Fashion Styles May Change, but Retro Swimwear Will Always Be Timeless

Fashion is ever-evolving, with trends coming and going faster than we can keep up. What's considered "in" today may be passé tomorrow. However, amidst this constant flux, there is a category of fashion that remains unaffected by the passing of time—retro swimwear. Retro swimwear has a unique charm that transcends trends and continues to captivate fashion enthusiasts season after season. Its timeless appeal lies in its ability to effortlessly blend nostalgia with modern sensibilities.

Retro swimwear refers to swimsuit styles that draw inspiration from past eras, typically the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. These designs evoke a sense of vintage glamour and femininity, often characterized by high-waisted bottoms, modest coverage, ruching, halter necklines, sweetheart cuts, and playful patterns. Retro swimwear celebrates the elegance and sophistication of a bygone era, offering a refreshing departure from the minimalistic and revealing designs prevalent in contemporary swimwear.

One of the reasons retro swimwear remains eternally fashionable is its ability to flatter a variety of body shapes and sizes. The emphasis on high-waisted bottoms helps create a cinched waist and elongates the legs, providing a universally flattering silhouette. The modest coverage and supportive structures of retro swimwear offer comfort and confidence to those who may not prefer skimpy or revealing styles. It embraces the beauty of every body, allowing individuals to feel empowered and stylish in swimwear that complements their unique figures.

Moreover, retro swimwear exudes a sense of nostalgia and captures the essence of a bygone era. It evokes images of old Hollywood glamour, iconic pin-up girls, and carefree beach vacations of the past. Donning retro swimwear instantly transports one to a time of classic elegance and sophistication, evoking a sense of timeless beauty and grace. It carries a romantic allure that transcends fleeting trends, making it a beloved choice for those seeking an enduring and distinctive style statement.

Retro swimwear also provides an opportunity for individuals to express their personal style and individuality. With a myriad of designs, colors, and patterns available, there is a retro-inspired swimsuit to suit every taste. Whether one opts for polka dots, floral prints, nautical themes, or classic solid colors, retro swimwear allows for self-expression and the creation of a unique beach or poolside aesthetic.

In a world where fashion trends come and go, retro swimwear remains an evergreen choice that stands the test of time. Its timeless appeal, versatility, and ability to celebrate diverse body types make it a beloved option for fashion-conscious individuals. By embracing the elegance and charm of the past, retro swimwear adds a touch of sophistication and nostalgia to any beach or poolside ensemble. So, while fashion styles may change with the seasons, rest assured that retro swimwear will always retain its allure and continue to be a timeless fashion statement.

Xmas Shopping List for Men 2015

Not sure what to buy the men in your life for xmas? Here are some tips.

By C. Moffat.

Yesterday I sent my xmas list of suggestions to family members so they have some ideas of what to get me this year. I do this every year, usually sometime in September or October, because my family is super into xmas shopping and getting it done early.

Amongst the things I asked for this year were several things you could basically get for almost any man. Let me explain...

#1. Leather belts

Unless the man in question is a vegan who hates anything made of leather, chances are he probably needs more leather belts. Dress belts. Casual belts. Somewhat amusing belts. It doesn't matter. Belts are a good thing that every man wants and needs.

For the vegans out there, get a faux-leather belt that possibly looks and feels like the real thing. Or if you think they would be offended by something that looks like leather, see #2 below.

#2. Suspenders

Honestly, like belts, suspenders are one of those things men find very useful. Now not all men wear suspenders, but when they do they look awesome.

Lots of different styles of suspenders to choose from too. Myself I actually asked for two different kinds:

Black Suspenders. Because everything goes with black suspenders.

Moffat Family Tartan Suspenders - because certainly somebody out there has that, or something similar to that.

#3. T-Shirts

Regardless of what is on the t-shirt, men do like to wear t-shirts regularly as part of their casual wear. I wear them to work regularly too, so for me having lots of t-shirts is kind of a necessity.

I asked for two different kinds of t-shirts: thermal t-shirts that keep the body nice and warm; Avro Arrow t-shirts - which is pretty specific, but there are a lot of companies online which sell them.

#4. Tools and Toolboxes

Buying men tools for xmas is pretty much a tradition in my family. In my case this year I asked for specific tools: An old fashioned hand auger for drilling holes by hand; a small flat toolbox for storing chisels in. What can I say, I prefer hand tools over power tools these days.

