You’re never fully dressed without a bow tie: Glenn ‘Hurricane’ Schwartz offers a rule book for his signature look

Business casual and formal wear can sometimes hamper a person’s style, especially if you’re operating with a limited number of suits and shirts — after all, those are pricey.

One way to add a bit of a pop is through a bow tie. And before you write them off as antiquated, take NBC10 meteorologist Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz. For the better part of three decades, he’s delivered the five-day forecast and peppered in bits of his personality with his more than 170 bow ties.

With Schwartz retiring at the end of May, bow tie fashion could use some fresh takers.

We asked Schwartz to give us some basic tenets to live by.

If there’s a pattern you like, say polka dots, Schwartz suggests exploring it at all levels. Experiment with colors and the size of the dots. If you don’t like those patterns, don’t force it — try two-toned bow ties instead.

Maybe you want to show more of what you’re passionate about. For Schwartz, that meant investing in his weather-related ties and sports-themed ties. For you? Maybe it’s patterns that honor your love of catfish noodling or dedication to budgeting, but make sure they bring you joy to wear it. Otherwise, what are we doing?

If you’re already trying something new, such as a bow tie, why not try something different?

“My general idea of fashion is to not do what other people do,” Schwartz said of his bow-tie approach. “If everybody was wearing paisley, I refused to wear paisley. When people were wearing polka dots, I refused to wear polka dots.”

When those patterns dominated fashion, Schwartz opted for abstract and geometric prints. He only picked up polka-dotted patterns once they went out of fashion.

This is less of a tip and more of a message meant to reduce a major barrier to entry.

If it’s any comfort, Schwartz, known for his bow ties, does not know how to tie them after decades of wearing them. He’s never had an interest.

Schwartz has opted for pre-tied bow ties with the adjustable clasps.

“Do not call them clip-ons,” he joked. Those, said Schwartz, were from his father’s generation.