Bow tie for Prom(and after)

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I'm an avid bowtie wearer with a kilt. I have quite a collection built up from over the years. I've noticed this year bowties are fashionable and can be obtain at even department stores. Check around.

They are on sale at Belk's for $17.95 as we speak!

[Downunder Kilt]

Call me excessively traditional, but I'd only wear a white Marcella tie with a wing collar - for everything else, a lay-down collar is the order of the day.

Also, I would wear a plain black bow tie to a "formal" evening event, simply because that's the tradition for "black tie" events.

Coloured and patterned bow ties should be worn, in my opinion, in any circumstance in which one might also wear a four-in-hand tie.

I would also think twice before wearing the tie of a military unit, school, or organization of which I wasn't a member - you never know when somebody will recognize it, and I would hate to cause offense over something so simple as the stripes on my tie.

Just my two cents.

+ 1

[Irish Jack O'Brian]

Let's see...you are going to the Prom as a Faculty Sponsor for the Junior Class and you want to make it special...yeah, Dude, pull out the stops! Go with maclowlife's advice: Make it Fun! Don't even think of it as black tie...think of it as Vaudeville!

Wear the Isle of Skye, with the vest and wing collar, and get a great bow tie. The Ben Silver is a great tie, but at $82, it's an investment. Beau Ties of Vermont have ties in butterfly size They are better than clown ties and actually very elegant. If you want to get several ties for the various events you've mentioned, you might try Amazon for cheaper bow ties.

I understand the desire of the traditionalists to wear ONLY the prescribed uniform for evening dress, but in this instance, I say Make the Juniors Proud!!

["Mr. McNulty! You de Bomb!"]

[Jack Daw]

Not every evening event is black tie.

[Cygnus]

Not every evening event is black tie.

This is true - and for evening events that are not black tie, a four-in-hand tie or coloured bow tie would be appropriate.

[beloitpiper]

I think a bow tie is a great idea (it has the whole "untied-hanging-from-the-neck-after-hours" thing going for it), but wearing a regimental, club, or school tie that you are not affiliated to is a bit uncouth.

[Coinneach]

Rock the bow tie!

My favorite source is http://www.oootie.com out of Boston!

They can be a bit on the contemporary side...as much as bow ties can be.

[Lyle1]

"Black Tie" does not mean what it used to mean, at least in the U.S. Solid color ties and pattered ties in various colors are commonly worn, with or without matching vests or cummerbunds. The black paisley tie is very nice; the regimental tie is very nice, too, but I don't think I would wear a striped tie to a "black tie" affair. However, don't let my personal taste stop you; wear the regimental tie if you want too, and you will look very nice.

I would draw the line at the clown look; if you feel a need to make fun of the event, stay home!

[McNulty]

Well the regimental ties are out. Mainly from the standpoint that they only go up to a 19" neck and I'm a 21". So I'm still lookin. The Bow tie club and Beau ties place are running neck in neck (pun intended).
McNulty

[MacMillans son]

McNulty,

I recently bought a couple of really nice traditional silk striped ties from these folks.

http://www.thetiebar.com/categoryPages/BowTies.asp

They appear to have a really large number of Bow Ties as well.

Check "em out!