#5. Magazine Subscriptions

Chances are likely the men in your life like reading about something - whether it is sports, fishing, hunting, motorcycles, cars, knitting... Thus getting him a subscription to a magazine he would enjoy is a pretty easy way to get them a gift - a gift that lasts 12 months of the year!

For me that topic in question is archery, and the magazine subscription I recommended is: "TradArchers' World", a magazine that caters specifically to traditional archery enthusiasts and bowyers.

#6. Sporting / Gaming Equipment

Many men are into sports. Not all but quite a few. Those who are not into sports are probably into gaming - video games like Call of Duty, Metal Gear Solid, Assassin's Creed, etc. So figure out whether the man in question is Sports or Games oriented and then figure out what they want with respect to that.

For me, I asked for fishing lures - because in addition to archery I also enjoy fishing.

One Last Tip... Pet Supplies

Many people, not just men, also have pets. Dogs, cats, fish, jackalopes... It doesn't matter. So getting them something for their cat, dog, fish or jackalope means that they will definitely use it. Find out what they have, if anything, and then consider pet supplies as an option.

For those people I know who have pets I make a special effort to get some kind of kitty treats or a dog chew toy for that person, as a small bonus on top of the gift. A magazine subscription and a bag of dog treats for Bowser shows that you actually put thought and effort into the gift giving.

A note about Gift Cards and Yankee Swap...

Do not get people gift cards unless it is for an office xmas party or something like that where you don't really know the person.

Also "Yankee Swap" is a horrible way of giving gifts amongst co-workers, so please don't do it for family members either. Horrible. What were you thinking?!

Vests and High End Men's Fashion

By C. Moffat

I have to attend a wedding in August for my sister.

I have pants, shirts and ties that I typically wear for formal occasions. But that doesn't seem formal enough for the wedding of a sibling.

The last time a relative of mine got married it was 1998 and I recall wearing a tuxedo that was extremely fancy and included a vest, jacket and a collar button.

I also recall it being a June wedding and awfully hot outside...

Much like another wedding I attended 2 years ago for two friends who were getting married. It was extremely hot that day, the wedding was outside and I wore my black Stetson - which frankly, was awesome for keeping the heat off.

So as the August wedding for my sister approaches I find myself looking at vests.

Because let's face it, if you want to look formal you cannot go wrong with a vest. (And it should go well without a jacket - and equally well with my black Stetson.)

Browsing online I came across a company called Kishwear - which sells high end men's fashion, including vests like these below:

And the company is based in Toronto, Canada - so less shipping costs and I can feel good about myself for shopping locally. So Kishwear is good in that respect, and their commitment to high end men's fashion is pretty clear as you browse their website. Formal, retro and stylish.

Not sure if I will opt for a bow tie. I might skip the bow tie, have an open collar and put a decorative silk handkerchief in my vest pocket. I have time to think about it between now and August.

Toronto's Eaton's Centre

Toronto's Eaton's Centre is one of the best places to shop in all of North America - but sadly it is largely limited to clothing.

It is great for example if you are a woman and you want to buy lingerie at say La Vie en Rose, Victoria's Secret, or any one of the approx. 10 different lingerie stores inside the Eaton's Centre.

It is not so great if you are a person who likes shopping for power tools - in which case you need to walk to the Canadian Tire down the street because there is no other tool stores in the area.

It is also good if you want to buy books, because then you can go to the Indigo, the World's Biggest Bookstore further north, or the 4 used book stores north on Yonge Street which sell a variety of books on all topics.

The photos below of Toronto's Eaton's Centre were taken in February 2014, during the Winter Olympics in Sochi - shortly before Valentines.

Sears Clearance Sale - Nevada Jeans

After cleaning up the last time I went to Sears during their clearance sale I simply had to go back again.

This time I went to the jeans department and got 4 - count them, FOUR! - pairs of Nevada jeans for $13.49 each. (Their regular price was $44.99.)

However I want to point something out here - I do NOT endorse Nevada jeans, and I shall explain why. In my opinion Nevada jeans is one of those cheap jeans manufacturers that use thin fabric (which is less durable) and rely on advertising to sell their product to less discerning customers who don't know any better.

