Some people have a problem with their birthdays. They will go great lengths to avoid cakes at the office, presents from friends, general recognition, etc. Not me. I have no problem letting folks know that my birthday is coming up, nor do I find myself reluctant to say “It’s my birthday” whether or not I know the person to whom I’m speaking.
That said, it’s my 41st birthday, and just because I’m in an even-numbered mood (more feng shui you know), let’s put that number at 42. [Insert tasteful multiple-birthday-candle-, or forgetfulness-related joke here].
Thin is in!
Today’s Tie du Jour is a fun one to write about, and not just because I’m hopped up on birthday cake from Fraîche, on Noyes Street here in Evanston. I’ll also admit that I indulged in an almond croissant this morning from there, too. Go check out what Susan, Mari and the gang have in store for you–one good bite after another, I promise.
I bought this tie at Unique Thrift Store, if memory serves. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, it was way too wide for my taste, and I just went over to see Wafa at A-1 Tailor on Dempster, just west of Chicago Avenue. He has worked wonders for us over the years, doing anything from sewing a Harry Caray patch on my Cubs jersey, to altering a suit. His prices are fair, and he does great work. He has bettered many of my treasures.
As soon as I saw my new, thinner tie, I was ecstatic. Somehow the narrower strip makes the pattern stand out even more. I couldn’t wait to wear it, so it took me all of a day.
Mr. Zanayed and I have always had nice mini-conversations, but this time I spent a good fifteen minutes, being regaled with some cool stories from his early career in Palestine. His expertise has always been suits, and I can tell he knows what he’s doing. I even have a few suits from resale shops, and those need some adjustments, and he has really helped me save some money.
Wafa told me about a woman who came to his shop last year with a piece of fabric, and wanted to surprise her husband
Great sweater, great tie, great tailor
for his birthday with a custom-made tie. Wafa took apart an old tie to see how to put it back together, and produced a beautiful surprise. It cost around $100, but the husband loved it so much she came back this year with another fabric.
And now here’s a teaser for another TdJ: he showed me a tie that had been waiting for its owner for a year and a half. He offered it to me for what the previous owner owed on it, so for $5 I got a great new tie. Sorry, Mr. Deadbeat Tie Owner…
Speaking of tie owner, my original number was 116, but I found 4 here at the office (do not knot unless in an emergency) and have bought around 8-10 since starting 100 Days, 100 Ties. So, by rudimentary math standards, that puts us at 130 or so. Yeesh. I need to start giving some of these away. Seriously, if you know of someone who wants a tie, or perhaps a college graduate who could use a few, let me know. I’d be happy to wear 1 or 5 in a row with the idea that I could mail them at the end of the day or week. Let’s get creative.
Thanks for reading, thanks for the birthday wishes…
Brooke
100 Days, 100 Ties 
April 10, 2010 at 2:51 am |
There are schools and men’s dress programs that would love to have your ties! For example, we have a school here that is K-5, and they are working with the fifth graders to learn how to dress appropriately including learning how to tie a tie. So look around – there is bound to be a program in need of your ties (even the ugly ones!).