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Springy Sweater Vests & Bow Ties

Sometimes the inspiration hits and I go all out dressing the boys for church. Gorgeous spring days like today usually help.

Andy was particularly joyous to see his eldest son rocking the sockless penny loafers.  All the more so because he never begged to change into his running shoes.  Loafers at the community garden?  Why not?

I think this sweater vest with the kites is so cool.  He was definitely the only one at the church basketball game with kites & bow tie.

Owen is sporting a new haircut--the shortest it's been in a long time.  I think I did a pretty good job.

Here's to the springing of spring, if not to the springing forward of our clocks.

Getting in the Groove

Thanks to Ellie's success with the bow tie biz, I have the luxury of taking drum lessons.

I've got my work cut out for me.

Andy

The Civil Wars & The Cordial Churchman

Ellie's best friend saw The Civil Wars very early in their existence and insisted we get their EP Poison and Wine. We did, and of course we thought it was awesome. The next thing you know, we hear that they're going to be on Leno.   They got really popular really quick.

On Leno, John Paul White rocked a bow tie.   A little reconnaissance showed that these days the bow tie gets a rocking from him pretty much every day.

The Civil Wars were slated to play one of our favorite venues, The Evening Muse in Charlotte, February 9.  We're awful procrastinators, which means that the show was sold out by the time we were ready to slap down our cash for tickets.

Ellie made the genius but obvious move of contacting John Paul White to see if we could get into the show in exchange for some custom bow ties of his choosing.  Deal.  Guest list.  Score.

Ellie and I got to the show late (of course), just before the opener was done.  We were smushed against the back door as John Paul White and Joy Williams came on in.  Ellie approached him with the bag of bow ties.  They were about to go on.  John Paul told Ellie: "I don't want to just take these ties from you.  I want to talk about them, 'cause I'm obsessed."

Ellie decided to play the 8-months-pregnant card and pushed her way to the front where she proceeded to look very pathetic until someone offered her a seat in the middle of the front row.  Yours truly remained standing in the back, behind a pretty tall dude.

During the encore, Joy grabbed the bag of bow ties from Ellie and they thanked her and The Cordial Churchman for the gift.  Joy pulled the ties out---all six of them---one by one, and showed them off.  To our delight, John Paul proclaimed: "I'm going to wear these for the rest of the tour."  Score.

We hung around afterward to talk shop with Joy and John Paul.  Real nice folks.  And they were number 1 on iTunes the week of the show, which was also the week their record Barton Hollow dropped.  It debuted at #12 overall on the Billboard charts.  We're very happy for their success.  They've each been playing forever, and they've worked hard.  As a duo, they are spellbinding.

John Paul is sporting our best-selling bow tie, the James---a navy wool with a subtle, classic plaid pattern.  You can buy the James here.

Here's to Joy Williams, John Paul White and The Civil Wars.  Expect to see them at the Grammys next year, hopefully with John Paul wearing one of our bow ties.

I hear U2 is coming out with a record this year.  I wonder if Bono is going to be rocking the bow tie too.  Hmm....

Here's their breakthrough single, "Poison and Wine".

Tie Bars Aren't For Bow Ties

I could never be an exclusive bow tie wearer.  Some are.  Not me.  I simply like neck ties too much.  These days, neck ties are almost as infrequently seen as bow ties.  Besides, tie bars look pretty stupid on bow ties, and one needs to rock a tie bar from tie to time.

I picked up this Southwick suit at Goodwill for $10 just before Easter last year.  I had Ellie hem the trousers with a massive cuff, just to be obnoxious.  I love it because it's got no darts (a "sack jacket") and doesn't make you look like a linebacker with big shoulder pads.  Way, WAY better to look ridiculous with big cuffs than with boxy shoulders.

The tie came from a thrift store for a buck or two.  It's a pathetic faker club crest number, probably sold at Target, then at TJ Maxx, then given for free to folks in halfway houses for job interviews.  After being rejected by all those markets, it finally found a good home with me.

