Be true to your style by recycling fashion with vintage and gently used

Once you've honed in on what your style is, you can do yourself and the environment a big favor by shopping vintage and gently used clothing and accessories.

Vintage is a solution to the eco issues surrounding the apparel industry, while also allowing individuality through creativity. For people who are constantly marketed individuality it is truly ironic the lack of individuality in fashion. Most people who consider themselves “fashion forward” fit themselves into prescribed style. A vintage shopper, however, is able to discover her personality through the clothes she picks throughout the periods of our history without having to fit into the fashion trends today. Apparel that is accessible now is not trendsetting but rather trendy for today and “so yesterday” tomorrow. This is partially because clothing has become disposable but also because fashion has slowed in creativity and instead become a pastiche of past trends.

A true fashionista finds originality in the sea of redundancy. It is a myth that in order to be considered fashion forward, you have to fit yourself into a certain look and style. Fashion is not a dictatorship, be brave and bold with your style and find what flatters you! Every fashionista is also an artist, her body is her canvas, and she paints her emotions and wears them literally on her sleeve.  Her style exudes her direction in life, her dreams, her emotions, and makes a lifestyle statement. By adding vintage to her closet, she is introducing a whole new realm of originality, while also making a statement about her eco-lifestyle.

Sincerely Yours,

By Dow-Yung Kou, LuxEco Editorial

Here are a few more articles on the subject of Fashion Waste:

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2017/jul/29/fashion-must-fight-scourge-dumped-clothing-landfill

https://www.npr.org/2016/04/08/473513620/what-happens-when-fashion-becomes-fast-disposable-and-cheap

https://www.alternet.org/environment/its-second-dirtiest-thing-world-and-youre-wearing-it

In the case of our three stores, not only do you support recycling fashion, save pieces of fashion history, celebrate individual creativity and craftsmanship, but directly enable a homegrown husband and wife business that survives and flourishes with your support.

We appreciate our customers and enjoy earning their business with every order placed.

Sincerely,

Mike & Tracy

Peaky Blinders

Do you love Peaky Blinders? Good news.......New seasons are coming as well as a Peaky Blinders Bar & Accomodation in the UK!

Cillian Murphy says the new season is ‘the best yet’. Filming is complete.Season 4 expected to return in October. Tom Hardy is back, and Adrien Brodie and Aidan Gillan will be joining the cast.Season 5 ordered too

Vintage Silver horse head tie bar and cufflink set. Marked. Forged metal, Gorgeous set to add to your collection. 
Polished up with Renaissance wax to give them a gorgeous luster and protect them from the elements. 

Check out the loop tie bar. We offer these brass style loop tie bars with the addition of authentic antique buttons from the 1900's from Birmingham

Brass loop slip style tie bar, Peaky Blinders style!

His or hers handwoven herringbone wool tweed Ivy in charcoal, drivers, newsboy cap or hat. Shown with an antique brass skull magnetic Mag TAK, magnetic pin.   

Mr & Mrs Renaissance loves the styling of Peaky Blinders. Below are a few of our products inspired by the styling mode from Birmingham England.

Our special line of brass tie bars that feature actual antique Victorian buttons from Birmingham England

Beautiful raw brass slip style loop tie bar with a mounted vintage brass lucky horse head and horse shoe embellishment. Peaky Blinders style

His or hers dark navy soft wool Ivy, drivers, newsboy cap or hat. Charcoal chambray lining

Add the perfect authentic touch with a brass collar bar.

Vintage upcycled loop style tie bar. Brass hardware with a vintage gold salmon fish embellishment.

Old school vintage gold brass loop style tie bar with necktie link chain. Get your Boardwalk Empire & Peaky Blinders on! 
Throw on a tweed waistcoat. Boardwalk Indeed.

