What's In A Name? (guess)

Silk knit ties in solid colors are a useful component of a man's wardrobe, especially in Summertime. Good one's have some weight and heft to them, but also a lightness inherent in the weave. They strike a great balance between dress and casual, which is often just the ticket for looking nice on sweaty hot days when more sensible people just wear shorts, or at least eschew ties altogether. I have quite a few in my arsenal these days, and they have become warm weather favorites. Pictured above are two of mine in different shades of green. Both work well with a navy blazer and tan trousers. The darker one keeps things a bit more subdued, while the kelly green is the more GTH  ( that's "go to hell" for those who don't know). Both help keep other Summer items like bold striped shirts and madras jackets in check with an anchor of solid color.

They are the same width, and the construction is of perfectly equal quality. Look closely.

Both are made in Italy. Both were purchased at thrift stores for less than $5.00 each.

I've often spoken of the pros and cons of brand consciousness when thrift shopping, so forgive me if I seem like I'm beating a dead horse. While a knowledge of brand names and their respective design and quality is of course helpful in thrift shopping, it is no match for the ability to directly recognize quality in clothing, regardless of brand name or provenance. Simply put, good stuff is good stuff, no matter where it came form. Similarly, junk is junk. With that, I offer this little guessing game. No prizes, just for fun.

One of these ties is from a popular mail order/mall brand. The other is from a venerated American men's shop. Can you tell which is which? Based solely on these photos, what makes you think so? I'll reveal the answer in a few days.

p.s. even more new items in the Shop. With 92 of a possible 100 items now available, we're operating at high capacity. Vintage 1960s repp ties, suits from the Andover Shop, Paul Stuart,and others, and a couple of cheap novelties. Have a look.