How to Tie a Bowtie

More and more men are re-embracing bowties for both formal and casual wear. While bowties have always been appropriate with a tuxedo, they are also a great way to add a splash of "dandy" to other outfits  without looking over-the-top.

If you've been thinking about trying one, you'll need to know how to tie it (clip-ons are never a good idea), so here is a brief tutorial on tying a bowtie. Also, if you are wondering how to pull it off casually, or would like some tips/ideas on putting an outfit together, visit us in the shop and chat with one of our stylists. That's what we're here for.


Step 1
With your shirt buttoned all-the-way up, place the bow tie under the collar around your neck, situating it so that the end on your left side (let's call it end "A") is about two inches longer than end "B".

Step 2
Cross end "A" over end "B" in the middle of your shirt.

Step 3
Bring end "A" up and around end "B" - and pull the two sides tightly (like the first part of tying your shoes).

Step 4
Fold end "B" in half over itself to form the first side of the bow, and hold it folded in your hand.

Step 5
Loop end "A" over the center of the bow you just formed out of "B".

Step 6
This is the tricky part!
Hold the bow you created out of "B" and the skinny part of "A" that is laying over it in the same hand. Now you should notice that there is a "hole" formed near the neck between the skinny part of "A" and the folded "B". Once you've identified this hole, fold side "A" similarly to how you you folded "B" in Step 4 and slide this through the hole - folded section first. Make sure not to let "A" go all the way through the hole - the tail (widest part) should stay poking out facing the way that it came from.

 Step 7
Now, pull the folded section of "A" with your right hand as you simultaneously pull the folded section of "B" to tighten the bow. Make sure the tails don't slip all the way out! Alternate from pulling both folded edges to pulling both tails until the bow is tight, the ends are even and the knot looks straight. (Tip - it doesn't have to be super tight, in fact, it often looks better when the center knot isn't overly stretched).

Hope this helps and inspires you to try wearing a bowtie!


Thanks for reading.

All the best,

MAB