"It's a Brad, Brad World," and we're just livin' in it.

In just a few minutes, It's a Brad, Brad World, Brad Goreski's long-awaited spinoff, debuts.  I am so excited. Brad was my favorite part of the Rachel Zoe Project (though I love her, too). My favorite bow tie-wearing stylist also happens to be the new exclusive brand stylist for Kate Spade, according to WWD. Be still, my heart. Brad is precious in human form. Tune in to Bravo at 10/9c tonight, and below is Brad's appearance on Today!

Brad and Kate Spade's Deborah Lloyd. Photo via WWD.

                              

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fit to be (bow) tied.

Social Primer himself, K. Cooper Ray, graced us with his presence this past week (in his new Fall Camo Reversible Bow Tie) to kick off his Tailgate Tour at Brooks Brothers. Give me a live band, drinks, and good company, all in the name of bow ties and southern hospitality, and I’m there. It was a great night and a thrill to meet the mastermind behind one of my favorite websites. Between our Samford group and the two—count them—two buses that the Alabama IFC chartered from Tuscaloosa (can I get a roll tide to that?), the party was a roaring success. Thank you to Cooper for inviting us out for a great evening! Be sure to shop his phenomenal bow tie collection in stores and online, and don’t forget that his new book, Bill of Rites: The American Man, was just released.  If you missed the Birmingham event, check here for details on the Atlanta event later this week. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did. 

Photography by Shawn Sharp.

bow ties of distinction.

Pinterest.

stay cool.

brooks blazing.

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Loved this photo from the Social Primer for Brooks Brothers Tennis Hall of Fame bow tie launch party.  Blazer+bow tie headband is so cute.  A good navy blazer is the number one piece I reeeeally want this Fall, and since it's such a classic, I'm thinking I might as well go all out and get a perfectly tailored one from Brooks. 

Photo via All Dressed in Argyle.

in check.

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Gingham & checks are some of my favorite ways to add color to a man's wardrobe (and women's for that matter.)  They are versatile and perfect for summer as a shirt, and then bring the look into fall & winter with a coat.

All photos via Pinterest.

bows arts.

 via.

Love gingham, love bowties. Happy #BowTieFriday.

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anyone for tennis?

Social Primer and Brooks Brothers are set to unveil their newest collaboration tomorrow night in Newport, Rhode Island-- a bow tie to commemorate the International Tennis Hall of Fame.  How fitting is this since the best sporting event of the year just wrapped up?  SP and BB "have created a special limited-edition bow tie featuring contrasting patterns of tennis balls and tennis racquets," that will be available by contacting the Newport store (401- 847-1950), or by visiting the Brooks Brothers website.

This collaboration begs the "age-old" question:  Anyone for Tennis?

Bow tie photo and information courtesy of Social Primer. 
Title: George Bernard Shaw, Monty Python, Cream.. take your pick on the actual origin. 

my little darlin' is a firecracker.

I've turned the page of my Lilly calendar, and it's boasting elephants and patriotic red, white, & blue.  All this means that Fourth of July weekend is upon us, so I thought I'd do a little his and hers, 4th of July edition.  

For her:

Are you a Lilly patriot? Don your pink, white, and blue. 

 Could this cherry bomb print Lilly dress be any more appropriate?

For him:

This Southern Proper beau is perfect for the 4th, and it is rather appropriate since it is #bowtieFriday.

Hope all of you patriots have a wonderful 4th of July weekend! 

bow hunting.

It's no secret that I prefer my men in bow ties, but it wasn't until I was browsing through the latest issue of Matchbook that I discovered Pierrepont Hicks ties.  Always on the hunt for new bow ties to share with my friends who oblige my obsession, this was a find. With a full line of ties and bow ties, this company has quickly warmed its way into my heart.  These are some of my favorites-- amongst them  grosgrain, tartan, camel and a reversible red and navy gingham bow that every Samford guy and/or American patriot with an affinity for bow ties should be rockin' this summer and football season.  Ranging from casual to formal, they've gotcha covered..or tied... 

 Most of the bow ties are reversible, meaning you get two in one-- aka a bargain. Guys, jump on it.

And in case ya need help tying your bow on, Bearings has ya covered too.

*Bow tie photos courtesy of Pierrepont Hicks, ad courtesy of Pierrepont Hicks and Matchbook Magazine, & tutorial photo courtesy of Bearings. 

put on your best, boys, and I'll wear my pearls.

The weather is getting warmer and the air steamier, so it's time to turn our eyes away from the sweaters and towards the seersucker. With that in mind, I am mildly obsessed with the new Spring campaign for Southern Proper.  The photos for SoPro's Spring Collection are the epitome of Southern charm, and they evoke all of the grandeur of summer sporting and leisure.

Whether your poison is on the water or land, all of the best of summer is displayed in SoPro's beaus and gents.  Tie one on, and also check out their new Preppy Camp Shorts.

All photos courtesy of Southern Proper.

tied up.

