Countess Mara

It took a long time for me to get past the embroidered "CM crown" logo on Countess Mara ties, which always struck me as tacky. But with a fab design like this that embodies the whole swinging modernism aesthetic, claiming credit for it right on the work itself makes perfect sense. The self-styled Countess founded her tie business in 1938; it continues today as a brand of necktie giant Randa/Wemco. The Countess issued perhaps the most famous necktie quote of all time: "Tell a man you like his necktie, and you will see his personality unfold like a flower." Mike Segers also has some sweet Countess Mara ties on display over at Knot a Blog.

(If you're keeping track, yes, I skipped Wednesday, I was home in bed with a nasty bug. A perfect tie-wearing day wasted! Drat!)