Formal Bow Ties Guide | Butterfly, Diamond, Straight-End, Modified Butterfly

What's up, guys? I'm Brian Sacawa, you're watching He Spoke Style, and today we're talking all about formal bow ties. So the first thing we're going to do is to go over the five shapes that formal bow ties come in. The big butterfly, the semi butterfly, straight end, diamond point, and the modified butterfly. Starting off here with the big butterfly. Now this is a shape that makes a statement with its size, and as a result, it's not going to be for everyone. Now as a general rule, the size of your bow tie should be in proportion to your face. So if you've got a narrow face, the big butterfly might not be the best choice for you. It's a shape that works best for wider faces and for guys who like to make a statement. Next up, we have the semi butterfly. This is going to be your most classic and conservative option. In terms of size, you want to look for one with about a two to two and a half inch width at the ends. The semi butterfly is a great choice for pretty much everyone, especially if you consider your style to be on the classic or more conservative side. Okay, here we have the straight end. For me, the straight end has a bit of a cool factor to it. It's definitely a classic option, but it still looks modern and sleek. You don't see this one as often, and if you wear it, it will stand out as most people are going to be choosing a butterfly shape. The straight end is a good choice if you have a narrower face or if you consider yourself a traditionalist but like to stand out within that traditional framework. Next is the diamond point, which is the dandiest shape of the bunch. This is actually the shape that James Bond wears at the beginning of Dr. No. Now, if you're going to wear a diamond point, you've got to own it and have the personality to match. And if that sounds like you, the shape is going to be your favorite option. This shape will work best for people with narrower faces and big personalities. Finally, we have the modified butterfly. This is a non-traditional shape that still looks traditional, but is also very intriguing. It's one of the signature shapes that my friend Nicholas from the New Papillon cuts, and as you can see, it is straight on top with a regular butterfly shape on the bottom. For me, this is the shape for the true Sartorialists. You know, it has a classic look and won't draw attention to itself, but it has that sort of almost hidden detail that not many people will notice. But the ones who do are probably the people you're already talking to at the cocktail party. Okay, so those are the five shapes. Now let's talk a little bit about fabric, which is very important. So you'll typically see formal bowties in either satin or grosgrain. Satin bowties have a smooth appearance. Grosgrain bowties have a heavier and ribbed appearance. Now, the most important thing to remember when choosing a formal bowtie is that the bowtie fabric should match the lapel fabric. If you have a satin lapel, choose a satin bowtie. And if you have a grosgrain lapel, choose a grosgrain bowtie. Now, a good question is, do the bowtie and lapel fabrics need to match exactly? I'm gonna say not really, because unless you're getting a bowtie custom cut in the exact same fabric of your lapels, or your tux and bowtie are from the same brand like Ralph Lauren, for example, having them match exactly is not really possible. And that's totally fine, because in most cases they're going to look close enough. Now, what do you do if you have a self-facing lapel, which is a lapel made of the same fabric as the rest of the jacket? In this case, you can choose a bowtie in either satin or grosgrain. My wedding dinner jacket was self-facing, and I wore the same grosgrain bowtie that I wore with my tuxedo during the ceremony. Okay, velvet bowtie. Now, so far as I know, there are no hard-and-fast rules here, but for me, I think it looks best paired with a velvet jacket. I'm gonna say that you could have a satin or grosgrain lapel and get away with a velvet bowtie, as long as the jacket itself is velvet. You know, both items make a statement, and if you're wearing a velvet jacket to begin with, go all in, you know, by all means, if you feel like it. I personally am NOT a big fan of a velvet bowtie with a traditional tuxedo or dinner jacket, because I feel like it stands out a little too much, and not in the best way. To each their own though, and you know, that's just my opinion. You can take it or leave it. One final thing I will say, and that is to always tie your own bowtie. A bowtie should not look perfect. In fact, one of the things that I think looks absolutely terrible is when you see one of those pre-tied department store bowties. I understand the urge to want everything with the tuxedo to be perfect. If you watched my wedding tuxedo video, I talked a lot about how I wanted everything to be perfect, but there's a difference between making the perfect choices versus things looking too perfect. What really needs to happen, especially with the bowtie, is that it needs to be perfectly imperfect, if that makes any sense. For me, it looks more elegant, and it looks more relaxed. Plus, the best thing about tying your own bowtie is that at the end of the night, you can untie it, and it's just really satisfying to untie it and have it hanging around your neck, and it looks pretty cool. So finally, remember that whether you're choosing a big butterfly, a semi-butterfly, straight-end, diamond point, or modified butterfly shape, that the bowtie you choose should work with both your face shape and your personality. Leave your comments below and let me know what kind of bowtie guy you are. Thumbs up if you like this video, hit that subscribe button, and until next time, thanks for watching and stay tailored.