Part 2: Bow Tie Lover in the Flesh!

Part 2: Bow Tie Lover in the Flesh!

Are bow ties more like the centerpiece to a look or are they more like the icing?

Right now, I think they're the centerpiece but I want them to be more like the icing. I want them to be like cufflinks, they might not be the first thing you notice but they really help pull a look together.

Describe your style?

Vintage-inspired, or my friends might say "newsie." It's dressed up without pretension. As I said, usually I wear a scally cap, bow tie, vest, plain collared shirt, and jeans. Sometimes I carry around some papers, what's the big deal?! If I'm going to some event I'll to wear a nice suit, but if I'm cruising around town I'm looking newsie- chic.



Why do you rock a bow tie?

Because they're awesome!




Do you have a favorite bow tie wearer?

There are two gentlemen that come into Drink that always come in very well dressed and wear bow ties. But as for celebrity bow tie wearers, it's all about Huckleberry Hound, Magilla Gorilla, and a dozen other Hanna-Barbera characters. Also Fred Astaire, Bill Nye, Charlie Chaplin, Groucho Marx, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I'm not sure if I really want to be associated with him, but I need to throw out props to Pee- wee. He rocked it forever.


What would you say to people who were hesitant about wearing bow ties?

Shut up! If you don't want to wear a bow tie, then don't. Be boring. Bow ties are all about personality, not taking yourself too seriously, and showing you're a fun person to be around.

Is there any fashion era that you admire? Or does your wardrobe show any influence from any particular time period?

I really like classics. There aren't a lot of patterns in my closet. I'm really all about simplicity. I like how men used to dress up in the '50s. I think the term dapper describes it all. I always want to look dapper.

OoOTie Picks: Favorite of all time was a black and white dalmatian-patterned custom made bow tie OoOTie made for my special bar competition in New Orleans. (P.S. DRINK WON!) I also really like The Black Tie with the paisley inlay. They used to have a silver one with a crosshatch gold and blue plaid that I also really liked. Currently I really love the Yellow and Blue, it's a textured look without being blaring. It's a really well made bow tie. Southern Inspiration is also a really fun looking bow tie. But overall they're all great for specific or multiple occasions!




****Remember: Make sure to plan your next big night out at Drink! Have Tyler, the bow tie guy make you a really great cocktail! Be sure to say that OoOTie sent you;) CHEERS!!!!



****If you or one of your bow tie wearing friends are interested in being featured on OoOTie's blog please email us. We'd love to meet you!

Also, time is running out on these classic looking bow ties before OoOTie introduces their new line next week. Pick them up while they're still hot!


Enjoy your weekend!

Keep it dapper;)

Part 1: Bow Tie Lover in the Flesh!

Part 1: Bow Tie Lover in the Flesh!

Meet Tyler! A.K.A. Spiffy! The bow tie loving apprentice bartender at the Boston bar Drink. Originally a West Coaster from the warm and sunny land of San Diego, California, Tyler has learned to make snow hell Boston his new home. A jack-of-all trades entertainer, Tyler came to the Northeast with hopes of making a name for himself in the world of musical theater while attending the Boston Conservatory, only to develop a strong interest in bartending while working as the lead bartender at a local Sushi restaurant. Putting off going to theater auditions in New York to make more time for bartending opportunities, Tyler decided to follow his passion and transferred to the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont. As a student, Tyler found that he was less driven to become a chef and more focused on educating himself on the art of bartending, and on earning a degree in Hospitality and Management. After graduating, Tyler returned to Boston in hopes of becoming a bartender on a more professional level, and earned himself a spot at one of Boston's chicest bars, appropriately named Drink.

Going from musical theater to bartending might seem like quite a jump to some people. Do you find that there are overlapping aspects between the two areas?

There's definitely an entertainment quality that both things possess. When you're in a show, the focus is all about the character you're portraying and how to make the audience think your entertaining enough to keep watching you. When you're bartending, there's still that idea of performance when someone watches you as you make his or her drink, and if you try to have a conversation about the history behind the cocktail the guest is drinking. The difference between being the actor and being the bartender is that when I'm the bartender its not about me, it's really about the guest and trying to give them an experience when they're at Drink. There's no magic trick about being behind the bar, but there is a real difference between hospitality that can be seen as related to performing on a stage and just serving a drink and/or food that I think is an important distinction to make.