The shoes are Florsheim longwings.  Muted brown.  Leather soles, of course.  Bartered for 3 bow ties (thanks, Ellie.  Easier to get forgiveness than permission, eh?) from a gent who couldn't quite fit into them.

And the tie bar comes from my late grandfather, Papa Sam--master of thrifting and master of looking very, very suave.  Rico Suave on the el cheapo.  Ellie made the hand-rolled cream-with-navy-pinstripe linen pocket square.

This suit is thick as heck.  Better wear it a lot before South Carolina starts doing its thing.  I might just wear it tomorrow.  Hopefully it'll be warm and sunny so I can pair it with my old Vespa.

Words of Affirmation

One of the coolest things about running The Cordial Churchman is the chance to make people really happy.  We've been so busy trying to make people's Christmases merry that we've hardly had time to tell you about some of the cool things happening with TCC. (More on that to come in a subsequent post.)

[caption id="attachment_998" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Photographer Caroline Fontenot had her husband rock this TCC bow tie for their incredible Christmas card photo. Click the photo to head to her website and see more of her work!"][/caption]

We spent lots of really late nights in the studio making lots of bow ties for husbands and boyfriends.  At one point we got to thinking about how all the college folks were pulling all-nighters cramming for final exams and finishing up projects they'd put off til the 11th hour.  We reminisced about how when we were dating, exam time was an excuse to sit at an all-night diner together.  Those were good times.  But we agreed that we were very, very glad not to be up late studying.

And then it occurred to us that we were virtually doing the same thing---staying up ridiculously late, night after night, getting all those wool and velvet bow ties off in time to be donned at Christmas parties or put under the tree for some lucky dude.   It kind of took us back 10 years.  It also made us chuckle to think of how laughable it would have been if someone had told us that, a decade later, we'd trade Microeconomics and Astronomy for chambray and patch madras!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="478" caption="Sometimes a customer's greatest joy is in finding a 2nd life for a necktie that's showing its age a bit. Click the image to see Dustin's blog post chronicling the transformation of his neck tie into a bow tie."][/caption]

At some point on Christmas day, we suddenly realized---gosh, tons of people just received new bow ties from The Cordial Churchman for Christmas!  I wonder what they all thought of them?  How many people put them on right away?  How many people exclaimed "Wow! This is...uhhh....this is great!  Um...what is it?"  How many people spent an hour in front of the mirror with a YouTube video trying to figure out how to tie it up?

If you got one of our bow ties for Christmas, we hope you like it!

Sometimes folks write to say that they like their TCC goods.  It really makes Ellie's day, and it makes me really proud of her.  We thought we'd go ahead and share some of these notes. Forgive us if it seems a little self-indulgent.

Ellie,                                                                                                    
I received the ties I ordered a few weeks back and just wanted to let you know that I love them.  I now have 5 ties (4 bows and 1 necktie), and have been spreading the word about your great service and quality. Congratulations on your business and keep up the great work.  Thanks so much.

Carson                                                                                                
Mount Ida, Arkansas

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Ellie,                                                                                                    
I received the bow tie yesterday: it is lovely, and your packaging was too.  I am wearing the tie today and it has already been complimented.

George                                                                                                
Jefferson City, Missouri

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I own several bow ties all from various stores like Men's Wearhouse and the like. Recently I purchased your James tie. It is the first time I ever was complimented on the bow tie I was wearing and I wasn't complimented just once, I was complimented five times in one day. How can I not buy another?

Justin                                                                                                    
Harper's Ferry, WV

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Ellie,                                                                                              
My first bow tie purchase has been a great success thanks to you!  I love the quality, look, and feeling of the tie.  I only bought one to kind of test drive this whole process, but after having it go so smoothly I won't look anywhere else!  Thanks again for what you do!

Greg
Derry, New Hampshire
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Mrs. Laveer,

I'm sure I'm not the first person to praise your bow tie-crafting skills and I certainly don't think I'll be the last.  A few hours ago I received the glen plaid tie you had made for me and just now I tried it on.  It was stunning.  As soon as I saw myself in the mirror donning the finished product all I could say was, "Wow."  Your attention to detail and obvious care in making each piece is astounding; this bow tie will certainly stand out as one of my favorites.  Thank you so much!

