I’m not what you’d call ‘fashion confident’. I know a handful of people like that, and I think they are so brave. They tie their top shirt button with no thought of wearing a tie, and gawdy pants are being partnered with a busy shirt. Someone once told me that you can’t do that, but now it’s in all the catalogues. Style and rebellion have given birth to a culture I watch from a distance. I visually consume what others dare to wear, and I feel a little worse off for it, particularly when it comes to wearing a bow tie. I want to try it, but I’m nervous, and it shows. I wanted to wear a trilby once and chickened out. It’s up in the attic in a bag. I should have given it to a brave friend. They would be rocking that look. Sigh.
For a long time the bow tie was for the formal occasion. There’s a gala event and you’ve been invited. ‘Black tie’ is printed on the silky smooth invitation, and as a man, you feel like every moment in your life pales in insignificance compared to the sheer glory of wearing a tuxedo. You fix the black bow tie in place, and you dread for the scores of ladies who are moments away from heart palpitations. You know you look good. You’re a man in a tux.
It would seem that now there is more to the bow tie than an important event or the 007 fancy dress party; now you can dare to wear one whenever you want. Is this wrong or very right? Life is hard. It’s clear I’m not the one to give the best advice, although I have so desperately wanted to try this trend. Let’s hear from someone who knows a thing or 2 about fashion, designer Scott Sternberg, for GQ Magazine:
I’m taking something important from what Scott had to say: Feel good about what you’ve chosen to wear, realise that you’re going to be noticed, and don’t think about things too much, just have fun. This sounds like good advice for life.
Do you consider yourself a man of style? Every friendship group has 1 or 2 of these guys, so if you’re one of them, share your style secrets with us, I want to ooze style confidence too!