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;)