Posts Tagged ‘TieXchange’

« Older Entries

Let Bygones Be Tiegones

January 13, 2012

Sometimes I don a tie, and feel that it was one that I wore back in the high school days. I wore a tie to school every day in junior high (dark blue in 7th grade, our choice in 8th) as well as high school. Ah, Catholicism…

Solid as Iraq

My Tie du Jour is from days gone by. It’s a vintage knit from the Royal Knight collection from Joslins, a company so out-of-date that it is ungoogleable. This is a kid’s tie, as it barely had enough tie to make it down to my belt. I don’t think you can see from the picture, but the tail is held together by the tie bar.

This day was a pretty big day in the history of TieXchange. Friend and a many-time GWT, Dr. Vince Roberts (of Reavy Rehab) submitted the first picture of his TieXchange tie, a purple striped beauty from Astor & Black. This was a former 100D100T strip, from last April. Another friend, and former GirlWT, Billie Kershasky, is a sales rep for A&B.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Advertisement

Tags:, , , , , , ,
Posted in Guys With Ties, Tie du Jour | 1 Comment »

Roll Tied Roll

January 10, 2012

Well, it was a well-deserved victory last night. Not only did ‘Bama win the BCS national championship, they also won placement as 100 Days, 100 Ties subject header, over ‘Geaux Tiegers.’ I’m sure they are reserving a spot in their substantial trophy case to prominently display a screen shot of my blog.

Funny story about Alabama. I only applied to three colleges – Georgia Tech, U of Illinois & Alabama. Tech admitted me first, and then I chose Illinois when they let me in (they pledged that the weather would be MUCH better). But the best admission came from Bama, from whom I received a packet addressed to ‘Miss Brooke Saucier.’ Yes, they had accepted me as a woman. Over the next few weeks, I got letters from prospective sororities, and a note from my resident advisor in my dorm, who said something to the effect that she knew about all the best parties.. My thoughts immediately went to how much fun it would be to shock not only my roommate, but her daddy. “Hi, I’m your roommate. Brooke. When’s shower time around here?” Oh, but, alas, Bama’s new student week perfectly coincided with U of I, so I wasn’t able to give a poor fella from Montgomery a heart attack.

As for my Tie du Jour, I thought it best to wait on the purple and gold tie that would have celebrated a victory for the ‘Geaux Tiegers’ subject header. Better to let the wounds heal. This strip from Perry Ellis may be just the soother that Bayou Bengal country needs. Its texture goes pretty well with that of my gray (British eq: grey) shirt. Well, I’m just so proud of myself, aren’t I?

I’d like to introduce a new Guy With Tie here. Paul Zalmezak is a planner with the City of Evanston’s Economic Development Department, focusing on technology and its place in the Evanston business community. He was meeting over at CoLab Evanston, where TieXchange offices. Great guy. Great tie.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Guys With Ties, Tie du Jour, TieXchange tie, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Can’t spell ‘Tim Tebow’ without T-I-E…

January 9, 2012

Not wearing a Tebow Tie

I figured I may as well strike the Tebow search engine while it’s at its hottest. Even though my TdJ was worn about 2 months ago, I’m moved to mention today’s Tim Tebow’s playoff victory with the Denver Broncos. It was a very fun game to watch, as Tebow tebunked his image as an all-run-no-throw QB against the vaunted Pittsburgh Steelers defense. First play of overtime, long pass to Demaryius Thomas, turn out the lights, thank you for coming, drive carefully.

So, back to the fashion portion of the blog. Or, rather, back to what passes for fashion with me.

Air-men-eh-HEEL-doe

My Tie du Jour hearkens back to a pronunciation lesson that I posted many months ago. Ermenegildo Zegna crafted this light-green, striped beauty. So much quality in this tie. The subtlety of the colors, the weight of the fabric, everything. This will be a big hit on TieXchange, I can tell.

And now I have another thing to count. The number of ties that I have worn that remain un-posted. Yikes, it’s up to 16. Wait, that’s a lie. I have one on my crapiPhone (yes, I do think my pix have made their way back to crapi). That makes 17. And, the lie gets more lie-y…I’m wearing another. Eighteen ties. May need to have a marathon writing session here soon.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Tie du Jour, TieXchange tie | Leave a Comment »

Coffee, tie or me?

January 4, 2012

Haha, snuck a day in there without posting. But, of course, my mom was right on it, with a “did you write your blog today” that had similar tone to it as a good old “did you clean your room”? Thanks, Ma.

