A bow tie is a kind of necktie. A basic shoelace knot, commonly known as the bow knot, is used to make a modern bow tie. It consists of a fabric ribbon wound symmetrically around the collar of a shirt and looped at both ends.

Pre-tied, clip-on, and self-tied bow ties are the three types of bow ties available. A distinctive bow is sewn onto a band that wraps around the neck and is attached with a clip-on pre-tied bow tie. Some “clip-on” collars don’t utilize a band at all instead of connecting to the collar directly. A traditional bow tie that consists of a strip of cloth that the wearer must tie by hand is known as a “self-tie,” “knot-it-yourself,” or “freestyle” bow tie.

Bow ties are available in a variety of fabrics, although the majority is composed of silk, polyester, cotton, or a mix of these. In certain fabrics, bow ties are considerably less common than four-in-hand neckties (e.g., wool or velvet).

Croatian mercenaries tied a scarf around their necks to hold the opening of their shirts together during the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century. The upper classes in France, which was a fashion pioneer at the time, rapidly adopted it (under the word cravat, which comes from the French for “Croat”), and it flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s uncertain whether the cravat gave birth to the bow tie and four-in-hand necktie or whether the bow tie gave birth to the four-in-hand necktie.

The most common bow ties have a predetermined length and are made to fit a specific neck size. Sizes may range from 14 to 19 inches, as with a comparable shirt collar. Fixed-length bow ties are preferred with the most formal wing-collar shirts to prevent revealing the buckle or clasp of an adjustable bow tie. Adjustable bow ties are the norm when the tie is to be worn with a less formal, lie-down collar shirt that obscures the tie’s neckband. One-size-fits-all adjustable bow ties are a later development that helps to keep production costs down.

The lavallière is a bow tie-style cravat that was popular in France in the nineteenth century. It’s designed similarly to a bow tie but with a larger knot and drooping ends.

According to its devotees, the bow tie is connected with Old World iconoclasm and a meticulous commitment to a contrarian point of view. The bow tie connotes intellectualism, genuine or counterfeit, and occasionally technical skill, due to its difficulty in knotting. Bow ties are worn by magicians, country physicians, attorneys, and academics, as well as those who seek to imitate them. Furthermore, wearing a bow tie is a way of expressing an aggressive lack of concern for what other people think.

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