Bow Tie Impressions: The Diamond Point Style

The Marlon Gobel Crystal got us thinking about the BowTieBanditz ethos of bow shape hinting at unspoken personal statements. So we're just gonna go ahead and open up this discussion around the unspoken, sometimes softly whispered, language of this gorgeous style.

Some of us BowTieBanditz love the DP Diamond Point bow tie style.

Characterised by the basic shape of the slim-line with added pointy wing-tips, the width of the bow tie generally doesn't extend beyond the outer edges of the collar. Note, though, that the main part of the bow (excluding the points) should still remain within the boundaries of your face to strike a balance.

The DP has been around for years – one of the earliest examples was donned by President Abraham Lincoln himself over 150 years ago.


James Bond, full

President Lincoln, slightly wilted

But, having historically lagged the bat wing and the butterfly in popularity, it has recently enjoyed a resurgence of attention along with the general profile of the bow tie accessory itself.



A coincidence with James Bond becoming a convert to the slightly broader butterfly-based version during Casino Royale (2006)?

Who can say..?

Standing at around 2¼ inches tall, but available in a slimmer (4cm) width, the DP is incredibly versatile. At the last count, it can be tied 5 different ways and, depending on the originating pattern from which it was cut, they will each tie and sit a little differently. The skinny batwing (4cm) is a great basic shape, and the narrower contour seems to have taken on the more contemporary persona. But, mid-batwing and scalloped butterfly bases also work really well. Wide bat and butterfly wing-derived DPs don’t quite work as well and, whether known or unknown to the designer, are more difficult to get right in this style. 

 

Men: Putting it Out There 

Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) from 'Suits' ALWAYS gets it right!



From a man's perspective, the DP has been variously described as a “trustworthy choice,” “a more retro look,” giving “additional pizzazz” which, “adds even more personality” and is simply, “the bow tie you can wear to just about any occasion and feel like a million bucks."
Those who wear bow ties every day will almost certainly wear the self-tied. It has also been said that if you want to recreate vintage styling in the ways of men, you must learn the art for yourself. It has been also been said that preferring the pre-tied means that you don't care to learn. But, at BTB, we feel these judgments to be overly harsh.
Sometimes, it's just about choosing the low-stress option!

The pre-tied diamond point is... balance

It has to be said that for those new to the BT Brotherhood, for occasional or Occasion wearers, or for those who need to get out of the house in a hurry, it might be the better option.

The pre-tied diamond point definitely has one thing going for it that the self-tie does not - balance. It implies 'business', in the way that Harvey Specter means business.

A man might desire the diamond-inspired angular shape, but, he might not feel comfortable with the self-tied asymmetry i.e. the forward wings might seem unbalanced by the opposing blunted and pointed ends against the reverse behind.

Traditionally, the bow tie has been associated with geeks and 'thinkers'. Nowadays, that may extend to people who required order in their lives. 
The comfort that may be taken in the more geometrically perfect self-tied DP should not be underestimated. Repetitive touching of an accessory is a common human trait at times of heightened stress and, for men, that can mean the bow tie.

That said, isn't one of the rules of modern fashion 'there are no rules in fashion''? Isn't that a strong underlying reason for the resurgence of the bow tie itself? And what does 'personal style' mean if it isn't personal to you?

Women: "Call and Response"

The woman's perspective is so very, very different! 

“People respond to how we’re dressed, so like it or not this is what you have to do [dress well].”
Harvey Specter, "Suits" 

Women may sub-consciously prefer the alternative. Far from the precision of the pre-tied, the self-tied emphasises a more natural form. In this context, its slight asymmetry, enhanced by the modern cut is peculiarly... masculine. When constructed with contrasting patterns or colours, the DP implies the exciting paradox of ‘business’ or ‘party’. The versatility of a self-tied DP means that the amount of pattern or bright colour vs block or dark colour on display can speak volumes. Depending on the woman, either can be the most intriguing in her response.  

Andre 3000

She might be sub-consciously thinking of the Diamond Point as… seduction. 

What else are the diamond tips for, if not as an enticement? The invitation is implied - that, "This tie may be loosened at will, for the right inducement," and at whatever speed the mood dictates! It most readily conjures up the vision of hanging loosely at the end of the night, signifying that the walls of polite social etiquette have come tumbling down.

DP, right
 

Rimoldi's pin up vs the DP cut

This is not to be confused with the "... brutally classless look..." described by Trunk Club sales VP Michael Barkin, when a man "... unties his bow tie during an event and wears it hanging from his neck... Just take it off!"
It is the style which, with its organic curves and precision points, are reminiscent of a 1940s Betty Grable forties pin up (right).

The choice of different Diamond Point widths allows any man to dress himself up in temptation for a night. Or during the day, come to think of it! However,



Taye Diggs, daytime-ready

The subliminal message works for men of all builds, too!We know that men with a longer, narrower neck should opt for the skinny width, and need to be careful if tempted towards the Jumbo or Southern Colonel styles. Likewise, men with a shorter, wider neck should opt for the broader width and think twice if reaching for the slim line style.
Then, of course, someone like Le Noeud Papillon comes along, who creates the Double Diamond Point:

The equivalent of the Jumbo Butterfly, Le Noeud Papillon  states, "it's hard to say whether it has a genre or whether it has a unique character of it's own which belongs to the year 2014." [LINK]


So, I suppose what we're saying is that the Diamond Point style, as the most versatile, probably matches the more complex man - especially if he is willing to mix and match the pre- and self-tied options during the day or evening. This is what makes the DP one of the more alluring and interesting styles.

 

We shall leave you with this last thought – that the Marlon Gobel Crystal could not have been any other shape and be so perfectly captivating.

It had to be a Diamond Point!

 

Quote: “Classic evolves but doesn’t age. Classic isn’t a style, yet classic is never out of style." - Mr. B's [http://bartlettstudio.com/projects/diamond-point-bow-tie/]

The Series will continue with: the Bat wing, the Butterfly wing, the Jumbo, the Club Round and the Southern Colonel.