5 Rules For Wearing a Bow Tie

Rule #1
Never, ever wear a clip on or otherwise pre-tied bow tie. That is, unless you are too young (or too old to remember) to know how to tie a bow tie. As much as Velcro shoes are appropriate for children who haven’t yet developed the dexterity to lace those shoes, they are decidedly inappropriate for grown men to wear, ever. If you can learn to tie your shoes, learn to tie a bow tie.
Rule #2
It’s a permanent decision. It’s a lot like getting a tattoo; you might regret it in the morning, but there is no taking it back. If you wear your bow tie out and meet some new people you are immediately and likely permanently that “bow tie guy”. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, a list of bow tie wearers is practically a who’s-who list of intentionally individualistic people. On the other hand, people just don’t wake up and decide to wear bow ties. You are either a bow tie guy or you aren’t, there is really no middle ground. So if you are one of the few, the proud, the sartorially inclined, you are more than likely prepared for this notoriety.
Rule #3
Mind your collar. There are many different styles of collars out there and not all of them are bow tie compatible. You should keep to a standard pointed collar, winged collar, or a semi-wide collar. Avoid any narrow or club collars.
Rule #4
Don’t strive for perfection. When tying your bow don’t make it perfectly symmetrical, you might as well opt for the kindergarten pre-tied bow tie. Little imperfections give your tie some character so if there is a little more tie on one side than the other or you can see the second layer of your tie don’t sweat it. Your bow tie should look a little different every time you put it on.
Rule #5
Don’t wear a black bow tie in the afternoon, and don’t wear a plaid cotton tie to a gala. The bow tie was, and still is, a staple of formal attire but as of late they have become quite the casual wear. With every conceivable fabric type and pattern there really is something for everyone and for every occasion. But be warned, there is a fine line when mixing casual wear with formal. Remember this rule of thumb: you can dress up a casual tie, but you can’t dress down a formal one.
For example, you can put on your favorite wildly colored day time bow tie and pair it with a sharp khaki blazer and navy blue chinos but you really shouldn’t try and wear a black silk bow tie with a white button down and jeans. Just don’t.

source:http://haddonneckwear.wordpress.com