DEFINITION: Made of ribbon or fabric folded back and forth upon itself and sometimes tied to create loops with extensions hanging below a knot, a bow is a decorative element added to garments & accessories for its aesthetic value.
This is my own definition. Of course you can google this term to find other definitions as well.
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You can see in the image above that I’ve used a ribbon, tied in a bow at the back, as a closure for this super easy-to-sew dress. So ribbons tied in bows can actually be used as an alternative closure, rather than using snaps or Velcro.
I’ve also designed dresses that just use a bow as a decorative element, like you see on the doll below.
I can’t wrap up this article defining the bow in sewing terms without addressing the elephant in the closet: the bow tie. According to a website known simply as TheBowTie.com, “high-profile bow tie connoisseurs have pioneered a movement that has led to a redefining of the bow tie.” When I read this, I wondered which African or African American famous names could I associate with the bow tie’s popularity.
It helps to go back to the origins of the bow tie. “The bow tie first entered the scene as a new style of necktie in the beginning of the 19th century; a modification of its predecessor, the cravat. By the mid 1880s, the bow tie had become a staple in the fashion conscious man’s wardrobe.” Whoa! The early 19th century? That’s earlier than I had thought.
Many African Americans were enslaved in the early 19th century, so I consulted a library book, Extraordinary Black Americans: From Colonial to Contemporary Times, and there, I ran across an artist’s rendition of a famous portrait of Dred Scott (scroll down to see it).
In case you’ve forgotten, Dred Scott’s lawsuit incited so much anger and frustration from Americans in the northern states, that it has been credited with starting the American Civil War. “The Supreme Court decision Dred Scott v. Sandford was issued on March 6, 1857. Delivered by Chief Justice Roger Taney, this opinion declared that African Americans were not citizens of the United States and could not sue in Federal courts” (the Library of Congress). After that ruling, Dred Scott’s portrait appeared in newspapers all over the United States.
Now I want you to take a good look at Dred Scott’s portrait. Do you see what he’s wearing around his neck? That’s not a cravat; it’s too short. I would call it an early version of a bow tie.
This image of Dred Scott is attributed to Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, published in June of 1857.
Is it possible that Dred Scott not only raised public awareness of the injustices being done to enslaved African Americans through his lawsuit, but he also made a fashion statement that has remained with us to this day? I’m not saying he invented the bow tie, but rather, his portrait was probably one of many that appeared in newspapers at the time, showing how a well-dressed gentleman should look.
You may not remember the details of the Dred Scott case, but it’s kind of an important one. So here’s a quick and easy-to-understand video from Crash Course, to catch you up. When you’re all done watching it, I have a question for you…
DISCUSSION QUESTION: Besides the correlation to bow ties, do you see any similarities between Dred Scott’s story and events that are happening in the world today? Please leave your response in the comments.
Please come back to this blog post at the end of next week, so you can see what comments other people left!
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References:
Crash Course. “The Dred Scott Decision: Crash Course Black American History #16.” YouTube, 4 Sept. 2021, Web. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VffLWl8asY
Fitzgibbon, John H., 1816?-1882, photographer. Eliza and Lizzie, children of Dred Scott Dred Scott ; His wife, Harriet. [New York: Frank Leslie] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress on 2 Feb. 2026, <www.loc.gov/item/2002707034/>.
Klotz, Chris, n.d. “Bow Tie History.” TheBowTie.com, Accessed 2 Feb. 2026. URL: https://thebowtie.com/en-us/blogs/news/bow-tie-history?srsltid=AfmBOopsX6XjOBjh9G2CjeFpyJJLAZD6HAq6GgnAe1-wvj5vZNs4Z_vf
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Chelly Wood and the ChellyWood.com website are not affiliated with any of the doll or toy companies mentioned in this blog post, but Chelly enjoys designing her doll clothes to fit a variety of dolls. To learn more about the doll companies mentioned in today’s post, please visit the doll or toy company’s website.