Wish List!

Wish List: Dress in Bow Ties From Head-to-Toe

In honor of Black Friday and Cyber Monday it seems only appropriate for OoOTie to embrace the shopping craze countdown up until the end of the holiday season. I'm sure you've already taken advantage of our Black Friday sale, and know that all of our bow ties are up to 33% off through the end of Monday. There's probably already a truck waiting outside to take care of your generous order;)

But need another great gift for the bow tie fanatic in your life? Treat their feet, (or maybe even your own) this coming Christmas or Hanukkah to the Adidas Originals 2010 Fall/Winter Nizza High "Bowtie." Run the risk of looking second best by giving someone an OoOTie bow tie and this pair of sophisticated-looking kicks. After all, when they look good, you look good.

BYOB-Bring Your Own Bow Tie

We’re aware it’s been a long week with the family; watching Dad and Uncle Hank fight over the last turkey leg, realizing that you missed your chance with the then plain, mysterious looking, bookworm at your mini-high school reunion, were reminded by your mother for the millionth time about how you could have been a doctor instead of a___________ (insert any profession that doesn’t make $100,000 a year), only then to be stampeded by a mob of ferocious shoppers at 5:00a.m. After facing such an eventful week, we know that there’s something that you could use right about now: a stiff drink. Do us a favor though, instead of making yourself into a sloppy, hot- mess at some local dive bar, make your way over to someplace a bit classier in town. And since it is never wise to drink alone, invite friends and make it into a bow tie wearing affair.

Located at 795 Main St., Cambridge MA (i.e. red line, Kendall Square/MIT T-Stop), Cuchi Cuchi is the perfect place to escape reality for a couple of hours. Between the retro-20s’, Hollywood glam- inspired décor, and the staff’s uncanny resemblance to the cast of the movie Moulin Rouge, Cuchi Cuchi lends itself to forget the trauma ensued over this past holiday visit home, and experience a roaring good time 1920s’ style. Known for old school cocktails, “Bottoms Up Shots,” and an intriguing international small plates menu, that actually encourages diners to try something from everyone’s plate, you’ll find just the remedy you need for hometown blues right here. Do make sure to visit on a payday and come by on the earlier side, as the bar can fill up rather quickly, and the time traveling fare can be pricey.

When thinking about wardrobe/bow tie options, dress to impress here. Ladies, think dresses, pencil skirts, dark washed jeans, blouses, and an oOoTie hair band to polish off your outfit. For guys, think buttoned up, collared shirts, dark washed jeans and/or slacks, and tie your look together with a bow tie of your choosing. Feel free to pull out your brightest colors, boldest prints, or go safe with a classic solid, as Cuchi Cuchi is a place where all bow tie wearers are welcomed.

OoOTie Approved Bow Ties: The Gatsby (it seems only fitting), Southern Inspiration, Golden Tulips, Black Tie, Do the Polka, etc. Thankfully at Cuchi Cuchi, the options are endless!

OoOTie’s Bow Tie Lover of the Week: Kanye West

Never at a loss for words, Kanye West even has a wardrobe that speaks volumes. Despite the hip hop, king of controversy's long rap sheet that has earned him the reputation of being a bit of a pot stirrer, there are few who will have trouble with this rapper's bold and playful bow ties. Full of personality, and exuding a well deserved sense of cockiness both inside and out, Kanye is a true expression of himself when it comes to creating his own signature style.

Dubbed a jack-of-all-trades bow tie wearer, you’ll often see Kanye owning his bow tie look, knowing how to use it to dress up or down, wearing them with anything from dark washed jeans, bight aqua blue or magenta dress shirts under a muted gray and navy suit-jackets, colorful V-neck cardigans, jean jackets, furs, finished off with a pair of aviators and sweet kicks. Kanye proves that at the very least, he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to looking fresh wearing a bow tie. Let Kanye be the positive motivation you need to dare to defy with the bow tie.

OoOTie Picks: Lucky Star, The Black Tie, Baby Blue, Tangerine, Poppy Fields Forever. But let’s face it, I’m sure Kanye would tell you that he can make anything look good.

Fun Fact: I bet you didn’t know that one of Kanye’s favorite songs from 2009 was Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” It’s true! He told me and about a couple other billion of my closest friends.

***Allow Kanye to teach you a thing or two about attitude with a taste from his latest hit album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and earn your self-confidence back for the rest of your family holiday gatherings.

Wise Words From a Bow Tie Wearer:

"Confidence... thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live." ---Franklin D. Roosevelt

Question of the Week: What are you confident about?

Until next time, happy shopping everybody!

"Never Trust a Man in a Bow tie.”

“Never Trust a Man in a Bow tie.”

