We all want to wear bow ties and look all “gentle-manly”, but one thing to bear in mind is to do it sparingly. Unless you’re trying to make it your “thing” or become a forever groom/groom’s man, you need not make it an everyday affair. Let it be about a special event, and keep the rest of your outfit muted— think a solid colour suit and shirt.
For a suits, go with navy, black or grey, and for shirts, stick to blues and whites. It’s possible to wear a pinstripe suit with a bow tie, but make sure the stripe is subtle. And make sure the suit and shirt match, since they’ll be more visible than they would be with a regular necktie, which bisects the male torso.
Most important is the bow tie itself. Since the rest of your outfit will be conservative, this is the time to make a statement.
A basic place to start is with some stripes. Once you’re comfortable with patterns, start experimenting with polka dots, paisley, or anything fashion forward. A bow tie is such a small piece of clothing that it’s acceptable for it to get loud. You wanted to stand out by wearing one, so embrace it!
Sometimes you’ve tied your bow tie and you are so concerned about the knot not being perfect. Well don’t dwell too much on that. Once you’ve tied your bow tie and you’re happy that it’s not going to come undone, leave it alone. It’s part of the fun that the knot won’t be perfect; that’s how people will know you did it yourself!
You have to remember that bow ties don’t look nearly as cool loosened like regular ties, so try to keep it tight. Don’t touch it again until you’re ready to untie it completely for that rakish (cool) end-of-a-great-night look you’ve been waiting for.
