Whimsical Ties
Adaptable, adorable, affordable fashions from Blair Shaw.
Mon.-Thur. 10-6 Fri. 10-8 Sat. 10-5
216 south main street ann arbor 663-5083
We cover your
.. in fashion
.. in homes
.. in gifts
beautifully,' 5 times a year
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STYLE
Be advised: Floral prints and retro
designs are hot, and whimsical
neckwear is gaining.
The current crop of ties begs to be
noticed. Many tie widths are now over
31/2 inches, and some are 4 inches.
Rick Pallack, the Sherman Oaks, Calif.,
haberdasher known for outfitting the
Hollywood crowd, has edged his de-
signs up to 41/2 inches. A silk, Art
Deco-inspired tie with oversized
geometrics in peach with mint and
rust is available for $50.
This season, colors cover the spec-
trum. For backgrounds, look for lots
of green. Red, long a top-selling col-
or, is being replaced by dusty rose,
mauve and soft pink. Yet, red is still
the "power tie" color, according to
a survey by Tie Rack, a national
retailer of neckwear.
When it comes to florals, popular
themes range from neat little posies
to splashy bouquets and abstracts.
Ralph Lauren offers a silk jacquard
multicolor tie with a big, vibrant floral
design and oversized paisley for $50.
For those with a less substantial wal-
let, one of Tie Rack's best sellers is
a silk floral with a watercolor motif for
about $20. For $49, Rick Pallack has
an olive silk with gigantic pink flowers.
Along with the floral theme are ties
paying tribute to ecology, designed
with everything from leaves in earth
tones to geese and horses. In this
spirit, Schreter Neckwear introduced
ties in navy or red with finely detail-
ed gray elephants.
When it comes to retro neckwear,
look for geometrics and abstract
designs such as Ralph Lauren's golf
ties starting at $50.
Conversation ties include the fun
ties from Barry Wells, who offers a
tongue-in-cheek collection including
an "Out of Africa" tie with tiny hound-
stooth and zebra stripes. His ties are
silk twill or crepe de chine with the
name of the design silk-screened on
the reverse side. Wells' ties range from
$65 to $70 each.
Whimsical ties are a specialty at
Nicole Miller, a women's clothing
manufacturer that launched a neck-
wear line with dress fabric remnants.
The line features designs such as
Broadway ticket stubs, skylines and
a bakery. Li