Recently one of our twitter peeps shared with us the above statement in reference to grandparents’ advice about used cars salesmen and other bow tie-wearing professionals. The implication of their advice is of course, to “beware of the bow tie wearers.” Because after all, everybody knows how untrustworthy and perhaps even dangerous our kind is, right? Although there are far more serious prejudices that need to be addressed in the world, it’s interesting to explore for the purposes of this blog, how our fashion, or more specifically, how bow ties, can potentially engender discrimination about our character. In other words, what do people think of us when we wear a bow tie?

Back in 2005, Warren St. John wrote an article for the New York Times entitled “A Red Flag that Comes in Many Colors,” describing many of the prejudices fellow bow tie lovers have faced over the years:

"To its devotees the bow tie suggests iconoclasm of an Old World sort, a fusty adherence to a contrarian point of view. The bow tie hints at intellectualism, real or feigned, and sometimes suggests technical acumen, perhaps because it is so hard to tie. Bow ties are worn by magicians, country doctors, lawyers and professors and by people hoping to look like the above. But perhaps most of all, wearing a bow tie is a way of broadcasting an aggressive lack of concern for what other people think."

What’s important to recognize from the different stereotypes enforced upon our fashion choices, is that many of these prejudices that St. John points out to us can easily be transformed into positives. For instance, the bow tie almost magically boost our IQ, giving off the impression that we have a master’s or PhD in Applied Physics, without necessarily having passed it as an undergrad, let alone having taken it. He also goes on to point out that we’re up for a challenge, as we’re willing to go the extra mile for style, and wrestle with the “technical acumen” in life, simply by figuring out the proper way to tie a bow tie.

No doubt his list of bow tie wearers needs to be updated. I have a hard time remembering David Blaine fixing his bow tie when his body was embedded in a block of ice in the middle of Times Square. But nonetheless, his comment still suggests that bow ties make us look professionally successful, even if our bank accounts beg to differ. However, the most important thing to keep in mind is his last remark about how the bow tie propels this idea that it is a symbol of “an aggressive lack of concern for what other people think.” It’s more than okay to be confident about who you are as a person, and to have a wardrobe that mirrors this feeling. After all, the homeless- hipster look has never been referred to as chic in Vogue or GQ. Remember: Wear the bow tie, but don’t let it wear you!

Still afraid to rock the bow tie? Here's a list of bow tie-wearing celebrities who are proud to show that bow ties are the way to go!

Bow tie-Lover of the Week

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few years, Kid Cudi is one of the biggest sensations in the world of hip hop since the gold chain. He proves to be a true bow tie- wearing inspiration, as Cudi knows how to keep it real. Easily able to transition from streetwear to formal, as well as have fun and mix the two, he’s able to pull almost any kind of look together with modest, yet classic black and solid -colored bow ties. Kid Cudi does the bow tie right by making it a showpiece itself, despite the frills of a tux, he’s able to display the bow tie’s versatility with the help of a neutral casual collared- shirt. His bow tie enhances his swagger by giving it a level of Old World sophistication.

OoOTie Picks: The Black Tie, Black on Copper, Cocoa, or Paisley.

Fun Fact: Oh yeah, aside from being an aspiring bow tie fashion icon, I guess he makes time to rap? Dance your way into the weekend with a sample from Kid Cudi’s latest album, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Ranger.

Wise Words From a Fellow Bow tie Wearer:

“I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.” ---Winston Churchill

Question of the Week: What do you think about people who wear bow ties?

**** Bow tie Fans-- OoOTie wants to hear from you! Please feel free to comment and email us suggestions about how to improve our blog. Do you have a bow tie-related story to share? What do and don't you want to see here? The OoOTie blog is as much about bow ties as it is about the people who wear them!

Why you should wear a bow-tie in your 20's......

I was walking down commonwealth avenue by the BU - School of Management and saw a bunch of suits and decided to walk into the SMG building. There was a career fair taking place on the first floor. I then decided to take the elevator to the 3rd floor to try to get a better view of this....

All the men looked exactly the same....Dark navy suit, white collared shirt, black shoes, and a tie of some sort. It was as if people had coordinated uniforms. So I thought to myself what makes someone stand out at a career fair?

• Resume (After initial contact)
• Hair style 
• Firm hand shake 

So it got me thinking.. why not rock a bow-tie to your next career fair to stand out? While some may think you're daring and bold... it's obvious that you have a story to tell and maybe you'll land that interview and better yet the job you're after. 

And if you need help on how to tie a bow-tie.. GQ let's Swizz Beatz show you how it's done! 

Visit OoOTiE for all your bow-tie needs!

Thanks for reading...Keep standing out!