Skip to main content
page-banner

Bolo

New Mexico State Tie

Bolo tie; photo by Jessa Dow-Anderson / Different Seasons Jewelry  on Flickr (use permitted with attribution).

Official State Tie of New Mexico

New Mexico designated the bolo as the official state tie in 2007 (New Mexico also adopted an official state necklace in 2011). All Cultural Heritage Symbols

A bolo tie (also called bola tie) is a type of necktie consisting of a piece of cord or braided leather with decorative metal tips secured with an ornamental clasp or slide. Boleadoras or bolas (from Spanish bola, which means "ball") are throwing weapons made of weights attached to the end of cords.

Bolo tie slides and tips in silver have been part of Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni silversmithing traditions since the mid-20th century. Bolo ties are widely associated with Western wear (the "bola tie" is also an official symbol of Arizona - the state neckwear).

Images

Videos