BTB April News Round Up

Whilst February was full of glamour and March full of entrepreneurship, April seemed to be a month of inspirational charity and good will, possibly influenced by beginning with Easter. We personally began with showing both class and charity by accepting an apology.

But first, April Fool's Day....

Yeah, there wasn't much involving bow ties except John Legend singing at his dogs' wedding, one of which wore a bow tie. It was to promote his charity The Show Me Campaign. 

Puddy and Pippa tie the knot as owner John Legend sings 'All of Me'

Then, there was the website  AprilFool.Com and the ever-present novelty Jumbo Mardi Gras Glitz ‘N Gleam or Giant Green Bow Ties amongst others. This is a GOOD thing. Cold is the spinal shiver at the thought of spinning bow ties past., best illustrated by the late great Mike Reid during his time on 'Enders..

 

 

Our classy nature was secured after the BTB March Round Up, when we couldn't contain our horror at Guardian blogger Sam Diss dissing our beloved neckwear as ... 'over'. We blogged it. We tweeted it. And.... he apologised:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This didn't assuage the frustration of the NY Times' Nick Bilton, who felt completely helpless in finding a comprehensive video 'how-to' guide (Really? A journalist couldn't find a good guide anywhere on Youtube???

 

Please, save your sympathy for someone who doesn't leave one hour to dress for the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, knowing a) he had to wear a bow tie and b) he didn't know how to tie one! This is actually a hilarious account of perception over reality, especially for those fashion or formal-only subscribers. It's well worth a read. But, whilst our eyes didn't bleed as with Sam Diss's diss, they certainly smarted loads at Bilton's closing sentence, especially in light of our international alert below. Heresy - pure and simple!

 

We then had a not-so-classy revisit to one of our end of March stories from a slightly less cool angle. We brought you the story of Tasty Ties' innovative collaboration with fellow San Franciscan outlet and top bar destination Trick Dog. But a few days later, they had made the news again with a separate launch of the San Francisco Collection - a tie inspired by each of the city's neighbourhoods. Cute, right?

Well, the black velvet Fillmore features a saxophone tie tack inspired by the wealth of jazz clubs in that area, the Marina is pink-striped: Errrmmm, ok, the Marina District is most famous for housing the Palace of the Arts... Oh, and the Marina.

But, then there is the blue denim Hunters Point, which has... a pistol tie tack!

Tasty Ties explained, "The Hunters Point bow tie is made with denim and a custom pistol removable tie tack to represent the amazing strides this community has made to fight violence and squash the negative stereotypes that label this thriving neighborhood..." Criticisms were made not only, and very obviously, of the choice of a gun in these times of increasingly tragic gun crime, but also of the fashion choice of denim. Alternative choices could have included construction, or even a football stadium - once considered as a home for the San Francisco 49ers, and both of which are features of a massive redevelopment programme still in progress... we're just sayin'...  

 

Approaching mid-April, news of the approaching May Kentucky Derby seemed to be everywhere and inspired the first of the month's charitable eneterprises.

These Derby-inspired bow tie cookies were widely publicised to be sold from The Sugar Mamas Bakeshop as part of the Fashion Post’s annual “Cookies and Bow Ties” event. The colourful bow tie-shaped cookies are decorated in the spirit of the prestigious Louisville horse race held on the first Saturday in May. It is the climax of the two-week KD Festival. Each cookie sale ensured a donation to Hope Scarves- a Louisville-based non-profit organisation who share scarves, stories and hope with women facing cancer.

Then, there seemed to be an outbreak of bow tie-promotion in Knotty men: Bow tie popularity evident in South Jersey, as Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian spoke of his 30+ collection, and made a how-to-tie... video!!! Plus, Oakcrest High School-based Friday is Tie Day student group discussed their business venture - all around ties and accessories, with a mobile haberdashery. Members sell their necktie wares at various events to raise money for their group, which also promotes youth-development and college-readiness programs.

