Jumbo.
While regular-sized butterfly bow ties suit any face shape, jumbo-sized butterfly bow ties are preferable for men with large heads.
If your face shape is square, triangle, or diamond, you should wear butterfly bow ties as they help to balance out the angularity of your face shape.
3. Batwing Bow Ties
These bow ties carve a straight line beneath the face. They are otherwise known as straight bow ties. If you’ve got a small stature, a batwing bow tie will suit you quite alright. Also, batwing bow ties complement oblong faces as they provide less plumb lines and offer enough breadth which balances out the length of this face shape.
How to Wear a Bow Ties Like a Boss
To wear a bow tie like a debonair man, you have to take these rules into consideration:
1. Know How the Bow Tie Should Fit
When you knot your bow tie it has to be the same width as your face regardless of its style. If your bow tie is too small, it’ll make your head look bigger and if your bow tie is too big, your head will look small. Hence, let the ends of your bow tie be on the same line with the corners of your eyes. This way, the tie will accentuate your facial features better.
2. Choose the Right Fabric and Pattern
For casual events, go for cotton, seersucker or linen bow ties while silk, grosgrain, velvet and wool bow ties go well with formal occasions.
Furthermore, you should avoid flashy patterns when choosing a bow tie. Bow ties with cartoon characters, irregular stripes, political slogans, etc., are a complete no-no. Go for patterns that depict style and class because you’re wearing a bow tie like a boss and not a clown or waiter. Even waiters don’t wear bow ties with silly designs so mind your patterns.
3. Know When Not to Wear a Bow Tie
Bow ties are not for every occasion. If you’re headed for a job interview or somewhere you want to make a good first impression, don’t wear a bow tie. Just stick to being on the safer side as these occasions require you to do so. Also, don’t wear bow ties to funerals. That’s a gloomy occasion and bow ties depict fun. See the contrast? However, if you still choose to wear a bow tie to a funeral, then go for colour black.
4. Know When to Wear a Bow Tie
If your work environment permits you to dress as you want so long as you retain a business look, wear a bow tie. Most importantly, you can always wear a bow tie to religious gatherings, dinner, regular dates or whenever your outfit is a tuxedo.
5. Tie it Yourself
To really wear a bow tie like a boss, you’ve got to learn how to knot a self-tie bow tie so you can always tie it yourself. Although, it’s stress-free when you don a pre-tie or clip-on bow tie, wearing a self-tie gives you more class and style. Stop pretending you’re a boss when all you do is slip on a pre-tie or clip-on bow tie. If you don’t know how to knot a self-tie, here’s a video for you. Learn now and stop being lazy (winks).
6. Balance It Out
The louder your shirt, the milder your bow tie and vice versa. Don’t pair a loud shirt and a loud bow tie together. You’ll be making a faux pas. Instead, let your bow tie serve as a statement piece if you’re wearing a conservative outfit and if it’s a simple bow tie, let it complement your entire look.
Follow these six easy tips on how to wear a bow tie like a boss and in no time, you’ll be comfortably rocking bow ties not with shirts alone but with denim jackets and sweaters too!
Are you ready to don a bow tie? What’s keeping you? You’ve got some tips here for you so go ahead already. You can start with pre-tie or clip-on bow ties if the thought of knotting a bow tie freaks you out.
