The Art Of The Bow Tie

The Croatian Cravat and the Birth of the Bow

The bow tie's lineage begins not in a tailor's atelier but on the battlefields of 17th-century Europe. During the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), Croatian mercenaries in the service of the French crown wore knotted scarves around their necks to hold together the openings of their shirts. These "cravats", derived from the French cravate, a corruption of 'Croate' (Croat), caught the eye of the fashion-conscious Louis XIV. By the 1660s, the Sun King's court had transformed the utilitarian scarf into a lavish status symbol, often made of fine linen or lace and tied in elaborate bows.

This early cravat was not yet the compact bow tie we recognize today but a long, flowing strip of fabric that could be knotted in various ways. The transition from scarf to bow occurred gradually. By the late 17th century, French aristocrats experimented with smaller, more structured knots, including the noeud papillon (butterfly knot), a direct precursor to the modern bow tie. The term "bow tie" itself entered English usage in the 18th century,

The 19th Century: Industrialisation and Democratisation

The bow tie as a distinct garment crystallised in the 19th century, propelled by the Industrial Revolution's twin forces of mass production and social upheaval. The rise of the middle class demanded affordable yet respectable attire, and ready-made bow ties, initially in white for evening wear, black for day, became staples of the haberdashery trade.

The Regency Dandy and the Black Stock

During the Regency era (1811–1820), Beau Brummell elevated the cravat to an art form, favouring starched white linen tied in crisp, symmetrical bows. His influence persisted into the Victorian period, where the "black stock" - a pre-tied bow of silk or satin - emerged as a sombre alternative for daytime formality. This was the era of the batwing bow, narrow and elongated, resembling the wings of a bat in flight. Popular in the 1830s–1850s, it suited the era's slim, tubular silhouettes.

The White Tie Era and the Piqué Bib

By the 1860s, white tie, the most formal dress code, codified the bow tie's role in evening wear. The piqué bow, made of cotton marcella (the same fabric as waistcoat fronts), became de rigueur. Its textured surface caught the light, complementing the starched shirtfront. This period also saw the butterfly shape (also called thistle) gain prominence: wider at the ends, tapering to a narrow centre, it mimicked the natural spread of butterfly wings and became the default for black tie when it emerged in the 1880s.

The 20th Century: From Tuxedo to Counterculture

The bow tie's golden age arrived with the tuxedo. In 1886, Griswold Lorillard wore a tailless dinner jacket to a ball in Tuxedo Park, New York, paired with a black bow tie. The "tuxedo" was born, and with it, the black silk bow tie became the universal emblem of semi-formal evening wear.

The 1920s saw bow ties swell to cartoonish proportions, reflecting the era's exuberance. Fred Astaire's giant butterfly bows in white piqué became icons of Art Deco glamour. Concurrently, the diamond point bow emerged: pointed ends instead of flat, offering a sharper, more architectural silhouette. This shape peaked in the 1930s, favoured by the Duke of Windsor.

Post-War Rebellion: Architects and Academics

The bow tie's association with nonconformity solidified in the mid-20th century. Architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and academics like Noam Chomsky adopted it as a badge of intellectual independence. The club bow - rounded ends, often in regimental stripes - became a preppy staple at Ivy League campuses. 

Shapes and Styles: A Typology Through Time

The bow tie's silhouette has evolved in tandem with lapel widths and cultural moods. Here are the primary shapes, mapped to their historical peaks:

1. Batwing (1830s–1880s) Narrow, straight-ended; precursor to modern slim ties. Favoured the narrow lapels of early Victorian suits.

2. Butterfly/Thistle (1880s–present) The classic: 2–2.75 inches high, wider ends. Standard for black tie since the 1890s. Sub-variants include:

• Semi-butterfly: Slightly narrower centre.

• Big butterfly: 3+ inches, 1920s excess.

3. Diamond Point (1930s–1960s) Pointed ends create a dynamic, arrow-like shape. Peaked in the 1950s with narrow lapels.

4. Club/Rounded (1950s–present) Soft, rounded ends; collegiate and quirky. Often in patterns (polka dots, paisley).

5. Slim/Blade (2010s–present) Under 2 inches high; echoes 1960s mod style. Pairs with slim suits.

The Bow Tie in Black Tie Today

Black tie etiquette remains relatively rigid to this day, especially when in the context of traditional black tie where the bow must be black, self-tied (ideally), and match the lapels (satin for satin lapels, grosgrain for grosgrain). The butterfly shape in 2.5-inch height is canonical but one may play around with widths according to one's face shape or preference of lapels. For example, it would be churlish to opt for a dinner jacket with broad Neapolitan-style peak lapels to then furnish the look with a narrow skinny bow tie and render the proportions cartoonish. Similarly, if you are the owner of a small face, a voluminous butterfly bow tie will only draw attention to your diminutive facial vectors. 

The colourful bow tie, or the bow tie that casts itself from the environs of formalwear and into the arms of everyday tailoring, is today a very rare fish, as are the eccentrics who make them their style signifier. You'll find them about the necks of the odd Wall Street veteran or country squire. To think that bow ties will circle back into mainstream use is delusional, we admit, so if you have a propensity for colourful designs, we recommend you find ways to incorporate them into eveningwear ensembles.