Fashion | Brothers and Craft

Apr 29 2013

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.

Tagged Americana, Denim, designer, Fashion, imogene + willie, Jeans, made in the USA, Nashville, Style

Apr 15 2013

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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?

021388c8b4d959d9ad05b886760a033f Timex Easy Reader

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

f1617a3221b67ea817b3ae1af6b47a19 23662e7a4065c89595e2313c4ea0ed57 d8cddf6554a68a2a628dd45242452535 Timex---Weekender-Olive-Slip-Through-Strap-Watch-Silver---Jewelry

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

bd7de7ed4b8ce24169619f4130d9b367 2730a4e6f3fac98621a431d86cc12669 Timex Watch

J.Crew Watch Bands

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

Tagged Casual, Fashion, J.Crew, Men, Spring, summer, Timex, Watches

Mar 22 2013

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Men, The Brothers

Tie Friday

Since work doesn’t allow casual Fridays, I wear a tie instead (hence the title). Today I decided to wear a striped navy tie over a red, white and blue plaid shirt. Everyone has their own style or way of tying ties and what shirts they wear them with. I normally wear striped ties with plain, gingham or plaid shirts and usually use the four-in-hand knot for my tie, keeping the length of the skinny tail the same as the wide tail.

How do you match ties and shirts? What are some different ways you like to tie neckties?

Tagged Fashion, Men, shirt, Spring, Style, Tie

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.

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

Tagged Fashion, florida, J.Crew, Leather Laces, Men, prep, Shorts, Sneakers, Style, summer, Vans

Jan 23 2013

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Men

Win a Bow Tie from The Cordial Churchman!

CONTEST HAS ENDED – FIND OUT THE WINNER ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED!

Yesterday we showed you how easy it is to tie a bow tie. Today you have the chance to win your first bow tie or add one to your collection – all possible because of our friends at The Cordial Churchman! (see how to enter below)

Truth be told, The Cordial Churchman of Rock Hill, SC has been around longer than we have. We discovered them this year through a friend and were immediately impressed by their handsome collection of bow ties.

So here is what’s up for grabs:

Bow Tie

HOW TO ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Visit the Brothers and Craft Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/BrothersAndCraft
“Like” our page. (if you’ve already “liked” it, just complete #3 below)
“Share” the Official Facebook contest picture on your wall! (Win a hand-made bow tie by The Cordial Churchman!)

That’s it. You will be entered into the contest!

And by all means, check out The Cordial Churchman!

*One winner will be selected on Saturday, January 26th at midnight.

**We can only ship within the 50 United States.

Tagged Bow Tie, Contest, Fashion, Men, Style, The Cordial Churchman

Jan 17 2013

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Men, Style Guide

The Lapel Pin. New Trend?

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?

Tagged Fashion, Lapel, Men, Pin, Style, Style Guide

Nov 13 2012

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The Brothers

Friends, Family, Fall, and Fashion…all in NYC!

My friend Nia took some shots of Clay and I (and our sister Mary Kathryn) while we were up in NYC this week. Check out Nia’s blog and the rest of the photos at her site We Belong to Brooklyn!

- Zac

Photos by the brilliant Nia James!

Tagged fall, Fashion, Friends, Men, New York, NYC, SoHo

Oct 04 2012

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Men, The Brothers

Give an Old Necktie a Second Chance

Neckties are an essential piece of a man’s wardrobe. If you don’t own one, you should probably stop reading this and head to the store (or check out The Tie Bar). But if you’re like most guys it’s likely you already own a few.

Also, if you’re like many guys, you own a outdated tie (or two) that you assume you’ll never wear again. It has been permanently retired to the back of drawer somewhere. But you can’t bring yourself to scrap it because, well, you still love it. The only problem is that it’s obnoxiously wide. It looks more like a baby bib than a tie. So what can you do with it?

Have it re-sized.

You can have your ties tailored to whatever thickness you would like. This is a very simple and inexpensive way to breathe new life into your wardrobe. The best part is that this is something you can easily do yourself (future post). If you’re not up to the task you can usually use a local tailor – this will typically set you back $8-$12 per tie.

I began tailoring my more passé ties several years ago. Since then I have successfully resurrected dozens of ties. Here’s a recent project:

BEFORE: 3 ^1/2” tie by Christian Dior – purchased for $1 at a thrift store.

AFTER: Slimmed to 2 ^1/2″, perfect for wear with a modern suit.

Here’s a guideline I follow when deciding on the right tie thickness: When wearing a suit, try to choose your tie thickness in proportion to the lapels of your jacket. You can’t go wrong.