Impressionism

The 60s-era impulse to print every color onto polyester resulted in a lot of what Mrs. V. has dubbed "crayon vomit" ties, which I think are great. But when moderated with some tasteful restraint the product could be a vaguely impressionistic design, as on this tie. The maker is Grenada, and the fabric is "100% imported polyester," presumably a nod to the ancient polyester-making traditions of other countries.

I recently addressed two objections to the wearing of neckties, but a third one has occurred to me, which is, "Ties are stupid, they don't serve any purpose." I will address that by saying that ties are no more stupid or purposeless than hats worn indoors, baseball caps worn backwards, belts on tight pants, body piercings, hemp necklaces, bracelets, earrings; any jewelry, for that matter. In fact they all serve the same purpose, which is bodily adornment and signification of belonging to a particular subculture or affinity group. My ties signify that I belong to the group of men who work 9-to-5 desk jobs; but I have also chosen to have some fun within that context, and present to the world ties that give some aesthetic pleasure to the viewer. Actually it's my own aesthetic pleasure that guides my selection of ties, and if people like looking at them, all the better. And if not, that's fine too, just don't call them stupid, thank you.