So 2011 is well and truly over. Last year we saw a plethora of fashion accessories getting extensive attention thanks to celebs, films and TV, and so we thought it might be an idea to choose an Accessory of the Year for 2011.

And so, the nominees are, in no particular order:

- Braces
- Bow Ties
- Cravats
- Pocket Squares

And the winner is… (cue sound of envelope opening…)

Bow Ties!

A truly deserved winner, with everyone from Dr Who to Katy Perry to JLS sporting this magnificent accessory during the year. What will 2012 bring? Find out later this week.

Swagger & Swoon has just been announced as a winner of the annual Shopzilla Circle of Excellence Awards for Customer Satisfaction. These awards are the result of thousands of customer surveys and ratings covering areas including products, delivery, customer service and overall satisfaction.

This is the 3rd time we’ve won this award, and we’re very chuffed to have won it again! Thank you to all our customers who completed the surveys and provided us with some amazing ratings.

They say manners maketh the man. But before you know whether the man haseth manners, you’ll probably notice his tie. Especially if it’s a novelty tie. Now by novelty, we don’t necessarily mean silly or jokey (although them too), but rather themed ties. So ties with pictures of animals on them, or cars or musical instruments and so forth. The reason why you’ll notice their tie is precisely because of the theme or novelty value, and more often than not you’ll compliment him on it, whether you like it or not, because their person has publicly displayed their interests and are rightly proud of it. Though what someone wearing a Viagra tie (cue spam…) would be displaying is anyone’s guess…

Anyway, so novelty ties often get a bad rap. Some people love them, some hate them. But I think that hate is based on a skewed perception, and one based on designs of old. These days many novelty and themed ties are far more subtle, with smaller images so that from a distance they just look like a pattern, and only on close inspection can you see that they’re actually little dogs running around in a field. Or something like that.

But for me the beauty of novelty ties is that they make fantastic gifts. Firstly they themed, so you can match someone’s interests exactly and you know they’re going to love that. Secondly, they’re in that price bracket that means you don’t have to spend a fortune for a great gift, which has to be a good thing. And finally, with hundreds of designs available, it’s really easy to find one that’s suitable, without having to trudge around hundreds of shops (even if they are online and you’re not actually trudging…).

So that’s my words of wisdom for today. Novelty Ties. Get ‘em!

This week we’re wrapping ourselves in luxury, with a great feature on silk. Just like that film about Mary, there is also something about silk that makes it so desirable, and we’ve been working hard to build up a great collection of silk accessories for everyone. From exclusive silk ties and bow ties to luxurious scarves and cravats, there’s now silk available on every corner, and we’re revelling in it!

Once you’ve chosen your perfect tie or cravat, don’t forget to top it off with a silk pocket square. Hugely fashionable right now, pocket squares are the perfect finishing touch, and we can’t recommend them enough.

So enjoy that unique feeling of silk, and add a bit of flare to your style at the same time!

Last night’s X-Factor results show was the usual mix of drawn out tension and over enthusing for acts that can’t sing, but one ray of light almost made it worth watching the whole show (only almost…). Star guest appearance was the ever entertaining Katy Perry, performing The One That Got Away, with her new pink hair and just an accoustic guitar for company. But there was something else that was spotted on Katy last night…a casually slung black self-tie bow tie, draped around her neck as so often seen on James Bond and mens fragrance adverts that have a lot of action but make no sense!

This traditionally male accessory works so well in this style though,  and Katy showed just how good it can look. My point is, experiment a little – a simple accessory like a bow tie can change an outfit completely, but keep it subtle to avoid it being too distracting. Enjoy!