AntonAAK
Practically Family
- Messages
- 628
- Location
- London, UK
I don't know why but I couldn't help hearing that in Rowan Atkinson's voice.
-
The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.
Bow Ties
- Thread starter Imahomer
- Start date
I don't know why but I couldn't help hearing that in Rowan Atkinson's voice.
Whizz for Atomms
New in Town
- Messages
- 15
- Location
- UK
I'm optimistically hoping it sounded more Blackadder than Mr Bean...
AntonAAK
Practically Family
- Messages
- 628
- Location
- London, UK
Definitely Blackadder...
Mid-fogey
Practically Family
- Messages
- 720
- Location
- The Virginia Peninsula
I guess it depends on what you are wearing. With black tie or with a more formal suit, I don't want my bow all over the place. With a sportcoat or blazer, I don't care as much.
Part of "getting it perfect" is time. Once you worn them hundreds of times, you get a feel for getting them right.
- Messages
- 11,579
- Location
- Covina, Califonia 91722
There is a learning curve to tying a bow tie just like a regular tie. I wear a long tie nearly every Sunday for church and I still screw it up about half the time. It's too long / too short.
David Conwill
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,854
- Location
- Bennington, VT 05201
Heh, that’s half the reason I’ve been wearing bows more frequently as of late; I find it much easier to adjust the width of the bow than the length of a long tie. This has become especially important as I’ve dropped a little weight and my pants don’t want to stay at my waist anymore, so a tie that’s the right length in the morning winds up too short by the afternoon.
-Dave
Espee
Practically Family
- Messages
- 548
- Location
- southern California
I started wearing bow ties under the influence of Janet Klein (chanteuse.) I'd noticed that she occasionally provides bow tie-adjustment for fellows in need of it, before or after her shows. But I was just thinking the other day, to this point I've apparently never done mine badly enough!
Whizz for Atomms
New in Town
- Messages
- 15
- Location
- UK
Time to invest in a pair of braces perhaps? I find with a belt I often have to adjust my trousers during the day, braces however keep everything exactly where they should be.
As a bonus when coupled with a bow tie they also seem to provide almost unlimited amusement for co-workers... but your mileage may vary with this bit ;-)
David Conwill
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,854
- Location
- Bennington, VT 05201
I've been meaning to, I just haven't felt flush enough to make the investment in equipment and tailoring yet.
-Dave
Dan'l
Practically Family
- Messages
- 821
- Location
- Somewhere in time
Here's one that I found last month in an antique store. I wasn't sure how well I would be able to tie a knot with a smaller tie but it really wasn't hard at all. In fact, it went better than my larger ties. Although, I have been practicing tying that knot 
Last edited:
MikeBravo
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,301
- Location
- Melbourne, Australia
You just need a pair of braces and 6 buttons. You can sew can't you?
I know braces sit better with the "fish tail" pants, but buttons on standard ones work well too
Edward
Bartender
- Messages
- 24,789
- Location
- London, UK
Oh, I saw that too. The answer is obviously because he spent the last series wearing a tacky clip-on rather than a real bow. He did appear to be wearing the real thing in the Christmas Special, though: there is hope!
He did appear to be wearing the real thing in the Christmas Special, though: there is hope!
Mid-fogey
Practically Family
- Messages
- 720
- Location
- The Virginia Peninsula
I wouldn't be holding my breath. It's getting so you have to go a while before you see a tie, much less a bow. I only see another bow around here about every other or third year.
On the subject of the bow being irregular, showing a certain joie de vivre - or maybe lack of experience in tying - I should note something else. The material of the bow has a lot to do with how straight the it stays. I always tie them the same way, but some of mine stay pretty straight and some don't. The one I have on today stays almost as straight all day as a clip on. I have others that I fiddle with all day.
On the subject of the bow being irregular, showing a certain joie de vivre - or maybe lack of experience in tying - I should note something else. The material of the bow has a lot to do with how straight the it stays. I always tie them the same way, but some of mine stay pretty straight and some don't. The one I have on today stays almost as straight all day as a clip on. I have others that I fiddle with all day.
Wally_Hood
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,772
- Location
- Screwy, bally hooey Hollywood
For this week's Bow Tie Friday it was a cardinal tie with smallish gold polka dots, white shirt and blue suit. Received a complement on the tie; not that my self-worth is bound up in getting complements, but I mention them in the context that folks like the bow tie enough to make a nice observation.
Edward
Bartender
- Messages
- 24,789
- Location
- London, UK
True, alas. I'm one of the few in academia that wears them outside of black tie nowadays.
IndianaWay
New in Town
- Messages
- 36
- Location
- Indiana
Looking through the JC Penney advertisement in the local newspaper today, there was a man in a sportcoat and bow tie. Yellow tie with blue stripes, I believe. I showed it to my wife - let's just say she wasn't encouraging me to rush out and follow suit. But having a bow tie in an advertisement was an interesting step in itself, I thought.
Espee
Practically Family
- Messages
- 548
- Location
- southern California
I previously noted that some Burlington stores around L.A. have Haspel bows. A very few have shown up in... er... either Marshalls or TJMaxx. And the Burlington in Torrance has bows which are packaged like the Haspels but have no obvious brandname showing-- a paper inside the plastic sleeve has a how-to-tie demo with a cartoon figure.
I bought one of the Haspels and the odd thing is, I had to put the t-hook into the notch for 14 1/4, when for me it should be at 16 1/2. There were only three more notches left beyond that! Maybe that's how these ended up in outlet-type stores for $7.99.
I first thought this one was a solid color with patterned texture, but there are two shades of blue in the high spots vs. the low spots.
UPDATE: Now Burlington in Fullerton CA has Nicole Miller self-tie bows. They're all smooth texture, solid color (including teal, magenta, salmon pink) so they might not go with any of your fedoras (aimed more at the formal market I guess.)
I bought one of the Haspels and the odd thing is, I had to put the t-hook into the notch for 14 1/4, when for me it should be at 16 1/2. There were only three more notches left beyond that! Maybe that's how these ended up in outlet-type stores for $7.99.
I first thought this one was a solid color with patterned texture, but there are two shades of blue in the high spots vs. the low spots.
UPDATE: Now Burlington in Fullerton CA has Nicole Miller self-tie bows. They're all smooth texture, solid color (including teal, magenta, salmon pink) so they might not go with any of your fedoras (aimed more at the formal market I guess.)
Last edited:
Wally_Hood
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,772
- Location
- Screwy, bally hooey Hollywood
Bow Tie Friday for today saw a conservative grey suit, a white shirt, and a subdued red tie with scattered box design. Got a couple of nice comments, which made me devise a theory: I have worn the suit and shirt combo numerous times, but with a regular tie. When I wear a bow tie, folks smile and give out with the complements. It's the sizzle, not the steak...
Espee
Practically Family
- Messages
- 548
- Location
- southern California
One of the displays in the Avila Adobe near downtown L.A. is a history of the early water system. There is a contemporary quote that the large wooden water pipes were carrying many fish and snakes, "which are said to be of superior quality." There is a cartoon drawing of fish and snakes popping up in the water, all wearing bow ties.