Mayor Don Guardian, Atlantic City

BowTie Cause (@bowtiecause) have long collaborated with Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal who has been wearing bow ties for selected charities every Saturday on the Major League Baseball Game of the Week. April spotlighted sufferers of mitochondrial disease and the Bow Tie Cause's MitoACTION campaign (@MitoAction). During coverage of the Boston Red Sox vs Baltimore Orioles game (April 18th) Rosenthal wore the handmade adjustable100% printed silk self tie BT, "We hope that when people wear our bow tie, it will generate questions and lead to spreading awareness about mitochondrial disease."

The printed silk MitoACTION BT

This is especially touching, since Rosenthal was not previously a bow tie fan! Follow the links to purchase a bow tie.

Even though bow ties have been grabbing fashion news headlines for awhile now, we discovered that had extended into health science headlines! The physician's bow tie: fashion statement or practical measure? explored the modern legacy of the rich history of bow tie-wearing physicians the prestigious Massachusetts General Hospital and looked at doctors from other centres.The NHS launched its infection control-inspired 'Bare Below the Elbows' campaign which, for some, extended to neck wear, since some studies showed that neckties could spread bacteria and infection. Bow ties were hailed as more hygienic and some doctors chose simply to go open-necked (**shiver**). So, April saw Elana Gordon speak to three doctors from various medical specialties who' have opted to wear bow ties, to find out more - fashion statement or practical choice.

"It's much more difficult for a baby to pee on your tie if it's a bow tie," said Dr Levine, paediatrician. "... the bow tie essentially doesn't get in the way," said Dr. Kaplan a general internist. "It's a thing," said Dr. Mostashari, the former US health IT czar. "I like the way they look. They're enigmatic. There's no scientific reason," said Dr. Rubin, an infectious disease specialist

Russell Smith, author of the book Men's Style: The Thinking Man's Guide to Dress, says, "... bow ties have since become associated with a connection to the past and to certain professions, whether that be medicine or even journalism, that have traditionally required going to an elite university... They've become part of the hipster uniform now..."

Each described how the bow tie has come to represent part of themselves. Dr. Mostashari, whose bow tie has its own twitter account, went on, "Partly for me, it's the feeling of being a little bit of a misfit... You don't quite fit in the world. In a positive way. It's a fun little expression of that." We like it!

 

 

We found ourselves beginning to think that the entire American South might just be a Bow Tie Mecca, as we discovered yet another BT entrepreneur from thereabouts. Only there could an outdoorsy property developer (Ben Ross) and a mortgage broker (Jeff Plotner), both of Charleston, South Carolina, come up with a totally unique bow tie retail company. Ross hunts with a bow, using self-feathered arrows. He made each of his groomsmen bowties from layered turkey feathers and the duo have parlayed that highly personalised gift into Brackish, a flourishing business utilising six naturally moulting species (turkey, peacock, guinea, pheasant, quail and rooster), employing 30 artisans and supplying 100 retailers, who have even had Bill Murray wear one to the 2014 Oscar ceremony! In April, they were highlighted as part of the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Follow @brackishbowties

 Meanwhile, Ryan Goeke and Carl Rowits were introduced as the latest BT entrepreneurs whilst still attending Penn State University as Beta Theta Pi Frat boys. They launched their own clothing company, HomanBriar, in 2013, selling shirts and flags, but specialising in bow ties. Now, I hope you're sitting down, because the idea came after Rowits was mercilessly teased for wearing.... a green CLIP-ON... to an actual event! His mum felt so sorry for him, she bought him one for Christmas, and that opened his eyes to how expensive they are. Real ones, that is. Obvs!

Mum went to work at the sewing machine, then the boys took up the challenge, producing The Christopher - a tribute to Goeke's army ranger cousin who will never return from Afghanistan - as their first commercial product. It is still a best-seller to date, and profits from its sale are donated to his leadership foundation. The family theme continued, since two early lines were The MacKenzie and The Evelyn - ex-girlfriends- and the company name was eventually derived from where each grew up. Follow @HomanBriarCo.

 



Photo credit: John Obermeyer / Purdue Entomology

TT wearing the swallowtail 



As the month began to wane, Purdue University, Indiana, promoted neckwear in general with a short profile on BT fan Tom Turpin, a professor of entomology. "A colleague of mine once described a necktie as an elongated piece of fabric worn around the neck for no apparent reason. I'm sure some of our more fashionable friends might disagree. After all, even with questionable functionality the necktie is certainly a fashion statement." Hear, hear.

