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Apr 29 2013
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Life and Culture, Men, Style Guide

Imogene + Willie

Friends, we would like to introduce you to a husband and wife team who are doing some impressive things in the world of denim. They also produce men’s and women’s shirts, pants, accessories, boots, and recreational provisions.

Based out of Nashville, these designers have a unique talent for capturing a kind of wear-and-tear, rugged, All-American look that complements their denim jeans. We love and share that same Southern, homegrown persona they exude. Forming out of an old, rundown gas station, they have built a stable business from the ground up, serving as a model for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to create something other people can enjoy.

Watch their story unfold in the video below. Be inspired this Monday.

Friends, meet Imogene + Willie.

 

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Apr 15 2013
2 Comments
Men, Style Guide

The Casual Watch

Today I’m thinking about casual watches.  I’ve been eying a number of these to facilitate my resolution this year of dressing casual more often. One brand I keep noticing, whether seeing a friend wearing one or browsing online, is Timex. Yes, you can find Timex at Wal-Mart, but they are killing it in the casual watch department – so much so that J. Crew has started placing them in their stores. I love these watches for several reasons: 1) They look fantastic 2) Interchangeable straps, see below  3) The affordable price point. Do you have a go-to casual watch? Which one below is your favorite?

 021388c8b4d959d9ad05b886760a033fTimex Easy Reader

1.  Easy Reader Dk Brown ($65) / 2. Easy Reader Lt Brown ($65) / 3. Unisex Weekender ($37)

f1617a3221b67ea817b3ae1af6b47a1923662e7a4065c89595e2313c4ea0ed57d8cddf6554a68a2a628dd45242452535Timex---Weekender-Olive-Slip-Through-Strap-Watch-Silver---Jewelry

4. Red ($37) / 5. Blue ($37) / 6. Orange Stripe ($44.95) / 7. Army ($44.95)

bd7de7ed4b8ce24169619f4130d9b3672730a4e6f3fac98621a431d86cc12669Timex Watch

J.Crew Watch Bands

1. Camo  ($20) /   2. Brown Leather  ($28) /   3. Variety of colors ($20)

 

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Mar 11 2013
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Men, Style Guide

Spring is near…

Spring is right around the corner for most people. If you live in Florida you know it actually began in December. No, really. On Sunday it was 80 friggin’ degrees in Orlando! That got me thinking about warm weather clothes.

There are two items that I recently acquired and I can already tell I’m going to get a lot of mileage out of them this Spring and Summer – my Vans Authentic sneakers and tapered shorts.

Ryan Chambers - Spring Attire

I used to think Vans were just for skaters and punk band rockers, but over the past year or two the brand has shown a casual and even preppy side. I like them because they’re versatile and they come in virtually every color. I picked up the ones in the photo from J.Crew. You’re going to see these a lot this year, guaranteed. If you already own a pair, try adding leather laces to change the look of them!

Tapered shorts. I’ve always been “skinny”. Growing up, other kids made fun of me and called me names like ‘chicken legs’. I always dreaded warm weather because I never liked how I looked in shorts – always two wide in the legs, even if they fit in the waste. Often, I would sweat it out in pants to spare myself the embarrassment. So tapered shorts mean a lot to me! I picked up these at JC Penney and they’re part of Buffalo’s exclusive JCP line. Luckily tapered shorts look great on pretty much anyone.

Tapered Shorts:

1. i Jeans by Buffalo (JC Penney) $35  /  2. Levi’s 508 $54  /  3. Levi’s 508 twill (Via Amazon) $29.99

Vans sneakers:

1. J.Crew $60  /  2. Vans (Zappos – tons of variety!) $45-55, Free Shipping

Leather Laces:  J.Crew $6

 Ryan Chambers - Spring Attire

Ryan Chambers - Spring Attire

 

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Jan 28 2013
2 Comments
Men, Style Guide

Is Your Closet Stylish? Maybe Not, But It Has Nothing To Do With Your Clothes.

