Formal Wear

• Understated and elegant, the bow tie has been accompanying the tuxedo since the beginning of the Victorian Era (approximately 1838). Since then, a black square bow tie has been the finishing touch of choice in Europe and the United States when invitations called for "black tie only." Tradition has also tied the formal neckwear to Scottish Highland attire, as the bow tie is often worn with a short jacket and kilt. Another substituted for the formal accessory is the white butterfly bow tie, a silken tie that has been popular since the early 1930s.
  
  

Military Mess Dress

• Another formal application of the bow tie can be found in military mess dress -- a term that is used to describe the formal uniform worn by the armed forces. This style of dress has been observed by the British, United States and Canadian military since about 1902, and often includes a black square bow tie. The tradition mandates that the tie is worn with a military blazer, which is often decorated with various metals to show the soldier's ranking.
  
  

Vaudeville

• Often borrowed or second-hand formal apparel, vaudeville men's costumes often imitated formal fashion, according to the book "Vaudeville!" by Gaétan Soucy and Sheila Fischman. A cabaret of unrelated talents, vaudeville existed in the United States and Canada from about 1880 to the early 1930s. Among the colorful garb, which often included plaid blazers and bright-colored jackets, the bow tie was often the neckwear that topped off the vaudevillian's ensemble. Cotton, bright colored and often polka dot, the butterfly bow tie was associated with a variety of entertainers, from comedians to minstrels.
  
  

Collegiate Clothing

• Often associated with contemporary preppy clothing, the bow tie has been a tradition in collegiate apparel since the early 1860s. Fashioned out of silk and often striped in the university's colors, bow ties became the proper attire for the young college gentlemen and university dignitaries. To this day, students from Cambridge to Temple University sport the tie with an oxford or button-up shirt and blazer for formal functions. Additionally, it is often worn by school officials for special ceremonies and graduations.