Sincerely,
Kaushik
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Hi Ellie,

I stumbled across your line about a year and a half ago, but dragged my feet on actually placing an order.  Even I can't procrastinate forever, though, and I finally ordered a bow tie from you "The Hound" wool a few weeks ago.  I can't tell you how impressed I am with the quality.  It's a great tie, in the exact proportions I wanted.  The fabric is actually even cooler than I anticipated.  Great tie at a great price, and I couldn't be happier.  You'll definitely be getting another order from me soon.

Cheers,
Max
Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Dear Ellie,

You seem commited to quality and a good product and yet are offering great value too. It's nice because it feels like you love what you do, instead of just wanting to maximise profits and turnover, and that is very rare these days.  I hope to order a tie when I get my next pay cheque, thanks.

Peter
London, England

TCC Velvet Bow Tie 2.0

Just like when The Cordial Churchman got started with that on-a-whim seersucker bow tie two Easters ago, many of our current offerings may appear to be genius, but, truth be told, they're just hair-brained experiments.  Such was the case with the Rust Velvet bow tie pictured above.  The fabric caught Ellie's eye as she was searching for much more conservative wool plaids.  Surely no one wants a rust velvet bow tie, right?

Well, folk bought them.  They bought them all up.  And now we can't find the fabric.  After getting an email every other day from people, Ellie went in search for more quirky velvet.

What she's come up with is, in my biased opinion, pretty fantastic: a rusty acorn brown (you know, since acorns are prone to rust); a navy blue; a silvery-bluish gray (all above); and, when the occasion calls for class above all else, black (below).  

There are certain benefits to actually being The Cordial Churchman.  One of them is that I own, and shall not be parting with, the last original rust velvet bow tie.  I'm so glad I snagged one before you all gobbled them all up.  You'd have to offer me a mint condition vintage Vespa or pair of Alden suede penny loafers to get me to part with it.  Instead, I suggest you head over to the store and grab one of these exquisite, newly minted velvets.

Almost time to don your gay apparel

Imagine how much more fun an obligatory office Christmas party would be in a tartan bow tie.  I'd be willing to bet that your boss will bring out The Glenlivet XXV the minute he lays eyes on your festive self.

Got 3 of these shindigs to attend?  Grab all three plaid bow ties named after 3 great ancient Scottish universities for less than the cost of the single-malt Scotch your hosts will instinctively place in your hand.

The Edinburgh

The Aberdeen

The St Andrews

Each of these fine pieces of haberdashery are now available exclusively at The Cordial Churchman online store.

And please, wear your bow tie responsibly.

Guy Style Favorites (1): An Affordable Wardrobe

If you haven't noticed, the Internet is big.  The e-ink spilled on traditional menswear itself would have been too much for the librarians at Alexandria to handle.  This is the first post in a series highlighting some web-volumes that we would weep over, should the e-library of menswear be burnt to the ground.

An Affordable Wardrobe.  Giuseppe is basically a reincarnation of my grandfather.  Unless Papa Sam was cutting the grass (in which case he would sport some great polyester old school running/basketball shorts [remember when they were the same length?], a Lichi-Vitale family reunion mesh ball cap, and over-the-calf socks), he would invariably be dressed like a true gentleman.  Most admirable of all, he bought almost everything he ever wore at the Village Thrift Store, which he affectionately dubbed "Cheap Jack's" or "C.J.'s Boutique". Giuseppe ebodies the same self-respect and thriftiness Papa Sam perfected.

He'll teach you how to mix patterns without looking like a goober, how to take calculated risks, how to thrift shop without amassing a bunch of ill-fitting garbage, and what sorts of items (besides underwear) should, after all, probably be bought at Target.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="240" caption="Giuseppe demonstrating how to take the basics (blue oxford and blazer) and add texture, pattern and color."][/caption]

Giuseppe is an independent dresser.  He's definitely dressing in the New England/Ivy League - inspired tradition.  But, being an Italian, his commentary is laced with just the right amount of righteous disregard for the elitism and the accompanying rules that so often seem to go along with WASPy style and culture.  He'll teach you the rules.  Then he'll teach you how to bend and break them with confidence.  You won't always agree with him.  But unless you take yourself way, way too seriously, you'll always laugh and learn something in the process.