What's your least favorite drink to make? Is there a such thing as a drinking faux pas? In other words, what shouldn't we ask for at the bar?

That's a tough question. I think that partly goes into that idea of hospitality vs. serving. For instance, if you want some ridiculous or time consuming tiki cocktail, and that's going to make you happy and your experience at the bar better, than I'm happy to make it for you.

But if I had to choose a least favorite drink to make, I'd say anything with an erotic name; for example, Sex on the beach, Blow job, etc. I don't like to make anything too sweet or sugary. I guess it's not so much as they're a faux pas, but they're just annoying. Actually, sex on the beach was retired, so bartenders can't serve that anymore. Every year in New Orleans they have this thing called the Tales of the Cocktail where they have a funeral procession for the drinks they've decided to retire that year. Most recently they retired the Appletini and the Redheaded Slut.

But I guess a faux pas at a bar might be more along the lines of snapping your fingers at the bartender to get their attention, or someone not knowing the proper protocol at a bar. Don't interrupt the people next to you or call for me if I'm talking to another guest. I know you're there and I know you want another drink.

Do you have a favorite cocktail to make?

Anything fun. Lately I've been having a lot of fun with cocktail history. For instance the Hearst isn't a complex cocktail; it's just gin, vermouth, and bitters. But there's a great story behind it involving the "hooligans" who worked for William Randolf Hearst.


Do you have a favorite drink?



It really depends on my mood. I would say all spirits; when I go out I usually have something along the lines of an Americano or an Old Fashioned (no fruit!), and I've had a lot of sparkling wine lately. I mean, I love everything about alcohol; I love drinking, I love making drinks, their history, their trends, but oddly enough I don't drink to get drunk. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but that's never my goal. For instance, I like High Life and PBR, but I'm not trying to get drunk off of it. I'm drinking it because it's refreshing and delicious. It kind of reminds me of a real simple but delicious cocktail called the Bees Knees. If you aren't familiar with the classics and you just want a nice refreshing citrusy cocktail ask for a Bees Knees. You won't be disappointed.

What's a good bow tie friendly bar in the Boston area?

Definitely Drink. I'm trying to make some waves in the bartending world and rock the bow tie four to five nights a week at work. Then outside of work I always say collared shirts before t-shirts, and that gives me even more chances to wear bow ties.

But I'd also have to say the Citizen Public House and Oyster Bar in the Fenway. I have some friends there that I've been trying to get into bow ties and have slowly started to wear them. I think everyone should ask their bartender why they don't wear bow ties. I mean, if that's what the paying public wants...

How can you rock a bow tie in a bar scene? And have you experienced positive or negative feedback when wearing bow ties out or working at the bar?

Well, that's easy. I've always loved dressing well. I want to look good and put-together. My staples would probably be a plain colored shirt, a vest, a matching bow tie, perhaps a scally cap and nice pair of jeans. I also like rocking the untied bow tie. It starts out tied, but towards the end of the night I leave it untied around my neck, who's to say how it gets untied but it's always a good time. But when I'm at work I like to tie my bow tie to a point where people come up and ask if it's real or a clip on, and then I BLOW THEIR MIND!

When I was in culinary school I was known as the suit guy, because I really enjoyed wearing suits. But when I moved back to Boston and started wearing bow ties at the bar I became known as the bow tie guy and/or bartender. And I love that!







I've ALWAYS experienced good feedback from wearing a bow tie. I actually haven't had a night at the bar when someone hasn't complimented me about my bow tie. People love it!

****Stay tuned for part 2 of our featured bow tie lover in the flesh Tyler, later this week!

2011 Golden Globes Bow Tie Recap!

2011 Golden Globes Bow Tie Recap!

This year at the Golden Globes, bow tie wearing gentlemen strutted their stuff down the red carpet as hard as some of the best- dressed ladies of the night. Including lit-up marquee worthy names such as De Niro, Gyllenhaal, and Pitt, these fellas seemed more than willing to share the spotlight with some sophisticated neck wear.

