Jan 16, 2009

How To Tie A Skinny Tie

There are 85 Ways to Tie a Tie, three of which you should know for your skinny ties.

The Four-in-Hand knot is the best way to tie a narrow tie as it has a small knot. 
A knot favoured by James Bond and a recommended tie knot for shorter individuals, the four-in-hand is a small knot with a distinctive elongated, asymmetric shape.

Four-in-Hand knot how-to video below; you can view it here.










How To Tie The Four-in-Hand Knot

The Small knot or Oriental knot is a simple yet lesser-known thin tie knot. 
This knot won't self-release, which is unfavourable for those who get hot under the collar. It's a symmetric knot that gets bigger as the tie gets thicker. 
These tie knots work best with loom ties or silk knit narrow ties.  

How To Tie The Oriental Knot

The Half Windsor knot is larger than the Four-in-Hand knot and works best with light and medium-weight fabrics. 
It's one of the most well-known tie knots globally; see A Gentleman Gets Dressed Up: What to Wear, When to Wear It, How to Wear It. 
It's a symmetric medium-sized tie knot with the figure of a perfect triangle. 
Half Windsor how-to video below, or you can view it here.

How To Tie  Half Windsor Tie Knot

Jan 14, 2009

How To Accessorize Your Home Successfully aka Decorating Without Looking Like A Thrift Shop

Accessories are a unique addition to your home and should always be objects you love - never choose them solely to go with your furniture.  If you have a collection, display it advantageously by gathering it all in one place for the greatest impact. Arrange the collection so that the repetition of objects is rhythmic and compelling.
Here are 5 tips for organizing collections:
1.  Consider the kinship of objects to each other and to the background upon which they will be placed

2.  Anchor the collection by a piece of furniture of equal or greater visual weight beneath them

3.  Make large-scale drawings of your plans or lay them out on the floor before you commit

4.  Treat every wall as a potential artwork

5.  The best things in life are free
Related Posts:

Jan 12, 2009

Trends - Thrift Shop Paintings - An Interview With A New Yorker



With the barrage of social networking, virtual communities and urban densification brought on by the latter 20th century, the comfort of anonymity is developing into a romantic ideology fit for the 21st century.
French artist, Magdalena Gerber, explores anonymity in her work Tellerstories, British creative consultant to Swarovski, Graham Hollick, exhibits his anonymous portraits in his home, American musicians Fleet Foxes, pen lyrics such as Tiger Mountain Peasant Song and New Yorker, Chris Gallagher, shares his collection of anonymous portraits with the world.
I discovered Gallagher's collection of anonymous portraits while reading the Brooklyn Flea blog.
Being a collector of anonymous pet portraits I was inspired to track him down and explore the lure of anonymity further.
The interview that follows transpired over email the week of January 5th 2009. I began by asking Gallagher some background questions which developed into an exploration of stories, spirits and moods that will, no doubt, transcend time.
I sincerely thank Chris Gallagher for taking the time to explore the questions on the level that he did. Please lose yourself in a sampling of his collection.

When did you start collecting portraits?

I bought my first two in the nineties at the 26th Street Flea market in NY. It was two portraits by the same artist, a Winston Churchill and a Dwight Eisenhower. I was young and broke and probably couldn't afford them at the time but I bought them anyway.

How many do you have?
Probably around 100. In addition to the portraits I have other types of found paintings (landscapes, outsider type stuff).

Were they all acquired in the US?
All of the paintings so far were acquired in the US. I do look for them wherever I travel and have bought things in NY, Portland, LA, New Orleans etc. They make great souvenirs because they can really evoke the spirit of a place, more so than a t-shirt or coffee mug.
It was in Paris at the Cligancourt Flea Market though, that I first saw a grouping of them and it really inspired me to start a collection. I don't think I bought any there because they were out of my price range and the exchange rate wasn't great but the idea of them stayed with me. I would like to add some from outside the US in the future.

