D.I.Y.

If the eyes are the windows of the soul, then surely neckties are its curtains. (I have anticipated the arguments against this thesis: the eyelids are the blinds, and sunglasses are the shutters.) Even moreso if the necktie was homemade out of curtain material, as I suspect this one was (if not upholstery fabric). The fabric probably dates from the 1930s; at least that's what my father estimates, and I'll take his word for it since he lived through part of that decade himself (the latter part). Since silk is so sheer, the construction of a tie from it requires the silk to be wrapped around a lining or interfacing of a heavier fabric to give the tie its shape (unless using the luxurious and difficult seven-fold method). But with a heavy fabric with some stiffness to it, such as curtain fabric, the interfacing can be dispensed with, making for easier construction, as in today's necktie. I also like the color palette, which you don't see much on ties. I wish I could have pulled more of the magenta flowers through the knot, but I was already pushing the appropriate limit of tie length. At least there was enough for a nice accent.

Addendum: the Tie Yourself In Knots website has a page of instructions for making your own necktie here.