After re-reading some of the old Gentlemanual posts, I've realized that
Universal Skills #2: Tying One On got a few things wrong. Well, in particular, it got one thing wrong: bow ties. To paraphrase what I wrote there, I basically poo-poo'ed the idea of wearing a bow tie outside of a tux as treading far too close to dangerous levels of geekdom. Well, I have to say, it seems as if our ol' pal the bow tie has made quite a bit of a comeback, appearing not only in geeky circles, but also the world of high fashion. What I think is the most interesting about the bow tie revolution is that, while the bow tie seeks to shrug off its previous "geek attire" connotations, it is precisely through its association with a geek icon that it has become popular again.
Bow Ties Are Cool
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| Matt Smith & Bow Tie |
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I'll just come right out and say it. The current bow tie revolution is Matt Smith's fault. As the Doctor, Matt Smith has revitalized the bow tie to a degree we never thought possible. While he didn't invent the bow tie, he (or really, his wardrobe folks) put the bow tie back into the public's face. Here he is, the face of discerning geekery around the world since 2010, and he's wearing a bow tie.
Okay, you get that. You get the "Matt Smith is doing it so it's cool" idea. But since Matt Smith donned his bow tie (I will NOT mention the fez... other than just now when I said I wouldn't mention it), not only have we been shown a bow tie worn in a manner that suggests that it could be done well and tastefully outside of a tux, but that has many people looking for new ensembles that can capitalize on the new interest in bow ties. And naturally, those geeks who first recognized that Matt Smith was right and that "bow ties are cool" have the best line on what other cool looks might involve the bow tie. Let's check in with a few other Doctors to see just how mod the bow tie can be.
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| Jon Pertwee, Elizabeth Sladen & Bow Tie |
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What's this here? Why yes, it seems to be the dapper Mr. Jon Pertwee (who played the Third Doctor in the late 60's and early 70's). While it's not terribly visible in this picture, Mr. Pertwee's Doctor sported a green (or sometimes burgundy) crushed velvet blazer with a frilly undershirt; the Third Doctor was an English Dandy of the sort that inspired the early modernists (mods), even years after the mod movement had become entrenched in British culture. So, as we look back through decades and decades of Doctors, we find a fantastic example of a well-worn bow tie. Think that the English Dandy look is confined to the 60's and has no relevance to today's world of high fashion? To quote Samuel Johnson to Bishop Berkely, "Thus I refute thee!"
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| Refuted by John Ford before Matt Smith ever showed up |
Look at that dapper fellow there in his John Ford suit that came out in 2009. Yes, one whole year before Matt Smith's Doctor ever hit the BBC. While the suit isn't a Jon Pertwee-pleasing crushed velvet, the bow tie certainly is. Part English Dandy, part mod styling, this bow tie/suit ensemble definitely demonstrates that there is a place in modern high fashion for both the bow tie and modernist/Dandy leanings. And makes me feel like a runway announcer when I get to write things like that last sentence. So, if this bow tie trend predates Mr. Smith's influence as the Doctor, where did Mr. Smith actually draw his influence from? You really don't think I'd ask a question like that if I didn't have an answer, do you?
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| Patrick Troughton & Bow Tie |
Look at Mr. Patrick Troughton (the Second Doctor) here and tell me that Mr. Smith's wardrobe people weren't inspired by this whacky guy? Tousled, eternally-messed-up hair? Check. Sometimes insightful, usually whimsical, always foolish demeanor? Check. Crazy patterns on clothing? Check. BOW TIE? Check. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Matt Smith's Doctor owes more to Patrick Troughton's Doctor than to any other. Now, if I could only find a pair of those pants, perhaps one that doesn't ride nearly so high...
But really, what does this all mean for our old friend the bow tie? Well, a few things. First off, every time that the Doctor successfully pulls off a bow tie, -- or anyone else for that matter -- you'll notice that it's nearly always paired with a jacket that features prominent lapels. Since the bow tie takes up little vertical space, it seems to draw attention to the small amount of space that it fills, and thus is framed well by noticeable lapels. The tie also is well-served by having this "frame space" be relatively small, so a high-buttoned blazer seems to be a must as well. All of that having been said, Mr. Smith's Doctor flouts both of those generalizations. So, I suppose I should say, the jury is still out.
Final Word
Yes, bow ties are cool. Yes, you can wear them again. It's okay. Go do it. The only major advice I can give you is to wear that bow tie
well. Make sure it goes well with the blazer you're wearing (and if you're not wearing a blazer or suit coat, no bow tie) and if it's not framed well by your blazer's lapels and high buttons (or a vest; a vest could frame that bow tie space nicely), have a damned good reason for it, such as Matt Smith's use of relatively neutral patterns (and no white shirts!) against which a colorful bow tie can be set off quite nicely.
I realize now (four years later) that my original condemnation of the bow tie was misguided. Okay, maybe I didn't condemn it, but I sure as hell did warn you off of it. Anyway, today, in 2011, I can emphatically say "yes" to the bow tie.
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