Let’s face it, most guys don’t want to spend a significant chunk of their time staring at the clothes in their closet. Yet that’s what many of us do every day. Our closets are messy, disorganized and probably look like a hurricane disaster area. It takes 10 minutes, not to pick out the shirt we want, but just to find it! Have you ever searched for dress slacks and given up, only to find out later they were there all along, sandwiched between two shirts you never wear? It’s time to step up to the plate of manhood and get organized.

There is an easy, inexpensive way to add style and order to your closet. Swap the tacky plastic and unshapely wire hangers out for crisp, uniform wooden hangers. I made the switch last year and will never go back.

Here are a few options to get you started:

Your closet will go from looking like this:

To this:

And might even feel a bit like this:

Have you switched to wooden hangers? Have you considered it?

;

Jan 21 2013
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Men, Style Guide, The Brothers

How to tie a Bowtie

If you’ve never worn a bowtie because you don’t know how to tie one, watch the video below. You’ll easily learn the process in 7 simple steps while enjoying the tunes of a legend from the south, Louie Armstrong.

How to tie a bowtie in 7 simple steps.

1. Hang the tie around your neck, underneath the flipped collar. The right end should be slightly longer than the left end.
2. Cross the longer end over the shorter end.
3. Take the longer end and pass it through the loop, as if you’re tying a shoe.
4. Take the dangling end and fold it back.
5. Drop the end that’s on the shoulder and drape it over the folded bow.
6. Take the long-draped end and pull it through the loop behind the bow.
7. Tighten the bow by pulling on opposite sides and halves s simultaneously

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more interviews and posts like this in the near future. YouTube.com/BrothersAndCraft

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Jan 17 2013
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Men, Style Guide, The Brothers

Winter Look #1 – Black and Brown

Most people will tell you to never combine black and brown in the same outfit. I think Clay does an awesome job of demonstrating how you can mix these colors and make it work. Also, the combination between the green denim shirt and floral pocket square was a great idea as well (by the way, the green shirt is on sale at Kohl’s for $14 right now…see links below).
  • What do you think of the color mixing below?
Clay Chambers Winter Outfit

Clay Chambers Winter Outfit

  1. J. Crew Stonehall Jacket
  2. Clarks Burn Hot Boots (Similar)
  3. H&M Black Pants
  4. Croft and Barrow Oxford Shirt (Sale)
  5. Brown Knit Tie (Thrift Store – close matches Paul Smith, Ben Sherman – If you find another one on sale let us know!)
  6. Pocket Square (Brothers and Craft)
  7. Fossil Watch

 

 

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Jan 17 2013
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Men, Style Guide

The Lapel Pin. New Trend?

Victor Cruz Calvin Lapel Pin

I don’t own a brooch (hereafter referred to as “lapel pin”), but I’ve always wondered why it’s not a “thing” in men’s fashion. Maybe it’s about to be.

Check out GQ’s short interview with Victor Cruz (wide receiver for the New York Giants). He wears the pin well and makes me want to try it.

Would you wear a lapel pin?

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Jan 08 2013
6 Comments
Men, Style Guide

Anatomy of a Suit Jacket (Part 1)

One question we get on a regular basis is where to buy a suit.

Every guy should have at least one suit that looks great and that they are comfortable wearing. But there is a lot more to buying a suit than just pulling it off the rack.

The better question to ask is, what are you looking for in a suit? And that begs the question, do you even know to look for? For years, I didn’t have a clue.

The following list isn’t exhaustive, but here are a few things to think about:

Lapels

Peaked vs. Notched.

There really isn’t any debate here. Peaked and notched are the most common types of lapels and the decision comes down to preference. You can diversify your wardrobe by owning both. Decide for yourself, but you should know the difference.

A Notched lapel forms a V-shape where it meets the neck-collar. This style has edged out the Peaked lapel in recent years and is a fine choice for any occasion.

The Peaked lapel forms a point that juts out where it meets the neck-collar:

Pockets

The pockets on a suit are called besom pockets and are sewn into the suit rather than attached from the outside. They can have slits or flaps (Again, no debate here, mostly preference – see below)

Ticket Pockets

Ticket pockets (left: both images) are about as old as suits themselves and have British origins. It’s a third and smaller pocket situated just above one of the standard pockets. Nowadays it’s just as common to see a ticket pocket as to not. It does add some sophistication and practicality to your suit. It’s not a must-have, but certainly worth considering.

