And the Oscar goes to…

Have you ever seen a movie? Of course you have. Well, you know how they give out awards to the people in the movies and the categories are always Best Actor/Actress and then Best Actor/Actress in a supporting role? That’s to distinguish the star of said movie from the supporting cast. It’s usually a clear distinction.

Do your outfits have the same distinction? You may want them to! It’s hard for certain pieces to work in harmony together if they are all trying to command your attention. If your tie and shirt are both overpowering…well, then there’s a power struggle. And when there’s a power struggle everybody loses.

So how can one avoid this? Well before putting it all together…choose! Pick which piece you want to be the star. Then select the other items in a way that will compliment or highlight the star, not compete with it. This doesn’t mean that the other pieces will go unnoticed. In fact, in a lot of movies the supporting actor outshines the star! Not because they’re power hungry, but because they are fulfilling their role perfectly.

A worthy of being the Star Whole outfit, but the tie is the star

Like Anne Hathaway in Les Mis! Let’s be honest, nobody‘s going to see the 97th remake of Les Mis to see Catwoman. You go to see Wolverine! But then you see it and you’re like: “When’s Wolverine gonna pop his claws…I’m bored…Cat Woman’s sooo pretty…and she can sing…I LOVE YOU CATWOMAN!!”

And then she wins best supporting actress and Wolverine is all like “What about me BUB!!?”…SNIKT

Dazi Does It!

Beautiful Ties at an Affordable price…that was Nate Ipsen’s dream. It’s quite different than my dream…which involves unicorns, lasers and the world’s greatest ninja. As you can imagine my dream has proved troublesome to bring into reality…But not Nate’s! He has realized his dream with his company Dazi pronounced {DAW-ZEE} – They make beautiful Neckties, Bowties and more. I had the opportunity to interview Nate, take a look:

So, you were once called Simply Skinny Ties, but you have recently changed your name to DAZI [daw-zee], why the name change? Also what does DAZI mean?
As the business has continued to grow, I decided it would be best to change the name of the company. I didn’t want to simply sell a product with a name on it. I have a strong desire to create a brand that people can be a part of, because our customers are what make our products so great. While brainstorming, we came across the word DASI which is Indonesian for “necktie”. We decided to switch the S to a Z to make it our own. DAZI [daw-zee]. You can read more about our name change here.
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How did you decide on what the perfect tie width would be?
I didn’t want a tie that was so skinny it looked like a shoe lace or so fat that it looked like a bib. 2.5” seemed like the perfect skinny width to start at.
A lot of companies make ties, why go into such a competitive market for your first business venture?
I was personally frustrated at how hard it was to find a sharp looking skinny tie that was top-notch quality and didn’t cost an arm and a leg. I thought to myself, “If I can design a tie that I love, there’s bound to be other people out there willing to buy it too if I can sell at a lower price point.” I started with only 3 designs and have slowly grown from there, thanks to our awesome customers!
You know sell some pretty great looking watches, what made you decide to add time pieces to the menu?
Thank you. I have been obsessed with watches my whole life and I’ve had a dream of designing and selling them since I was in high school. Part of the reason we changed our name was so that we could include other great products among ties, so this felt like a great time to introduce watches to the lineup!
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What’s the coolest thing you’ve purchased since becoming a successful business owner?
When I was first starting up, someone gave me some wise advice and told me to not take any money out of the business if I don’t need it. I’ve funded the whole company myself so I think it’s important to flush earnings back into the company so I can continue to grow. I haven’t bought anything super cool yet, but I can say I’ve purchased more ties than I ever thought I would in a lifetime!
I’ve seen some skateboarding pictures on your Instagram feed. So who’s better, Tony Hawk or Christian Hosoi?
I’m going to have to go with Tony Hawk since he has a video game named after him and I’ve never heard of Christian Hosoi… but I don’t know much about skateboarding!
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You’re 23; do you feel your age gives you an advantage or disadvantage when it comes to connecting your brand with consumers?
The majority of our customers are 18-30 years old. Being within that range myself I feel like I have an advantage because I have a lot of friends who have helped grow my customer base as they spread the word among their friends. Without my close friends, my company probably wouldn’t exist today.
Do you have a favorite tie?
The floral ties have really grown to be my favorite (pun intended haha) and I think the Navy Blue Floral tie is my all time favorite. It takes a bold person to pull off a tie like that! It’s hard to keep the floral ties in stock, they’ve definitely been some of our most popular.
DAZI_Navy_Blue_Floral_Necktie_Skinny_Tie
There is an element of fun that’s clearly evident in your ties, Instagram feed and website – why is that important to you?
I think it’s important to show people that we’re a fun brand in hopes that they’ll want to be a part of it. You can’t sell a product if the brand behind it doesn’t have a personality.
What has been the hardest or most unexpected part about running DAZI?
Going along with my previous answer above, it’s a lot easier said than done when it comes to creating a lifestyle behind your brand and products. It involves a lot of photography which I know nothing about. However my good friend Keith takes killer photos and has saved the day on a number of occasions.
Dazi_Ties_Blue_Herringbone_Wool_Men_Skinny_Tie
And now Five Signature Questions with Christian:
Who is your Favorite Superhero or Villain?
Batman. I’m jealous of his motorcycle.
Who wins in a fight Batman or Superman?
Batman!
Which Star Wars Character would you be?
Boba Fett. I’m better with a gun than a lightsaber.
What’s your Favorite cereal of all time?
I love Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It’s my weakness.
Are your dirty clothes on the floor or in the hamper, right now?
Hamper. I can’t stand a dirty room.
Use code Gasket at www.daziusa.com for 20% off all neckties!

Plaid…itude…Plaiditude!

Plaid has always been a staple of a real man’s wardrobe. The Scottish had kilts and you don’t get manlier than Braveheart. You may take our plaid…but you’ll never take our FREEDOOOOMMMM!!

Plaid pie

Even today, we have beautiful plaid suits and shirts. But it seems to be used most prevalently in neckties. Plaid ties are appealing, fun and versatile. They are diverse, not only in style, but in cost as well, ranging from $8.00 all the way $100+. And because they are available in a variety of materials, from linen to wool, they’re perfect no matter what the season. Plaid ties are a staple that every gentleman should have in his arsenal.

So which plaids right for you? Buffalo? Tartan? Tattersall? Madras? Gingham? Glen? Ohhhh, Glen…how I love thee.

plaid on plaid

So, you see, there are lots of options. Take some time and find the right one for you. Because once you do, you become part of the worldwide fraternity of men in plaid. Yes, you join the ranks of men like: me, Braveheart (of course), Rob Roy, Sean Connery, The Highlander, Picnic Blankets, Scotch Tape.

plaid rows

Bird’s Eye Blazer

Nothing makes me happier than a beautiful blazer!

Nothing makes me happier than food, but a beautiful blazer is a close second!

Nothing makes me happier than food and videogames and comics, but a beautiful blazer is up there! This is a Bird’s-Eye Wool Blazer from J.Crew! I don’t know what Bird’s-Eye Wool is…but I love it!  Maybe when I wear it, it’ll give me bird vision, but not just any bird…an Eagle. Yeah Eagle Vision…and not just any Eagle…Eagle Eye Cherry!!!

SAVE TONIGHT!!!  AND FIGHT THE BREAK OF DAWN!!!!

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