#Dapper and divine how to

He takes orders from all across the country, shipping his signature style everywhere from New York City to LA, from Houston to Chicago. Today, The Dapper Bowtique has blossomed from a side-project into a full-fledged business, selling RayвЂ™s handmade bow ties and pocket squares online and in retail stores in Sarasota and Tampa, including as a recent addition to The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime. And as it turns out, a lot of other people did too. вЂњThey were always conservative,вЂќ he says, and limited to solid colors and maybe a polka dot or two. вЂњThe bow tie spoke to me since kindergarten,вЂќ Ray says, but in all this time heвЂ™s never been able to find any that matched his personal taste. And with a 30-minute lesson from a friend and the sunroom converted into a home studio, Ray quickly began churning out one-of-a-kind accessories for friends and family. How much harder could it be to make one? It helped that heвЂ™d been sewing since the 7th grade.

#Dapper and divine how to

Besides, heвЂ™d known how to tie one since he was in kindergarten. That Ray didnвЂ™t actually know how to make a bow tie seemed a small hurdle. вЂњIвЂ™m going to start my own bow tie business,вЂќ he said. Then more angels appeared, more than he could count and all bearing patterned fabrics of their own, the seraphim of style draping them over RayвЂ™s head until he was buried in a textile cocoon.

The angel dropped it upon RayвЂ™s head and it fell into his hands and into his lap.

As the angel approached, he saw that it was a swatch of African print fabric and he saw that fabric form itself into the distinctive shape of a bow tie. Or was it divine inspiration? A black angel appeared to him, hovering above, something clutched in her hand that he couldnвЂ™t quite make out.