Beloved by Sir Winston Churchill, the bow tie has had something of a renaissance in recent years, with an increasing number of gents adopting it as their neckwear of choice. Perhaps the most difficult of all the knots to master, learning to tie a bow tie is something of a rite of passage. Best suited to either a wing or classic collar, the video below will help you negotiate this complex knot.
With this handy Charles Tyrwhitt video guide, you need never be in that situation again. After all, the bow tie has been a classic accessory since the late 19th century and every man should know how to tie his own.
The start
Firstly place one end over the other and form a knot, much as you would with a shoelace. In fact doing up a bow tie is very similar to tying up your shoes and you mastered that when you were six, so this should be a doddle.
The loop and pinch
Now for the difficult bit. At this point it's best to turn to the mirror, try to keep your eyes on the tie, this is no time to restyle your hair. Take a look at where James's thumb is - that's where you're going to pass the bow tie through.
Take the base of the bow tie, the dangly bit on your chest, loop and poke it through the hole by James's thumb - again, it's very similar to a shoelace - and adjust until you are happy with the look. You see? Easy.
What to wear it on
Bow ties can be worn on classic collared shirts or winged collared ones. Classic collars are traditionally British and tend to suit the slightly shorter and thicker neck. Wing collars are traditionally American and suit a slightly longer and thinner neck just like James's.
Now get out there and wear your bow tie with pride.
