Miss C's a Rhinestone Cowgirl: My Manuel Bespoke Necktie

My eldest is looking at universities for next fall, so we've been accompanying her. One visit took her to her father's undergraduate alma mater, Vanderbilt, and while she was visiting with current students, Mr. C and I hightailed it to the home of "cowboy country couture," Manuel.

Manuel was Nudie's head tailor in the 1960s before moving to Hollywood and setting up shop there. He returned to Nashville toward the end of the 1980s and has continued with his colorful, embroidered, rhinestoned designs. Here's a famous design for Gram Parsons:

And a recent one for Kesha:

I visited his old Broadway location in the mid 1990s, when I was a graduate student roadtripping with a girlfriend who was interviewing for graduate work at Vandy. I couldn't afford anything back then--his shirts start in the thousands!--but this time, at his new location, I decided to buy a bespoke necktie.

A woman's necktie, as in this one on Lady Gaga (with Manuel himself):

I met with Tyler, the house rhinestoner, to discuss what I wanted. He surprised me when he said that I could have my name stitched inside the label, and I was delighted to add "Kate Cavendish" above the famous "Manuel" font (see first photo, way above).

The necktie arrived a couple of weeks later and I could not be happier. I may wear it on stage for our biennial faculty rock concert.

Thank you, Manuel and Tyler, for the beautiful work!