Featured Brand: Bonobos

Ever get frustrated trying to find a pair of pants that fit comfortably? Bonobos founder Brian Sparly did, and that's what lead him to starting the men's apparel company. To get started, he borrowed his girlfriend's sewing machine and began crafting his solution. With the encouragement from friends and family, Spaly turned his project into a business venture. His Stanford University Graduate School of Business partner classmate, Andy Dunn joined in, and became the company's CEO. The company then moved its headquarters to Manhattan, and is still headquartered there today. The brand has also expanded from just pants and also sells shorts, suits, sweaters, t-shirts, swimwear, and more for men.

Bonobo's offers a selection of pants made from organic cottons, and other materials. The website also offers discounts to customers working in the public sector, education, non-profit organizations, and discounts in their online referral program.

The company sells its products to customers via its website only. However, customers in Manhattan can schedule an appointment online for a personalized fitting at the Bonobos headquarters with one of their style experts. Bonobos is well-known for the exceptional customer service as well, so be sure to check out Bonobos.

Featured Brand: Southern Dignity

Headquartered in Roland, Arkansas, Southern Dignity is a clothier selling men and women's clothing, and accessories. For men, they offer suspenders, neck ties, bow ties, polos, and pocket tees. They also have pocket tees and polos for the women. Southern Dignity offers a selection of croakies, koozies, and car decals, as well.

"Embodied by rich tradition, the south is much more a way of life than the geography that defines it." -SouthernDignity.Com

Marked by the Great Dane logo, Southern Dignity captures the southern culture into a clothing line. As they put it, "what some see as simplicity, those who know it best see it for its subtle eloquence."

To read more about the brand, or to shop around online, head on over and check out Southern Dignity.

Featured Brand: Lilly Pulitzer

Lilly Pulitzer has become the arguably the most quintessential prep brand; especially for females. Designer and socialite Lilly Pulitzer (born Lillian Lee McKim) has even been dubbed the "Queen of Prep." Lilly McKim became Lilly Pulitzer when she married Herbert "Peter" Pulitzer, Jr., who is the grandson of Joseph Pulitzer (the Pulitzer Prize). They divorced and Lilly married Enrique Rousseau, who died of cancer in 1993.

After the marriage to Peter, the couple settled in Palm Beach, Florida. Peter owned several citrus groves, which Lilly worked at. She frequently would get juice stains on her clothing. In an attempt to mask the stains, she designed a sleeveless dress made of bright colors to wear while she was working. Customers frequently complimented the dress, so she made more of them and sold them at the juice stand. Before long, she was selling more dresses than juice, and focused on her fashion design career.

Lilly became president of Lilly Pulitzer, Inc. in 1959. The main factory was located in Miami, and fabrics were produced in Key West. In the 60s through the 80s, Lilly Pulitzer dresses were worn by many big names, including: Jackie Kennedy, and members of the Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, and Whitney families. In 1984, Lilly was not having as much fun as she used to, retired, and closed down the entire operation.

The brand was revived in 1993 when rights to the brand were purchased by Sugartown Worldwide, Inc. The contacted Lilly with their hopes of reviving the brand because so many of their mothers and sisters loved Lilly.

Today, Lilly serves as the brand's creative consultant, approving new designs, fabrics, collections, and products. The company has 75 signature stores, or "Via Stores," and is also sold in department stores such as Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Lord & Taylor.

The company offers men's and women's clothing, home goods, accessories, sorority prints, and more. In 2010, the Bridal Collection was launched. Be sure to check out the Lilly Pulitzer website for more.

Featured Brand: Marley Lilly

Here's a first: a write-up about a store that is targeted at females. Marley Lilly is an online shop specializing in monogrammed and personalized gifts. Marley Lilly is online-only store based in Greenville, SC. Since they are strictly online, they are able to sell for less than their competitors without sacrificing quality.

