So now that the title has possibly irritated all those Doctor Who fans let me restate that bow ties are not cool.
This lauded accessory is a remnant of a bygone era that is typically only ever seen on tuxedos and gentlemen who want to distinguish themselves from those who went the way of the neck tie, the accessory which now dominates the place on the neck of dress shirt.
Even as our dear Doctor Who made the statement "bow ties are cool..." just about every fan watching the show had a 'wait, what?' moment. They are old fashioned and entirely uncommon. Hell, the President of a local college here is often referred to as "the guy with the bow tie" to students who don't know him. That flag of recognition though is what bow ties are good for; bow ties may not be cool but they sure as hell are great attention-grabbers.
Where the 'cool' can be found is with the people who wield these archaic accessories. Take our dear Alton Brown pictured above. The bow tie he's wearing isn't doing anything for him for this ephemeral "cool" yet if i were to throw this picture among a group of pictures of suit wearing gentleman I would almost guarantee that your eyes would lock on his photo and his demeanor and presence would do the rest.
Now the beginning of this may have led you to believe that I am not a fan of the bow tie. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Beyond its common place on the tuxedo the bow tie is something I see as a welcome step away from the normal, the blasé, the standard. You have to embrace the fact that these things are not cool, then step away from that double windsor noose and make a bow tie work to introduce your cool for you to get the most out of these oddly shaped bits of fabric.
Once I start getting clothes together that fit the look I've got in my mind will I be wearing a bow tie? Yes, but not always. I don't want a look that remains stagnant in how it's viewed. Also, what can i say, I like mandarin collar shirts.
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