A bow tie is a perfect accessory for formal occasions. It’s also an excellent way to show off your personality without overdoing it! But there are some dos and don’ts when wearing a bow tie. One of these important tips is about how to wear a bow tie without a jacket.
If you’re only wearing a bow tie and no jacket, your look should still be considered formal. You can wear a traditional black bow tie with almost any shirt and pants color, but there are some things to keep in mind when styling without a jacket.
It should go without saying that you’ll want to wear high-quality clothes for such an occasion! If the bow tie is not tailored or too big/small, it should be removed from this equation.
Know the basics of how to tie a bow tie:
There are two types of bow ties: pre-tied and self-tie. A pre-tied bowtie can be removed from its packaging and worn immediately, but it’s not adjustable, so you’ll likely want to purchase one that matches your neck size.
Self-ties are adjustable. They can also be tied in countless ways making it easier to get a perfect fit every time. Here is an easy way how to tie a bow tie.
Wear a dress shirt and pants with no jacket:
In terms of color, most bow ties are traditionally black. This is an ideal starting point for your look, but you can wear any color that matches a shirt or fits your personality! You might consider a dark green bow tie with an orange shirt to show off your creative flair. Blue and red also make great combinations since neither color is too bold on its own. You can even add in some patterns or shapes if they fit in with the rest of the outfit. Just be sure not to pick something so busy that it overpowers the rest of your clothes!
Avoid wearing white when wearing a bow tie without a jacket, and White shirts have been considered.
Tuck in your shirt and wear an undershirt for extra comfort: One of the first things you’ll notice when trying to tie a bow tie without a jacket is how uncomfortable it feels under your arms. This is due to the shirt being pulled tight against your body. You can avoid this by tucking in your shirt and wearing an undershirt instead! There’s no need for an undershirt if you’re going with a self-tie since it stays within the knot. A dress shirt with an exposed collar will work fine too, but keep in mind that most bowties are intended for exposed buttons so you might find yourself adjusting more than necessary.
If you don’t wear an undershirt or exposed dress shirt and decide on a self-tie bow tie: Consider using some sort of tape to keep the knot centered. A strip of white electrical tape should work fine, but be sure to use a subtle color so as not to draw too much attention. You don’t want to gawk at other passengers, and neither do they.
Wear It’s up to you whether you choose an exposed dress shirt or bow tie with a full collar, but consider where/how you’ll be traveling before making your decision. If your travel plans involve walking around town after leaving the airport, it may make more sense for you to go with something less formal such as an undershirt . Just make sure you won’t stick out like a sore thumb after getting off the plane.
Wear The bow tie around your neck:
It can be tempting to wear a bow tie around your neck for easier access. This is something that’s done with regular ties, so why not here? The problem is that it will likely leave the front of the bow tie rather wrinkled! When worn properly, there are no issues with wrinkling.
It may take some practice to get right, but the technique is simple. Simply run the tail through the knot at the center of your bow tie until both ends are even on your chest or back. You want it to rest low on your chest. Keeping it even makes it look like you know what you’re doing!
Remember that wearing a jacket makes all of this much simpler since you won’t have to worry about it. If you’re going the self-tie route, continue reading for a little more advice.
Match your bow tie, the biggest issue with wearing a jacket is that you’ll likely need to wear a matching tie. When taking off your jacket, make sure that you don’t accidentally remove it completely. A good way around this is to keep one button fastened when trying on clothes or grabbing something from an overhead bin. You can then release it before putting the coat on and fasten again when ready to leave. This will make sure everything stays in place and will be easier for others in case an emergency arises!
Self-tie bow ties can be adjusted to fit perfectly.
Be sure to keep the knot centered, not at an angle. The bowtie should hang straight down when worn appropriately around your neck. If it falls at an angle, you’ll want to re-adjust it so that it’s resting flat on your chest/back. This also means that self-ties are adjustable. You can simply undo the knot and pull each end tighter if needed. Pre-tied won’t have this capability since they’re intended for one-time use only. though there may be some exceptions.
Grab some safety pins or clips from your sewing kit and pin them under the shirt’s collar so that they’re hidden:
No, don’t use safety pins or clothespins! Something small and discreet is ideal for this purpose. It’s not a good idea to cross the fasteners over each other since they might pinch you when you sit down. If not that, then they’ll probably dig into your neck from the weight of whatever is around them.
A high-quality product will likely also last much longer than its low-cost counterparts: There’s no need to purchase an expensive brand new tie so that you can wear it with a self-tie bow tie. Try using an existing long tie and simply replacing the knot with one of your makings. This works best with knitted ties as they’re stretchier than silk ones and typically feature a looser weave.