The CTdJ (the Catchup Tie du Jour) is another beauty from Lee Allison. This, as you may know by now, is my favorite blue. That cornflower blue, so nice, with a power stripe of red & white thrown in there for good, patriotic measure. No idea where I wore this one, but it was also found, all treasure-like, at Classy Closet at Washington & Custer in Evanston.

This tie will soon be put on the list for the TieXchange. Tomorrow we are sending out our first beta tester ties, and we’re trying to get the mailing just right. We will use an envelope that can be used to return the tie. So, at least we can be a little green, even if your tie isn’t so green.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

 

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Tie du Jour, TieXchange tie, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Auld Lang Tiene, v.2

December 31, 2011

No, this tie was not worn on New Year’s Eve, but since today is NYE, I figured I’d better get this subject used (again). My next post will actually be my Halloween tie, so we’re definitely performing some holiday bouncing.

Big happenings at TieXchange yesterday…we had our first non-family, non-friend inquiry into our services. It’s a step, right? Not sure how Bill found us, but I’m glad he did.

My Tie du Jour in question is a pretty classy number from English Laundry. It’s gray with a lighter gray crest adorning. I really liked how it went with this striped shirt.

So, I’m writing this with about 8 hours left in 2011 (Central time-wise). This year was mostly good, with sprinkles of bad in there. Those little sprinkles keep you on your toes (I’ll call them sprinkle-toes), and make you appreciate the goods. I met a lot of great, wonderful people this year, and I maintained and bettered even more friendships.

The turn of the year always brings a new hope to optimists like me. I have so many new things in my life right now, I’m practically ebullient to witness the turn of the clock to midnight. Two-thousand twelve (MMXII for you Romans out there) will prove to be spectacular, I can feel it. Of course, my feelings fly out the galaxy if the Mayans were indeed correct about the end-of-the-world predictions.

And, thus, I raise a toast to spectacular years and the inaccurate predicting powers of ancient civilizations. Cheers!

Thanks for reading…Brooke

 

Tags:, ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Buy low, sell tie

December 30, 2011

Can it be? Wow, this is two days in a row with a post! Kind of a pre-New Year’s resolution. I’m so. Darn. Proud of myself.

Let’s make it quick, since this tie was worn waaaay back in November-like. It is a spectacularly green tie, designed by my good friend, Lee Allison (a GWT alum). These ties are made so well, with so much care, that they practically tie themselves. I loved finding this one at a local place called “Classy Closet.” I know I’ve had a bunch of 100D100Ties from there.

This tie will be available on TieXchange very soon. Like, as soon as I take another picture of it, and upload it to our database.

Whoa, and I just kinda figured out my timeline (can’t spell it w/o T-I-E)…in a couple of posts I’ll write about a tie that I wore to a Hallowe’en party. So this one was worn in October, not November. Oh, the procrastination…

I have a lot of Guys With Ties coming up, so stay tuned! And check out TieXchange, if you get a chance.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Tags:, ,
Posted in Tie du Jour, TieXchange tie | Leave a Comment »

Tie Appointment Only

December 29, 2011

Let’s get right to the point. I have a bunch of ties that I’ve worn over the past couple of months, and I need to write about them. Catching up will be one of my New Year’s resolutions, soooooo…my posts may be on the short side for a week or two.

My Tie du Jour is a classic from Turnbull & Asser, a traditional British fashion house. They are recognized by royal warrant, which means they have provided services to a certain member of the British royals for a number of years. In this case, they claim to be “By Appointment to HRH the Prince of Wales.” So, Prince Charles may have worn a tie like this. It oozes quality, with fantastic silk fabric making it knot up perfectly.

As soon as I get another picture of this tie, it will definitely be available as a TieXchange tie…

Thanks for reading…Brooke

 

Tags:, ,
Posted in Tie du Jour, TieXchange tie | Leave a Comment »

Ties the Season to be Jolly

December 29, 2011

I am back. The ties are back. And, best of all, TieXchange is here.

I have offered a couple of tie-teases with my last posts (yikes. October.), but I’m ready to tell you all about TieXchange.

TieXchange is a new venture that has been started by me and my friend Chris Chaudruc (a Guy With Tie, of course). A TieXchange membership gives you the right to receive an unlimited number of ties, one or two at a time. Monthly and annual memberships are offered, and many of my 100 Days, 100 Ties are available to put into your TieQ. In all, there are 140 ties from which to choose, and we are adding dozens per week.