1918 Antique Victorian painted "Leaves & Dots" golden brass and steel design with brown background. Magnetic tie tack. Wear it mid way down your tie, or right under the knot....Boardwalk Empire style. This design is truly amazing with the techniques that were used. 
Wear a bit of History!

Magnetic tie tack "Floral Bronze Twinkle" design, brass and tin Antique Victorian magnetic Story button. The Original Mag TAK:. ZOOM in to see incredible details. Amazing technology & craftsmanship from 100 years ago. Silk covered back button. Wear a bit of history! Wear it to replace a tie bar OR wear it up by the knot for that Boardwalk Empire look.

Button history in Birmingham

Old Hollywood and Classic styling

Just in the mood to share some of my favorite classic fashion images, Glamour & Dapper at it's best.

Express yourself! With Novelty brooches and pins.

We have always had a soft spot for fun lapel pins & brooches. What fun to be able to wear a little accessories as a conversation starter and to show your personality. We hunt shop estate sales and have seen some amazing pieces of art. Unfortunately we can't purchase them all but below are a few that we have listed on our Etsy stores: Modern Renaissance Man & Woman's Renaissance.

What makes shopping with us special? Unique gift presentations for starters.

All three of our stores offer a very unique take on things. We have found a way to combine our love for accessories and our fascination with creative vintage boxes. While we are out on our accessory hunts, we run across the coolest boxes and just can't resist. These wonderful finds let us to put together a very unique shopping opportunity. When you purchase a few items from our stores, we package them all together in a matched up box to create a very special gift presentation for someone or yourself. These little trinket and stash boxes can also be purchased for single pieces as well. Little porcelain boxes for our Mag TAKs, carved wooden boxes for a set of special cufflinks or a neat vintage tin for a silk scarf and "Chick Magnet". Below we have put together some examples to get the ball rolling. Please reach out to us in any of our three stores if you would like for us to put a gift package together for you.

Below are a few examples of match ups and samples of some of the beautiful boxes that we have available.

Glossy wood cigar box packaged with two woven silk ties, Mag TAKS & a silk pocket square

Hand painted brilliant blue wooden box with little pink flowers, perfect for Chick Magnets

Two woven silk ties, Mag TAKs and a silk pocket square in a gorgeous glossy black cigar box.

Gorgeous gold and pink floral porcelain trinket box with a silk scarf and magnetic MagTAK

2D carved buffalo lid box presented with a striped woven silk tie and magnetic tie tack Mag TAK

The BoHo box. Decoupage butterfly wooden box packaged with a embroidered velvet halter top and suede choker necklace with crystal dangle.

Egyptian warrior ceramic trinket box, perfect packaging for a cufflink & tie bar set.

Little blue painted box with top floral design packaged with two silk scarves & matching Mag TAK "Chick Magnets"

Embossed box with rattan and brass latch details presented with a woven silk tie and Mag TAK

Mod vintage Vera silk scarf packaged in a fun flower heart shaped tin with Opal magnetic scarf brooch Mag TAK "Chick Magnet"

Making your gifts very special and thoughtful with just the right little box to put them in.

Faux antiqued ivory & brass little box and little Japanese bird art. Whatever your style.

Lacquered wooden octagon box with warrior scene & carved, painted round trinket box.

Gorgeous, painted jungle & parrot wooden box presented with a silk Oscar de la Renta scarf and blue crystal flower magnetic "Chick Magnet" scarf pin.

We can never pass up a sweet little heart box, porcelain, glass, marble. Perfect size for a Mag TAK or pair of earrings.

Wooden inlay box presented with three Batik cotton pocket squares. A gift that will be remembered.

Rattan design box with a flower and butterfly theme, presented with three floral ties and a mother of pearl bird magnetic tie tack Mag TAK.

Floral painted vintage box for a scarf and Chick Magnet set & pin point painted little wooden box sized for a pair of cufflinks.

Little cylinder wooden painted box with real sea shell and sand scene on the lid.

