Monday, February 23, 2009

Knots Landing

Welcome To Tie Land

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON


I guess not many of us look this closely at a tie. I certainly don't even look this closely when I'm choosing them in a shop. I'm told that when I was a kid I enjoyed wearing a tie now and then - and let's not go into the number of family photographs that show me wearing one in my early years.

Then of course I went to boarding school at St Joseph's College in Darjeeling - and we wore ties every day. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday we wore dark grey suits with our respective house ties (I was in Fallon house); on Wednesday and Saturday we wore blazers and light grey slacks with our school tie and on Sunday we wore dark blue suits with our school tie.

This shot was taken some months ago. I was just about to remove this tie when I thought I would do so with the knot intact, just to take a quick shot of the fabric.

I still wear ties every working day. But come the weekend and it's strictly Levi's and T-shirts for me.

(The Odd Shots concept came from Katney. Say "G'day" to her.)

22 comments:

Unknown said...

david...great angle, beautiful fabric and nice job on the knot!
Woo-Hoo I posted #200 yesterday!
~AM

Saz said...

love this photo, love the colour, the angle, great shot and intriguing too

skywind said...

Welcome To Tie Land. Thailand you go it? Thailand is a very beautiful country. Mysterious and exciting. Hehe ... your photos have the color is very appealing.

http://eyesinkaleidoscope.blogspot.com/
http://fymtyh.blogspot.com/

Maggie May said...

Lovely tie. Love the design, colour and texture.

That was a lot of outfits you had to have at school! I am amazed you can wear a tie in a heat wave! Or that you want to wear them now after your childhood obligatory ones.
Of course they are very smart!

slowtumblinglife said...

Ties are such an integral part of every boarding school. In Naini Tal too, we had separate House and College ties, in fact like you mentioned a separate set of clothes for every little event.

I haven't been able to return to Sherwood after leaving, but when I do, I'll surely wear my College Tie. Nice idea eh?

spacedlaw said...

Ties can be real beauties and I always look at them.

Unknown said...

This is such a beautiful and unexpected shot! I really love how unusual it is, for such an everyday object. Awesome!

Marty Shaw said...

I like to photograph a lot of odd things; odd according to friends and family anyway ;) but I never considered this possibility...but now I might have to play with the idea.

I like the way the lighting brings out some of the texture. Very cool.

aims said...

I love ties. I love to look at them on a man. The colours they pick to go with their suits and shirts. I think it says far more than the clothes themselves.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Mr. Magpie is a tie-boy, too, David. He wears them to work, and then he unstrangles himself for the weekend. Only it's khakis and polo shirts and/or oxford cloth button-downs.

I have always loved ties. I remember my father ususally dressed in one.

That one is certainly pretty.

Sheila :-)

cheshire wife said...

Nice tie. I wish that my husband would wear one but the dress code where he works is open neck shirts. I think that it looks so scruffy.

Gail said...

Neckties - eeewwww! Whenever I see a necktie, whether it's being worn or not, all I can think of is "noose" and how it chokes the life outta ya.

Cath said...

An unusual angle and I am quite chuffed with myself for guessing it. Although your title did kind of give it away... :)

I kinda like that colour and pattern.

Jazz said...

Cool picture! I rarely see ties close up, I don't even think Mr. Jazz owns one and guys almost never wear them where I work.

Annieofbluegables said...

I love that angle~ thanks for visiting my blog.
~a

Jeni said...

I like to see men all dressed up in their finest -with a snazzy tie. And this tie -well it really appeals to me -love the design on it and the color -bet it really looked sharp on you too!
Peace.

Hilda said...

You're right about not looking this closely at ties, but maybe we should — the weave of the fabric is beautiful! And thanks for the tale about your school days — I really enjoyed that. Great Odd Shot post!

Jane Hards Photography said...

My other half as a thing about silk ties when working and football shirts when not. How the perfectly normal can look odd is how a photographer views the world.
Bairding schools in the UK got such a boost re the Harry Potter films. If only Hogwarts exsisted.

Katney said...

I find fascination in textiles of any sort. The pattersn of the weave are great. My hubby goes for a bit wilder ties, but since retirement hasn't worn one more that once or twice a year.

Louise said...

I love ties. I wish there were more times and places that called for them today. It's like dresses. But not having ever worn a tie, I think I do feel the slightest bit sorry for you that you wear them every working day.

This one? The lighting is superb!

PERBS said...

I couldn't make out what it was -- thought a can that was stepped on and bent. . . THEM I read the words of your post and loved it even more! Who woulda thunk to take a photo of a tie? It is an odd shot even tho I like the material and color of the tie.

TwD said...

A very unusual shot. I did not understand at the first moment what it was...but I think, it was meant like that :)