Bow ties, which used to be viewed as a “nerdy” accessory commonly sported by fashion-challenged professor-types or conservative older men, are now making a comeback among young Americans.
According to Bloomberg News, men’s clothing retailer PVH – which owns Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein – has seen a significant increase in bow tie sales over the past year. Bow ties for the company are projected to make up about 7 percent of the $850 million U.S. neckwear market this year, an increase of 3 percent from 2012. And they’re the ones to know, as the corporation controls more than half of the U.S. neckwear market.
Tyler Ray, a 24-year-old merchandiser for a denim maker in San Francisco, says he likes the way wearing a bow tie can make his personality stand out.
“You are being noticed because you went the extra mile to wear that,” Ray told Bloomberg. “That makes me feel good.”
Durand Guion, the men’s fashion director for a Cincinnati-based Macy’s department store, told Bloomberg that the trend began in the South, where a “preppy” dress code is common at fraternity parties and horse racing events like the Kentucky Derby. In fact, PVH reported that bow tie sales in the Southeastern U.S. are double the national share.
Traditionally the accessory was only worn with formal attire, however Guion believes the modern relaxation of this rule has helped boost popularity as well, with men wearing them to dress up shirts instead of donning a sports coat.
“It was all about newness,” Guion told Bloomberg. “One, two generations on the West Coast had never worn it.”.
Mitchell Lechner, the president of PVH’s dress furnishings group, believes that bow ties lend themselves well to the recent “geek chic” trend among younger men, telling Bloomberg that the shrunken Oxford button-down shirt and horn-rimmed glasses look “screamed” for a bow tie.
The neckwear also owes its recent popularity surge in part to professional athletes, as NBA players LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Dwight Howard have all worn a bow tie in public. New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins even started his own bow tie business recently.
Not to mention the fondness that “Glee’s” Blaine Anderson has for the accessory.