What motivates you to buy a portrait?
It's variable. Ideally I buy something because it's technically a good painting- it's just really well painted and captures a personality and mood. Sometimes I'll buy things that can be more technically crude but captures a spirit of some sort. I also have an interest in contemporary/modern art so sometimes I'll get a portrait that reminds me of another artist like Picabia or David Hockney or something like that. If a portrait can capture a past era really well but look contemporary at the same time- that will really motivate me to pursue it.

The Exploration:

The portraits capture an intimacy that provokes questions of the before and after, each with their own story. Have you become a story teller? Whose story is your favorite? Who provokes the most questions?
They can definitely tell a story and depending how you can group them, the story can change. If you group all "WWII people" together or the "robber barons" together or "the college students" together or the "families" together they tell one story but if you mix them all up the stories change. Individually, there is a portrait of a black woman that looks like it was painted in the 40s or 50s. The woman evokes a very jazz era feeling and there is a certain melancholy in the way she looks off. It's almost like listening to a Billie Holiday song (listen to Strange Fruit here)There is a painting of a not too attractive middle aged woman - she looks like a society matron from 1960's - which always elicits a comment. It kind of looks like if Goya did one of his royal portraits in the 1960's, this would would be it.

The portraits are considered anonymous, however, you've brought them together in a collection, a new family per se, giving them a new identity. Do you feel that your collection marks a single point in time or that it transcends time?
I hope it transcends time. I think that's what makes portraiture interesting- the fact that these faces endure long after their situations change or their lives end.

You're having a cocktail party and can invite only five of the anonymous sitters in your collection, who are they?
Chosen just because they all look like big personalities who've had some interesting life experiences (portraits of the invited below).
Related Posts:

Jan 11, 2009

12 Style Trends for Men


2009 begins with a brewhaha between mod and grunge that will result in a cordial fusion of the two. A few key trends will carry over from 2008 and even a few from seasons gone by. What we're seeing in the world of fashion, and this includes interiors and music, is a return to what's old is new. A merger of juxtaposing styles that represent the world's changing sensibility.


1. Lightweight silk or wool jersey cardigans
Try Paul Smith, Ralph Lauren, Burberry, LANVIN


2. tapered slim cut blazers and vests - Single or double breat, satin lapel tux jackets
Try Miharayasuhiro, Ann Demeulemeester, or Dolce & Gabbana





3. skinny ties - back with a Four-In-Hand knot
Try Neil Barret, Dior Homme, Givenchy
4. colored loafers
Try Tod's, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo

5. narrow pants/trousers - carry over but with a shorter hem
Try YSL, Costume National, Jil Sander, Lanvin

6. desert boots
Try Camper, Common Projects, Paul Smith, Fessura

7. vintage inspired leather jackets
8. combat boots
Try Diet Butcher Slim Skin, Marsell or a military surplus store

9. vintage inspired leather jewelry and distressed vintage belts.
Try Etsy.com, Burberry, Philip Crangi

10. bold horizontal stripes
Try Marc Jacobs
11. tapered yet drapey t-shirts with a vintage silky look

Jan 8, 2009

Trends in Leather Jackets


The rock 'n roll leather jacket made its way back to the men's runway for Fall Winter 2009. A men's look that we'll continue to see more of as the trend toward what's old is new again gains momentum.



Vintage Motorcycle Jacket


Rick Owens 2009



Vintage Cafe Racer Motorcycle Jacket

vintage military inspired leather jacket
12 Men's Wear Trends 2009

Jan 6, 2009

How To Define A Living Room Layout



Area rugs bring furniture groupings together, add accent, deaden noise and act as partitions. When used correctly, they draw all the elements of a room together - pulling pictures, curtains, and furniture into the central color scheme.

Area rugs used in the living room to draw together conversational furniture groupings should be large enough to outline the groups. Each piece of furniture should be set at least partially on the rug. For example, an area rug that you place in front of a sofa should be as long as the sofa or longer. Each furniture group should fit comfortably on the rug. If not, it will resemble a placemat.

