Fit to Be Tied: Vogue 8048

When I told my mother that I might have to cancel my retro tie-making class due to a lack of interest, she was all: "No one wants to make a tie? Ties are fun. I like making ties." That's my mother who sewed seven wool plaid ties one year for Christmas for all my brothers. There are still a few of the ties floating around and at the holidays the men (now including some of the in-laws) sling 'em on over their hoodies (which just seems like a heresy, you know, ties are meant to be worn with shirts tucked into a pair of dress pants). All to please and amuse the matriarch on Dec. 25.

Have no fear or tears but I think I will try again with the tie class (we're not talking tie-dying, which is entirely a different craft) in the fall. When it's chillier, when men reach out for their cardigans. Right now, everyone here in Chicago is thinking about spring and summer, and trying their utmost to forget that we're still squarely stuck in winter even though the thermometer (or in Dashboard on my MacBook) says it's Spring.

I just think I'm ahead of the trends. Futurist Faith Popcorn should hire me, if she has the funds. In fact, I got an email this morning that confirms what I've been. This one was hawking $15 ties using the same fabrics and hues from Fashion Week. So...my class at $45? You could easily make some really trendy ties (and bow-ties too!) for a lot less than $15. Anyhow, back to the press release that landed in my inbox. Here is the tie color forecast, courtesy of Greg Shugar, CEO and designer of the Tie Bar. "We expect Fall 2009 to start showing more and more florals, ranging from traditional florals and brocades to modern botanicals and organics,” says Shugar. “The top color trend which men have seemed to warm up to is chocolate brown, a classic color that translates into all season and personal styles. We expect to see a lot more of it show in the Fall."

Did someone say chocolate? Oh, fabric. There's plenty of silk in that colorway at Vogue Fabrics. I personally gravitate to something a little more lively, especially now. I was actually studying the tie worn by the server at McDonald's today while I was ordering my hash-browns. That was cute, something along this adorable car-themed tie at the Purl Bee. See? Tie-making is on the upswing, it's starting with swing-set crowd first. Which of three ties above do you like? The middle one's my favorite.