Photo courtesy of The Pink and Green Owl.

Kind of how I'm feeling at the beginning of a jam-packed-planner week:

"It's a shame that the only thing a man can do for eight hours a day is work. He can't eat for eight hours; he can't drink for eight hours; he can't make love for eight hours. The only thing a man can do for eight hours is work."

-William Faulkner 

bows borrowed from the boys.

Photo courtesy of The Sartorialist.

Whoever said girls can't wear bow ties?

SoPro Goes to Town {& Country}

There is nothing more southern (or proper) than the Duck Boot,
and SoPro's Fall line features beaus and gents decked in this classic.

It's the moment I've been waiting for since the ladies at Southern Proper first teased us with pictures from the photoshoot this past Spring;  SoPro's Fall 2010 Town & Country collection is finally available.

What do Emmie and Reagan have in store for the gentlemen in your life?  Plenty of old money looks that are sure to brighten up even the drabbest of wardrobes.

My favorite part of the collection would have to be the gingham printed beaus.
A timeless style, these ladies amped up the volume on these classy checks.



From tennis racquets to spaniel & pheasant prints, this collection is the perfect topper for any man's outfit. Visit the ladies of Southern Proper online now, or visit your nearest retailer.
While you're there, do NOT pass up the quippy "Guidelines for Town & Country Living."  This witty little list is sure to put a smile on that face.
Happy shopping, y'all!

All photos courtesy of Southern Proper.

gentlemen, start your search engines.

I could move into one of Billy Reid's decadent, antique-clad stores.

I love being a girl.  I love makeup, I love heels, I love jewelry—I love fashion. But this love for fashion is pretty broad because I cannot get enough of menswear and haberdashery.  

Social Primer for Brooks Brothers
featured in this month's Garden&Gun

Maybe it begins with the love for the southern gentleman that’s been ingrained in me since birth, but just a drive past The Locker Room or Buckelew’s in Montgomery or a stroll past the Summit Brooks Brothers or the men’s department at Saks, and my heart skips a beat.  What is better than an impeccably dressed man?  And here in the south, those well-dressed men aren’t hard to find. Weekend-wear of khaki shorts, slightly rumpled button downs, driving shoes or rainbows, followed by game days filled with Nantucket Reds, dress shirts, ties and bow ties, and loafers.  

Fast-forward into the workforce and you have impeccably tailored suits, monogrammed dress shirts and shiny cufflinks.  Really, the list is endless, and I get giddy just at the thought of it all.  I find myself wondering every day, “Can I make a career out of this?”.  

Hopefully so.

And just as I have been drooling over the new Fall lines for women while the Bryant Park tents were still buzzing in February, the Fall menswear collections are no less drool-worthy.  

Topping my list of favorites include Brooks Brothers’ Fall line, and thankfully the folks at BB have obliged my love by showing a preview online.  Some of my favorites include (ok..they’re all my favorites):

Just like at Christmas where you must find that perfect tree-topper, you must find the perfect neckwear. 

Wool is just right for Fall, 

and this bow tie from The Cordial Churchman is a perfect addition to any gentleman's wardrobe. 

There are unbelievably great options to be found everywhere, from Brooks Brothers, with a special note on fellow Alabama native and Social Primer author K. Cooper Ray’s delectable collection of bow ties for the iconic menswear store (seen right), to Southern Proper and, my newest indulgence, The Cordial Churchman by Ellie LaVeer.  

Another favorite classic is the tweed jacket, of which there are so many options that I just can’t stand it.  Picture this:  a pair of jeans, dressed up with a button down and that tweed jacket, then add a bow tie and sockless loafers—hello, beautiful.  I swoon. 

Billy Reid (third from left) with models.

You can’t mention menswear and the South in the same breath and not mention Billy Reid.  

Inside one of Billy Reid's amazing stores.

His cool-meets-traditional style works just as well at his flagship store in Florence, Alabama as it does in Manhattan.  His stores, dripping in antique-y goodness, conjure up images of an older South.  The findings are no less delightful, with everything having a quality, worn in feel.  

Reid's antique-y aesthetic carries over from his clothes to his store decor.

After being chosen as GQ’s 2010 best new menswear designer in America, Reid entered into a collaboration with iconic denim company Levis.  Whatever this purveyor of “southern-bred luxury” touches turns to gold, so invest heavily.

What better way to add a little style to a fall outfit than with
a wool bow tie like this one.

Gentleman, stop whatever you are doing and go browse those Fall lines.  There are great prices to be had by all and dapper style to boot.  

As one of my Trinity/Samford friends recited ZZ Top when I complimented his perfect Sigma Chi pin attire one day, “every girl’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man.” 
Take that to heart, boys.

All Brooks Brother's photos courtesy of Brooks Brothers.  

All Cordial Churchman photos courtesy of The Cordial Churchman.

All Social Primer for Brooks Brothers photos courtesy of Garden&Gun magazine.