Pretty much anything you can imagine, they have available for customization on their site. The list includes, but is nowhere near limited to: koozies, croakies, wallets, hats, flasks, blankets, jewelry, and even wayfarers...the list is seemingly never-ending. The only way to really get a grasp on what they offer is to head over to Marley Lilly and see for yourself.

Whatever the occasion, Marley Lilly will have a great gift idea; weddings, anniversaries, graduations, and birthdays are all perfect reasons to give someone a monogrammed, or personalized, gift. The website is set up very nicely, and shows an example of all the customization options, so you'll have a clear picture of what you're ordering.

In addition to running the online store, Marley Lilly also runs a blog: The Monogrammed Life.

Featured Brand: Southern Marsh

Here's a look at another preppy clothing company. As the name Southern Marsh may suggest, it's also from the south side of the Mason-Dixon line.

Southern Marsh was inspired by the South's reputation for its unique culture, beautiful people, and timeless dress; and a way to escape from the big city. The brand is influenced by the lifestyle known by those who find themselves waking up at 4 am to head to a blind in the woods, those taking a day off to go fishing, or a southern belle spending the afternoon with her friends.

Southern Marsh strives to make the highest quality products, packaged with a piece of authentic Southern charm. All the while maintaining the Southern tradition to give thanks for the little things that make life that much more enjoyable.

You can purchase their products online, or though a variety of retailers throughout the southeast. Be sure to check them out online at Southern Marsh.

Featured Brand: Atlantic Drift

Atlantic Drift was founded by brothers, Nathan and Thomas Propst, of North Carolina. The brothers wanted a clothing line that was as close to perfect as possible: their search for fabrics alone took them all over the globe.

The idea for Atlantic Drift came from the brothers' love for being on the water, and in the outdoors as they were growing up. The main focus for this clothing line is a traditional, classic appeal, with an elegant design. Clean lines and Carolina flare can be seen in each piece.

The brand offers men's polos, hats and visors, t-shirts, and accessories, including: koozies and croakies. Whether you're on the golf course, on the boat, or out with friends, Atlantic Drift will help you look your best. They can be visited online at Atlantic Drift

Featured Brand: Bmore Handsome

Today's featured brand isn't quite a brand, but an online store. Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland (hence the Bmore name), the website has everything that a gentleman could ever need. Well, everything to help him look his best, that is.

In the online store, you'll find plenty of shaving and grooming products, ties, cufflinks, needlepoint belts, cologne, home decor, clothing, and accessories--including needlepoint key fobs and flasks. If you find yourself a bit over-whelmed with their wide selection, gift cards are available.

They carry many different brands, including: Quintessential Gentleman, Smathers & Branson, Southern Proper, Vineyard Vines, and many, many more.

Be sure to check out the Bmore Handsome Online Store for all of your gentlemanly needs.

Featured Brand: Smathers & Branson

Smathers & Branson may be the best known producer of needlepoint products on the market. Like many companies these days, Smathers & Branson was started in a college dorm room. Peter Smathers and Austin Branson were roommates at Bowdoin College, in Maine, when they decided to start a needlepoint belt company in 2004.

Interestingly enough, the idea started when they received needlepoint belts made by their girlfriends as gifts. Intrigued by the idea, Smathers and Branson began looking for more needlepoint belts, but soon found that the product was nearly impossible to find; and quite expensive. Their mission was to make needlepoint belts more readily available, and more affordable.

To make their dream a reality, Peter and Austin spent the fall of 2004 in Vietnam to meet their artisans face to face. This trip allowed them to make sure that the product matched the high level of quality that Smathers and Branson demanded. Unbeknownst to them, this was the foundation of a company that would end up employing 2,000 people.

Smathers & Branson first tested the market in the spring of 2005, and the business quickly took off. In addition to needlepoint belts, they now sell cummerbunds, dog collars, accessories, and there is even a women's line coming soon.

For more information on Smathers & Branson, head over to smathersandbranson.com.

