Tie One On.

Last weekend I went shopping with a friend and I was so impressed that he knew how to tie a bow-tie. That is such a rare find these days. Most people don't know how to tie a regular tie, let alone a bow-tie. When he was perusing the various bow-ties (why are they so hard to find in a single color?), I asked him to tie it on. The Brooks Brothers salesman went off to grab a bow-tying diagram, but by the time he returned, my friend had already tied the tie. Even the salesman was surprised. I must say, there is something about a man who knows his way around a wardrobe. . .

At any rate, in the world of weddings, tie-tying knowledge is a must, including bow-ties. The bow-tie is the most dapper way to finish up your tuxedo. The knot is the same as tying your shoe, so, if you can do that, you can certainly tie a bow-tie.

1. Start with the left end 1 ½" longer than the right end. Slip the short end under the long end. Hint: The extra length (such as 1 ½") depends on the width of the narrow part of the tie, the thickness of the cloth, and whether you want a symmetrical tie.
2. Choose how long you want the tie to be. The button is a reference point. Finish crossing the long end over the short end.
3. Slip the long end under the short end, while holding the tie at the button to keep it loose.
4. Zig-zag the end on your chest. One fold is in the wide part of the tie.
5. Zig-zag in progress.
6. Fold the long flap over the front of the tie.
7. Pinch the front of the tie in half. This will let you find a side-to-side hole through the tie, which is hidden behind the front of the tie.
8. Pinch the right side of the wide part of the tie, while swinging the long flap to the right.
9. Push the pinched corner through the hidden hole.
10. Flatten the right half of the front.
11. Slip a finger into the left bow. Even up the 3 layers of the right half, while pulling the left bow through the hole.
12. Grip all 3 layers on the right, and pull the left bow through the hole.
13. Flatten the left half of the front.
14. Straighten the tie.
    
15. Tuck the shirt points between the tie's thin strip and the bow tie.

You can now be considered for membership in the "Executive Dress Club." How many of you brides know how to tie a bow-tie?
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