Faux fur and flokati area rugs add glamour to the living room, and they can be washed gently and brushed when dry. Their soft, deep pile contrasts superbly with hard and shiny surfaces. They also add texture to a room without causing angst to any fluid lines.

In the image above, the swirling lines of the faux fur rug and the wallpaper are complemented by the round shapes of the table, chairs, and lamp base. The dominant colors are black, white and wood tones. Colors would seem drab if it weren't for the ripe red wallpaper, sofa and accessories. Pattern provides transitional lines between shapes and ties important colors together, resulting in an engaging and sophisticated room.

Related posts:

Jan 3, 2009

How To Make A DIY Cable Spool Headboard


cable spool headboard

Industrial artifacts can add oomph to whatever style you've chosen. How about sticking some Louis XIV side tables like these in the room?

What you need:
  • cable spool - you can usually get these free from telephone companies or other companies that regularly use large quantities of electrical wire and cables
  • hammer
  • sandpaper or mouse sander
  • tung oil or varnish
  • black marker pen

What to do:
  1. Remove the top from the spool - the guys at the yard will probably do this for you. While you're there, get them to cut the spool across the bottom to give it better stability.
  2. Pound down nails that may be sticking out with a hammer
  3. Sand the spool thoroughly and darken the lettering with your marker pen
  4. Finish it off with a coat of tung oil or varnish














Jan 1, 2009

Top 9 Interiors Trends For 2009

All your personalities, including some you'll meet for the first time, will come together in 2009.  Open up and let your home reflect you.  
What's old is new again for 2009.
  1. parlour
  2. fine art taxidermy and curiosities influenced by Polly Morgan or Gwen Roch
  3. wallpaper inspired by William Morris or Suzy Hoodless' Hothouse for Osborne and Little
  4. boldly painted vintage Baroque mirrors on black walls
  5. found objects and anonymous portraits 
  6. Industrial artifacts such as those at getting Back Inc.
  7. reworked vintage commodes and wardrobes in the style of Anna James' Verona/Romeo and Juliet collection or Moissonnier's Louis XV
  8. juxtaposition - Mid-Century meet Rococo
  9. tufted furniture

Parlour at Albert Gallatin House, Sacramento
image Library of Congress
Related Posts

Dec 29, 2008

Found Objects Find High-End

Miracle Icons Necklace 
$245
Finders keepers, losers weepers.  Found one of a kind vintage religious medallions strung on sterling silver chains.  Miracle Icons are finding themselves in upscale retailers such as Barney's, Marqsmen (Seattle), Intoto (Minneapolis), and Fred Segal (Santa Monica). Mary Jo Pane's unisex line of bracelets and necklaces was inspired by a visit with a sick friend living in New York post 9/11 and her own belief in saints, guardian angels and spirits.  Try visiting here for your own inspiration.

Dec 27, 2008

How To Make Guacamole


image saveur

Juice of a fresh lemon
2 medium ripe avocados
3 medium cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. or more cayenne
2 chopped jalapeños
1 tbsp. salsa
1. Place the lemon juice in a medium sized shallow bowl
2. Add the avocado and mash it to whatever consistency you like
3. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
** To help the Guacamole retain its color add the avocado pits and remove just before serving.
Related Posts

Dec 25, 2008

Alone With Kurt Cobain's Duffle Bag

Courtney Love left Charles R. Cross alone in a house with a duffle bag full of Kurt Cobain's diaries and personal effects that he's quite certain 'no one wanted him to see'. The result - Cobain Unseen. View the trailer for the book above or here.

Dec 24, 2008

Yves Saint Laurent's Final Moment

Yves Saint Laurent
image telegraph 

Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé spent 50 years compiling their art collection. An eclectic mix of styles and periods the collection has been cited as 'the last flicker of a long heritage of French taste, now faded.' by gallery owner Nicolas Kugel. Most of the collection will be up for auction, including 'looted' Opium War sculptures, during a three day event starting February 23, 2009 at the Grand Palais. Labeled the 'sale of the century' by Christie's, it will include over 700 lots worth an estimated $250 million to $380 million. Bergé acknowledges that 'the collection would not be truly complete until the hammer fell on the last lot.' The auction catalogue can be purchased here.