Basically they are cheap not very durable jeans that I fully expect to be full of holes by this time next year. But I balanced that against the price - $13.49. Making this purchase I realize that these jeans won't last very long and that these are basically disposable clothing I will likely throw out a year or two from now, depending on how long they last.

Sears at Eatons Closing Sale - Everything on clearance

A couple weeks ago the Sears store at the Eaton's Centre put everything on clearance - 70% off everything in the store!

Why? Because the store is closing and they wanted to get rid of everything, including the furniture, the fixtures, the display cases, everything!

I was at the Eaton's Centre because I was looking for a birthday gift for my grandfather (who turned 90) so I got him two shirts in his size (XL) and two shirts for myself (size M).

What was amazing was the prices. Roughly $6 or $7 for a shirt. Final price on 4 shirts was $30.22, tax included.

Shopping Tip??? If you see a company having a closing sale and everything is on clearance for a huge discount, stop and take a look and see what they have available. Save yourself a bundle on a variety of designer labels and brands.

Hoodie and Jeans from Mark's Work Warehouse

Last week I cashed in my $25 gift card from Mark's Work Warehouse.

What I got was jeans and a hoodie - both on clearance, so price wise I cleaned up. The jeans were marked down to $19.99 and the hoodie was $24.99. Minus the gift card it was basically $20 + HST.

I was very pleased walking out the door. The shopping tips here are - buy on clearance, and if you get a free gift card make full use of it! :)

Mark's Work Warehouse issues apology

As way of an apology, Mark's Work Warehouse has sent me a $25 gift card because Mark's didn't honour their sale on men's outerware. Their sale said "all men's outerware". Apparently they couldn't fathom the idea that "all" meant "all", including men's outerware vests.

Proof that the squeaky wheel does get the grease. (And why it is worth it to squeak once in awhile so you get the sales you are entitled to.)

I will note they don't actually use the words sorry, apology, or apologize - but hey, I will take it as such.

Ponchos back in Fashion 2014

Apparently ponchos are back in fashion for Winter 2014. They're warm, durable, stylish, and also work well in Autumn and Spring too.

The one below I spotted at H&M.

Camo Dress Jackets - Huh???

I saw the jacket below on Friday at the Hudson's Bay Company store near the Eaton's Centre.

It is evidently a stylishly made jacket, but using a camouflage print. Bizarre and definitely made for the hipsters out there.

Hipsters that want to look tough, but still dress stylishly...

I think it looks lame. Anyone who buys a jacket like this needs to have their head examined.

I suppose it would be okay if your name was Don Cherry, but if it is not then you have no business dressing like that.

If you are into hunting, you are in the military (or former military), or you are some kind of protesting hippie / anarchist, then you could wear camouflage like that - possibly even the jacket below if you want the more posh look while you are out hunting deer, moose, elk, etc.

But if you are not knee deep in snow covered bushes, not carrying a loaded weapon, not carrying deer hunting tags - well then stop wearing camouflage. Then you are not fooling anyone. You just look lame.

Mark's Work Warehouse doesn't honour its sales

I just bought an outdoor work vest which was SUPPOSED TO BE ON SALE but instead was not.

The sale was "save up to 50% off all men's regularly priced outerware."

An outdoor work vest is obviously outerware. It is basically a sleeveless jacket.

And judging by the price it was definitely "regularly priced". No discounts whatsoever.

So why was it not on sale? Because it is a vest? Because Mark's Work Warehouse doesn't consider an outdoor vest to be outerware?

Rubbish!

They just don't want to honour the wording of their sale.

So now they get this negative review and I will be back on Sunday to return it / demand a refund. Or maybe they will be tempted and shamed into giving me the sale price.

Subscribe to find out what happens next!

UPDATE - Yesterday I argued politely with the staff (I have been through this before and know you never get anywhere with staff if you are rude to them), they admitted the wording could have been better, but they still refused to honour the wording of the sale. Returned the item for a full refund. Staff was very rude and snarky about it even though I explained the problem in a calm and evenly toned voice (although I might have sounded a bit condescending, like I was talking to a little kid who can't do basic math). Not much Christmas cheer there either.

If any Mark's executives read this, it was the Mark's Work Warehouse located at the Eaton's Centre.

So word to the wise, if you want a place to honour their sales, don't shop at Mark's Work Warehouse.

