--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To its devotees the bowtie suggests…" description: "\"To its devotees the bowtie suggests iconoclasm of an Old World sort, a fusty adherence to a contrarian point of view. The bowtie hints at intellectuali..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/warren-st-john-55368_acumen_to-its-devotees-the-bowtie-suggests-icon_2135966.jpg" --- # To its devotees the bowtie suggests iconoclasm of an Old… ![“To its devotees the bowtie suggests iconoclasm of an Old World sort, a fusty adherence to a contrarian point of view. The bowtie hints at intellectualism, real or feigned, and sometimes suggests technical acumen, perhaps because it is so hard to tie. BowTies are worn by magicians, country doctors…” quote by Warren St. John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/warren-st-john-55368_acumen_to-its-devotees-the-bowtie-suggests-icon_2135966.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/warren-st-john-55368_acumen_to-its-devotees-the-bowtie-suggests-icon_2135966.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/warren-st-john-55368_acumen_to-its-devotees-the-bowtie-suggests-icon_2135966.jpg) > “To its devotees the bowtie suggests iconoclasm of an Old World sort, a fusty adherence to a contrarian point of view. The bowtie hints at intellectualism, real or feigned, and sometimes suggests technical acumen, perhaps because it is so hard to tie. BowTies are worn by magicians, country doctors, lawyers and professors and by people hoping to look like the above. But perhaps most of all, wearing a bow tie is a way of broadcasting an aggressive lack of concern for what other people think.” [Warren St. John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-st-john/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bow ties signal nonconformity, intellectual flair, and a willingness to defy mainstream expectations. **In simple terms:** Bow ties show bold, unconventional style. Key Takeaway Embrace distinctive personal expression. Themes fashion individualism identity Mood playful critical Type cultural observational When to use this quote - professional networking - creative industries - personal branding Key Concepts symbolic rebellion social signaling Questions to Reflect On - Why do we associate attire with credibility? - How does dress affect perception of expertise? A Different Perspective May be perceived as pretentious or distracting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acumen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acumen/) [Adherence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adherence/) [Aggressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggressive/) [Bow tie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bow-tie/) [Bows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bows/) [Bowtie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bowtie-1194338/) [Bowtie Suggests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bowtie-suggests-4424813/) [Bowties Worn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bowties-worn-4424814/) [Broadcasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broadcasting/) [Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Devotee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotee/) [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hints/) [Iconoclasm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iconoclasm/) [Intellectualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectualism/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Magician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magician/) [Old world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-world/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Professors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professors/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tie Bowties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tie-bowties-4424812/) [Ties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ties/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Worn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worn/) ## Related quotes > [“The little man behind that desk was the joke candidate of election years, best remembered for his trademark yellow bowtie. 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Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-s-grey/) > [I started rockin' the BowTie when I was a rookie with the New York Giants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhani-jones/i-started-rockin-the-bowtie-when-i-was-a-rookie-with-the-new-york/) [Dhani Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhani-jones/) > [I'd love to pop my head above the parapet of Left-wing political satire, but not so far that you can see my bowtie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivo-graham/i-d-love-to-pop-my-head-above-the-parapet-of-left-wing-political/) [Ivo Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivo-graham/) > [I started taking my fiance, Justin, to some red carpet events I would go to, and a bowtie is often something that was required.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-tyler-ferguson/i-started-taking-my-fiance-justin-to-some-red-carpet-events-i-would/) [Jesse Tyler Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-tyler-ferguson/) > [See the bowtie? I wear it and I don't care. That's why it's cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/see-the-bowtie-i-wear-it-and-i-don-t-care-that-s-why-it-s-cool/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [“I tell you, you will not see the new beauty and the truth, until you make up your minds to spit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazimir-severinovich-malevich/i-tell-you-you-will-not-see-the-new-beauty-and-the-truth-until-you/) [Kazimir Severinovich Malevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazimir-severinovich-malevich/) > [“If it aint broke, break it. Then build something better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-culver/if-it-aint-broke-break-it-then-build-something-better/) [Jonathan Culver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-culver/) > [“Artists are agents of chaos. It is the artists job to encourage entropy, to promote chaos. Idols must be killed, icons crushed, beliefs shattered.