Dunford Wood | Tie of the Tiger

I am very happy to introduce yet another snazzy bow tie to my collection, albeit this one is more special than others. This silk bow tie is a one-of-a-kind from Dunford Wood, a company once popular in the 1980s, but now re-emerging with new and unique designs, including these striking tiger stripes.

The company began in 1978 with Hugh Dunford Wood, who made his living by painting silk scarves. After making his wife a scarf for her birthday, he used the leftover material to fashion a bow tie for himself, and an idea was born. Years later, Dunford Wood bow ties were being sold in Harrods and various London boutiques. 

Today, Hugh continues his work from his studio in Lyme Regis, and sells his handpainted creations online. His bow ties are often colourful, eccentric, and irrefutably eye-catching. Even if you are a shy gentleman, why not wear a Dunford Wood design anyway and see where the fun takes you?

I have chosen the tiger stripes as a reflection of my wild side. I used to be an exceedingly timid individual, but that has all changed, and I want my style to emulate my confidence. That said, I cannot claim to be the real king of the jungle in my household...

Snowdrops & pussycats

It is common knowledge that I have a slight obsession with cats - inherited from my mum, and fuelled by four furry critters at home. It should therefore come to no surprise that when my dad found a cat-print neck tie in a charity shop, he immediately thought of me. Eager to try the tie on, I wore it on the final day of London Fashion Week, whereupon I discovered its hidden power...

TOPMAN SHOES / CHEAP MONDAY JEANS / TOPMAN BELT / H&M SHIRT 

It appears that a cat-print tie has the remarkable ability to trigger conversation with the opposite sex. While friends have speculated that I may die alone with a hundred cats to my name, it seems that cats are actually the perfect peacocking tool.

On the final day of London Fashion Week, a number of women struck up conversation with me, directly because of my new tie. Unsurprisingly, all these women were proud cat owners, but then so am I. And when you have been single for two years, it doesn't hurt to receive a spot of female attention every now and then.

Today, I am wearing my cat-print tie for my friend's 21st birthday party. With spring just around the corner, I want to put the fun back into dressing up, instead of having to wrap myself up in five or more layers. More patterned ties, more sunglasses, and even more snazzy shoes will be making appearances soon. (Especially when I only have a few months left of student discount!)

(Question of the day: Which item is your full-proof peacocking accessory?)

Winnie the Pooh bow tie

If you hadn't guessed already, bow ties are my favourite accessories. So when Leah of 'Vintage Per Sempre' mentioned she had new stock of "jazzy bow ties", I popped by her Pokesdown boutique to see the designs for myself. Among her recent acquisitions were ties in Mr Men design, polkadot and velvet, but the winner for me was Winnie the Pooh.

The vintage Tie Rack bow tie embraces the Silly Old Bear's love for honey, with a golden honeycomb print and cute illustrations of Pooh with his honey pot. There is a wonderful sense of fun in the design - playful, rather than gimmicky. I imagine it may be a pleasant conversation starter at fashion events and parties.

This is the fifth bow tie in my personal collection, most of which are from vintage shops. Whilst the youthful high street labels are beginning to shift towards quirky styles, there will always be one better in a vintage boutique. And one of the many great things about Bournemouth, of course, is its foothold in vintage trade.

Today, I'm wearing...

I am at my step-cousin's wedding in Christchurch today, and pictured below is the outfit I selected. I have chosen to wear my staple white shirt, due to its comfort and versatility, plus a vintage paisley tie I bought from Brighton at the beginning of this month.

I love opportunities to dress up, as I feel much more confident and happier when in smart attire. In addition, such occasions are usually spirited and tremendous fun, and I am sure the wedding today will not be an exception. The only downside to dressing up, however, is that body popping is somewhat difficult in slimline trousers!

SPITFIRE BABET SUNGLASSES / ZARA BLAZER / NEW LOOK SHIRT / VINTAGE TIE
ASOS SLIM TROUSERS / CLARKS LEATHER BROGUES / DEBENHAMS LEATHER BELT

(P.S. Please nominate www.unlimitedbyjk.com for "best new fashion blog" in the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards. I'd love to be shortlisted! Nominations close at midnight.)

Gold glitter bow tie

When you visit Pokesdown, it's hard not to come away with something from the vintage shops, no matter how small it might be. In my case, a casual mosey in the oldest vintage store on the high street, Clobber, left me with yet another tie for my collection.

Although it may give me the slight look of a 90s game show host, I chose this gold glitter bow tie in particular to add a dash of glitz and glamour to my evening dress. Its quirkiness is just the ticket for the individualist styles I'm trying to achieve - nothing too outrageous, but perhaps enough to catch the odd glimpse or two.

Vintage Tie

Pokesdown, just east of Bournemouth, is a vintage hotspot with a number of vintage and antique shops along its high street. Yet in spite of living in Bournemouth for over a year, I paid my first visit to Pokesdown only the other week.

Browsing in the various boutiques, I came away with a woollen tartan tie from Vintage Per Sempre (originally from Michelsons of London) for only £3. I have already worn it once when reporting on the Grand Grotesque Parade, although with such a beautiful blue, green and white pattern, I hope to wear it again soon.

However, I also love the fact it is a wide-knot tie, which is a significant difference to my other much slimmer ties. In my opinion, wider ties can make more of a statement than their skinny counterparts, particularly in this case, where the pattern is very eye-catching.

There's an odd sense of satisfaction when I tie its knot, for which I always remember a small piece of advice from GQ: "Don't forget the dimple: when straightening your tie, stick your index finger into the knot at the front to achieve the desired dent." Unsurprisingly, this basic tip helps me to create the best shape for the knot.

But this one accessory won't be my only taste of yesteryear fashion. On Saturday 8th October, I shall be attending Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair at Bournemouth Pavilion, where I may indeed add to my newly found taste in vintage style. Keep an eye out for a blog post and photos this weekend.

The infamous neckties

If there's anything my former sixth form colleagues will remember about me, I'm sure my vibrant neckties will be high on the list. Due to a business wear policy implemented in my final year, smart attire was a must, but while my peers donned open collars, I preferred to look that extra bit sharper, if not more colourful too.

From left: white, neon pink, orange, yellow, neon green, green, blue, lavender,
purple/gold paisley, silver, brass, leopard print, khaki green, black, old school tie

As you can imagine, the brightly coloured ties always caught my eye, however in my naivety, I never thought their lucidity would lead to teasing and a plentitude of 'peanutting'. The yellow tie in particular seemed to cause the most grief for my fellow students, of whom some feigned being blinded by its luminescence.

Then again, what is so wrong with a slither of colour? Although an individual who enjoys wearing formal attire, I don't like to come across as too serious. I like to think the bright colours reflect my enthusiastic and free-spirited personality, adding a playful tone to the confidence and classiness I try to portray in wearing formal pieces.

But though the the vibrancy of my ties might be burnt into my classmates' memories, the teachers were at least impressed, voting me "best dressed boy" at the end-of-year dinner dance. Not that I like to boast about it, of course - it is only a small award after all. Nevertheless, it was still nice to know my efforts in dressing smartly were not in vain.

One year later, my infamous neckties are still with me, now folded neatly in a drawer at home. I'm just waiting for next week, when I can wear them to work experience with the Woking Informer. My only query - which tie is best for first impressions?