What’s the deal with bowties, and how do you choose one?

how to choose a bowtie

Bowties are a tricky thing: a classic men’s accessory that can give off a silly or out-of-style vibe if you’re not careful. Luckily, it’s not hard to wear a bowtie right, and when you do, you’ll discover that people appreciate it.  So, how to choose a Bowtie?

Whether you’ve got one on for a formal occasion (more on that later) or as a whimsical touch to your everyday jacket and button-down shirt, bowties give off something special.

HOW TO CHOOSE A BOWTIE

The bowtie may be associated with sophisticates, intellectuals, and creative types today, their origins are very different.

In the 17th century, Croatian soldiers wore a thin scarf around their shirt collar.  Ever true to their sense of fashion, the French picked up on this style, which looked really cool to them. Soon, upper class Frenchmen were wearing cravats, which evolved into the modern-day necktie and bowtie.

Today, most men wear bowties only for formal occasions – and when it comes to those, you often don’t need to think too much about how to accessorize your bowtie with the rest of what you’re wearing; if you’re going to a black tie or white tie event, the answer is right there.  But if you want to wear a bowtie with something other than a tux, here’s how to do it:

Make your bowtie compliment the colors around it.

So, for example, let’s say you’re wearing a light blue wool suit.  You could choose a patterned bowtie, with one of the colors in the pattern either being blue or a complimentary color (yellow), or a solid bowtie in a color that works with blue (try red, for example – or even a very slightly different shade of blue).  For a nice dose of subtlety with your eye-catching accessory, try wearing a shirt (button-down, of course) that’s the same color as the bowtie or as one of the colors in its pattern.

That’s the whole idea with colorful men’s accessories: you don’t necessarily want to match them color-for-color (with some exceptions, like the ones mentioned in the last two paragraphs).

READ ALSO: Color Matching Your Bowtie — How To Do It Right?

Think of them as a way for you to play with color.  So if you want to take the look farther, for example, you could add a pocket square that’s either solid or patterned — whichever your bowtie is not (although there are some extremely bold pattern-mixing gentlemen out there who prove this isn’t a rule that’s set in stone).  Your socks should either be the same color as your trousers to blend in, or else pick up on a color from your bowtie and/or pocket square (pick the one you most want to stand out).  Most importantly, though, don’t push yourself too far; you have to feel comfortable with what you’re wearing, of course.  Confidence is the most essential accessory of all.

One thing that is a must when wearing a bowtie is the type of shirt you pick.  If you want to look sophisticated and properly put-together, always wear a button-down shirt.  This will have a wing or wingtip collar for a very formal occasion (i.e. when you’re wearing a tux).  Otherwise, a standard collar (the one you’ll find for sale in most places that sell men’s shirts) or a button-down collar are other typical choices that allow the bowtie to stand out and shine.

The Glamorous Bowties

We are super excited to announce that, today, you can finally get your hands on our Bowties. And yes, as you expected it, they are very colorful (100% Silk!) and glamorously made in Italy.

Check them out here

BOWTIES

So now you know how to make your bowtie work with your suit.  So why not take the plunge and try wearing one the next time you head out?  Simultaneously traditional and bold, the bowtie can be a great way to take your look to the next level.

Stay Glamorous!

[FREE-EBOOK]