Featured Brand: The Black Dog

While The Black Dog is actually a restaurant and tavern in Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard, it also has a well-known clothing line. The restaurant was founded in 1971, and its souvenir t-shirts, featuring the logo of the black dog, quickly became popular.  Soon, the company began selling other merchandise with the same logo.

The brand's popularity really took off in the 1990's, as pictures of celebrities, including Bill Clinton, began being printed in national publications. The brand was even involved in the Monica Lewinsky scandal: items from the store were purchased by Clinton and given to Lewinsky.

Originally, The Black Dog merchandise was only sold at the Vineyard Haven location. Only a certain number of customers were allowed in the store. Long lines developed outside the store, and customers were given catalogs to look through. In 2000, the company published a cookbook, The Black Dog Summer on the Vineyard Cookbook.

Today, The Black Dog has merchandise locations along the coast of New England, Maryland, and New York. The Black Dog merchandise can also be purchased at The Black Dog online.

Featured Brand: Brooks Brothers

While the two previous featured brands were pretty new, this one is turning back the clock a bit. A lot in fact. Brooks Brothers is the oldest men's clothier in the U.S. It dates back to 1818 Manhattan.

The brand was founded by Henry Sands Brooks, and he opened H. & D. H. Brooks & Co. in Manhattan. The first store was located on the corner of Catherine St. and Cherry St. The guiding principle of his company was, "to make and deal only in merchandise of the finest body, to sell it at a fair profit and to deal with people who seek and appreciate such merchandise." In 1850, Henry's three sons, Elisha, Daniel, and John, renamed the company "Brooks Brothers."

Today, there are currently 210 Brooks Brothers stores in the United States, and 70 in other countries. Brooks Brothers launched its website in 1998.

The Brooks Brothers logo is the Golden Fleece. In case anyone was wondering, it shows a sheep suspended in ribbon, which is the symbol of Flemish wool merchants, dating back to the fourteenth century.

Currently, Brooks Brothers is having a 60% off clearance sale, so be sure to check them out at BrooksBrothers.com.

Featured Brand: Southern Proper

Today's featured brand is Southern Proper. Southern Proper, although specializing in attire for the southern gentlemen, was founded by Emilie Henderson Howard Emmie and Reagan Hardy Howell. From the Southern Proper website, "Men of the south have always been noted for their distinguishable décor and dress. Their honey-soaked accents and captivating manners charm women from all parts of the world. However, it's the tradition of sophisticated and influential attire that completes their status as gentlemen; for field or fancy, men of the South are always well-dressed. Furthermore, southern men with their modest but strong sense of style have admittedly been dressed by the daintiest of hands."

Emmie and Reagan wanted to take their love of fashion to the next level, "combining elements of southern heritage and southern hospitality," with their Southern Proper line. The "belles" also wanted to "compliment the southern gentleman's courteous manners and sweet humility."

While the company's most-known for their bow ties, they also carry men's shorts, pants, sport shirts, hats and t-shirts, as well as headbands, belts, and t-shirts for ladies. Be sure to check out Southern Proper online.

The brand is also known for their adorable black lab, Beau.

Featured Brand: Southern Tide

Here's an up-and-coming brand that preps should check out: Southern Tide. The brand was founded in 2006 by, then 23-year-old, Allen Stephenson. Growing up, Stephenson summered in South Carolina, but his inspiration for the clothing line came while vacationing in Italy. He found his inspiration in everything from sports cars to couture clothing to historical architecture. Allen noticed that each of these things featured "exceptional craftsmanship, clean lines, fine quality, and classic design." These are the same elements that Stephenson uses in his clothing line.

The company's first product was the Skipjack Polo, featuring the Southern Tide logo of the skipjack fish on the left chest. Today, the company has khaki pants and shorts for men and women, polos, and even some swim trunks. Accessories include coozies, croakies, hats, playing cards, and flags. Southern Tide clothing is a must for anyone looking to build on their southern frattire wardrobe. Be sure to visit them at Southern Tide.