Smooth as silk and good looking, too

For every guy, there is the perfect tie. Whether you're attending a company holiday party (Happy New Year!), a fancy gala, or an important client meeting, XMI--a leading designer and manufacturer of premium mens' and boys' neckwear, dress and sports shirts, and accessories--has a tie for every occasion. Stripes or paisleys, wovens or prints, traditional width or the new narrower style, the company's neckwear collection is comprised of fine handmade ties that are innovative and refined.

"Color--sharp, clear brights and rich jewels--is the motif this year," notes Bert Pulitzer, the company's founder and lead designer. "Our new designs [have] geometric patterns [that] mix well with ... textured stripes with satin accents and, for a touch more tradition, we have intricate Old World paisleys that have been updated to give our ... collection a clear point of difference."

Handmade at the company's headquarters in Chippewa Falls, Wis., every tie is 100% silk, while each pattern is available in at least 10 colors, including: regent red, azure, gold, apple, orange, empire purple, ginger, iris, coral, and garnet. Retail prices range from $125-$175. For more information, visit www.xmi.com or call 800745-0010.

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As long as you're in the market for unique neckwear, instead of shopping at the local mall, try a place with a little history--the New York Historical Society. Its museum store features a wide range of unique and beautiful gifts--including ties--that aren't just for history buffs; in fact, it's the perfect place to go if you're looking to make a dramatic statement or romantic gesture. Personally, we wanted to make both--since each involved one of our favorite Founding Fathers, Alexander Hamilton--so we selected the Federal Hall Tie and Romantic Alexander Pendant ($45 each).

The architectural element repeated in the design of the tie is that of the wrought-iron balustrade from New York's Federal Hall, where Hamilton--who founded the New York Post and ultimately was killed in a duel with then-Vice Pres. Aaron Burr--served as the U.S.'s first Secretary of the Treasury. When New York City was the nation's capital, Federal Hall housed Congress and other government offices. Behind this center section of the balcony railing, George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the U.S. The 100% silk tie is available in red or blue.

Then there is the Romantic Alexander Pendant, a sterling silver beauty--just perfect as a Valentine's Day gift--inscribed with "I meet you in every dream," an excerpt from Hamilton's intimate letter to Elizabeth Schuyler dated Oct. 5, 1789, a few weeks before their marriage. The full sentence reads, "I meet you in every dream--and when I wake I cannot close my eyes again for ruminating in your sweetness."

For more information on the New York Historical Society's complete line of gifts, visit www.nyhistory.org.

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning