Sunday, December 27, 2009

Fashion Victim: Vintage Ties


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I don't have to wear a tie to work; I choose to. Ties are, like, the accessory fairy's gift to man. If you just buy "acceptable" ties at Macy's or, worse, TJ Maxx, then you really aren't trying. Skimping on shirts? That's fine. Skimping on ties? Unacceptable.

The ties I wear tend to be in two categories: cheap vintage ones (so plentiful on eBay*!) and expensive new Italian ones (Pucci, Missoni and Fendi are favorites). Fashionable tie width is something I let other people worry about; the ones I sport range from the narrowest ribbons to gigantic 5-inchers from the 70s.

Shown above from left to right:
  • Very narrow green and black striped silk with embroidered chess motif, maker unknown. I don't know when ties this skinny were in fashion. Late 1950s? Dating ties is difficult.
  • Black and gray striped narrow tie with red abstract motif, probably early 1960s, probably rayon or acetate, no label.
  • Black and white diagonal stripe, rayon, maker and era unknown. Flat bottom!
  • Orange/brown mottled design with heraldic motif, probably early 1960s, probably silk, no label.

Wear a beautiful tie tomorrow, OK?

*Honestly, eBay is a bottomless pit filled with wondrous vintage ties. Some sellers offer lots of several, and even if only 1/3 of the batch are good, it's still worth it. The two ties on the right of the picture above came from a lot of ten I purchased for $30, and all ten were fabulous. That's ten great ties for the price of one horrible Geoffrey Beene piece of junk from a department store!

4 comments:

Dualtrack said...

I've just started buying ties, mostly "old man" skinny ties from the 40s and 50s. I'm working on realizing a vision for a aesthete which I still don't completely understand. Thanks for the eBay tip! So far, I've been having great luck at the local Goodwill ... $1.99 each and when they're good, they're GREAT!

Karen Zipdrive said...

I like skinny ties.
Back in the 80's when I was married, my husband and I threw a huge New Year's Eve party.
He took the yellow plaid flannel belt from his bathrobe and wore it as a tie. It looked fabulous!
He also used an eyebrow pencil to create a thin mustache. Also fabulous.

lorrwill said...

But I can't wear a tie cos I'm a girl and the Annie Hall look is so over!

Karen Zipdrive said...

Petey I'll bet that tie collection of yours smells like Old Spice, Hai Karate, Brut, Jade East and a bowling alley.