Image: The Tie Bar
Though the celebrations started a couple of weeks back, we are mere hours away from the full blown party that we call St. Patrick’s day. Irish whiskey will be flowing, pints of Guinness will be disappearing, and good times will be had by all. Who knows, maybe we will even catch our governor sitting in with his Irish rock band (seriously, look it up). Until we head to the local watering hole, we’ll just celebrate with our bowtie choice this week, the Lucky Irish Plaid Bow ($15) from The Tie Bar.
Image: Sperry Top-Sider
The more we read, the more we realize we need to get up to Maine for a visit. Not only is the scenery absolutely gorgeous, but it seems like every single handmade boatshoe we see is made there. Yes, handmade in the USA normally means a few extra bucks, but in our opinion it is absolutely worth it. Apparently, Sperry Top-Sider thinks that a number of people share our sentiments, because they are now offering a Made in Maine version of their famous A/O Boatshoe ($300).
Image: Brooks Brothers
When it comes to fashion advice, the first piece we give to anyone who asks is that you have to wear things that you like and are comfortable in. No matter how great others may say something is, if you aren’t comfortable wearing it, you won’t like the look. Well, we have a feeling that today’s pick is going to be loved by some, but not so much by others. Either way, we love it. While most of their line consists of more traditional pieces, we couldn’t help but grin the first time we laid eyes on the Oxford with Madras Sport Shirt ($79.50) by Brooks Brothers.
Image: Indochino
Last month, we had the pleasure of placing an order for a custom suit, and accompanying accessories, courtesy of our friends at Indochino. Last Friday, our package arrived. Needless to say, it took every ounce of self control not to try on everything as soon as we opened the box. While the ordering process was extremely user friendly, and all necessary measurements were demonstrated, we were still a bit leery about how our first attempt at a custom suit would turn out. Let’s just say we’ll be ordering again. Soon. There is literally not one thing that we would change.
Image: Billy Reid
No matter how great someone’s products are, if the customer service isn’t there, he have a hard time adding their wares to our wardrobe. Well, to say the service offered in the Billy Reid stores is top notch would be an absolute understatement. We’ve been fans of the brand for some time now, but after an experience a couple of weeks ago, we’re 100% sold. With just a couple of tweets, and an extremely friendly phone call, Sarah down at their store in Florence got herself a couple of customers for life. Now that warm weather is almost here, we’re going to have to call our new friend sometime soon to see about ordering a couple of Billy Reid’s Pensacola Polos ($88).
Image: J.Crew
Though the only clocks we will be watching this weekend will be keeping track of basketball games, we thought it was only right to celebrate the beginning of daylight savings time with the review of a timepiece. As much as we would love to dive into the intricate details of a Panerai or Rolex, we can’t quite justify the cost. In fact, for the most part, we tend to keep our wristwear pretty low key. If you are in the same boat, we have a feeling you’ll love the Timex Military Watch for J.Crew ($149).
Image: The Cordial Churchman
If you are reading Bows & Boats, we hope you have realized by now that bowties can be worn just as easily casually as they can be dressed up. If you still haven’t come to this realization, we would highly recommend checking out the blog over at The Cordial Churchman that is chronicling our friend Andy’s quest to wear a bow every day this year, he has done a fantastic job of integrating bowties into more casual looks. The perfect example of a bow that can be worn casually is The Cordial Churchman’s Britton ($29).
Image: Lands End Canvas
Yesterday was one of those days that we caught ourselves looking out the window and wishing boats were in the water. Sunny, warm, and just a bit of a breeze, there was nowhere we would have rather been than out on the water. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to play hookey, but that day will come soon enough. In the meantime, we’ll just stock up on pieces with a bit of a nautical twist. Recently one of our followers on Twitter (thanks Drew!) suggested we check out the Mainsail Shackle Sailors Belt ($40) from Lands End Canvas, we’re glad he did.
Image: Southern Tide
From the sun, to the sand, to a few too many adult beverages on the beach, some of our best memories come from Spring Break trips. While we won’t be heading to the beach for a week at any point this month, we will certainly be living vicariously through the stories of those that are fortunate enough to do so. Of course, for any beach trip you’ll need a couple of swim suits, and if you are on the hunt for a new one we’d recommend taking a look at the Swim Trunks ($79.50) by Southern Tide.
Image: L.L. Bean Signature
Though we are quick to check out new collections as soon as they hit the web, we still grin every time we open the mailbox and see a new catalog or two staring back. Sure, we have probably seen most of the line already, but you really can’t beat the simplicity of a great catalog. Just yesterday, the latest L.L. Bean Signature catalog arrived, and just like little kids, we sat right down and went through it page by page. There are a ton of great offerings, but one that really jumped out was the Plaid Sportsman’s Shirt ($65).
