Friday

This blog is all about Bolo Ties. They are the unsung heros of men's/women's fashion. It is a fashion accessory that is subtle and interesting that adds, not takes away from the outfit. My first bolo tie was a simple cowboy hat I found in the thrift shop. Since then, I have loved them.

About the Bolo-tie...
This neckwear is called a Bolo or Bola and proclaimed the official neckwear for Arizona and ironically its advent was the outcome of an accident. Had it not been for the loss of a hat in the wind and a quick thinking Arizonian, the style would never have come to fruition. In the late 1940s, a silversmith named Victor Cedarstaff went riding with friends in the Bradshaw Mountains outside Wickenburg, Arizona . When the wind blew his hat off, Cedarstaff removed the hatband, which had a silver buckle he did not want to lose, and put it around his neck.

When his friends complemented him on the new apparel, Cedarstaff returned home, and wove a leather string. He added silver balls to the ends and ran it through a turquoise buckle. Cedarstaff later patented the new neckwear, which was called the bolo because it resembled the lengths of rope used by Argentine gauchos to catch game or cattle.

Now mass-produced, bolos are usually made of leather cord, with a silver or turquoise buckle. They are common throughout the west and are often worn for business. In 1971 Arizona legislature named the bolo the official state neckwear. (from an article by Partick McMurray, designer)

So, you can have almost any kind of art on your bolo.

There are many famous folks that have worn bolos from James Coburn and Buddy Epsen (his bolo is on E-Bay for $3,000 right now) to Toby Keith. My own Rey Posado's dad (Dr. Golf, himself) wore one to Merion Golf Club on a regular basis.

I chose the Pineapple Raku piece that I made on Saturday for my bolo. Since all wearers aren't Cowboys or Cowboy wanna be's,...these are a few more designs for Eastern wear.

Don't forget the Raku Show at the Wayne Art Center, next Thursday night, April 1. It is a great show and some wonderful pieces. Brett says there will be a lot of food and real liquor, (not just cheap wine.)