Purple Bow Ties

Adding a purple bow tie to your wardrobe can bring the proper respect and recognition your fashion sense deserves. Show off a bit of your bold side with one of our classic purple bow ties. After all, a gentleman’s fashion is all about being bold and confident. From numerous styles featuring bright lilac and lavender hues to deep violet bow ties, R. Hanauer brings the ultimate variety. Shop our selection of our handmade purple bow ties below.

The R. Hanauer Process

Here at R. Hanauer, our ties are all made by a talented and hard-working team in our shop. Our bow ties are made by hand and to order. The specific types of silk, cotton, linen, and wool fabrics for our products are always carefully selected by Randy and Randall Hanauer, our father-and-son team. We feature English and Italian silk from renowned international mills in our collections. When the order process has begun, our ties are cut by hand on the table. As opposed to the straight of grain, our bow tie fabric is cut on a bias to produce the best-tying bow tie on the market. Cutting on the bias allows the pattern to be cut out at a 45-degree angle to produce the gentle stretch of the fabric for the ease of tying. A bias-cut lining is in each and every one of our bow ties to ensure that the structure and shape will always remain in its best condition. We are proud and dedicated to making American made bow ties, neckties and cummerbund sets in our hometown of Fort Mill, South Carolina.


The History of the Color Purple

For many centuries, the color purple has been correlated with royalty, wealth and power. In fact, Queen Elizabeth I banned anyone from wearing it, apart from close members of the royal family. The color likely achieved its renowned status because of how rare it was. Because of its rarity, only rulers could afford the original dye because it was so expensive. The dye that was used came from a trading city called Tyre, now known as Lebanon. Within the Mediterranean Sea in this region, small mollusks from sea snails were located and contained the purple-colored dye. More than 9,000 mollusks were necessary to create only a gram of what was called “Tyrian purple”. The color quickly became an associate of imperial classes of Rome, Egypt and Persia because of its limit on who was allowed to wear it, like wealthy leaders.

In 1856, an 18-year-old English chemist named William Henry Perkin ended up creating a synthetic purple compound on accident while he was trying to create an anti-malaria drug. He soon noticed that it could be used to dye fabrics, so he patented the dye and manufactured it. However, the name of the color was later changed from “Tyrian purple” to "mauve" in 1859, based on the French name for the purple mallow flower. After this experiment and journey, the elite hue of purple became affordable and eventually would be available worldwide as we know it today.

The Meaning of the Color Purple

On a more symbolic and psychological level, purple at one point represented spirituality and holiness because the ancient emperors and others in a high-power position wore the color and were often thought of as gods. Because of its history, wearing a bright purple bow tie can suggest royalty and honor. Other hues may suggest romantic, nostalgic, peace, independence, and most of all creativity. Purple is comprised of a mixture of the colors red and blue. While blue brings a sense of tranquility and calmness, red symbolizes fierceness. With both of these qualities combined, purple projects the perfect balance of flashy, yet modest.

Why Wear a Purple Bow Tie?

Why not wear a purple bow tie? There are many reasons to express yourself through fashion and wearing a statement like a purple bow tie is a great way to be unique. Purple comes in an array of shades and hues, and while it isn’t a neutral or typical color, it isn’t something considered completely “out of the box” either. In fact, in recent studies, experiments, and surveys, research shows that a gentleman wearing purple is even more likely to attract a significant other. This is because the color naturally stands out and illustrates a sense of confidence and structure.

When to Wear a Purple Bow Tie

Purple is typically underrated by the masses, but yet it showcases one of the most important traits in a gentleman: confidence. A purple bow tie can draw attention in all the right ways. Since it is sometimes considered an “unusual” color, it gives a gentleman the ability to take advantage and make his mark. If seeking a sense of authority and boldness at an occasion, this color would be the best match.

Some suggestions on situations where one may wear a purple bowtie could be a wedding or birthday party. Also, since the color is bold in a way that is not distracting, you could pair your purple bow tie with your favorite suit combination during a regular office day or even on a special presentation day at the office. R. Hanauer is proud to showcase these custom and handmade purple bow ties.