5 Questions with Chuck Blackburn, Author of The Bow Tie Bible

Bow Tie Bible

If there is one thing that Chuck Blackburn is rarely seen without, it’s a bow tie. Chuck has been a fan of bow ties all his life and has recently published a book called The Bow Tie Bible. We spoke with him to learn more about his passions for bow ties, how The Bow Tie Society began and the most important thing to know about bow ties. Chuck and his wife, Marsha Blackburn, have called Brentwood, Tennessee home for over 40 years.

1.Why are so so passionate about the bow tie?

My dad was a Texas Aggie engineer so I was always very practical and logical, My degrees are in Economics and Marketing. I am a salesman through and through. All this is relevant because years ago I was a manufacturers’ rep to the finest men’s specialty shops in the Midwest selling very high-quality clothing including ties.

2.Can you tell us why you first chose to wear a bow tie?

The practical side of me said ‘long ties get in the way, they’re uncomfortable, they don’t travel well, they are more expensive, they don’t  last as long, you can’t really wash them, and they make no statement of individuality that would differentiate me from the next guy’ (i.e. long ties just didn’t make sense and no-one I ever asked could tell me why they wear them other than to say they never learned to tie a bow tie and people who wear bow ties seem “different”.) In my mind these were pros not cons and if you could tie bows on your shoes at age 5 you could tie that same knot with a bow tie.

3.How many bow ties do you have in your collection?

After wearing bow ties for almost 40 years; exclusively for well over 30 years (with a 100+ collection) it occurred to my logical way of thinking someone needs to teach the world “how and why” properly tied and sized bowties may be preferable in a world conformed to long ties that decades ago outlived their purpose as a bid for one’s shirt.

This is why I founded the www.internationalbowtiesociety.com and even though it isn’t a religion  I thought it necessary to write “a seriously funny guide to how and why to bow tie” thus The Bow Tie Bible.

4.In your book, there are bow tie commandments, which do feel is the most important?

The two most crucial lessons in The Bow Tie Bible are, “Bow ties are not just a fashion option. A bow tie is a lifestyle statement for discerning individualists comfortable in their own skin.” Secondly, those who have only seen them pre-tied (clip on) or too big for their faces (wider and/or taller than their eye sockets) create negative stereotypes that create presuppositions that wearing a bow tie is an affectation that makes the wearer resemble a goofy clown!

5.What is the one thing you get asked all the time about wearing a bow tie?

The most prevalent comments and questions I hear every day are, “I like your bow tie, you look good in it…did you tie it yourself?” I always smile warmly and reply…”Just out of curiosity, do you tie your own shoes (big smile and a knowing wink)?”

Thanks to Chuck Blackburn for taking time out to talk with us.  You can purchase The Bow Tie Bible online.

[scroller style=”sc1″ title=”More Brentwood News ” title_size=”17″ display=”cats” cats=”74″ number_of_posts=”8″ speed=”5000″]