The Style Social

Rules of a Creator's Life

2011-12-28T12:38:00.002-06:00

via Will Yan, et al.

Snapback Bowties

2011-12-06T18:36:00.001-06:00

We've carried the Herringbone Bowtie for quite some time now. In fact, its our most popular product to date. Remember seeing it here and here and a whole lot of other fine places?

Welp, it just got better.

I've been spending some time in the studio with some tools of the trade working on the design and function of some of our favorite products to make them even better.

We've included snap options on some of our heavier bows for a while now, which were all smaller snaps, hand sewn on individually. Truth be told, it was a bit pricey and we were having a hard time keeping up with orders of this product for a while.

"So what. They're snaps. What's the big deal" you ask?

Snapback Bowties only have to be tied (well) once, and you can just snap it off or loosen it up if you start to get totally ripped and do lots of neck exercises. You know, standard stuff like that.

Which makes it even more great for me to tell you guys that the Snapback Bowtie is now better than before. The new installation of snaps is installed instead of sewn, which is a lot more sturdy. Great for you guys that are rough on your accessories.

They are now a bit longer as well, so many people with larger necks, or ladies who want the wool ties as headbands, they are now all accommodating.

The best part, even with the improvements, we can still offer them for the low. #YesWeCan

How He Wore It: Holiday Hov

2011-12-05T08:30:00.000-06:00

Meet Larry. Or as I call him, Larry Hova.

I somehow talked him into shooting a spread on personal style with me, and in the mix slipped in the Woolen Holiday tie from the Co-Op.

I dig how he not only does pattern on pattern, but texture on texture.

And then even more texture with corduroy pants (!!!!)

A million times, yes.

2011-12-02T10:23:00.001-06:00

Digital camo pocket squares have landed

2011-11-30T12:16:00.001-06:00

Digi Camo Pocket Square

Mid weight woven canvas

Red Marrow stitched edges

Measures 14"

Produced by hand by local artisans in Chicago
$20

This is a continuation of our collaborative project with the good gentlemen over at the streetwear blog & label DYNST.

True story: Last week, a menswear shop guy spotted the camo pocket square in Isaiah's back pocket of his jeans, and offered to buy it off of him on the spot before it was available to the public #soyouknowitsreal

Dobby Solids: Endangered Species

2011-11-28T07:26:00.001-06:00

After the Thanksgiving Hangover sale, the Dobby Corduroy ties have made it to the endangered list. We're out of Dobby Corduroy in Olive (restock questionable), and there are 2 left in Maroon.

Our corduroy is keeping lots of you fine folks warm this season, and for this we say thanks!

Leather Camera Straps

2011-11-28T07:17:00.001-06:00

File under: products we created for the The Co-Op, but just kept for ourselves.

Leather camera strap made of 8 oz latigo, tanned by hand (you can see the strokes), nickel buckles, made my hand in a Brooklyn workshop.

Shall we do this?

How He Wore It: Vince

2011-11-11T10:53:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago, I made a quick but mighty trip to NY to get in a bit of work and play. While there, I spent a lot of time hanging in the East Village, and convinced a friend and supporter of The Co-Op to hang out in the sticky city heat (in a suit, on his day off) to shoot a spread.

Meet Vince. He's a Bronx native, and one of those New Yorkers that knows everything about the city, and feels a certain way when the word Westchester gets brought up in casual conversation.

#typical

We started snapping shots as he explained to me that the crazy silver rooftops are some weird Bloomberg initiative. The idea: silver doesn't absorb heat into the buildings like the black tar found on most roofs, thus keeping the buildings cooler.

Ok, sure.

From the new fall product lineup, he picked out the Dobby Corduroy tie in Olive ($50). With a well cut navy suit and chestnut colored brogues, it's got character, but conservative enough for his finance gig.

This is the part when we learn how one dance move translates to any Sean Paul song.

Oh, wave hi to Jess!

You can pick up an Olive Dobby tie on the site, and also now (woohoo!) at skate and lifestyle shop Seams in Long Beach, CA.

Scenes from Chicago

2011-10-20T18:55:00.000-05:00

Scenes from NY

2011-10-19T18:46:00.003-05:00

Introducing: Digital Camo

2011-10-17T22:54:00.004-05:00

True story: We've never had so many people asking about a product before even posting about it like we have with this whole Digital Camo situation. Ever.

It's finally here.

Today, we're introducing the Digital Camo to The Co-Op's autumn mix, with a bit of design and creative know how from our buds over at DNSTY.

The finer details:

Cotton/Canvas midweight blend,

2.5" at widest

Horween leather keeper on back

Sourced and produced in Chicago

$50

The finer print: It's a limited run that hit the DNSTY site yesterday, starts to ship on Monday 10/24 in the order we receive requests. Snap Back Bow Ties ($45), and pocket squares ($20) available beginning that day as well.

How He Wore It: Album Art Confessions

2011-10-14T13:51:00.000-05:00

Meet Marcus: One half of Dynastee, art director, and album art designer for some of your favorite mixtapes and LPs. He's pretty prettttty good.

I met up with Marcus in New York last week to talk projects, try out some of our new products, and catch up in his work space one evening.

He's into the new Dobby Corduroy tie from The Co-Op in a color we're calling Almost Maroon. What's dobby corduroy you ask? Nope, we didn't make it up.

It's a more modular (in contrast to linear) pattern made from the style of weaving in the textile creation phase.

All that really means is that you see patterns instead of lines, but still great corduroy autumn feeling to the touch. Yep, dobby.

So that's it. Dobby, music, design, and some great new talent. All in all, an evening well spent. Check him out where he tumbls, and get the goods.