In addition to our sending TieXchange ties out and receiving them back, we will offer an exchange service. Once you join, you can send photos of ties that you no longer wear (and no longer wish to keep). We will assess their condition, as well as their brand, and offer credits on TieXchange purchases (all ties arrive with a ‘Buy Tie’ price) and future memberships.

We are live right now, and looking for subscribers. Here’s a link to take you right to our subscription page. Check us out!

So, now it’s time to go back several weeks for my Tie du Jour. It’s a gorgeous white strip from Express, with orange and purple stripes. Look for the next several ties that I’ve worn recently in the next few days.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

 

Tags:
Posted in Tie du Jour | Leave a Comment »

Tied and Seek

October 20, 2011

Unlike yesterday’s foray into an advice column, today I will get straight to the Tie du Jour. Well, at least I will after I admit that I failed to mention my final bit of tie-storing advice to my cousin Beaux (former GWT). As I have captured in a photo on this very blog, I use suit hangers to keep my ties separate once I’ve worn them. There’s no reason this can’t also be a method of keeping not only your ties off the closet floor, but also of keeping your momma happy that you have such a clean room. And believe me, keeping a room clean is not a genetic trait amongst the males in my family.

My TdJ is an example of the foray into the funky colors that could be captured through the use of synthetic materials. Of course, these wunderfabriks had also been used to make the dull blue/brown/black ties that went along with the white/blue/mustard work shirts of the BusinessMan of the 60s (or Dwight Shrute). There just seemed to be a funky creepin’ in, sometime around the late 60s. I gotta scan some pix from my youth…not only am I wearing some retina-searing color combos, my folks’ garb was definitely Brady-esque. Thank goodness they never matched each other, or me and my brother.

Anyway, the TdJ is from Beau Brummel, and it’s polyester. Dacron, orlon, klingon…does it really matter at this point? Yes, I hid it under a sweater, not because it was bordering on ugly, but because I found a stain (old Campbell’s soup…mmm, good) that I hadn’t caught — or tasted — at Unique Thrift Store. The knot gives you plenty of perspective on its, um, colorfulnessosity.

Okay, the mention in my last post that I would spill the beans on TieXchange was apparently a tease. But, I will give the basics here: TieXchange will be a membership-based wardrobe enhancer. For a modest annual or monthly fee, one can select from a growing selection of new and pre-worn ties. One (or two, depending on the membership plan) of those selected strips will arrive in the mail, ready for wear. After wearing them as many times as the aforementioned ‘one’ so pleases, the tie is returned, after which another tie from the queue will shortly arrive. We hope to have it ready in the next couple of weeks, but feel free to click on the link and submit your email address to us.

I guess it wasn’t a tease. More TieXchange info to follow…

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Tie du Jour | 2 Comments »

Forget me knot

October 19, 2011

Good brain, bad brain. It seems that the latter seems to be making itself known a lot more, at least in my world. I don’t even have the commercially-fueled image of “This is your brain on drugs” to blame my mental ineptitude on. Just duh-lightful.

My cousin (and GWT alum) Beaux Jones sent a query via Facebook the other week, asking if I had suggestions on proper tie storage. I think his question was based on his assumption that there were better places than a closet floor.

Yes, Beaux, there are many places that are better than the floor, even for storing ties. I employ a few methods. I have a wire rack that hangs like a coat hanger, and can store about 10-20 ties. I also have an extending rack (that’s what he said) with individual pegs (on which I hanged up to 3 ties). It attaches to the closet rod (watch it), and holds 30-90 ties. Thanks to another GWT alum, Dr. Vince Roberts, I have a Fast Track tie rack. Vince either wasn’t using it, or he found it at a resale shop. It revolves pretty slowly, but is a pretty good way to hang 50 ties or so.

So, young Beaux, count your ties and buy something that will hold double that number. A collection will grow, right? Then, as you approach the max number for your tie rack, you can either purge some rarely-worn strips, or you can just get another rack.

Caption Ron

Off the old-man tie-wisdom, and on to the Tie du Jour. It’s from Studio Ron Chereskin, and it’s a big orange paisley beauty. Great material, and it tied really well. I picked this up at the Salvation Army in Skokie. Speaking of SA, I must say that I really miss the one that was on Kedzie here in SE Evanston. Not only was it nice to drop stuff off there, but in case of a need, it was convenient to go in and take a quick look-see.

My next installment will include details on my new tie venture, the TieXchange. Can’t wait to share it with y’all.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

Tags:, ,
Posted in Tie du Jour | Leave a Comment »

« Older Entries