Image: Billy Reid
Though his business has been a labor of love for over a decade, Billy Reid seems to have really burst onto the scene in the past couple of years. He was named Best New Designer in America in 2010 by CFDA, and on Monday he was named the Menswear Designer of the Year. Needless to say, it’s been a pretty good couple of years for Mr. Reid. The best part about the success is that Reid still keeps things simple, which is why we absolutely love the Woody Shorts ($125) in his current collection.
Image: Bonobos
While our bosses are pretty tolerant of some of the things we wear that might be considered a bit “over the top” (looking at you Go To Hell pants), we do our best to keep things a bit more low key for a day in the office. That being said, we are always on the hunt for something that is 100% office appropriate, yet not quite the norm. That is exactly what we found with the Chambords ($110) by Bonobos.
Image: Ratio Clothing
From time to time, we are fortunate enough to get a sneak preview of pieces that are yet to hit the market, but, more often than not, we are learning about things as they are hitting the shelves just like everyone else. That was exactly what happened when we checked our email last week and saw something had arrived from our friends at Ratio Clothing introducing the latest addition to their lineup; the Anderson Tattersall Sport Shirt ($159). This one is going to make a great addition to a number of wardrobes.
Image: Würkin Stiffs
Though we’re still leaning heavily on button downs with rolled up sleeves as temperatures continue to rise, we’ve started to sneak a polo or two into the rotation as of late. In fact, thanks to our friends at Würkin Stiffs, we’ve broken out a couple of polos that had been relegated to the back of the closet thanks to collars that wouldn’t quit rolling. If you have shirts that have been lost in the depths thanks to uncooperative collars, you’re definitely going to want to look into picking up a pack of Würkin Stiffs Polo Stays ($35).
Image: Southern Proper
Guys, let’s face it, when you head to the beach you spend just as much time looking at the “scenery” as you do looking at the scenery. As much as we’d all like to think we are sly about our glances, the girls down at Southern Proper are obviously on to us. Case in point is the Topless Beau ($55) from their Southern Summers collection. We’re big fans of this beau, and hopefully you are too because a green one is going to be heading to a randomly chosen Bows & Boats reader.
Image: L.L. Bean Signature
If you’re like us, you’ve had your summer concert schedule locked in for the last few months, and now that concert season is in full swing, we’re already hearing some great reviews of acts that are currently on the road. Of course, for an all day festival, or just about any outdoor concert for that matter, something a bit sturdier than a pair of seersucker shorts is probably a good idea. This year, we’ll definitely be breaking out Bean’s Canvas Cloth Shorts ($55) from L.L. Bean Signature for a show or two.
Images: Smathers & Branson
Lately, we’ve been fortunate enough to partner with some fantastic brands for some fantastic giveaways. Well, it’s happening again today. Not too long ago our friends over at Smathers & Branson reached out, and we’re happy to announce that they are once again going to be giving away one of their needlepoint belts to a lucky Bows & Boats reader.
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Image: J. Crew
Though collaborations are running a bit rampant for our liking these days, it’s pretty tough for us to ignore one that involves a couple of brands that are in frequent rotation for us. In this case, those two brands are J. Crew and Sperry Top-Sider. Over the past few years the J. Crew “In Good Company” list has grown by leaps and bounds, and we are always looking forward to the next addition. In our opinion, what sets these pairings apart from most is that it seems that J.Crew knows when to take a back seat and let industry experts do what they do best, and then simply adds a bit of their signature style to round things out. A perfect example is the A/O Broken In Boatshoe by Sperry Top-Sider for J. Crew ($98).
Image: Under Armour
Like the majority of our friends and family, we’re enjoying a day away from the office today. That said, there are hundreds of thousands out there that aren’t so lucky, but it is because of them, and those who came before them, that we are able to enjoy an extra day of fun this weekend. Of course, we are talking about the brave men and women of our Armed Forces, and all those who have lost their lives defending the freedoms that we enjoy day in and day out. In an effort to give back, we’re celebrating this Memorial Day by sending a Wounded Warrior Project Backpack Gift ($99) from Under Armour, to a wounded service member overseas.
Image: Old Try
Regardless of what the calendar says, summer starts this weekend for us. Why? Because when we were little, this is the weekend that the pool opened, and, if we were lucky, school ended. With nothing but time, those summer days were always spent in the water,and the nights were always a source of adventure. One “adventure” that still makes us smile when we think back on it was the hunt for lightning bugs. Needless to say, when our friends over at Old Try released their Summer prints ($40 each), we knew we had to have them.