Dec 23, 2008

Cocktail Hors D'Oeuvres - 3 Recipes


Spiced Nuts, Ancho Chili Humous, Two-Olive Tapanade

Do an assortment of six to eight cold and hot appetizers that can be eaten in one or two bites for a full-on cocktail party.
Here are three to get you started.
Spiced Nuts
3/4 tsp cayenne
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups unsalted shelled mixed nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, peanuts)
Preheat oven to 325 F.  In a small bowl mix together all the spices and set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the spice mixture and toss well. Place the nuts into a bowl, add the spice mixture and toss.  Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and drizzle with any left over spice and oil over the mix.  Cool to room temperature.  Makes two cups.
Two-Olive Tapanade
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp capers
1 1/2 cups pitted kalamata olives
1 1/2 cups pitted green olives
1/3 cup chopped roasted red peppers
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup olive oil
Toasted crostinis
Add garlic and capers to a food processor and coarsely chop.  Add olives, red peppers and basil and chop.  Add balsamic vinegar, lemon zest and olive oil and blend.  Transfer to a kitschy bowl and serve with crostinis.  Makes about 3 cups and can be refrigerated for up to three days.
Ancho Chili Humous
Two 19 ounce tins chick peas/garbanzo beans (drained)
2 cloves garlic
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp sea salt
2 to 3 ancho chilies (in adobe sauce)
1 small bunch cilantro
1/2 cup olive oil
Place everything in a food processor and mix until smooth.  Add more chilies to achieve desired temperature.  If too thick, add more olive oil and blend. Transfer to kitschy bowl and serve with baked pita chips or veggies.

Dec 19, 2008

How To Wear A Sweater

Treat it properly and a good sweater can last you a life time.
Here are some tips:
  1. Don't put your sweater on a hanger. It stretches it.
  2. Don't put your sweater in the dryer. You think this would be common sense.
  3. Don't throw your sweater on the floor. It'll get fuzzies and you'll glow under black light.
  4. Don't buy acrylic. It pills, stretches and lasts about a week.
  5. Only buy cashmere from a trusted source. I have 40 year old vintage cashmere sweaters that look better than ones I've bought today. Cashmere should rarely pill. It wears better if you hand wash it or delicate machine it with gentle shampoo and flat towel dry.
  6. Fix snags in your sweater with a crochet hook or other pointed object. Grab the snag from inside the sweater and pull it back in.
How Not To Wear Your Sweater
A great Raf Simons sweater, however, a fit like this should be reserved for jersey knit. Remember your sweater is not a wrapper and you're not a sausage.

Related Posts:

Dec 18, 2008

Do Not Fear Wallpaper



Your walls are the largest areas in your home to have decorative impact, so their treatment is important, even if it is subtle. Combining wall covering materials is effective, and a good way of adding character to a room.
Don't be afraid of wallpaper. Try getting a big effect for little money by limiting wallpaper to a small area, selecting a strong pattern, and emphasizing it. For example, paper one end of a room and its corner pillars with panels that come in square and round corners as in the photo above.

Related Posts:

Dec 17, 2008

Where To Buy A Unique Gift

Do you feel uncomfortable receiving gifts? Me too. I think it's because I only receive them on days when the gift giver feels pressured to buy a gift and therefore it's not really a gift but an obligation.
Why not boycott buying gifts on the 'traditional' gift giving days and buy someone a gift when you see something special you know they'll love - no matter what day it is. The inquisitive look on their face when they receive it is priceless.
Here are 6 ideas of where to find unique gifts:

1. Estate Sales
2. Antique Shops
3. Online Museum or Gallery Shops
You can also order prints from your local library's archives
5. From the artist directly

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

The Back 40