Bow or No? Proper Neckwear For a Tuxedo

Should I wear a bow tie or neck tie with my tuxedo?

“Should I wear a bow tie or necktie with a tuxedo?”

We get this question often here at Christopher James in Fort Wayne.

Our answer is always the same: Bow tie.

(Sorry if that was anti-climatic.)

The explanation is more fun, promise.

A matter of etiquette

Black tie is all about rules, and dressing accordingly shows respect for the event, person, place, etc. for which you’re dressing up. Your wedding, for example. Or an elegant dinner party, reception, or formal dance.

Your date didn’t spend hours primping like royalty to spend the evening with a dude who looks like he couldn’t be bothered to gussy all the way up. (And you don’t want to spend a long evening by the punch bowl.)

Not to mention: a long tie with a tux just looks odd.

It’s not quite a tuxedo, but it’s certainly not a suit. It’s a conundrum, that’s what it is.

Don’t be fooled by celebrities on the red carpet, either. Subtract the glitz and glam of Hollywood (not to mention all the heavy photo editing), and a guy even like, say, Chris Hemsworth, will look goofy in a tie tux combo.

Also keep in mind that a stylist, looking to make a name for him or herself, is often behind the red carpet looks of many celebrity men. To stand out, a stylist must sometimes push boundaries, which is especially true for men’s formal wear because hasn’t changed all that much in the past century.

But, wait.

We don’t mean to sound like a sartorial hall monitor, and we certainly don’t want to squash personal expression. Although you can’t break the rules here, we never said you couldn’t bend them.

Therefore, here are a few ways you can have a little more fun with your bow tie.

  • Nobody said your bow tie must be black. Experiment with a darker color, like burgundy or navy. Patterns are all the rage these days too.
  • Bored with silk satin? Try a lightly textured fabric, or if you’re feeling bold, go black velvet.
  • Butterfly schmutterfly. There are many other knots you can create, including the batwing, the diamond point, the club round, and the jumbo butterfly. Mix it up.

If you’re in the market for fun bow ties, or you want to just see how a patterned bow tie will look with your tux, come see us. We have a superb selection of bow ties here at Christopher James Menswear and we’d love to help you experiment.

Christopher James is the Only Place in Fort Wayne Where You Should Rent a Tuxedo

guy in tuxedo fort wayne

Photo Credit: conorwithonen via Compfight cc

Need to rent a tuxedo? Then Christopher James Menswear in Fort Wayne, Ind. is the place you want to shop.

CJM rents tuxedos through Jim’s Formalwear, a nationwide network of formalwear for gents and ladies. If you’re going to rent, you best do it from Jim’s Formalwear, says Chris Lambert, owner of Christopher James Menswear in Fort Wayne, Ind. “They have high-quality inventory, modern, on-trend silhouettes, a huge selection of style options and the delivery is super fast.”

CJM has been working with Jim’s for years, and has successfully outfitted hundreds of men for proms, weddings, galas and many other black tie events. “We’ve made tons of guys happy with rentals from Jim’s Formalwear, both style-wise and price-wise,” Lambert says.

Lambert also notes the fast-approaching spring wedding season, and says Jim’s Formalwear provides ease and convenience. Because it is a nationwide network and is in more than 5,000 retailers across the country, your groomsmen who live elsewhere can visit an affiliated retailer nearest them, he explains.

So if you’re getting married, going to prom or whatever your occasion, Christopher James Menswear (via Jim’s Formalwear) will make sure you look perfect from cuff to collar.

So, come see us today for great prices, superb selection and as always, exceptional customer service–a combination you can’t get anywhere else in Fort Wayne.

Find us here.

We look forward to seeing you.

Don’t Miss Our Booth at the Bridal Extravaganza Today!

Men's Formal wear and Tuxedo for Purchase

Are you getting married this year? Then you need to come see us at the 2015 Bridal Extravaganza being held today at the Grand Wayne Convention Center.

Dresses always dominate the clothing portion of these events, but there are corners carved out of the swaths of taffeta and satin for tuxes and suits—you just have to look for them. Specifically look for us, Christopher James Menswear.

We have a booth at the expo and will be helping gents find their perfect tuxedo or suit from cuff to collar. We have lots of product on display so come check us out!

We also have an awesome deal going on right now–one that will affirm your bride’s faith in her future husband’s financial responsibility. You, the groom, will get a free tuxedo rental with five paid tuxedo rentals (for your groomsmen). That’s not all. Every other member of your wedding party will get $40 off their rental too.

We’d love to help you look great on your special day, so come see us.

2015 Bridal Extravaganza
Grand Wayne Convention Center
Feb. 22, 2015
12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
120 West Jefferson Boulevard, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Learn more: Click here