Dress up your holiday suit with an eloquently knotted bow tie.

The bow tie is an accessory that anyone can wear during the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/men/holiday-party-style-inspiration-for-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">holidays</a>. An indispensable detail for dress codes that require a tuxedo and a tailcoat, the "papillion," also known as a bow tie, is the French translation of the term "butterfly." According to Jean Genet, it was the slight imperfection of a hand-tied bow tie that decrees the true elegance, differentiating the stylish men from the "diligent" ones.

Brad Pitt

David Beckham and Prince Harry

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Joseph Gordon Levitt

Orlando Bloom

Pierce Brosnan

Pete Davidson

The bow tie is inspired by the bow worn during the Thirty Years' War of the Croatian mercenaries, who used it as a functional accessory to close the shirt without buttons. The French nobles fell in love with that accessory and called it a "cravate" which means "Croatian." It's unclear whether the cravate then evolved into the bow tie and later into the tie, or whether it was the tie that first gave rise to the bow tie. Over the years, it has distinguished the look of politicians like Winston Churchill, but fell into disuse during fascism as it was considered too "rebellious." However, in time, the style has arisen as a classic addendum to modern red carpet looks on everyone from <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/young-brad-pitt-photos-jennifer-aniston-90s-movies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brad Pitt</a> to <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/kim-kardashian-and-pete-davidson-relationship-timeline-snl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pete Davidson</a>.
Whether they are made of silk, cotton, or wool, whether it's a classic bow tie or a diamond point, learn how to perfect your bow tie in six simple steps.

Step 1: Place the bow tie by crossing the ends.

Place the unfastened bow tie around the neck, so that one of the two lower flaps is in correspondence with the central curve of the other flap (the hollow where the butterfly shape is created). The longest part should be on the right if you are right-handed or the left if you are left-handed.

Dolce & Gabbana bow tie

Step 2: Move the longer end.

Take the longer end and lift it up, holding it there as you move on.

Open bow tie - ends

Step 3: Lay the short end horizontally.

Take the short end and place it horizontally in front of the neck, so that the two wings of the bow tie are positioned under the collar. Doing this in front of a mirror will make everything easier.

Step 4: Put the long end back already.

With the short end horizontal, bring the longer end down in front, vertically on the chest, so that it is in the center, between the two wings of the short end, where the hollow is formed.

Open bow tie, how to fasten it

Step 5: Twist the long end.

Take the longer end and loop it behind the short one, arranging it horizontally like the latter. You need to create two layers with the wings of the short end in front, and the wings of the long end in the back.

Step 6: Fix the bow tie.

Once the knot is created, adjust by pulling the ends by the wings, until you get a more harmonious effect. From time to time, you'll need to readjust by pulling the wings to maintain the piece's form.

How to Tie a Proper Bow Tie

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