Some Texture for the changing Seasons

2011-09-26T12:44:00.002-05:00

The seasons are actually changing, sweaters are out, layering technique is being seasonally perfected. Yeah, we know about that.

One of the greatest parts about seasonal layering is being able to mix in texture and bursts of interest. Like a little corduroy next to your denim, or some wool on your chambray oxford. We know, you get it.

Click through to take a look at our first batch of seasonal offerings.

Digital Camo, design by our buds at Dynastee

Dobby corduroy in Olive and Almost Maroon.

(Dobby is a corduroy weave style that doesn't involve the typical lines you may be used to seeing.)

Wool. Beautiful, beautiful wool.

The grey has muted reds and blues in the stripes, and feels like your favorite sweater. The tweed is familiar from something we know and love.

Click over to the shop and take a look at what's new thus far. They fabric buy was low in some of them, so get the goods while they last.

The Co-Op hits Japan

2011-09-23T12:42:00.001-05:00

Lookie what I found on the internets. Sir & Madame and The Co-Op, style in Japan.

All good things.

This Week: Visuals

2011-09-16T14:05:00.001-05:00

It's Coming.

2011-09-07T10:34:00.003-05:00

Men of the Cloth

2011-09-02T11:10:00.003-05:00

This video literally came to me, or err, my inbox.

It's a very true independent film that was produced to follow and discuss the lives of 4 remaining master tailors both in Italy, and those who have migrated across the pond. It's definitely not one of those productions that is super flashy and drops names and has this holier than thou blazer attitude. It discusses and industry, a job, a passion for craft, and removes a lot of the other crap comes with luxury product coverage.

No flashy showrooms. Just the chalk, patterns, and labor of love. I don't know the producer, but if you like what you see, show some support for the post-production to make the full film happen.

This Week: Visuals [all vintage everything]

2011-08-24T16:51:00.001-05:00

1930s Gucci, Connery

WW2 Swiss Army Bicycle

Labrabbit Optics

2011-08-19T16:03:00.000-05:00

Labrabbit Optics from Studio 272 on Vimeo.

I always love seeing the story of how other people start, and the progress along the way. It's a pretty great and honest look at a company I learned about straight from this video.

Enjoy!

Summer Stuff Sale

2011-08-18T18:45:00.002-05:00

On all seersucker accessories including ties, bow ties, and pocket squares. And whatever else we want to throw in there. And all of that has free shipping, because we like you. See how that works?

How He Wore It: Gen of Bucketfeet

2011-08-18T10:36:00.008-05:00

I met Gen at Daley Plaza this summer when we were both sweating out the hottest days of the summer outside in the name of indie label brands. It turns out, we had a lot to talk about.

It tuns out, he's a native New Yorker, and has kind of taken the Chicago entrepreneur and tech scene by quiet storm for the summer, learning the ins and outs of what this place has going on as he worked alongside fellow indie brand founders over at Bucketfeet.

And while I have my own little tech secrets up my sleeve, Gen is working on TheCom.it- a start-up focused on providing companies with feedback from customers and the like. Great, yes?

Outfitted in a chambray/grey seersucker bow / seersucker pocket square from The Style Cooperative, and his favorite pair of BucketFeet, we had a good time talking shop and climbing on some stuff.

(True story: there was blood shed involved in this spread. It took a little more than I'd like to admit in self control not to take pictures and post it as part of the spread. Gen was a good sport- he now bleeds Chicago brands? Ok, that's reaching.)

Thistle Self Tie Two Sided Who?: Bow ties, simplifed

2011-08-17T16:17:00.005-05:00

When developing one of one bow ties for clients, or even working people through our site for the first time, a lot of guys get hung up on the different shapes of bow ties.

What do you mean? Isn't there just one type of bow tie?

Well, not really.

The 3 basic shapes of bow ties are as follows:

Thistle (butterfly) - The most common shape of bow ties. It has a rounded section before it gets slim, making it easy to tell where the bow should be tied. It yields a neat bow that's very prim and proper.

Diamond - It's essentially a thistle with a pointed tip. You tend to find a lot of vintage bow ties cut like this, and it really stands out as a self-tied bow because the point is in front on once side, and back on the other. Go ahead and be a show off.

Batwing - This can be identified by its straight blade and flat tip. When they are tied, they typically look a bit more casual than the contoured ties, and I would venture to say are the most fun to play around with in styling in new ways.

The Gap: A truth

2011-08-16T13:38:00.005-05:00

As it turns out, this is supremely true. And probably applies to most things in life. Even to you, my dear friends and readers.

Word to Ira Glass.

This Week: Visuals

2011-08-12T10:38:00.001-05:00

More after the jump

Live Work Space: A tale of love and hate

2011-08-10T15:08:00.003-05:00

I've been thinking about apartments, space, and the lifestyle of the entrepreneur a lot lately. My last space was an outrageously huge live work loft that I shared with a collection of folks that had nothing to do with the work I do. Twas awesome.

Then the day came when I had to find a new place to live, and possibly a separate place to work. Being a designer with a lot of materials and equipment to accommodate in a space, and being on a lean budget at all times to fund my crazy ideas, I found myself having to prioritize what I want in a space. Things like space, would be traded for flashy appliances; smaller work space traded for a separate work space complete with a door to close it all off at the end of the day.

I share this video with you because when I watched it, no matter how cool or ridiculous the spaces I've been considering are, I realize that the compromise could be like the above video. And even then, there's a way to be happy with what you've got.

And being ~~happy~~ satisfied with the space we're in for us work-from-homers is a very important thing. < -- More on this in another post.