Romantic Renaissance scene porcelain trinket box & painted boat theme wooden box.

Fish carved wooden box with white wash finish. Presented with woven silk paisley tie and silk pocket square

A magnetic wedding

Out newest line of Magnetic Mag TAK™ s. For the groom, a magnetic boutonniere,  boutineer, tussie mussie, flower lapel pin or groom corsage. What ever the title, they are perfect for the groom & groomsmen. A bit of history below. We can offer our services to help you put together your wedding kit to include: matching pocket squares & boutineers. Just convo us to start the process with a presentation of ideas. 

Color options to match your wedding theme. Silk & velvet covered back magnetic button design. Mag TAK™

Mag TAK™  Boutonnieres, Custom orders welcome. . Cotton batik pocket squares

Mag TAK™  Boutonnieres, Custom orders welcome

Custom wedding groom packages available, just convo us for pricing & ideas.

The reviews are starting to roll in!

Magnetic Tie Tacks, what are they and how to wear them.

Fashion always repeats itself, but now with a magnetic twist. We invented a tie tack that not only serves a purpose of securing your tie without poking holes in your fine fabrics, but also lends itself to a revived fashion statement from the early 1900's. We have put together some styling examples for reference.

Our line of Mag TAK™s are constructed with very powerful magnets that can be used on ties, jacket lapels and on hats as a hat pin. The style options of the Mag TAK™ s that we offer range from modern and minimal designs to authentic antique pieces from the 1900's upcycled as magnetic pins.

Worn high on the tie right below the knot. Make a statement and start a conversation

Examples of upcycled antique pieces from the 1900's. Incredible detailed designs and picture stories told by the artists of their day. Interesting article on our blog " The History of the Button" by Charles Dickens.

You pick a tie and we will hook you up with a MagTAK to go with it

Striped enamel upcycled Mag TAK™ with paisley silk covered back button

Upcycled elements with a fun twist with a magnetic silk covered back button. Here you go Charles!

Order 2 or more from any of our stores and get them packaged in a unique vintage trinket / stash box FREE! Looking for a particular style or color? Just contact us for ideas. Do you have some ties that you would like to match up with some Mag TAK™s? Just send us some images and we will present back to you selections for your consideration. Have some fun with your accessories while starting a conversation. The ultimate nod to historical fashion and style while doing your part to recycle.

Own the office....women wearing cufflinks

Office elegance to after work happy hour. Cufflinks are such a fun, sexy way to add an accessory to your outfit. Whether you are an attorney or work in a ad agency, wearing cufflinks with a silk french cuff blouse and suit or with some jeans and heels. We are in love with the cufflinks. Our stores offer the best selection of women's cufflinks on line. Upcycled beautiful pieces of art created as statement cufflinks. Our cufflinks are not men's cufflinks pitched as a feminine design. Our full line covers crystal clusters, stone, Czech glass & pearls. Our clients enjoy our innovative and special packaging. When you order a few items, we package them in one of our vintage trinket boxes.

Embroidery Beauty & History

A beautiful trend with an impressive history. Works from China have been dated to the Warring States period (5th–3rd century BC). There have been different styles of stitching, different fabrics & different technique but all appreciated as an artistic expression. I found a few interesting articles to share with you. 

It is a striking fact that in the development of embroidery ... there are no changes of materials or techniques which can be felt or interpreted as advances from a primitive to a later, more refined stage. On the other hand, we often find in early works a technical accomplishment and high standard of craftsmanship rarely attained in later times.

The art of embroidery has been found world-wide and several early examples have been found. In a garment from Migration period Sweden, roughly 300–700 AD, the edges of bands of trimming are reinforced with running stitch, back stitch, stem stitch, tailor's buttonhole stitch, and whip-stitching, but it is uncertain whether this work simply reinforced the seams or should be interpreted as decorative embroidery

Depending on time, location and materials available, embroidery could be the domain of a few experts or a wide-spread, popular technique. This flexibility led to a variety of works, from the royal to the mundane.

