WHAT IS A BOLO TIE (aka bola tie)? It is a type of necktie consisting of a piece of cord fastened with an ornamental bar or clasp. The bolo tie as we know it today was created in 1949 by Vic Cedarstaff in Wickenburg, Arizona and later patented; however, the bolo tie is a North American pioneer creation that dates back to between 1866 and 1886. In Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, there is a bolo tie on display at a trading post that dates back to that date.

In the United States bolo ties are widely associated with traditional cowboy dress, and are generally most common in the western areas of the country. Many Native Americans have also worn bolo ties. The bolo tie was made the official neckwear of Arizona in 1971. New Mexico passed a non-binding measure to designate the bolo as the state's official neckwear in 1987. On March 13, 2007, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson signed into law that the bolo tie is now the state's official tie.