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 Even fashion-clueless men cannot resist the allure of
jewelry; they still have a touching weakness for the shimmering precious metals
and sparkling gemstones, though probably hidden deep within. Sometimes they inadvertently
reveal their passion with the flashy watch, diamond studs, or some really
unusual tie clips. Tie clips or bars, however, are inherently male
accessories. They clip horizontally across a man's tie and hold it to his
shirt, stabilizing it while also assuring that the skinny part will not emerge
from behind the wide part. Luckily, modern designers do not neglect tie clips
when working on the look of the present-day gentleman, and make them into a
functional and sophisticated accessory.
Tie Clips in History
Tie-wearing has been popular since the late 17th century
(when the «cravat» was in vogue), but it was not until about 1850 that the
four-in-hand tie, or typical long tie of today, became prevalent. By 1870, men
were using tie pins to affix the tie directly to the shirt. But these required
puncture-action and thus damaged anything made of silk, as many ties were by
1920 or so. Tie clips rose to prominence in the 1920s, when pioneering tailor
Jesse Langsdorf developed a procedure for cutting ties that discouraged
wrinkles and, more important, allowed the tie to fall straight down and more or
less stay there, as ties are expected to do today. The simultaneous advent of
silk ties and predictable tie behavior helped the gentler tie clip outpace its
pokey counterpart.
However, as the 20th century wore on, fashions became
increasingly casual. Men discontinued the practice of wearing suits and stopped
wearing fedoras almost entirely. Perhaps, the tie clip, too, became a sort of
symbol of the «organization man,» a badge of corporate servility and piety. As
white-collar workers became less tied to one company and more like free agents,
the tie clip was left in the junk drawer.
Innovative Designer Solutions
Modern tie clips can be quite innovative in their
design and functions, for instance, a tie clip in the shape of a miniature
Parker pen with cap, made of yellow and white gold, which is quite capable of performing
the tasks of its prototype, like taking notes, or a white gold tie bar with a
large logo of one of the most famous automakers, for example, Mitsubishi.
Prices for these items can range from $20 to $1500.
For those who appreciate art and love sophisticated
jewelry for men, Austrian brand Frey Wille included several tie clips into its
collections Hommage a Hundertwasser, Joie de Vivre and the Sphinx. The accessories
(or rather exquisite jewelry pieces) are made of yellow and white gold using a
special color enameling technique. Each tie clip in the Hommage a Hundertwasser
collection features a miniaturized fragment of the painting by Hundertwasser in
the signature Frey Wille style. Prices for these tie clips range from $400 to $1500.
If you're into geeky stuff but have to stick to formal
wear most of the time, you can rebel with the tie clip doubling as a standard MP3-player.
This accessory is equipped with a miniature flash drive and a miniature button
to start playback. The face side features an LCD which can be set up to display
your company's name or any message of your choosing, like "My heart is free» or
«Hello! How are you».
The next item on our list is an absolute must-have for
any James Bond' wannabee. The Tie Clip Mini Spy Camera can do oh so many
things. Inside of the tie clip is a hidden camera, capable of recording video
images and audio without alerting people around you. Additionally, the tie clip
is easily removed and placed just about anywhere, allowing you to discretely
plant the camera wherever you need it for maximum effectiveness even after you
leave the room,.
The tiny 3.7mm pinhole lens can record video in MPEG4,
and contains an audio pickup as well. Your video and sound can be played back
on the receiver unit with the 2.4-inch TFT LCD display, which records all of
the received video on its 2GB of storage space. You can add even more memory
with a Mini SD memory card for those longer spy missions, allowing you to
greatly increase your video capacity.
The next item will definitely appeal to all nerds and
geeks out there. Known as the Photoshop Toolbar tie, it is definitely the best
accessory to flaunt your love for this application. Designed by Toni Castillo,
this tie clip features a pattern of the entire tool bar and promises to make a
style statement like no other.
Definitely created for a more Westernized workaholic
society, the Stick Pin Iron for Ties allows any man (or woman) to look pressed
and put-together no matter where they are or how long they have been working. Designed
by Goal Orientation, the Stick Pin Iron for Ties actually resembles a hair
dressers hair clip. Yet this handy tool doesn't keep hair pulled back. Using
ceramic heating plates, it powers up either by USB or an outlet.
In recent years, decorative tie clips have become popular
gift ideas for shoppers on a budget. There is usually a wide variety of styles
available and one size does indeed fit all ties. Owners of several neckties
should also invest in functional tie clips for everyday occasions and several
higher-end clips for formal events. Many
times,
tie
clips
are
bundled
with
matching
cufflinks
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