Who wears bow ties? Doctors and professors set the trend

Bow ties have an aura as being “markers of privilege,” associated with intellectual professions, such as medicine, academia and journalism. 

Dr. Eric Bernicker is a thoracic oncologist at Houston Methodist Cancer Center.

Writing for WHYY, Philadelphia’s public radio station, Elana Gordon got the scoop on why physicians wear bow ties from Dr. Lawrence Kaplan, an associate dean at the Temple University medical school. He said: “I wear a stethoscope in my front pocket or around my neck, and the bow tie essentially doesn’t get in the way.”

Dr. Kaplan

 

Dr. Michael Levine, a pediatric endocrinologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, points out that bow ties bear a certain practicality, especially in pediatrics, compared to the traditional necktie, Gordon wrote. In Dr. Levine’s words: “It’s much more difficult for a baby to (tinkle) on your tie if it’s a bow tie.”

 

Dr. Levine

Gordon reported: “Some studies have found that neckties and other things dangling from the neck, like badges, can in fact be vectors for bacteria and even infection. Bow ties appear to be more hygienic choice of neckwear.” 

Dr. Farzad Mostashari is a co-founder of Aledada, a company based in Bethesda, Md., that partners with independent practices, health centers and clinics to improve efficiency and positive outcomes for their patients. 

“Partly for me, (the bow tie goes with) the feeling of being a little bit of a misfit in a positive way,” he said. “It’s a fun little expression of that.”

Dr. Mostashari

 

“Dr. Levine says one rule holds true for the great tradition of bow tie wearing doctors: You have to tie it yourself.” Clip-ons don’t cut it. 

Jennifer Song, a contributor to The Gentle Manual, said: “Self-tie bow ties, or ‘freestyle’ bow ties, are bow ties you tie yourself. Once tied, the bow’s natural lines, shape and slight asymmetry bring stylistic elements that can’t be matched by a pre-tied bow, or a necktie.” 

“The pre-tied bow tie is a neat, symmetrical bow attached to an adjustable band. It is easy to size and painless to put-on,” she said, “but pre-tied bow ties lack the character of a self-tie.” 

“Clip-on bow ties are attached to a metal clasp which hooks or clips directly onto the collar of a shirt,” The black batwing version used to be required attire for male grocery store clerks. Today, Song said, “clip-ons are suitable for young children only. Period.” 

At Brigham Young University, Sadie Blood wrote a column for the student newspaper about “faculty fashion.” 

“Bow ties are a common trend for professors on campus,” Blood said. “History professor Dr. Neil York frequently rocks the bow tie. He switches it daily for variety. Despite his vast experience with bow ties, he admits he has never been able to tie one perfectly balanced or straight.” 

Dr. York said: “I have dozens of them, essentially divided into fall/winter and spring/summer groups. I always wear them to class. I prefer the look; they are easier to adjust to a preferred length and spilling something on them is virtually impossible.” 

Dr. William Christensen, a BYU statistics professor, said he “changed from regular ties to bow ties when he was a young father and disliked that his kids were always chewing on his long ties,” Blood wrote. “His usual teaching attire consists of a bow tie and Converse tennis shoes because he wants to dress up while staying comfortable.”

 

Dr. Christensen

“Bow ties are light and playful,” Dr. Christensen said. “You can’t take a guy with a bow tie too seriously, and I don’t want to be taken too seriously. I guess I’m kind of a rebel.”