He certainly has his own opinion now, because he now admits to owning six  bow ties, in the butterfly style, of course, two of which look like actual butterflies - a monarch and a swallowtail. One is adorned with crickets and the other with beetles. It's not clear whether his preference for this particular style was as a result of his lifelong study of insects, or the other way around! 

Last month, we alerted you that Australia was waking up to the class that is the bow tie, and that an Arabs Got Talent (promise!) judge hit the headlines with a very special BT. This followed on from our February international alert concerning the religious controversy that Nigeria's presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari had stirred up by being pictured in a bowtie during his campaign. Well, he won the end of March election. So, we weren't too surprised to find a Bow Tie 101 by Nkarenyi Ukonu for the Daily Times Nigeria with the kind of words that soothe us and make us purr with contentment."A man who wears a bow tie exudes class and sophistication. He is not afraid to occasionally step outside his comfort zone and be daring. The bow tie has the capacity to transform your outfit from unimaginative to quirky and confident." Bless 'em, they even have some words of wisdom for those who insist on trying to get away with a clip on... "They are recommended for young children or infants, as these will look too juvenile on adults." Amen!

A giant bow tie was mounted on Main Street in Torrington, Connecticut, as a tribute to the late Dr. Isadore Temkin, a dentist who was as famous for his bow ties as he was for being a local businessman, arts supporter and community advocate. RIP, doc.

Note the adaptation for girls...

Now then, are you a role playing gamer? Do you also like to wear bow ties? Well, Loot Crate, a monthly service which provides discounted geek-friendly themed merchandise, discovered the ultimate gamer's bow tie. Now what, you might ask yourself, makes a BT qualify as a Gamer's BT??

1) It is red

2) It features a 20-sided die (a d20, essential to play Dungeons and Dragons)

3) It features a dragon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apparently.

 

So, how cool is the name Forget-me Knots? Another South Carolina native is acquiring big custom bow tie business - the latest re-purposed fashion accessory generated from her ingenious use of old neckties. From jewellery through scarves to bowties (and including a Christmas tree skirt), this is the ultimate expression of Abigail Smith's lifelong love of sewing and quilting and the sentimentality of taking something that once belonged to a beloved family member and being able to wear it yourself.

 

We finally found some bow tie news closer to home, when we discovered FyreFlyBowTye creator Garron Clarke, covered by the Kilkenny People (as a Kilkenny native), but open for business in Dublin. We've brought you bow tie visual art before. You've heard of paper bow ties. But , as a lifelong BT lover, Clarke's designs are painted papier mache crafted around a wire skeleton. He takes inspiration from nature, not least in each piece being totally unique, and requiring around 5-6 hours of work. He has combined his sartorial love with an ethical outlet for an issue close to his heart - being gay and still being afraid. "For me bowties symbolise wings, which in turn symbolise freedom," he said. Follow @FyreFlyBowtye

Then, the month ended with one man coming to the BT aid of another at the World SnookerChampionship semi-final. Mid-frame, whilst trailing 6-2 to Shaun Murphy, Barry Hawkins' bow tie fell off. Dutch referee Jan Verhaas heroically rescued the situation, still wearing his gloves, no less. Unfortunately, Hawkins' BT karma had been disturbed and he went on to concede the match.

 

So, that was April! As interesting as ever, and just a tad later than usual.

Fear not BTB faithful, we will get the May Round up out on time and make an extra special effort to bring you a few more Brit tidbits.

 

April Update

 

The Bow Tie Book, Hardcover – April 7, 2015 by James Gulliver Hancock, illustrator.

The perfect adornment for the bookshelves of today’s modern gentleman, The Bow Tie Book is the first illustrated book devoted to the classic menswear accessory. "If you have a swagger, a bow tie can be a badge of courage…The bow is not for the timid of heart…but a beautifully asymmetrical, slightly tousled bow is a perfect look for a romantic nonconformist man of style." — GQ style writer Glenn O’Brien.