Pick stitching

Pick stitching is evident by the visible stitches around the edges of the lapels. This is a fairly common accent and that’s all. To some, pick stitching used to be a sign of a well-made suit, but that is not necessarily the case anymore. If you’re buying your first suit or a go-to suit you should probably opt for standard stitching.

Jacket Length

Rule #1, the jacket should cover your seat (the gentleman’s term for rear end). There really aren’t any other hard-and-fast rules. There are various ways to measure the length. One that works well for me is making sure the jacket reaches the second knuckle of my thumb when my arm is in a relaxed state at my side. Keep in mind, men come in different arm lengths, torsos, and builds. If all else fails, just follow rule #1.

Suit jacket length

Sleeves

The sleeve length should end right at the top of your hand where it joins the wrist. When your arm is fully relaxed and at your side, about ½” of the shirt should peak out past the sleeve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Fossil Watch)

Functional Buttons

Functional buttons have long been a feature of high end, custom tailored suits. Many fine (and pricey) suits, however, do not come with standard functional buttons. If you own a suit that does not have them you can always have the button holes opened by a tailor for a small price.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While there is much more to the makings of a great suit, know the vocabulary in this post and you’ll be fine.

Have a question about an upcoming suit purchase that we didn’t answer here? Leave a comment or email us!

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Dec 22 2012
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Craft, Style Guide

Tie Rack…Finished

A few days ago, I showed how to make a simple tie rack. Today, I finally put it up and slung my ties and a few other items over it. Hope you were able to find this post useful and can use an idea or two for your own tie inventory.

Let me know if you have any ideas on how to make this better.

Cheers!

Kirk

Dec 17 2012
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Craft, Style Guide

How to Make a Wooden Tie Rack

Each day for the past year, I’ve been digging around a basket in search for a tie. Whether going to work or going out, I waste about 5-10 minutes trying to pick out a tie for the occasion; and trying to place the neglected ties neatly back in the basket. Also, my dog likes to pull out about 3 ties from the basket each night, which literally drives me insane. If you’re reading this and want a good demonstration on how to not take care of your stuff, all of the above is a good place to start.

With that said, this past weekend I finally decided enough was enough. I walked to a nearby park and picked up several sturdy branches in hopes to build my own tie rack (I generally like to spend as little or no money at all on simple projects like this, so make sure you use all available resources). Now, I’m not a perfectionist by any means and I don’t want to even pretend that I’m a skilled carpenter, but really all you need is a simple idea and little bit of patience.

As far as physical resources, you will need the following:

  1. Wood
  2. A Saw (Power saw is recommended, as it saves lots of time)
  3. Screws (2″ – 4″ depending on how thick the wood is)
  4. Power screwdriver
  5. Sand Paper
  6. Clear Coat (I use Minwax)
Total Time: Give yourself between 30 minutes to an hour.
Step 1: Lay all your pieces out and determine which pieces of wood will be your rails (Vertical pieces) and which will be your rungs (Steps or horizontal pieces).

Step 2: Make sure all of your rungs are even, then make a diagonal cut at the ends using a hand saw or a power saw (below), or cut the ends in a V shape (recommended).

Step 3: Place the rungs in line with the rails. Then drill 1 screw through the rails into each side of the rung.

Step 4: After you have completed the tie rack, make sure your sand down the tops of each rung so there are no rough spots where your ties will be lying.

Step 5: Brush on a clear coat to protect the wood and to preserve it longer.

If you’re looking for a unique way to display, store and take care of your ties, this is definitely a project worth doing. I’ve really come to value the process of taking an idea and making it a reality by using little money and only my hands. As I said before, I’m not a perfectionist and I’m sure someone else out there has a much better way to make a tie rack, but in the end, I didn’t spend any money and only worked on it for about an hour.

Here is the finished product!

What do you think of my new tie rack? Have you ever built something like this before?

Kirk

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Dec 14 2012
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Style Guide

Gentlemanly Gift Ideas

There are two shopping weekends left before Christmas.  We would be remiss not to post a few gift ideas for men.  Of the millions of possibilities, here are 5 simple items no man should be without:

1. It keeps your tie in place and it’s awesome. Do we even have to convince you?

Ralph Lauren Rugby Tie Bar (on sale!)

