Tie an Ascot

The ascot first appeared as a fashion accessory in Eastern Europe in the 17th century as a scarf-like cloth men wrapped around their necks for extra style and warmth. Gaining widespread popularity in Western culture in the 18th century, the ascot became an iconic symbol of class in aristocratic circles of men. The ascot experienced a revival through the currents of psychedelic music in the late 1960s and again in the 1970s with Mod style in the United Kingdom and elsewhere on the European continent. Ascots are modernly being worn as informal fashion pieces to complement a semi-casual look for men. Follow the steps below to learn how to tie an ascot and what to sport with your trendy accessory.

Steps

Tying an Ascot

  1. Drape the ascot around your neck and inside your collar. Make sure the ascot is on the inside of your collar directly touching your skin. The two open ends should be resting on your chest.
    • Some ascots come with a pre-sewn loop on one side. If you are using an ascot with a loop, simply thread the long end of the ascot through the loop and skip to Step 4.
    • If you are wearing a button-up shirt, you will need to unbutton at least the top button.
  2. Pull one end about six inches lower than the other.[1]
  3. Cross the long end over and in front of the short end. If you want a tighter, more secure knot, wrap the long end around the short end a second time.[2]
  4. Tuck the long end up and under the short end at the base of the neck. Be sure not to make the folds too tight.
  5. Pull the long end all the way through and straighten it out.
  6. Reposition the ascot so that the long end is directly on top of the short end. The ascot should be positioned straight in the center of your chest just like a normal tie.
    • The two ends should now be about the same length.
    • If you are using an ascot with a pre-sewn loop, your ascot will only have one tail down your chest.
  7. Clean up the fold. Use your fingers to straighten and smooth the fold that you created at the base of your neck.
    • Add a safety pin or decorative pin to the middle of the knot in the ascot if you want the knot to be extra secure.
  8. Tuck both ends of the ascot into your waistcoat. If you are not wearing a waistcoat, you should tuck the ascot into whatever V-shaped neck of clothing you are wearing on your torso, such as a blazer. The focus of an ascot is the bib that forms around the neck, so just make sure that this part is exposed.[3]

Creating an Outfit

  1. Choose your ascot as you would a tie. Your ascot should stand out in your outfit, and therefore should contain different colors or patterns. Patterned ascots are currently very popular among men that want to add a sophisticated spark to their outfit.
  2. Sass up your suit. Every man walking around the financial district of your town is wearing a standard black suit, so how do you stand out? By adding an ascot! Personalize your suit to fit your style by using your ascot as a statement piece. Any color or pattern can be used to jazz up your standard black and white suit.
  3. Create a casual, preppy look. If a suit isn't your thing, sport an ascot with casual apparel to relax the class a bit.
    • Shirt: Short or long-sleeve button-up shirt. Choose a light, solid-colored shirt to help make your ascot stand out. You can also wear a polo shirt on top, just make sure that the material does not clash with your silk ascot. Unbutton your top at least one button to allow room for tucking your ascot into your shirt. You won't always need a jacket, but when you do, add a V-neck blazer over your shirt.
    • Pants: Sport jeans with your ascot. A dark wash pair of denim jeans is perfect for a polished look that transitions well from day to night. For an even more casual look, you can rock some lightly destroyed jeans, but try to maintain a dark wash. Light wash jeans tend to clash with the fancy look of an ascot.
    • Shoes: Here's where you can get creative depending on the time of day or type of event you are building an outfit for. For a formal, nighttime event, wear black or brown leather dress shoes. For a daytime affair, opt for a more casual look with a pair of topsiders, cloth or brown leather. You can choose a colored pair of topsiders that compliments your ascot, but be sure that your ascot and shoes aren't exactly the same color and don't have clashing patterns.

Tips

  • Choose colors and patterns that compliment your complexion. Because the ascot is so close to your face, avoid colors that wash you out or clash with your natural skin and hair tones.
  • Ascots should not be worn with extremely informal clothing like sweatpants or gym clothes.
  • Ascots are currently making a return to men's fashion, but primarily on the East Coast in places like New York City. Know your fashion geography before sporting an ascot to your local bar.
  • Traditionally, ascots have been worn by men, but women can make a variation of an ascot using a silk scarf. Often women let their scarf ascot fall a little to the side instead of down the center of the chest.
  • Half ascots (the ones with the convenient loop already sewn in) don't look as full due to the fact that less material is involved. Once you learn how to tie an ascot, there's no reason to ever use a half ascot.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.thetiebar.com/ascots.asp
  2. ↑ http://www.bows-n-ties.com/how-to-tie-an-ascot-tie.php
  3. ↑ http://www.gentlemansemporium.com/how_to_tie_an_ascot.php

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