Being Tied Up At A National Landmark...

It may come to no surprise to you that in the many and various collections that Foolsewoode houses...men's vintage ties happens to be one of them.

But, then again.

It might.

(but I know I've mentioned it somewhere in this space in passing...so, there's really no excuse for that face)

It came as a surprise to my friend Kim who exclaimed when I showed her my latest acquisition, "But what do you do with them?!"

I imagine that I may acquire vintage things and whatnot like some people acquire stocks for their portfolio.  Although, I have no idea if this collection will bring as much wealth to me as the right stock would, but who the heck can predict that anymore?  Ties happen to bring a whole lot of joy to my life in the meantime.  And if you can find vintage ties, they can usually be pretty reasonably priced...especially at the thrift or estate sales.

Sometimes I think they're one of those overlooked vintage things.

I have no idea where my love for ties originated.  In the 80's when we were all wearing them around?  The idea of power they convey?  The pure handsomeness when you see a man dressed up, a tie around his neck and the perfect cologne, causing one to swoon?

It could be a combination of all of those or none at all.

Maybe it will come to me in a dream.

I have been having vivid dreams lately.

Until I dream up something, I can be happy with this sweet vintage Mt. Rushmore tie that I was able to ferret out of a pile of other crazy ties at the thrift the other day.  I also happen to get a secret kick out of pictures that are "real" and then printed on to fabric (I have a few choice 1970's shirts I'm also coveting) so this tie was a two-fer for me.  Which always makes me clap my hands in a happy sort of way.

Then again, I've been hanging out with a lot of babies lately, so I have been over gesticulating and getting very excited about things and proving it by clapping.

(Somehow it doesn't evoke the same response at the thrift that it does in babies)

That being said, this tie was made by JC Penny's Towncraft.  I have no idea of the origin and was wondering if it was mass produced as a kind of, "HEY!  We're proud of our national landmarks here in the USA!  Let's prove it by wearing them on a tie!"  or  if the ties were maybe made to be sold at the actual Mt. Rushmore so you could prove that you'd endured done something horrifying in a car great with your family during your vacation, eliciting the obvious remarks at the water cooler at the office upon wearing of said tie, "HEY!  Did you see that tie Bob was wearing today?!  He must have taken the wife and kids to Mt. Rushmore this summer!" To which they would have a lengthy discussion about car trips and children and wives...and all the trappings therein.

We all know that conversation.

I can totally picture this tie going smashingly with a wool fedora...which may or may not be accurate as I have no clue how old it is.  However, men's hat fashions haven't changed that much over the years so we may be safe here.

Let the happy clapping begin...