Having always liked menswear, starting a niche neckwear business was "a no-brainer for me," said St. Louis-area resident Jennifer Hill, whose Lonesome Traveler brand consists of handmade unisex neckwear and accessories.

Hill learned to sew at 7 or 8 and saved some bat mitzvah money to buy a sewing machine. She used that machine for years, took it to college and even used it at the very start of her business. In school she made handbags and a wrap skirt, but by the time she attended fashion classes at the Art Institute of Chicago, she was thinking a little more "business minded."

Hill's ties range in price from $24 to $62 and are sold at a few retail locations and online. The brand launched at a time when both men and women were looking for items that felt both retro and modern. Her biggest business is wedding ties and bow ties for men who don't normally wear ties.

"I think it just strikes a balance that feels formal" but not stuffy because the items tend to look just as good with a navy or cream suit as they do with a hoodie and jeans, Hill said.

Hill jokes that she used to "resist the Christmas craze," preferring to stick with year-round neckwear looks. It didn't stop people from asking her about a holiday line for special occasions, and eventually she came to terms with the fact that holidays happen and resistance is futile. This year, she's planning a small collection of limited-edition holiday tie looks.

Hill said that in any fashion business there's the dilemma of having a great product that sells and creating new stuff to keep customers engaged.

"I've got no plans to expand the product line," Hill said. "I briefly did linen hand-dyed aprons and smock dresses, but nothing ever sold as well as the neckwear."

Well-intentioned people have told her she should outsource the work and mass produce to increase profits. She said she does outsource work like marketing, advertising and photography, but not the sewing.

"I actually really love the process of sewing and stitching everything myself," she said. "I know people mean well when they are trying to get me to grow the business, but I'm like leave me alone."