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-culver/artists-are-agents-of-chaos-it-is-the-artists-job-to-encourage/) [Jonathan Culver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-culver/) > [“I don't like peoples, only persons among peoples. I've developed an allergy against being outnumbered, a price for originality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-spellman/i-don-t-like-peoples-only-persons-among-peoples-i-ve-developed-an/) [Brian Spellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-spellman/) > [There is iconoclasm in the excessively intellectual, and they delight in destroying their dearest moral or sentimental idols, the better to prove their strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bourget/there-is-iconoclasm-in-the-excessively-intellectual-and-they-delight/) [Paul Bourget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bourget/) > [Take what the old-church found in Mithra's tomb, candle and script and bell, take what the new-church spat upon and broke and shattered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilda-doolittle/take-what-the-old-church-found-in-mithra-s-tomb-candle-and-script-and/) [Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilda-doolittle/) > [Rebelliousness really is the province of young people-that kind of iconoclasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/rebelliousness-really-is-the-province-of-young-people-that-kind-of/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [Modernity consists in a revolt against the prevailing style, an unyielding rage against the official order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-howe/modernity-consists-in-a-revolt-against-the-prevailing-style-an/) [Irving Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-howe/) > [“The Devil answer'd: bray a fool in a morter with wheat, yet shall not his folly be beaten out of him; if Jesus Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-devil-answer-d-bray-a-fool-in-a-morter-with-wheat-yet-shall-not/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) ## More by Warren St. John > [“Luma had always told them they had to shake off bad calls. 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They start big, and then get smaller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-st-john/everything-in-the-world-starts-small-and-then-becomes-bigger-except/) [Warren St. John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-st-john/) > [“No one person can do everything . . . but we can all do something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-st-john/no-one-person-can-do-everything-but-we-can-all-do-something/) [Warren St. John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-st-john/) > [The thing I got to thinking about,' he said, 'is--what are the conditions that lead to larger portions of society being generous, humble, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-st-john/the-thing-i-got-to-thinking-about-he-said-is-what-are-the-conditions/) [Warren St. John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-st-john/) [Explore all 5 Warren St. John quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-st-john/) ## More Acumen quotes > [Donald Trump has built a business through hard times and through good times. 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It embodies, indeed, something better than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/certainly-ordinary-language-has-no-claim-to-be-the-last-word-if-there/) [J. L. 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With experience comes insight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/with-age-comes-acumen-with-experience-comes-insight/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [I've got no business acumen whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-redknapp/i-ve-got-no-business-acumen-whatsoever/) [Harry Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-redknapp/) > [Pundits are always blaming TV for making people stupid, movies for desensitizing the world to violence, and rock music for making kids take drugs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/pundits-are-always-blaming-tv-for-making-people-stupid-movies-for/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [I don't read reviews about myself with any special eagerness or attention unless they are masterpieces of wit and acumen, and I never reread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/i-don-t-read-reviews-about-myself-with-any-special-eagerness-or/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Creativity is not intelligence, it is the ability to do what you did not know through the use of what you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/creativity-is-not-intelligence-it-is-the-ability-to-do-what-you-did/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [As both developed and developing nations search for alternative sources of energy in response to the growing energy crisis, we at Acumen Fund believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/as-both-developed-and-developing-nations-search-for-alternative/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [I don't often think of Donald Trump, but his daughter is very smart. She's a woman working in real estate, which is predominantly men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-tzemach-lemmon/i-don-t-often-think-of-donald-trump-but-his-daughter-is-very-smart/) [Gayle Tzemach Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-tzemach-lemmon/) [Browse all 42 Acumen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acumen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To its devotees the bowtie suggests iconoclasm of an Old World sort, a fusty adherence to a contrarian point of view. The bowtie hints at intellectualism, real or feigned, and sometimes suggests technical acumen, perhaps because it is so hard to tie. BowTies are worn by magicians, country doctors, lawyers and professors and by people hoping to look like the above. 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