Elaborately embroidered clothing, religious objects, and household items often were seen as a mark of wealth and status, as in the case of Opus Anglicanum, a technique used by professional workshops and guilds in medieval England In 18th century England and its colonies, samplers employing fine silks were produced by the daughters of wealthy families. Embroidery was a skill marking a girl's path into womanhood as well as conveying rank and social standing.

Traditional embroidery in chain stitch on a Kazakh rug, contemporary

During the 17th century padded satin stitch became very popular, in order to create bas-reliefs on fabrics. Golden yarns were still popular, as ribbons and sequins. A new technique was developed to apply more volume to fabrics, a sort of bullion knot, which was made with silver yarns and looked like a modern cylinder shaped bead. The most important innovation in fashion history was represented by the introduction of lace. Lace in the 17th century was applied on collars, camisa, socks and gloves.

This is from an amazing blog: http://www.afashionhistory.com/fashion-history/an-introduction-to-the-history-of-embroidery/

We have just launched our first few pieces in our women's store on Etsy WomansRenaissance

Men using Pinterest

So if you are one of those men out there that says "What is Pinterest?", we are going to break it down for you. It's not just for women but a great tool for organizing your ideas, saving project to do lists and shopping.

First of all super easy to get started. Just add topic boards such as, bar ideas, fashion likes, hairstyles, art, food and cocktail recipes. Then just cruise the web for your ideas and build your boards. It is like a pin board, so when you get around trying that recipe you saw, just pull up your Pinterest account and without printing out the recipe you have your usable reference. We have been on Pinterest for years now, below are some screen shots of our Men's Boards.

March: His & Hers Match Ups

After cruising through both of our Etsy stores, I decided to start a monthly blog post highlighting a few style match ups from both Modern Renaissance Man (His & Hers store on Etsy) & Woman's Renaissance (Women's store on Etsy). Enjoy, and if you every need any assistance putting a few items together......Hey, that's is what we are here for! Just convo us in our stores and we will put together collage ideas for your consideration.

The history of the tassel

I ran across this great article on Martha Stewart's and thought it was worthy of sharing.

Suede choker & tassel necklaces featured are available in our Etsy store: Womans Renaissance

The tassel has almost always been a symbol of power and prestige. The word for "tassel" originated from "tassau" -- which, translated from Latin, refers to a clasp at the neck of a garment. In the beginning, tassels served as a weaving knot in garments to prevent unraveling. Then, over the course of time, they took on a more powerful significance: They were worn by ancient priests and military officers as talismans that warded off evil spirits. Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun was unearthed from his tomb wearing them around his neck.

In 330 AD, Roman emperor Constantine decreed that all Christians should be clothed, leading to a high demand for tassel trimmings. Flash-forward to 540 AD: Emperor Justinian and two Persian monks smuggled in silkworms from China -- just to make the tassels fancied by royalty and aristocrats in the Western world.

We can thank the French for turning the tassel into a trendsetter. Around the 16th century, the Guild of the Passementiers established the art of "passementerie." It took seven years of apprenticeship to be trained in this craft, and a single tassel would cost the equivalent of thousands of dollars to commission, not to mention weeks of labor and valuable materials. (Can you imagine how long it might take to weave the trimmings for an entire throne?!

Scholars from Oxford and Cambridge affixed them to their graduation caps to mark their intellectual superiority. The church tied them to robes to denote rank among clergy members. Napoleon decked out his imperial throne with them. King Louis XIV even commissioned them to decorate all royal costumes and residences. Shortly after that, the rest of the Western world followed suit by adding them to, well, everything and anything. They inspire us to feel smart, strong, even statuesque.

By Alexandra Churchill

Pearls and chunky chain tassel necklace and Boho beaded tassel choker: Woman's Renaissance.

