Wow!!! And I thought that a black cloth matching your lapels (i.e. satin with satin, baratea with barathea, etc.), slightly imperfect to show it was hand-tied and giving it some 'character', was the right way to do it. Don't get me wrong, I love a good math quiz as much as the next guy.

Now, if we're talking about the shape of the tie, that's another thing all together...Bow ties come in a number of shapes, from thin 1 1/2" "bat-wings" to wide 3 1/2" "butterflies", and several in between. There is also the issue of flat vs. pointed ends.

I'd say the ultimate goal is to make sure that the tie is proportionate to the wearers face...and I think CMcG has achieved this goal.