Scottish Tartan Bow Ties & Self Tie Bow Ties
Men's tartan bow tie and self tie bow ties made in your choice of tartan.
Men's tartan bow tie and self tie bow ties made in your choice of tartan.
The perfect Scottish finishing touch for men's formalwear. Each made from the finest tartan fabric (woven in Scotland of course) our tartan bow ties will complete your kilt outfit or three piece suit with elegance and personality. Shop from a vast selection of in-stock bow ties or have yours made to order, in over 500 tartans.
Choose a bold tartan to make a statement with a dark or plain suit, or go for the full Scottish heritage looks with a tartan jacket to match your bow tie. The bolder among us might even try clashing tartans, a favourite contrast is the yellow loud MacLeod Dress with the red Wallace Modern.
Here are your most frequently asked questions on our tartan bow ties. If you can't find the answer to your question and it is about a specific product you might find it on the product page. If not then please use LiveChat, e-mail us or give us a call and we will answer your questions as quickly as we can.
We are often asked when it's appropriate to wear a tartan bow tie, or whether a tartan bow tie can be worn to a black tie event. The answer is a straight forward yes. Whether you choose to co-ordinate your tartan bow tie with a matching cummerbund to complete the look is up to you. The wardrobe instruction "black tie" does not mean you must dress like a funeral director and you cannot bring your Scottish heritage along to the event, choose your clan tartan or a colour combination to suit your outfit.
As with most garments the bow tie started off with a very practical purpose when during the Prussian wars the Croatian mercenaries used them to tie their shirt collars shut. Again true to tradition it was the French who made them a stylish accessory in the XVIII and XIX century.
The bow tie was long thought of as a strictly male accessory until in the 1920s and 30s this quirky knot was made famous by silver screen stars Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn, making it acceptable for women to wear bow ties, and other "masculine" clothing such as tailored suits and button down shirts.
Historically a formal wear accessory, worn with a tuxedo for black tie events, the bow tie has become in the last few decades an accessory that can add character any day of the week. From nerdy "Science Guy" looks, to the accessory of choice to style icons such as Karl Lagerfeld and Manolo Blahnik, the bow tie has created a niche for itself as a compliment to a great many varying ensembles. And a tartan bow tie adds even more personality and versatility carrying with it the story of your heritage.
The biggest bow tie in the world is 15ft long and 7ft tall and while we are tempted to try to make a tartan one to challenge this we will focus first of all on sharing a little bit of history about this quirky men's accessory.
As with most garments the bow tie started off with a very practical purpose when during the Prussian wars the Croatian mercenaries used them to tie their shirt collars shut. Again true to tradition it was the French who made them a stylish accessory in the XVIII and XIX century. Originally bow ties also required a level of skill and today we still sell lots of self tie bow ties and we even have a handy guide for you to follow if you fancy trying yourself. Today 78% of all bow ties produced are pre-tied, with only 22% of us prepared to learn the skill required to tie our own.
Join Monja & Niall on the ScotlandShop Sofa as they talk you through the history of ties & bow ties. They'll showcase their favourite styles and you can learn how to wear your tie or bow tie correctly.
Follow six simple steps to create the perfect tartan bow.