Bow Ties - History and Future

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Bow ties - everyone knows about them, but who is actually still wearing them? Well, you might be quite surprised, as bow neck ties are slowly regaining some of their lost fame. Even some celebrities are starting to wear the nowadays and who knows - perhaps it is going to get the edge over standard neck ties in the future. But what are bow men's ties really all about? In this article, we will be trying to answer that tricky question.

The very first bow neck ties probably came from Eastern Europe and it seems that they have soon spread across the Europe. As was the case with many other articles of fashion, France was the country in which bow neckties received most attention. Apparently, it was very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is not really clear whether it came before or after neckties, but both types of neckwear probably came from the same origin.

Since bow men's ties were primarily adopted by upper classes, there have always been some stereotypes associated with bow ties. First of all, bow neckwear was one of the hallmarks of aristocracy and politicians. However, they have soon found their way into other professions. It is probably fair to say that most of them were associated with high status, although bow men's ties have also often been worn by waiters. Back in those days, wearing bow ties was a symbol of elegance and it was basically a matter of duty and commitment - the social rules were certainly much stricter in that era.

Modern times have not really adopted bow ties as the main accessory for the conventional men's attire and standard neck ties have definitely enjoyed more popularity in the Western civilization. However, it remained to be a staple in some societies, despite the fact that it is still being associated with conservative opinions and intellectualism. Only recently have bow neck ties started to gain more popularity and they can now be often seen even in less formal events and parties. Endorsement by celebrities is also pushing its status upwards and we might easily get to see a resurgence of bow ties in the future. It needs to be noted that bow neckties have some advantages over neck ties. They can be much more practical in many situations, as they can't really get in the way as ties sometimes can. Furthermore, they may feel a bit more comfortable than standard neckties for at least some wearers. 

As you can see, this little piece of bow men's neckwear has a fair bit of history behind it and, although it has not enjoyed a lot of good press in the modern age so far, it seems like it is going to be a part of modern fashion in near future. The usual stereotypes, which have been associating bow ties with attributes like social conservatism and aristocratic ideals, are slowly fading away and it is being embraced even by parts of the hip culture. Be prepared for a big comeback!