Guest Blogger: 1,000 Days of Bow Ties

How to Pull off the Bow Tie

Determining just how to pull of your bow tie is really a matter of which type of bow tie you have. If you're currently wearing a clip-on, I would suggest gently pinching one of the bow's ends outward until the tie clip is unfasten from your collar. Repeat on the other side, and you should have successfully pulled off your bow tie. What's that? Oh, you mean you wanted to know how to pull off the look of wearing a bow tie. Got it. Why didn't you say so?

Before diving into a few examples of how I enjoy accessorizing with the bow tie, I would like briefly preface this post with a pair of personal convictions of mine. First of all, wearing a bow tie should not be a choice based on the need for a costume's accessory. The bow tie is more versatile and demands more respect when you remove it from the clownish stereotype. Secondly, it takes a great deal of gravitas to properly pull off the bow tie outside of formal attire. Consider these ideas as you look over the examples that follow.

Let's start with something we might be comfortable seeing. The bow tie, when paired with a seersucker suit makes for the perfect summer wedding outfit.

Turn a casual pair of jeans into a scholarly look by partnering the bow tie with a solid oxford shirt and cardigan. You'll earn extra credit if you can find a letterman, saddle shoes and spectacles to complete the look.

If you have a pair of pants that you really enjoy wearing, consider turning them into shorts and having the left-over fabric repurposed into a bow tie. You'll have the basis for something fierce at the ready and an excuse to untuck your shirt. Note: I recommend not wearing a loose-fitted shirt if you're opting to try this look out. Loose tends to look sloppy and that is not what the bow tie should communicate.

Another great look for warmer months is the Guayabera. Most men haven't discovered how incredibly cool the shirt looks with a bow tie but this is a formal twist that takes the comfort and style of the Guayabera to another level.

If you've really got some moxy, I suggest trying to wear a freestyle bow tie with a polo shirt this Summer. My sons pull off this look regularly with their collars down. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the heads you'll turn if you wear it with your collar up. 

No matter how you wear your bow tie, the key is to completely own the look that you're trying to achieve and go onward and upward from there. For more examples of how I rock my bow ties, check out my daily bow tie blog at www.1000daysofbowties.com.