Ralph Lauren Rugby Tie Bar

 

2.  Every guy needs a great duffel, whether for a weekend getaway or just a trip to the gym.

J. Crew Weekender Bag

 

 

 

3.  This is a purchase I (Ryan) have yet to regret. It’s a fantastic writing instrument – rugged, yet stylish. Once you start writing with a fountain pen you won’t want to go back to the old ballpoint.

Lamy Fountain Pen

Lamy Safari Fountain Pen

 

4.  Here’s a product that will keep your skin feeling fresh – especially during the Winter months.

The Art of Shaving: 4 Elements Starter Kit

The Art of Shaving - 4 Elements Lavender

 

5.  Keeps your shoes smelling great (thanks to the cedar) and helps them keep their form. An absolute must.

 Allen Edmonds Shoe Tree

AllenEdmonds Cedar Shoe Tree

 

 

What are some other gift ideas for men this season? Let us know!

 

Dec 12 2012
1 Comment
Men, Style Guide

If you’re considering a casual suit or light colors for the fall…

Jonny (Left) is wearing:

  1. Shoes - Cole Haan Oxford
  2. Pants – H&M
  3. Jacket – Gap
  4. Shirt – J. Crew
  5. Sock Tie – Thrift Store
  6. Tie Bar – Kenneth Cole
Clay (Right) is wearing:
  1. Shoes – Clarks Wallabee Boot
  2. Pants – No Name (Topman Similar)
  3. Shawl Collar Cardigan – Banana Republic
  4. Shirt – Tommy Hilfiger (J. Crew Similar)
  5. Sock Tie – Thrift Store

Photo Cred: Mia Alvarez

Nov 23 2012
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Style Guide, The Brothers

Fall Layer Options

If you’re looking to add a few layers to your wardrobe this Fall, below are a couple of options you can consider to help keep you warm.

  1. Crew Neck Pullover - GAP
  2. Shawl Collar Cardigan - Roundtree and Yorke
  3. Hoodie Pullover - Forever XXI
  4. Cardigan - Banana Republic

 

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Oct 24 2012
2 Comments
Style Guide

GQ 2012 Fall Trends – The Brother’s Picks

Below are The Brother’s top 4 picks of GQ’s Fall 2012 Trend Report.

  1. Kirk – “The Barbour jacket is number one on my wish list this Christmas. Barbour’s jackets and coats are trimmed to the slim standard and are extremely versatile. The gentleman in the photo displays one way to wear this jacket, but obviously you’ll have many more options. Whether it’s wearing over a suit on a rainy day in the city or using it as that extra layer to keep you warm on a camping trip, you’ll have no problem putting it to use.”
  2. Zac – “This gentleman masterfully combines three simple elements to make a brilliant outfit. Some might see such sweaters as tacky, but Fall and a dose of confidence makes it the perfect addition to a white button down and khaki trousers.” (From the Mason Kitsune Fall Collection)
  3. Ryan – “As my own style evolves, I am growing to appreciate the darker colors in my wardrobe – blacks, dark blues, greys. If there is a consistent theme in Michael Bastian’s Fall 2012 collection, it is the mingling of these colors and always nuanced by some brighter color, in this picture, red. Be careful though: darks can be slimming and sophisticated, but by themselves they can also be bland. Be sure to throw some color into your ensemble.”
  4. Clay – “Fall has returned, and so have earth tones. These colors have become an essential part of my wardrobe as I continue to develop my personal style. This look works for three reasons: First, the colors compliment each other well. The faded, demin button-up, layered with a navy sweater is steady combo. Second, the Aqua-esque, flannel trousers with the duck boots: YES! Third, the toggle hooded coat provides the finishing touch, proving that you don’t always have to settle for dark colored coats.” (From the Riviera Club)
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Oct 22 2012
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Men, Style Guide

Mix It Up

Unless you are wearing a tux or are attending a formal event, ditch the black dress shoes and mix it up this Fall. Brown oxfords with black trousers.

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