SELF-TIE BOW TIES

Freestyle bow ties are appealing to the fashion connoisseurs among us, with that air of old-school charm about them. You'd never catch James Bond wearing a clip-on bow tie now, would you? It's certainly easier to tie a regular necktie than a freestyle bow tie. The illustrations here show the 9 steps required to accomplish the feat. After a little practice, you should have no problem tying your own self-tie bow tie.

Bow ties can replace neckties on any occasion

Thanks to their compact size, bow ties can be quite extravagant in solid colors, stripes and polka dot patterns.

As with neckties, bow ties should match your suit

The rule of thumb for a bow tie's size is that it should be wider that the distance between the outer corners of your eyes but no wider than the width of your head

Bow ties have a very long history. How's that for a conversation starter?