For future reference here is Mark's Customer Service info if you have a complaint about their service / lack of honour.

customer.service@marks.egain.net

Mark's Work Wearhouse Customer Service
Po Box 2000
Welland, Ontario
L3B 5S3

Phone		1-800-663-6275
Fax		1-800-452-0770

Dog Clothing

Dog accessories is big business.

I mean yes, the entire canine industry has everything from dog food to dog leashes, dog collars and dog harnesses...

Oh and dog figurines, dog paintings, dog beds, dog bowls, doggie water bottles...

Oh and then there is the breeders, the pedigree papers...

Dog artificial insemination, spaying, neutering, whelping, registration for pedigrees.

Dog grooming, dog walking, dog sitting, dog boarding.

Like OH MY DOG, it is just really ridiculous after awhile.

Thus when people start dressing up their dogs in dresses, gowns, vests, with matching leashes - or better yet Halloween costumes for dogs - well, then you know it is an industry without and end in sight.

My topic today however is dog clothing. Specifically dog bows, dog vests and dog dresses, which are so adorable on your little poochie poo that you just have to have it.

My advice? Shop on Etsy, because at least then you are buying from an actual dog owner who is making the vests, dresses and bows themselves. As opposed to buying from some company that is likely using slave labour in South East Asia to make the clothing.

It also means what you buy will be unique, higher quality - and more likely to stand the wear and tear of everyday life on your dog.

For example Kasamile's Klosette is a company that makes dog bows, vests, dresses and leashes, all made by a Maltese breeder who lives here in Toronto. So immediately you know she is going to be one of those dog obsessed people who wants the absolute highest quality materials for her little snookie-poochie-poos.

And a guarantee that she probably really uses words like "Awwww, that is so cute!" on a regular basis.

After all, what kind of woman would make a matching vest, leash and bow tie for her dog - and use ladybug buttons?

My Xmas Wishlist 2013

Now you might wonder I am working on My Xmas Wishlist 2013 in August.

August 6th no less.

It is 4 months and 19 days until Christmas Day.

Well let me explain.

My mother likes to start xmas shopping in September so that she can avoid the lineups during xmas time and capitalize on the back-to-school sales, thanksgiving and halloween sales instead on the lead up towards the Christmas shopping season.

Thus she starts asking her three children for xmas lists around the end of August / early September.

And now you understand why I am working on my xmas list now. In August.

Now to be fair it is often just a rehashed list from the year before wherein I try to mesh together things that I "need" and things that I "want". And I frequently re-use this same list whenever my mother starts asking about ideas for my birthday.

Thus if I don't get a particular item for xmas or my birthday during the previous year I either... buy it myself or it gets held over to the following year.

And now the list...

My Xmas Wishlist 2013

Tools

Asking for tools for xmas is a no-brainer. It is implied that they are a need as opposed to a want and thus you are more likely to get what you asked for.

Leather toolbelt - To be fair I am thinking about getting this myself so I can get the exact type of belt I am looking for. Or I could be more specific by telling my mother the exact model type, price, where to buy, etc.

I found one on Canadian Tire that I like. http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/ToolStorage/ToolHoldersBelts/PRD~0570082P/Mastercraft+Suede+Leather+Tool+Apron.jsp?locale=en

Wheel Truing Stand for Bicycle Wheels - If you are not a bicycle mechanic then you wouldn't really know what this is. The company I like is Park Tools.

Spoke Tension Gauge for Bicycle Spokes - Honestly most bicycle mechanics don't even use a tension gauge because they're too cheap and not that picky about how perfectly circular their wheels are. Myself however, I can true a wheel to within 0.2 of a mm margin of error (which is what professionals bicycle mechanics do in competitive bicycle racing because the more circular the wheel is the better the wheel can rotate slightly faster). But I can only do that when I have a tension gauge, spoke wrench and a wheel truing stand.

Clothes

Again clothes is often a need rather than a want. However I don't actually NEED socks. I have tonnes of socks. Three drawers filled with them. I have reached the point where when they go holey (Is that spelled right? I know it isn't holy, because that would be sacrilegious) I use them as rags for my bicycles.

Blue Socks (not navy or sky blue, just plain blue) - During the past 3 - 4 years I have kept asking for red socks. I knew I was going to get socks anyway, because I ALWAYS get socks for xmas, but in recent years I find it is more interesting to ask for a specific colour so my mother has a challenge finding them. (She enjoys a shopping challenge.)