Very Gatsby antiqued gold and topaz tassel necklace & fun and funky hippie beaded choker

Amber and gold tassel brooch and antiqued brass super long chain neck wrap necklace

Great authentic old school vintage finds! Elegant crystals and gold/ Mod snake chain & pearls

So, whether you are more of a Gatsby, Downton Abbey gal or a true blue Boho hippie type....empower yourself with some great tassel designs.

Getting to know us........a few notes from our clients

It is a jungle out there, lots of choices, lots of companies and products to choose from. We started this exciting and fulfilling business in 2013. There have been ups and downs, challenges and learning curves, but our goal remains consistent, to exceed our customers expectations. We would like to share some feedback from some of our customers to help you get an idea of who we are and how we aim to please.

I purchased this tie and silk pocket square together. It wasn't just a transaction, it was a fun experience, as Tracy and Mike totally indulged me from my first message to them and worked with me to pick out a tie and pocket square to match a particular suit for a friend of mine of which I sent them a photo. Tracy/Mike put together several combos, creating collage images of the accessories next to the suit, so I could visualize and pick. Some dozen (or more) messages later, I had the perfect tie and pocket square picked out and in my mailbox a week later. The items turned out to be better than on the website because the true colors really were far better suited to the material of the suite. Anyway, the recipient is happy, I am thrilled and Tracy and Mike are a pleasure to do business with.

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Love the pin, great presentation. Thank you

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Great colors and super soft! I love it! The seller was great to work with and shipped very quickly. Thank you

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This item was well made and was as advertised. The wrapping was also unique and caught everyone's eye under the Christmas tree. It shipped promptly.

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Love this cool necktie. Very smart indeed! Great service and communication from seller :)

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Our grooms woman loved these - great work!!! 😄 Thank you for getting this to us so quickly!!! Highly recommended!!!

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These cufflinks are exactly as described and they are perfect. They arrived quickly. And the shop owners are amazing. They communicated with me immediately after I purchased them and surprised me with a great bonus that my son is going to love. I highly recommend doing business with this shop.

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Nice packaging and exactly as shown...my future husband will love it

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Beautiful and shipped very fast as usual! My husband is always happy with gifts from here.

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Beautiful tie and really excellent service

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Speedy shipping and a beautiful tie bar! One of my new favorite shops!

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Arrived to Australia super fast! Well packaged and item is exactly as described

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Absolutely gorgeous pocket square. And fast shipping. Thank you!

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Fantastic braces as described. Great photos of the item, fast shipping and very nice packaging. Thank you!

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Exactly as pictured and shipped fast! Always a pleasure doing business with MRM

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Extremely fast service. Timeless sexy fashion.

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LOVE the bracelet! Helps to bring out my bohemian side. Pairs nicely with copper earrings! Thank you again for you attention to packaging and prompt shipping.

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This pocket square is a SCENE STEALER. It is VERY stylish.

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It was a pleasure dealing with Tracy - she really did go the extra mile to accommodate my requirements. The lapel pin is great. The magnets are very strong - no risk of it falling off. The vintage container it arrived in is wonderful too. Highly recommended and will happily purchase from Tracy again in future.

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These are wonderful! They are a present for my groom Adam. A++ also came in a wonderful hand made box!

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Just arrived today and I am so happy. Everyone was very nice and helpful and fast. I received my package 3 days after placing the order and had my questions answered within minutes. And the little clip itself is beautiful and in excellent condition. Very happy with my purchase :)

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Great ties and excellent service

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Extremely beautiful piece and awesome customer service. Thank you so very much. LOVE the box!!!

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Love these magnets....so unusual and useful!

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The scarves are beautiful and are in excellent condition. They arrived beautifully wrapped and well packaged. Communication was excellent. The transaction was a pleasure.

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Wore this scarf the other day and got many compliments. A lovely addition to my collection. Great seller.

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Expedient, lovely, and great box.