It's safe to say that if Giuseppe and An Affordable Wardrobe didn't exist, neither would The Cordial Churchman.  Giuseppe made me rediscover my inner Papa Sam, which is to say, he made me realize that some of the best threads available are to be found at ridiculously low prices.  I would have never dreamed of bugging Ellie to make me a seersucker bow tie if Giuseppe hadn't empowered me to break the rules, and convinced me to stop paying way too much for so-so-quality clothes (including bow ties).

The Cordial Churchman is privileged to have been featured from time to time on An Affordable Wardrobe, which feels a little like having Cal Ripken, Jr. tell the press that you're a promising shortstop known for playing through minor injuries.  We've even been privileged to have Giuseppe hawking some TCC wares at his own Top Shelf Flea (which looks as if it's going live online soon.)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="A suitcase full of wares from The Cordial Churchman at Giuseppe's Top Shelf Flea. Note the record player. "][/caption]

Do yourself a favor.  I tell all my friends this.  Go read through the archives.  It'll take you 2 or 3 evenings.  You'll be a better person for it.

The Cambridge Scarf

Here in the South, cooler weather can't come too soon.  The heat makes otherwise standard things like denim, socks, and blazers almost intolerable until well into October.  As I type, however, the sun has set and it actually feels (now that High School football is almost over) like football season.  In Ohio it's nothing to trick-or-treat in the snow.  In South Carolina, we're just starting to pretend like we need long sleeves.

Before long, though, I'll be riding my Vespa in the early morning, and this bad boy will keep me from turning into a well-dressed, vintage icicle.

We've featured the Oxford patchwork wool scarves a short while back, and they've been moving nicely over at the store.

Now, behold: the Cambridge Scarf. More subtle, somewhat more elegant, and at a lower price point than its patchwork cousin, the Cambridge scarf will be available in several styles.  Those you see featured here, plus a handful of other options, will be available on the store Friday, November 5.

It's hard for me to name a favorite when you've got the two-sided, all-wool option (above), the frayed-fringed, one-piece red tartan plaid option (left), and the part wool/ part chambray option (below).

But why limit yourself to just one?  If you're in some place like Buffalo, Billings or Bismark, you're going to need every motivation in the world to brave the cold for the next 6 months.  The Cordial Churchman hereby offers a money-back guarantee that an arsenal of Cambridge scarves will help.

What else is there to say, really?  Bring on the cold.  Grab a tweed jacket, a pipe, and a Cambridge scarf.  You'll easily be the baddest man in town.

I'm Andy Stager, and I approve of this message.

Preview: One-of-a-kind reversible bow ties

Some of The Cordial Churchman's customers are prefer traditional, understated bow ties, if there is such a thing.  You're already wearing a piece of fabric wrapped around your neck, tied---yes---into the shape of a bow.  Sometimes that's enough.

But sometimes you figure that since you're already doing all of that, you might as well go all out.  When this jolt of confidence and impulse toward sartorial abandon strikes, you need to have one of The Cordial Churchman's one-of-a-kind reversible bow ties ready to rock.

Ellie has taken some quirky patterns and tamed them a bit by pairing them with classic patterns in complementary colors.  As you can see, there are a number of ways to twist and turn a reversible bow tie.

Hot Air Balloons and Stripes

French Horns and Tartan Plaid

Charcoal Grills and Geometry

Donkeys and Stripes

Chicks, Flowers and Stripes

Bugs and Stripes (for one of you pediatricians, perhaps?)

These are heading to the STORE next week, but they are available to you, loyal blog readers, immediately.  Email ellielaveer@gmail.com and snatch up the one you want.  There's only one of each.  No pussyfooting.  Then again, the kind of gentleman who wears a bow tie like this is not likely to be the pussyfooting sort.