Black Dress Shirts - Honestly, black dress shirts just looking better than white ones. Look great with black dress pants, black tie and black suspenders.

Grey Suspenders - Because suspenders rock. I still use belts regularly, but any chance to look extra spiffy calls for suspenders. Having a grey pair of suspenders will allow me the opportunity to change it up once in awhile.

Plaid shirts with snaps instead of buttons - Honestly, I just like ripping the shirt open quickly instead of having to unbutton them slowly. Takes less time. Shirts with snaps (in my experience) typically cost about $5 more than shirts with buttons because snaps are more expensive and difficult to install in the factory. But they're well worth it. A good place to buy such shirts is Mark's Work Warehouse.

Archery Winter Gloves - Recommended place to shop "The Bow Shop" in Waterloo. Size medium or large will likely fit me.

Leather Quiver, Brown - Preferably a nice long back quiver so that the arrows don't rattle around so much (or fall out easily).

Kitchen and Bath Items

A frying pan with a good sturdy lid - Some things break too easily so I want to make sure it is one that doesn't break.

A giant navy blue bath towel - The bigger the better.

Entertainment / Books

I have been putting things on the entertainment / books part of my xmas list for years now. Often the same things year after year. Instead I keep getting clothes, tools and kitchen things. Proof that my mother favours need over want.

The Saint (TV Series starring Roger Moore) - Because Roger Moore is awesome and I have been wanting this DVD set for years now.

Matt Helm movies (starring Dean Martin) - Like James Bond, but he can sing.

Any film with Audrey Hepburn, Kirk Douglas or Burt Lancaster. Because they're all amazing.

2nd Edition AD&D Monster Manual - Because it is from a retro 80s nostalgia roleplaying game and quite amusing to me.

"And their memory was a bitter tree..." by Robert E. Howard. A selection of Conan stories by the man who created Conan in 1932.

Lucky Brand leather jacket, plus Marina Sport

During my shopping yesterday I passed by the store Lucky Brand in the Eaton's Centre and saw a men's leather jacket that I liked.

So I went inside and had a closer look. Twas $449.99.

It was very close to what I was looking for. A dark brown leather jacket that I could wear while doing archery in the Spring and Fall.

Similar to the jacket shown here on the right, which is also from Lucky Brand.

Lucky Brand only has two stores in Toronto...

1 at the Eaton's Centre and the other 1 at Yorkdale mall.

However since I had already predetermined that I wanted to shop around and find the "perfect jacket" I instead made a note of the brand and kept looking.

Also while I am noting things, I want to point out that most stores don't sell jackets in the summer. Waste of space from their perspective. I even had a chat with a clerk on the topic yesterday and while I agree for most stores it is a waste of space, having them available for the people looking for them in the office season still makes good logical sense.

After finishing my shopping I hung out with my girlfriend and showed her the new Private Member Black and Red Striped Shirt I had purchased earlier. And I mentioned my search for a new leather jacket.

And then she mentioned that she had purchased a similar leather jacket to my description for her ex-boyfriend years ago and how it was brand new, tried on once, had been too big for her ex, and how after they had broken up it had remained in the closet on a hanger for the longest time - awaiting a Prince Charming who could fit it just like Cinderella's slipper.

And wouldn't you know it, it fit me.

And it is the right colour, design, shape, etc for my needs. Whoddathunkit?

Which means I should now talk about it.

It is an Italian leather jacket from a company called Marina Sport. I have been unable to find a photo that is an exact copy of the jacket online, but I did find a Marina Sport leather jacket which is similar. At some point I shall take a photo of me in the new jacket and post it on here.

Private Member Black and Red Striped Shirt

I saw this shirt yesterday at Sears and I just had to get it.

$32.97 plus tax at Sears. It wasn't on sale, but I just had to get it because I wasn't sure when I would see it again.

Showed it to my girlfriend - initially she didn't like it because she dislikes black shirts in general, but later after I tried it on she agreed it did look pretty awesome.

The company is called "Private Member".

When buying it I was thinking of other similar high quality shirts that I already own - many of which are my favourites to wear on dates, special occasions and even just casually. This shirt will no doubt join their ranks so the extra cost seemed well worth it.

Men's Shorts from Foot Locker

Bought the shorts in the photo below at Foot Locker last week.

