Much to my relief, the feedback from my first two columns has been positive. However, a few long-time readers have specifically asked me to deal with the issue of bow ties — are they in, or are they out?
Back in October of 2007, my colleague The Fashionista politely suggested that bow ties “are for eating with peas, prosciutto and cream sauce. Not for wearing.” With respect, I disagree. Bow ties can also be worn to eat steak and drink martinis.
In all seriousness, bow ties are certainly not out. Tae Bo perhaps, but not bow ties.
With that said, they are still an inordinately difficult look to pull off — and pull off well. Men’s business attire has a recognizable look to it: dark suit, light shirt, plain or slightly patterned tie. Naturally, there are deviations from this, but this is usually the standard fare. Men tend not to complicate their fashion (it’s a generalization, but I’ll make it).
With that said, the moment one replaces a traditional tie with a bow tie, the new neckwear draws attention to itself. The bow tie “look” must be coordinated well. Since wearing a bow tie itself makes a fashion statement, tinkering too much with colour, patterns or textures might not be well advised for the bow tie adventurer in a business setting.
Since I recognized that I was out of my depths with respect to the actual tying of a bow tie, I have asked the Honourable Donald G. Bowman, former Chief Justice of the Tax Court of Canada and Counsel to Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP to lend me a hand:
Simply put, it is just like tying your shoe laces:
1. Put the bow tie around your neck under your collar. The collar should be done up. The end in your left hand should be slightly longer.
2. Tie the tie in a simple knot.
3. Make a loop of the end in your left hand.
4. Run the end in your right hand around the end in your left hand.
5. Put the end that is in your right hand through the loop behind the left hand end. Push it right through so that you have a bow and an end on one side and a bow and an end on the other side. Fool around with the ends and bows so they are even. Hold on to the end in your left hand and hold the part of the bow in your right hand that is nearest to you and pull to tighten.
6. If you have got it wrong, start over. Remember, it takes patience and practice. Also, don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. If it looks too perfect, people will think you have cheated and bought a ready-tied bow tie. To do so is anathema.
Emir Aly Crowne is a Law Professor at the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law and Co-Chair of the Donald G. Bowman National Tax Moot (where bow ties are not mandatory — yet).
Photo by Elvert Barnes