Although most Hollywood native bow tie wearers went with the classic black bow tie, True Blood star, Ryan Kwanten, totally rocked an awesomely sweet, deep red, crushed velvet bow tie. But regardless of color, bow ties prove that they will always do formal wear flawlessly.

Why choose a bow tie over a regular tie for formal occasions? The grand poobah of Bieber Fever is a fan of 'wow how much more uncreative can I be' the regular neck tie. Need we say more? Check out this link to see how a simple bow tie can instantly give personality to any standard black tux.

Turn a Non-Believer into a Believer

Turn a Non-Believer into a Believer

We've all met them. Those who are unsure about the bow tie's awesome wardrobe powers. They may be scared to stand out of the crowd, or even feel incompetent when it comes to their bow tie tying skills, but as your southern belle, prim and proper grandmother might say, "AWW... HOOEY!" Put away your excuses, and dust off your self-confidence, your new motto is, "YES, I CAN TOTALLY ROCK A BOW TIE!"

Recently I spoke with some strapping, young, college-aged lads about why they and their friends didn't wear, or even like bow ties?

Here are some popular excuses they gave for people not being able to live up to their bow tie wearing potential:

• "They're too hard to tie." (Good style takes practice;)
  
• "Aren't they just for proms and weddings?"
  
• "I think when you have to wear a cummberbund, it's fair to say that you have to wear a bow tie."
• "No one else wears them." (See weekly section on bow tie lovers of the week for the rebuttal).
• "People will think I'm a tool if I wear one."
• "People wouldn't take me seriously."
• "I swear if I gave a business presentation with one on, the professor would mark me down automatically." (Yeah, okay buddy.)
• "I feel like once someone had one on, then everyone would wear one. They just wouldn't be unique anymore." (But you don't feel that way when you wear a regular tie? Right...)
• "I don't feel like I could just chill with it on. Ya know what I mean?" (Actually...no. ).
  
• "You have to be like REALLY confident to wear one, I mean like REALLY..."(Relax! It's not like anyone's asking you parade around in a speedo).
• "Does it count if I've seen one on someone's T-shirt at a party?"
• "I don't even think I own a shirt that I could wear one with. [LAUGHTER] No, I'm like legit serious right now."

As you can see, bow tie stereotypes DO still exist! Sadly. But this post isn't about proving them right. No, it's about proving them wrong! After sharing a couple beers and some light discussion about bow ties, and why bow ties ARE cool (more on my part), I decided to interpret their reluctance against adding the bow tie to their closet as a challenge. This is about showing those who are on the fence about wearing bow ties, that you can keep your swag intact and still be comfortable. That is an OoOTie bow tie guarantee;)

One Bow Tie, Five Looks. It's that simple.

Start with OoOTie's Do the Polka Bow Tie.

Look # 1:

• OoOTie's Do the Polka Bow Tie.
• American Eagle khaki pants.
• Brown Lucky Brand belt.
  
• Kicks--Nike SB Zoom Janoski.
• Light gray button-up American Rag cardigan.
  
• Blue and white striped Calvin Klein collared shirt.

Look # 2:

• OoOTie's Do The Polka Bow Tie.
• Scally cap--?
• Brown Lucky Brand belt.
• Black Ray- Ban Wayfarer.
  
• True Religion dark denim jeans.
• Plaid gray Zara button-up vest.
• White Calvin Klein collared shirt.
  
• Brown Johnston & Murphy shoes.

Look # 3:

• OoOTie's Do the Polka Bow Tie.
• Gray Ralph Lauren sports jacket.
  
• Brown belt-- designer unknown.
• Gray plaid Calvin Klein dress pants.
• Brown Johnson & Murphy shoes.
• Brownish-gray tweed hat--designer unknown.
• Pink and white striped Ralph Lauren Polo collared shirt.

Look # 4:

• OoOTie's Do the Polka bow tie.
• Kicks--Nike Air Yeezy.
  
• Brown Lucky Brand belt.
• New Era Red Sox baseball hat.
• White Calvin Klein collared shirt.
• Slightly faded Lucky Brand jeans.
• Black Calvin Klein v-neck pullover sweater.

