We've got three Lady Ties to give away and for your chance of winning a tie of your choice, just leave a comment below telling us which retro fashion you'd love to bring back.

Contest closes on April 30th.

Congratulations to Ghoulie Gaby, Plan B and Eutanasi.

The origins of Flapper Girl Lady Ties can be traced back to the Chrysler Building, Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and a bad case of procrastination. It was May 2011, and I was writing a term paper for my History of Graphic Design class at Portland State University. “Choose something or someone you feel a connection with,” my professor instructed us. For me, it was a no-brainer. The Chrysler Building is a gorgeous work of art that I have always admired—and I was excited to learn more about how German expressionism, early car culture, and the art deco movement influenced its design. 

In the middle of my research, lost in the eye candy of one of my favorite decades, I got sidetracked by all the amazing fashion of the 1920s. I love all the flappers of the era, and while looking at old photos of Marlene Dietrich, I thought to myself, ‘Oh my goodness! I forgot how sexy and cool Marlene Dietrich looked in her neck ties!’ 

Now I realize that Miss Dietrich is technically a 1930s icon, but I think she embodies the sass, sexiness and overall bad-ass attitude that the flappers were known for. I wanted to capture that essence for myself, and for me, it was all about that neck tie. I knew I couldn’t pull off Dietrich’s signature bow tie, or the long neckties other flappers were wearing in the photos I was admiring while I was supposed to be writing my term paper. No, I was envisioning something else for myself—a sleek continental-style neck tie.

My friend Elide urged me to sew some ties for myself, so I drafted a pattern and gave it a go. I made my first two Lady Tie prototypes in seafoam green and a gray and blue plaid. I was so excited with the results, I immediately became obsessed with making ties. I couldn’t wait to wade through my fabric stash, selecting prints that I knew would make lovely additions to my new Lady Tie collection.

I wore my Lady Ties to my summer job at a cute local boutique and strangers kept asking about them. I posted photos of my Lady Ties to my blog, and my blog friends were excited about them too. I decided to share my inner Marlene Dietrich with the rest of the world and made a small batch of Lady Ties to put in my Etsy shop. The rest, as they say, is history.

Since September 2011, I have sent over 300 Lady Ties all across the globe. It makes me so happy to think about so many women wearing these fashion accessories that are made with my own two hands. The enthusiasm I receive from women who find my Lady Ties on Etsy continues to fuel my obsession, and the collection of Lady Ties in my shop continues to grow. I’m still blown away by all the love and support I’ve received in this little endeavor of mine, and I try to send back a little bit of that love in every package I send out into the world. Lady Ties are all about the love and sass—I want women to feel powerful and gorgeous, just like Marlene Dietrich. 

You can find out more about Flapper Girl Lady Ties on Christine's blog or buy your own now on Etsy »