Bow ties are a mystery to many people. When do you wear it? How do you tie it? Well I can at least help you learn how to tie it. No self-respecting gentlemen wears a clip-on bow tie. Those are for kids. You need to know how to tie one! If you don’t have a bow tie to tie, you can even make a bow tie with a regular necktie, even those that have been stained or damaged. See below for a bonus videos on how to tie a contrast or two-tone bow tie knot, as well as instructions on dealing with a bow tie that is too long.

Bow ties are hard and annoying to tie. People say it is like tying a shoelace, and it actually is, except it feels totally different because it’s around your neck and the laces are way fatter. Like many things, it is a practice-makes-perfect kind of skill. You just need to keep working at it until it feels natural. It might take about 100 tries.

Most bow ties I have seen are adjustable and fabric consumption isn’t an issue.

Bow ties are supposed to be asymmetric. That is how people can tell that you tied it yourself. If you have a symmetrical bow tie, it is fake. Don’t worry about it, just make both sides the same length and you will do great.

Bow ties come in all kinds of fabric, colors and patterns. The standard bow tie knot works on them all. Just make sure your outfit can handle it!

You can wear a bow tie at any event at which necktie is acceptable. However, you need to be confident that it will be a success. Think of a bow tie as avery advanced necktie knot. It will draw attention. Very few people other than you will probably be wearing it, so it is important your look is successful.

• Wear a colorful bow tie with a muted outfit
• Wear a single color bow tie with a complex outfit
• Can be worn with jeans, khakis, or formal pants
• Can be worn with a short or long sleeve button down shirt
• Don’t try to make it perfect, looking just a little sloppy confirms that it’s not a clip on
• Act like you know what you are doing and you can do anything with a bowtie
• See videos below for dealing with long bow ties, and tying a contrast knot