Look # 5:

• OoOTie's Do the Polka bow tie.
• Brown Lucky Brand belt.
• New Era Red Sox baseball hat.
• White Calvin Klein collared shirt.
• Lightly faded Lucky Brand jeans.
• Kicks--Nike SB Pee-wee ("how appropriate").
• Red and black Charles and 1/2 leather jacket.
  
• BDG (Urban Outfitters brand) sleeveless light gray zip-up hoodie.
  

Bow Tie Lover in the Flesh!

Meet OoOTie's featured bow tie model Eric, or a.k.a DJ Mickey Robin Hood! A Boston native and double major in business and economics. Sneakerhead, beer connoisseur, record scratching, aspiring Boston Marathon runner, and bow tie wearer, Eric brings both the tunes and the style to any party. Let the good times roll when you hang with this bow tie lover!

Describe your style?
" Hmm...that's a tough question. I wear what I like and I like what I wear. But I would also say I aspire to be modern-refined, with a tip of the hat to the past."



Why do you rock bow ties? What do you like about them?
" I think bow ties add a sense of personality that can't be conveyed with just any old hat and/or regular necktie.They really help create a sense of presence."


Do you have a favorite bow tie wearer? And why?
"Definitely Andre 3000. I'll be the first to admit that it's not always easy to pull together a look with a bow tie, but Andre just does it flawlessly every time."


When do you think it's appropriate to wear a bow tie?
"Anytime is a good time to wear a bow tie! I think one of the easiest ways to make it a part of both your formal and street wear is with a white collared shirt. It's like having a blank canvas, you can add as much or as little color from that point on, with the help of jackets, sweaters, and/or even bow ties.

Bow ties are also excellent pieces to add to your look for when you're in a situation where you want to make yourself known.You don't really have to worry about coming up with some lame icebreaker, you can just sit back and let the bow tie do all the heavy work for you. People DEFINITELY notice you more when you wear one."


Are bow ties the centerpiece to a look or are they more like the icing?
"I tend to think of them like a really nice watch or pair of sneakers, if you pull it off right, it can be both subtle and apparent at the same time."


What would you say to people who were hesitant about wearing a bow tie?
"Some people may say that bow ties 'aren't really manly,' or that they harken back to bad childhood memories of Pee-wee Herman...ugh. But in all seriousness, is there anything in a man's wardrobe that can be so bold or outspoken other than a bow tie? A bow tie is able to create a kind of attitude behind a look that says, 'I'm here, I'm refined, and I'm confident. Deal with it!' On a personal note, football is my favorite sport, my two favorite adult beverages are dark beer and whiskey neat with a drop of water, I've been an avid boxer for almost three years now, and in no way do I think that wearing a bow tie inhibits my masculinity. But on the other hand, I can understand some people's hesitation towards wearing them. It takes a lot of style confidence to be that guy at a bar, function, or party to wear a bow tie."

Who are your style icons?
"Andre 3000, Steve McQueen, Miles Davis, and Bob Dylan."

OoOTie Bow Tie Picks?

"Do the Polka obviously! But I also really like The Black Tie, The Gatsby, Lucky Star, and I don't remember the name, you carried it a while ago. You know though, the one with the old school bicycles all over it. It was so rad looking!"

*Looking for a DJ for your next shindig, soiree, reception, or party? Email Mickey Robinhood: MickeyRobinHood@gmail.com


**If you're a bow tie lover looking for your fifteen minutes (or more like seven or so days) of fame on OoOTie's blog as a bow tie model and/or interviewee, we'd love to get to know you! Feel free to email us to get in touch.

Wise Words From a Bow Tie Wearer:

"Investing should be more like watching paint dry or watching grass grow. If you want excitement, take $800 and go to Las Vegas."--- Paul Samuelson

Question of the Week: How inventive can you be with one bow tie?

Remember! Today OoOTie's black paisley bow tie is being sold at a bargain price of $10.00. Hey, that's less than lunch FTW!

Also, be sure to check out the Urbane Gentleman's shout out to OoOTie in the bow tie section!

Talk to you all soon, keep it classy;)

How to tie a Bow-Tie in 21 Seconds

Ever Wonder how fast one can tie a bow-tie? Twenty-One Seconds and it's ready to rock!

OoOTie Keeps you looking sharp!