August 19, 2010
Quick Take: DIY Tie Belt
Did I feel like a blogger gone mad asking to take this picture of an account manager at the end of a meeting? Yeah, sort of. But is jauntily wrapping dad’s old tie around your waist a genius stand-in for a lost belt? You betcha. I love the J. Crew cool of this striped vintage number on a simple navy sheath and think it would make a particularly fetching masculine-feminine mash-up on a girly dress. Here’s to DIY in action! (Let this also serve as proof that I don’t dwell exclusively in the land of fresh flowers and daydreaming. I sit in windowless conference rooms, too!)
Eliza: Old school skinny ties that are more uniform in width throughout also work as headbands if you’re feeling the hippie spirit
1 year ago
Great point. I would love a giant comment thread on other things people have done with men’s ties. I used to see instructions for a tie skirt floating around, and that just seemed nuts (too labor intensive!).1 year ago
Anita: I’ve seen a tie quilt at craft fair.1 year ago
Anne: I saw a tie skirt once. Idea was cooler than the execution, though, it was sweet that the ties belonged to someone near and dear to the wearer.1 year ago
Annie: I love ties as belts. I have an old one of my dad’s that I wear every one in a while. I will say the one downside is that the older ties can be kind of bulky, which can lead to some rather unfortunate lumps. However, there are ever so many possibilities for cool knots.
Kudos for having your camera at the ready to capture this stylish lady.1 year ago
Suse: Check out images of Fred Astaire (You Were Never Lovelier, 1941, and others) where he used ties as belts – way cool. Save your Dad’s old ties (especially the narrow ones)!1 year ago
Sara Rose: I have this dreadful feeling that my waist is not small enough for a tie to fit around it. Oy.1 year ago
Charone: Makes me want to re-read A Separate Peace.1 year ago
beth: for years after reading something in seventeen magazine about a skirt made of ties, i thought of it as the ultimate not-in-stores, i-made-it-myself piece of clothing. but thinking back on it now, i’d have to agree with anne: it’s probably cooler as an idea.
as for other things to do with them, i’m thinking of rayanne from my so-called life — seems like she’d have one knotted around a purse or in her hair somehow.1 year ago
Jane: Children’s books are the best! If you like Anne, The Blue Castle, also by LMM, is an even better stand-alone book, imo. I’ve also had a mild obsession with Constance, by Patricia Clapp, since fifth grade.1 year ago
K of IAFN: Thanks for snapping that picture.
My mother-in-law is in the process of reconstructing a bunch of ties and turning them into other amazing things.
I can’t wait to see what cool item she’ll make for me!
K-1 year ago
kaye: I love it i have dozen of ties at home. my daddys ties. so imma use it. thanks for the tip1 year ago