Under the Dome: The Bow-Tie

“A list of bow-tie devotees reads like a Who’s Who of rugged individualists.” – New York Times

The DC Professional looks at himself in the mirror before donning the usual blue suit and long tie, pondering questions shared by a minority of his District colleagues. “Is today the day to wear the bow-tie? Do I have enough time to tie it? Will I look absolutely ridiculous or be able to give it due justice?” Though most would shrug and slip into the repetitive motion of a four-in-hand, a brave few actually venture outside the norm and try out the double-triangle neck adornment. The bow-tie is not just a fashion staple; it is a fashion statement. The truly unique recognize that this accessory not only separates your wardrobe from the sea of long ties that walk the halls of DC, but it accentuates the perception that your personality may be equally separated. Good or bad? Take it as you will. At the very least, one must understand the monster in order to qualify it.

“Avoid popularity if you were to have peace.” – Abraham Lincoln (avid bow-tie wearer)

The history of the bow-tie stretches back to the 17th century where the European upper-crust adapted the scarf into a simpler, smaller, and more compact piece of neck wear. Over time, the fashion sailed across the Atlantic, delighting professors and lawyers for centuries to come. Generally woven of silk or polyester, two styles of bow-tie are commonly in use. The “thistle/butterfly” style with varying degree of floppiness could be regularly found on the necks of Senator Daniel ‘Pat’ Moynihan, Chief Justice John Paul Stevens, and ‘Science Guy’ Bill Nye. The slimmer and less-flashy “bat-wing” style often adorned the collars of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, legal scholar Archibald Cox Jr., and Sean Connery’s portrayal of James Bond. Other noteworthy wearers of bow-ties include DC Mayor Anthony Williams, commentator Charles Osgood, and Senator Paul Simon. Several additional styles of bow-tie have cropped up over the years; most notably the “thistle bat-wing cross” engineered by designer Charvet as well as a recent wave of fashionable bow-ties designed for females. To note, either of the two prominent styles are equally accepted in society while outliers are less so. As with all fashion, it is the wearer who ultimately decides which style is right for their particular needs.

“Fashion fades, only style remains.” – Coco Chanel

Bow-ties have been recently determined by the fashion world to be back in vogue. Now, I know what you might be thinking; “If bow-ties are popular again, why I don’t see any around the halls of Congress?” Instead of embarking on a useless diatribe regarding the Hill’s sense of fashion, an oft necessary comment of “look again” would flow from my keyboard-stroking fingers. Not only does the bow-tie make it’s way into posh White House invite-only events, long-night inauguration marathons, and off-Hill socialite parties, but into the local scene as well. Take a stroll around Georgetown, Eastern Market, or Old Town Alexandria on any warm Sunday afternoon and you are bound to see a few dinner jacket/bow-tie combos on the boulevard. Additionally, seersucker suit season is almost neigh, always a prime time opportunity for the bow-tie. Every once in a while, a brave congressional staffer will don a bow-tie and make his statement to the world. Keep your eyes peeled; you’ll see.

“Bow ties are not only neat and suggestive of insouciance, they have in addition one inestimable advantage…It is impossible…to spill anything on a bow tie.” – historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.

Whether you find the bow-tie the obvious choice of neck adornment, an amazing accessory to be tactfully used at the right time, or in agreement with FOX News’s Tucker Carlson’s assessment as a “middle finger protruding from your neck” the bow-tie has been around long enough to be considered an essential skill to be mastered by any well-dressed individual. Though the knot takes a bit of practice, the effort’s reward will be well returned after your first black-tie event. Pretty soon you may be the next DC professional proudly sporting a bow-tie in your regular wardrobe rotation.

+ Top Hat Staffer +