In the United States, most people know Ernie Johnson because of his measured comments on basketball on the TNT channel, but also and especially because he always wears a
When the bow tie becomes a trademark
After asking questions about sport and faith, the journalist concluded his interview with this accessory that has become fashionable. Ernie Johnson adopted the bow tie a long time ago. And, as often with the bow tie, to try it is to adopt it. It evokes:
“I started wearing bow ties about 4 or 5 years ago. The first time was during the holiday season. I had bought myself a bow tie for the company Christmas party that we were presenting with my wife Cheryl. After which I started to pay more attention to this accessory. I bought a few bow ties after shopping several times, and started wearing them.
All my life, I've worn classic ties. I wanted to try something different. When I commentated on a baseball game or a golf competition, I wore a tie. But for basketball I went to the bow tie, because it's kind of like a tie tied in the shape of a basketball hoop.
Nowadays fans often give me bow ties that they made themselves. I still buy some from time to time, but less than in the past: I must have a few hundred. I wear some don'ts more frequently than others, some I've only worn once, and that's something I really like.
Here's a fun little fact about bow ties. I had become so expert in the art of tying a bow tie (about a year after I started) that I thought I was going to make a simple tie into a bow tie before the blanket of a baseball game. That's when I started to panic, because I just couldn't remember what to do! Thankfully that black hole disappeared just before the show started, but it was a pretty unique experience.
When I started, I had no idea that the bow tie would become one of my trademarks. This accessory allows me to stand out, to give me a distinctive sign. Plus, I really enjoy wearing them. At first I had to persevere a bit, because it's the subject of a lot of criticism and teasing, like "Hey how are you Orville Redenbacher" (note: an American businessman well known for his brand of popcorn in his name, the logo of which showed his face and his famous bow tie), blah blah blah…
I didn't let myself be put off, so today when I'm not wearing one, I'm told "hey why didn't you wear a bow tie"?
In the photo, you can see that Mr. Johnson is a person of taste: he also wears a few men's bracelets on his wrist, including pearl bracelets.
Even Princess Anne is getting into the bow tie!
It's not just men who can wear bow ties, this accessory goes very well with a feminine blouse. That's exactly what Princess Anne did during her visit to Trinity House. But this is not a first in the British royal family: she only imitated Princess Diana, who wore a bow tie during her visit to the Tower of London. She had given the cover during other official visits, notably to Italy in 1985.