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Oh wow!! If I could give more than 5stars I would...necklace true to description but even better colour in real life..packed carefully in beautiful wooden box for safe posting and future safe keeping..obviously very thoughtful..caring ..sellers!!

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Nice smooth stone; versatile for color matching; edging symmetrical and very pretty; love the magnet idea. Couldn't be happier. Thanks so much.

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This choker was even prettier than the picture. Very happy with this purchase.

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Magnetic brooch goes perfectly with the scarf I purchased from this company. What a very nice combination.

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Just love these Victorian buttons. They make great scarf holders.

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Lovely fur stole, arrived promptly and communication with the seller was quick and thorough. Thank you very much!!

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Absolutely perfect! Exactly as pictured... they even came in a beautiful porcelain box.

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Very beautiful! Wonderful customer service and lovely packaging. I felt like I was opening a gift! Thank you.

Please visit any of our three stores, and let us know if we can match up some accessories for you. We will create collages to present to you to make your shopping experience creative and successful.

Mr & Mrs Renaissance Lookbook

His & Hers accessories. Sign up for our newsletter for interesting articles, shop picks & private promo codes

Women: Suiting up for Fall

This new blog post is our way of offering some creative visual ideas and references to encourage and inspire women to pull the trigger on getting that Feminine Business Power Suit look. No one does it better that Ester Quek. A fearless lady, Esther Quek is the distinguished group fashion and beauty director of luxury publications in the Middle East, namely The Rake, Revolution and contributes frequently to Condé Nast Traveller. Hailing from Singapore, this veteran stylist and journalist has immersed herself in fashion and publishing for nearly a decade. Esther is a regular on the international fashion circuit, and has been heralded as one of the influential style icons working in fashion today. Her sense of style and undeniable charm has seen her grace the pages of many fashion titles including Vogue and Style.com. http://www.estherquek.com

Detail Notes: Lapel Flower, Pocket Square & Neck Scarf worn as a color design element above the collar.

Pheasant scarf in a crepe fabric showing beautiful detail and fall colors. Gold floral tie bar

Fall tweed highlighted by a great vest & tie, Tartan red plaid with a slick black skinny tie, Bold mix of patterns in shirt and tie completing the Power Suit look.

From our Woman's Renaissance Etsy store: Magnetic leather flower lapel pin that can be worn on jackets, shirts, hats and as a choker necklace embellishment. Cufflinks for women & a great feminine vintage silk tie.

Layer up and having fun with colors and patterns, Sleek and minimal with a gorgeous pocket square detail, Preppy perfection with a great plaid tie and tweed jacket.

Featuring a pair of of our handcrafted lacy pearl cufflinks created just for women paired up with a vintage Asian inspired silk tie.

Cufflinks by Woman's Renaissance "Purple Pearls" Hawaiian inspired silk tie & a custom made soft suede purple leather MagTAK "Chick Magnet".

Rich rust floral paisley silk vintage tie paired up with a layered leather sage green MagTAK, magnetic flower.

OWN THE OFFICE: Brilliant Pop Art silk tie with a pair of Czech floral glass and pearl cufflinks.

Fashion Forward: Cowboy cool with a gold, blue , green and rust silk tie & a Cheetah faux fur leather "Chick Magnet" magnetic MagTAK.

Bearded Iris floral tie in rich shades of brown and aqua teal paired up with a pair of Mid Century modern pair of cufflinks by Woman's Renaissance.

Sweater chains! What a great way to mix up your office look. Drop dead gorgeous silk tie.

Rocker Office look: Skinny leather tie in a deep burgundy paired with a custom leather flower featuring a glass bead center. #MagTAK

A new way to wear our MagTAK "Chick Magnets". Feature them on the knot of your tie for that unique, feminine and creative look.

Please feel free to reach out to us in either of our stores for assistance in putting together the "Own The Office" look. We Love this aspect of our business, so don't be shy......Just CONVO us.