$20 Bow Tie vs $50 Bow Tie

bow tie differences

$25 Bow Tie vs $50 Bow Tie

As most of our customer know, our main focus is to provide a high quality bow tie at an affordable price.

We don’t cut corners in manufacturing that might sacrifice quality, but we also don’t increase prices significantly to over compensate either.

Don’t get me wrong, we do price to be competitive in the market, but we certainly can be marking our prices up higher given the level of quality of our bow ties.

bow tie differences

That being said…

Ever wonder what the differences are between a $50 bow tie and one of our $25 bow ties?

Well, the differences might surprise you.

As with most things, all bow ties are not created equal, and I felt it was my responsibility to highlight some of the main differences between a more expensive bow tie ($50+) and one of our more affordable options at around the $25 price point.

Just to be clear, this is my opinion as an avid bow tie wearer and someone who has come across many bow ties.

The main differences can be broken down into three categories:

  1. Interlining/Interfacing
  2. Weight/Density of Fabric Used
  3. Texture

Interlining/Interfacing

The interlining of the bow tie is used to help give a bow tie shape, integrity, and overall “fullness”.

Some manufacturers don’t add in an interlining to help reduce costs. As a result, the bow tie tends to lose its shape over time as the fabric gets worn down. The bow tie also feels a bit thin. You might not know how to describe it, but the bow tie is lighter and more dainty.

The $55 bow tie I bought from the Department store felt as though it had no interlining. I could tell by just picking it up and feeling it in between my fingers. Terrible.

Our bow ties are a thick interlining to ensure a great knot.

Weight/Density of The Fabric Used

The next sign of a poorly made (but expensive) bow tie is the amount of actual fabric they use in the outer shell of the bow tie. That is, the fabric you actually hold in your hand.

If a manufacturer wants to further cut costs, they’ll use low grade silks. The grade of silk is also known as “Momme Weight”.  Momme weight describes the weight of 100 yards of silk, 45 inches wide, in pounds. If a fabric is listed as 9mm then it means 100 yards of fabric weighs 9 pounds. In general, high quality silks tend to be at around the 14-16mm range.

Just feeling the bow tie I bought from the store, I couldn’t exactly tell what the Momme weight was, but my guess is that it was around 8-9mm range given how light the fabric felt.

All of our $25 bow ties start at 14mm, which we feel is a great spot to be for an entry level bow tie.

Texture

The last area of quality I tend to look when evaluating a bow tie’s worth is the level of texture it contains. Personally, I like my bow ties with texture and a nice ribbed weave that stands out from the rest of my dress.

Cheaper manufacturers will usually opt for lower quality fabrics that lack any defining patterns. It’s unfortunately, but most consumers don’t even think to look for this in their bow tie. Rather, thy grab the first thing they see.

Conclusion

Overall, style is always subjective, and what I like and find to be of high quality, you might completely disagree. This is the best part about style!

The whole point of this comparison is to highlight some of the things to be aware of when buying bow ties.

More Bow Tie Guides

Want to learn more about bow ties and how best to style them? Check out these other helpful guides!

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