Tie up, tie down

I never used to wear ties. Not because I didn't like them, but because the asking price for a typical silk tie is about $60 these days. Then I discovered The Tie Bar. Somehow they have managed to make some beautiful, high quality ties in silk, wool, cotton and linen for an amazingly low $15. That's one-quarter of the price of most ties. On the left we have your standard issue pindot tie from J. Crew for $69.50, on the right is the Tie Bar tie. Can you really spot (no pun intended) enough differences to warrant the extra $55? I can't. Do the right thing and save your cash. The Tie Bar also carries a wide assortment of pocket squares, tie bars, socks, cuff links and other cool guy stuff.

J. Crew, $69.50

The Tie Bar, $15

Wegner taste, Ikea budget

In this series I'm going to address a common problem with people who savor good design in furniture and clothing. I call it Wegner taste, Ikea budget, or Rolex taste, Timex budget, etc. This first installment focuses on the former. Hans Wegner's Elbow chair is undoubtedly gorgeous and is an icon of modern design, but at $930 per chair it is simply out of reach of the masses. Enter the John Vogel chair by West Elm. While not an exact duplicate of the Elbow chair, it has a similar half-moon back and evokes the style of the Elbow chair. It combines that with a rope seat, which is one of my favorite features from another Wegner chair, the Wishbone chair. At $299 each, The John Vogel chair is a cool one-third of the price of the Elbow. Take those savings and spend it on other things you find here.

Hans Wegner's Elbow chair

West Elm's John Vogel Chair