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Dressed like that in the middle of a weekday

Since I work in public education in a moderately

visible job, wearing my iconic “The Dude” cardigan

sweater at work isn’t really an option (I can’t get away

with carrying around a White Russian, either).  I only

mention it because sometimes there’s a man who

figures out a way to take her easy for all us sinners.

Necktie — The word itself makes some men

uncomfortable

Now, the necktie may not have three thousand

years of beautiful tradition from Moses to Sandy

Koufax, but it has an important role in the

professional life of many a modern man, including me,

and I have a nice collection of artsy, clever, and

thoughtful neckties that allow me to express myself

and still retain an air of professionalism at work.

Way to go, Dude. If you will it, it is no dream.

A good tie is hard to find.  There is no shortage of Disney- or Looney Tunes- or Tabasco-branded neckties, but I wanted something special, and as I was doodling one day (I’m no Jackie Treehorn, but I do draw), I laid out this little piece.

I realized if I could put The Dude’s sweater on a fallen log in Calvin and Hobbes’ forest, I could put it on a necktie. So I re-designed The Dude’s sweater pattern so it would fit the narrow layout of a necktie.

I had one printed at an online place, and it turned out pretty okay.  People complimented my tie (and my taste in movies) with questions and movie quotes:

1. •“I want a tie like that, Dude.”
   

2. •“That is a sharp-looking tie!”
   

3. •“This aggression will not stand; where did you get the tie?”
   

4. •“That tie really abides, Dude.”
   

5. •“Obviously, you’re not a golfer.”
   

6. •“That really ties the room together.” (wink)
   

7. •“I like your style, Dude.”
   

8. •“Nice marmot” (easily the best, most clever compliment)
   

Yet the tie had the sheen of a cheap, inkjet-printed, one-off craft-fair project, because it really was a cheap, inkjet-printed, one-off. Plus, it cost nearly 40 bones, or clams, or whatever you call them. For that kind of money, I wanted something more durable, more professional, more classy—and a little skinnier.  You can imagine where it goes from here.

The Preferred Nomenclature

Now making a quality necktie is complicated—a lot of ins, a lot of outs, a lot of what-have-you’s—so I did some looking and got in touch with Martin at Siming Neckwear Company in Shengzhou, China, and asked about getting my new design in a woven, not printed, necktie.  Unfortunately, there wasn’t time for a photo opportunity.  I sent him my initial sketches:

We talked back and forth and he

told me my design would be a

“panel tie,” and he gave me a price

for a minimum quantity and offered

to make a sample and ship it to me.  

I sent my full design and a deposit

to him, and his team made this beauty.

This is the final product; a beautiful,

well-made, classy, professional tie that

is a subtle wink to those in the know

that you can look good, be professional, 

and take it easy.  For those uninitiated

in the legend, it is still a sharp-looking

tie that matches a wide range of colors.

contact me via email: coach@pacewheel.com