How to Wear A Bow Tie Neck Shirt?

Long ago, suits , shirts and bow ties were considered exclusive to men. People at that time would never have thought that now, they are also needed and welcomed by women. Also, many people believe that shirts are very formal clothing and therefore only wear them on formal occasions. To be honestly, this statement is not wrong of course. Shirts are truly more formal than other types of clothes to a large extent. However, we can make the shirt more vivid and pretty through some decorations to wear them in daily life. That is why bow tie neck shirts have appeared.

If you only wear shirts on formal occasions, I believe you will change after reading this article. With a beautiful and elegant bow tie neck shirt, you can attract others’ attention wherever you are.

The history of bow ties is longer than you can imagine. If you have visited the Terracotta Army in Shaanxi, China, the terracotta soldiers buried with Qin Shi Huang in his mausoleum, you would find that these soldiers all have short scarves tied around their necks like bows. Similarly, you can also find this kind of tie in oil paintings of the Roman army before the 2nd century BC. But at that time, the practical value of the ties far outweighed their aesthetic value. After all, when fighting, it is difficult for people to think about whether they are handsome or not. This kind of ties, or we say scarves were mostly used to keep warm and block sand.

Even during the Franco-Prussian War in the 17th century, mercenaries from Croatia wore such scarves outside their shirt collars to prevent their collars from opening. However, the French thought that this kind of scarves was very beautiful and incorporated it into clothing design. In the portraits of French kings in the 17th century, this kind of scarf also appeared around their necks, but on the kings' necks, these scarves became decorations. This is exactly the prototype of the bow tie.

Perhaps it is precisely because bow ties were originally popular among the upper class that they gradually evolved into a symbol of formal occasions. At the beginning of the 20th century, the bow tie became almost the most popular accessory for men. As opera became more popular, actresses began to wear attire that was once reserved for men, such as black suits, white shirts, and bow ties. Until today, this outfit is regarded as the most classic for formal occasions.

Today, not only men are keen on wearing bow ties over their shirts, but women are as well. Even school uniforms in many regions and countries include bow ties for girls. Gradually, the bow tie neck shirts have appeared. It refers to a shirt with a ribbon extending from each side of the shirt collar, and ladies only need to tie the ribbon at the collar. Now the main character of our passage have been revealed, let us move to the next section to discuss different types of bow tie neck shirts.

Actually, bow tie neck shirts are already a specific branch of female shirts, but they can be divided into several subbranches further. In this section, more detailed classifications of bow tie neck shirts will be introduced to you.

💕The first one is what we have mentioned in the section above. The two ribbons that extend from both sides of the collar of the shirt are so long that you can not wear the shirt without tying them. After tying these two ribbons into a bow tie, your shirt will undoubtedly become more beautiful and also have some playfulness. From a practical point of view, tying the two ribbons together will also prevent the shirt from unraveling.

💕The second one to be mentioned is bolo. It is like a lace tie, but the two straps are thinner and shorter than the one above. Almost no one will deliberately tie the two straps of the bolo. In addition, you can also tie a decorative buckle on the bolo. Bolo made of leather is also frequently seen.

💕From the perspective of colors, most of the bow ties are in the same or similar color with the shirt. For example, if the shirt is white, then there is an 80% chance that the bow tie is also white. But in some cases the bow tie can also be in the contrasting color to that of the shirt. Such as pairing a black bow tie with a white shirt.

Obviously, a bow tie can be considered a decorative item in its own, so a bow tie and a solid-colored shirt combination is a good match, but avoid pairing a bow tie with a clothes that already has rich colors and flashy patterns. Similarly, a bow tie neck shirt also does not need overly flashy accessories. The overall accessorizing principle of a bow tie neck shirt is simple and elegant.

Since bow ties are made of cloth, it is better to choose metal hair accessories, such as silver hairpins, and avoid headbands, which will cause the accumulation of the same element. It is also better not to be too exaggerated when choosing jewelry. Because the bow tie at your neckline is already very attractive, if you add extra-long and extra-large earrings and necklaces, your entire outfit will be dazzling.

You can wear your bow tie neck shirt to attend formal occasions of course. On these occasions, a pair of low heels or leather shoes are needed. But as the bow tie neck shirts are also pretty and nifty, you can also wear it one relatively casual occasions. A pair of slate shoes are also acceptable at this time.

In movies in the last century you can see actresses wearing a bow tie shirt together with a black suit and a top hat. But now this outfit seems to be out of place. In addition, people need to put off their hats on formal occasions. So in most cases, a hat is not necessary in the outfit of a bow tie neck shirt. But if you wear a bow tie neck shirt on a casual occasion in autumn and winter, you can pair it with a beret which is good at warm-keeping and is elegant.

On formal or business occasions, you need a bag that can enhance your elite temperament. A briefcase or tote bag is a good choice. For less formal occasions, a messenger is also acceptable. But a clutch, which we often pair with a dress, looks too delicate when paired with a bow tie neck shirt, while a backpack will make you look like a middle school student heading for class. Whether a belt is needed or not depends on the bottom you choose to pair with the bow tie neck shirt. It could be said that a belt makes you look more capable in the outfit combines a bow tie neck with a jeans or other types of pants. But if you choose a skirt to pair with a bow tie neck shirt, then the belt is unnecessary.

Whether on formal or informal occasions, worn inside a blazer or a coat, a bow tie neck shirt can be seen as a perfect inner wear. In addition, if it is not cold outside, you can also wear a bow tie neck shirt without any outerwear. We have several tips of the bow tie neck shirt outfits below for your reference.

A bow tie neck shirt + a pair of jeans
This outfit is ordinary but delicate, and is especially for daily commuting. This simple style makes you look neat and tidy, and also capable without too many patterns. On the other hand, the bow tie on the neck of the shirt is also eye-catching, showing your cuteness.

A bow tie neck shirt + a denim jacket + a sun dress
To break the stereotype that a shirt can only be worn on formal occasions, you can combine it with casual clothing such as a denim jacket and a sun dress. These three garments seem to have nothing to do with each other, but actually, their combination is surprisingly harmonious. You will be elegant, cool as well as sweet in this outfit.

A white bow tie neck shirt + a blazer + a pair of suit pants
This is probably an outfit that perfectly corresponds to the requirements for ladies on formal occasions. However, a bow tie makes your outfit both decent and unique. This outfit not only makes you look very professional but also intellectual.

A bow tie neck shirt + a plaid skirt
Maybe you have heard the popularity of JK uniforms these years. The so-called JK uniforms originating from Japan consist of a shirt, a plaid skirt as well as a bow tie. Nowadays, not only female students are attracted by this kind of uniform, but also ladies in their twenties or even thirties who have already graduated are fascinated. You can choose a bow tie neck shirt and a plaid skirt to create the similar campus style.