I was only planning to buy one pair of shorts, but they were having a "Buy 1, Get a 2nd Pair Free" sale on shorts so I figured what the heck.

They had other styles and colours, but I chose these ones because I wanted something with pockets. So far I have zero complaints.

Jockey Classic A-Shirt / Wifebeater

The "A-Shirt" is a style of shirt commonly referred to by the slang term "wifebeater".

It is an unkind designation, based on the stereotype that men who wear this kind of shirt beat up their wives.

It is also completely undeserved. It is simply a shirt that shows off a lot of arm and shoulder muscles.

An example of this is the Jockey Classic A-Shirt, shown on the right here, in black (which is the colour I chose when I purchased 3 such shirts in a 3-pack about 2 weeks ago).

And leaves you exposed to high doses of cosmic UV radiation if you are out in the sun too long - as I was last weekend - so you may get some hefty sunburns on your shoulders and neck while wearing this shirt - like I did.

The Jockey Classic, as a brand, is fairly good however and its not the shirt's fault I didn't think to wear sunscreen. (In my defense it was partly cloudy and I didn't think I needed sunscreen!)

I also have some other shirts by a different brand (Calvin Klein), same style, but white. See photo below.

Now when I first got the Calvin Klein shirts it was pretty nice to wear - but in the first 3 - 4 washes it stretched like crazy and had almost no elasticity. The reason? It is 95 per cent cotton and 5 per cent elastane. And I think the elastane is only used for the collar, cuffs, etc. The rest of the shirt stretches like crazy. I can't even wear that shirt in public because it stretches too much.

And the white also stains easily. Which is why when I was buying new shirts in the same style I opted for black instead. I figure if it is going to get dirty and possibly stained I should get black shirts instead.

No amount of washing with bleach / etc seems to get the Calvin Klein shirts back to their original white colour. Very annoying. Maybe I am not using the right cleaning liquid and stain removing spray - but I shall keep trying. That will make a worthy future review on stain removal products.

Another thing I like about the Jockey shirts is that they are made with a ribbed knit (whereas the Calvin Klein shirts are just thin cotton fabric). The ribbed knit is warmer to wear, which means I will be baking in the hot sun if I wear it outside on a hot day, but ribbed knit also retains it shape better, so that even if it stretches a little it should still keep its shape.

However!

The Jockey shirts are also more expensive. With tax from Sears they were $32.77 for the 3 pack. Roughly $10.92 per shirt.

If I recall correctly the Calvin Klein shirts were roughly $19.99 or $24.99 for a 3 pack from Sears. Add in tax and it would be roughly $22.59 to $28.24... so obviously about $5 to $10 cheaper.

But frankly, if they stain so easily, they're not ribbed, the elastane isn't doing its job, then it clearly becomes more obvious that the more expensive shirts from Jockey are the smarter buy.

Khaki Shorts from H&M

Below is a photo of the new khaki shorts I purchased on sale at H&M for $15 + tax. Perfectly good shorts, very good price.

However because it is on SALE the company H&M has a strict no returns and no exchanges policy on sale items - which means MAKE SURE IT FITS YOU!!! Mine fits me perfectly.

Ties, Suspenders and Cufflinks Oh My!

Grey Paisley Design Silk Tie - $9.95 AUD

Honestly... When it comes to ties, suspenders and cufflinks I really could not care less about Brand Name.

Why?

Because I can't NAME a brand name of ties, suspenders and cufflinks. (Ask me about bicycles on the other hand and I will rattle off about Miele, Norco, CCM, Raleigh, Cervelo, etc.)

And it is the honest truth - myself and, I imagine, many other men would be hard pressed to name a manufacturer of ties, suspenders and cufflinks - unless they were really into a particular brand for some reason.

Now for demonstration purposes lets use a website which has all three. The Aussie website Ties n Cuffs (www.tiesncuffs.com.au) has all three - and they sell men's handkerchiefs too. And scarves, men's underwear, tie clips, socks, silk vests and more. So they will be a good demonstration for talking about ties and other things.

