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2torial #0538:
Learn2 Tie
a Bowtie
In search of the elusive bowtie...
Sooner or later,whether it's your wedding, a
gala dinner, choir concert or the Academy Awards
banquet, you will come up against the elite of
contemporary neckwear: the bowtie. Most bows are
pre-tied these days, fastened merely by clips or a
hook. But tying a classic tie, known as a
butterfly knot by the French, is about as
easy as tying your shoelaces once you've practiced
a few times. Here are the basics to knotting this
natty little fashion statement.
Choose a tie that fits your personality and
matches what you are wearing. Despite how logical
it sounds, striped ties do not go with striped
shirts or jackets. Bowties look their best with
plain white, or solid-color dress shirts. For
formal events you should probably wear a white
"tuxedo shirt" with a gull wing or tab collar.
Give yourself a few extra minutes when tying a
tie for the first time. Allow yourself to re-tie
the knot higher or lower until you get it the right
length. Part of good grooming means paying
attention to the details. Any person who's
important to you will notice and appreciate the
effort.
 Flip up the collar
Button your collar at the neck, then fold it up
so that you can slip the tie easily around your
neck. This helps you tie it in the right spot the
first time, and also helps prevent wrinkling and
stretching the tie fabric.
 Adjust the length
Some bowties have adjustable lengths.
Does one end have a loop? Some ties will have neck
sizes marked on the loop. If so, place the hook one
number up from the number corresponding to your
neck-size. This will give you a little larger loop,
but will simplify the beginners efforts at tying
the darn thing.
Other adjustable bowties: you pull the
loop through a little buckle until you have enough
tie hanging down on either side of your collar to
do it up. Bowties are generally narrow in the
middle and widen out to an hourglass shape on both
ends. The narrow curves are where the knot will be
tied. The wider places form the loops and ends of
the bow.
 Set
the stage
Shirt on? Collar buttoned? Put the bowtie around
your neck, seams to the inside. Let the widening
point on your nondominant side hang down
from the collar button by your collarbone (so if
you're left-handed, lay it on the right side). The
other side should be an inch or two longer.
Hold the spot just above the widening point with
your nondominant hand between thumb and forefinger.
This spot is where you'll tie the knot.
 Form the simple knot
Cross the slightly longer end over the spot,
pass it around behind and up through the top. Let
it hang down. This forms a simple knot and can be
pulled snug here, with the end on top still a
little longer. The long end is now in your
nondominant hand.  Make the first loop
Fold the shorter end over on top of itself (not
behind it). The wide point becomes the edge of the
loop and the narrow point should lie right on top
of the actual knot. Hold this loop at its base with
your nondominant hand.
 Wrap the second loop
Wrap the longer end carefully over and down with
your dominant hand, then around behind the first
loop. Do not twist the tie--wrap it around.
Now insert the longer end through the
knot: push a loop with your finger through the
central knot, and tug it through. This creates the
second loop. Hold the first loop with your dominant
hand, and carefully pull the new loop a little
tighter. Be careful not to pull the ends out.
When pulling the knot tight, grasp the loops
and ends equally in both hands. Pull evenly.
Sometimes a bow will remain unruly until you have
cleaned the knot. Then you can adjust it
into the final shape.
 Primp the bow
All bowties will require some fussing to get the
ends straight and the knot square. Adjust the loops
and ends so that their lengths are equal on each
side, and both sides are even.
Some bows look great with a loop in front/
end tab in back on one side and an end tab
in front/loop in back on the other side.
Otherwise you may want both loops to show on
the front of the tie, with the tab ends snug
behind. This second style may take a little more
fussing around but is basically the same knot. Just
give the second loop a firm twist after pulling it
through. Then gently tighten and get the ends
straight as before.
The last thing you should do with a bow
is take a side in each hand, pull the knot firmly
taught, and then pull the bow out away from the
collar (which you have fastened with the collarbone
buttons). A properly starched and tied bow will
stand out smartly at an angle of about 30 degrees.
Go get 'em, tiger!
-end-
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