Wooden, leather or fabric bow tie, which one to choose?

The bow tie has now become a real fashion phenomenon, and you will have seen it at weddings, the tie has become "has been" and the bow tie stands out whether it is in wood, leather or fabric.

Origin of the bow tie

The bow tie appeared in the 1650s, and in our previous article On leather bow ties, we explained the origin of the bow tie.

Little by little this bow tie made a name for itself and in the 2000s we began to see it declined in several ways and worn by celebrities such as David Beckham who preferred fabric bow ties, but also Justin Timberlake and others, particularly at major galas such as the Grammy Awards , or the Cannes Film Festival where it became obligatory in 2016!

It was from this moment on that the bow tie became more popular, and it was particularly the Americans and the English who began to not hesitate to display bow ties in completely atypical materials or shapes. We then saw the appearance of more rounded shapes, especially in wood, metal and leather.

The fabric bow tie, a timeless classic.

Originally this bow tie was made in a fairly basic way with a round of fabric like a ring, into which a large square of fabric was slipped and folded to make a pretty knot and an elastic band was added sewn on it for the neckband, rather basic but effective.

At weddings and gala evenings, it first appeared in black, but little by little, we dared to use red or more flashy colors, and we also saw patterns appear, such as flowers and others.

But little by little, this bow tie, like ties, became outdated because everyone had the same one. This is how some craftsmen began to work on wooden bow ties.

We recommend this type of knot for those who like to stick to a more classic costume, either in black for a traditional costume or in very bold colors like red, yellow or other to enhance a too classic costume.

The wooden bow tie, original, inexpensive and unique.

The advantage of this wooden bow tie is that you can give it any shape you want, we have seen the appearance of wooden bow ties with rounded shapes but others with more geometric shapes. We have also seen the appearance of certain bow ties mixing wood and fabric, and then Nodie's has also declined a wood and leather bow tie.

These wooden bow ties were a real success story in the 2010s and 2020s, but since then we have seen a little less of them, yet the advantage of this type of bow was clearly its price because you could find them from €20, yet with truly original styles.

We really like pierced wooden bow ties, but without being completely impartial, we would naturally recommend the collection bow tie that we make, but which won't be suitable for everyone, because it will really stand out. So if you're a fan of fashion weeks and you also want to break the codes, then head to our online store.

We recommend a 3-piece suit, such as a checkered suit or one with a more original cut, to add this type of accessory.

The leather bow tie, less common but just as elegant.

It appeared later but since then some leather goods manufacturers have started to decline it and some brands have also released it to follow the trend, some brands have even become specialists in this type of product.

Most often, it is the same principle as described above for fabric knots, namely a round of leather into which we slide a square of leather which we fold to give it its leather shape. Not necessarily original, but it is a nice alternative for those who want to change material without changing style too much.

And then there are the bows in stiffer leather, like what we offer or some other leatherworkers who will work on stiff leather to get closer to the style of wooden bow ties.

Of course, leather will be rather atypical and will not suit everyone, but its strong point lies in its association with other accessories such as shoes, or leather belts , and even for those who want to add a bracelet also in leather.

The advantage is also that if you choose it from Nodie's, we can offer you a beautiful set that can match your shoes. People who have gotten married wearing Nodie's accessories will be able to tell you this.

Regarding the costume, this type of leather bow tie will go with everything, however the rather angular shape can also put some people off, so that's why we let you choose from all these great opportunities.

So which bow tie will you choose?

The only thing we can advise you to do is to favor made in France, because be careful, many bow ties, especially wooden ones, come from China. And for a small accessory like this, the price difference won't justify such a large carbon footprint.

So whatever your choice, buying French is a real good deed for more responsible fashion.