But what impressed me about this website is that they DO pay attention to the brand names of all the companies. They are (I copy pasted this straight off their website so some of them are not actually brand names, but just topics like "clip on ties" instead) the following:

2eros 4 Play London Business Socks 4Play London AFL Belts AFL Credit Card Holders AFL Cufflinks AFL Tie Bars AFL Ties AS Colour Belt Buckles Ben Sherman Underwear Bloke Undees Bonds Bow Tie and Hanky Sets Bow Ties BR4SS Underwear Braces Braces by Buckle Budgy Smugglers Business Belts Carlo Visconti Collection Carlo Visconti Socks Celtic Antique Silver Cuffs Chicklinks Clip On tie

Collar Stays+ Collar Bars Cufflink Box Culture Cuffs DC Comic Cufflinks DC Comics Diesel DIY DKufflinks Footy Cuffs Footy Socks Frank Dandy Fun Novelty Cuffs Geoffrey Beene Gianfranco FERRE Gift Voucher Giorgio Rossini Italy Givenchy Ties Grundies Hardy Amies Hardy Amies Cufflinks Hardy Amies Formal Ties Hardy Amies Pocket Squares Hardy Amies Socks Holeproof Socks Jockey

K by Karl Lagerfeld KENZO King Socks Knitted Scarves Lafitte Socks Lapel Pins Leather Belts Leather Island Belts Men's Gift Sets Money Clips Moschino Mosmann Australia Muay Tie NRL Official Team Cufflinks Nudie Ties On sale ties Oroton Underwear Pashmina fashion Scarfs Personalised Beanies Personalised Belt Buckles Personalised Collar Stays Personalised Cufflinks Personalised Lapel Pins Personalised Scarves Personalised Supporter Sets

Personalised Tiebars Personalised Ties Plain Silk Scarves Plastik Underwear. Pocket Squares Polyester Scarves Puma Socks Puma Underwear Roberto Loren Collection Salvatore Ferragamo Silk Georgette Scarves Silk Knot Cufflink Series Silk Satin Scarves Silk Series SirRocco Cufflinks SirRocco woven ties Sly Underwear SmartSet Snatch Underwear SNJ Socks Socks Express Star Wars Cufflinks Teamm8 Tiebox Timothy K

TNC TNC Bottle Openers TNC coins TNC Cufflinks TNC Custom TNC Money Clips TNC Neckties TNC Novelty TNC Pewter Mugs TNC School Ties TNC Skinny TNC Tie Bars TNC Vests TNC Wallets Tribe Underwear Underwear Of Sweden Valentino Vintage Cufflinks Vintage Ties VIP Wedding Cravats Wedding Cuff Links Wedding Silk Ties Wood Look Cufflinks Wright Socks

Hardy Amies Formal Silk Tie - Black Floral - $50.00 AUD

In which case, that is A LOT OF BRAND NAMES.

I had no idea there was so many companies in the men's accessories business.

I do like suspenders and ties myself (especially silk ties with a very kewl pattern on them), but not a big fan of cufflinks. The photos I have chosen for this blog post are silk ties I picked out because I like their patterns.

What I do like about the Ties N Cuffs website is that you can search their selection very easily and it shows you EXACTLY what you are looking for...

Examples

http://www.tiesncuffs.com.au/search?q=grey+ties

http://www.tiesncuffs.com.au/search?q=silk+ties

http://www.tiesncuffs.com.au/search?q=black+suspenders

Mucho gracias!

The only disappointment was when I tried typing in "Moffat tartan" to see if they had a tie with my Scottish family tartan on it. They did have a variety of tartan ties (44 results, including bow ties and other tartan products), but they didn't have specifically the tartan I was looking for (see Moffat tartan below).

So maybe that is something they could add in the future. Tartans ties and bow ties for specific families.

However I will note they also had custom bow ties and custom ties. So maybe it is possible to get the exact thing you are looking for.

The last thing I should talk about is the prices.

Ties can get quite expensive sometimes. The Hardy Amies Formal Silk Tie in Black Floral for $50.00 AUD above for example... is a tie worth drooling over. But you wouldn't want to drool physically on it because its $50!!! That is the kind of tie you should wear to weddings, funerals and really important events.

The Grey Paisley silk tie that I picked out (way up at the top) on the other hand won't break your wallet. And it still looks fantastic.

What I also like about that website is that it tells you when a product is currently sold out.

What I don't like is that you cannot sign up for a waiting list so that they will email you when the product becomes available again. (I should email them with a list of suggestions for improving the customer experience...)

Still, its a very good website and one worth checking out if you like ties, cufflinks and other accessories.