We have our work cut out. 

Let me break-down men's style for you: it is easier to sell ice to eskimos than convince the average guy to dress better. So true, right? 

Why is discussing men's style taboo? It's a cultural stigma that men do not embrace personal style the same way women do. It's considered un-masculine to express an interest in shopping for the perfect fitting jeans. When was the last time a man watched the men's equivalent to the Victoria's Secret show? (There isn't one!). But, thanks to the rapid advancement of social media (mainly IG), men's style is evolving. It is a visual platform allowing men unlimited access to imagery of great style worn by uber-masculine men.

Times have turned friends.

In the past, women needed to be the "peacocks" as women were dependent on men in old-world cultures for money and status. We are closer than ever to landing on Mars, there are actually energy efficient affordable cars now, and Cross Fit competitions are equally a women's competition as much as men's. Watch-out ladies. Men are starting to peacock and the tide is turning.

Men care about their bodies more then ever.

They search out the sharpest haircuts, sneakers and watches have reached a cult status. Men's clothing is the frontier that has not been explored or changed in a long time. Entertainment like MADMEN and Peeky Blinders is helping show a new way. 

We see a shift, it is slow, almost unrecognizable. It is and will be grass roots, men really care about looking great again. They want to turn heads, to be noticed. Clothing is more fitted, style is back. Men want to outdo each other to be the classiest or freshest.  

Men will seek out brands with vision.

Brands to bring them into the next decade. We went through the service economy, the experience economy, the connected economy, the giving economy, we think that the next will be some sort of individual economy. The internet has offered up an endless supply of products that give you the ability to find "your" brand. And people have the excitment to search out that experience. What style will you find and how will you make it yours?

Go Conquer Mediocrity Batchmen. 

We love banded collar shirts.

We think they fit right between your casual button-down shirts and t-shirts. Really, they are a great alternative to a t-shirt. A banded collar shirt is an easy "throw-on" style with little care needed. The fabric should be comfortable and soft, not a stiff dressy non-iron fabric.

Heck, I wore one to my high school graduation.

Just a few years back, you would have to search the globe to hunt down a single banded collar shirt. They have always had a stigma about them - they were known as either a traditional Indian garb or a clergy style shirt. Heck, I wore one to my high school graduation under my tux and it had hideous shiny black buttons (late 90's). Let's review how men's fashion as evolved and changed the stigma of banded collar shirts.

The banded collar shirt has a volume of great features, here are just a few:

1. Banded collar shirts are super easy to fit into your existing wardrobe. When you need to level your day up from a t-shirt, but don't want to look quite as formal as a button down shirt - grab a banded collar shirt and go!
2. They don't need to be tucked into your pants or shorts, be it jeans or khakis. Banded collar shirts look great thrown on, un-tucked, and slightly rumpled. They can be dressed up for a night out to the local brewery, but casual enough to be thrown over swim shorts to head to the beach. 
3. They are carefree. There is no collar to futz with, they often look better without a stiff ironing and cuffs rolled. Better yet - leave the shirt open, sans buttons!
4. Banded collar shirts are ahead of trends. They aren't flooded in the market yet, so they're an easy way to update your look without looking like everyone else. Step out and away from your fellow peers.
5. Sex appeal. We've opened up our neckline at the banded collar to create a V-neckline. Showing a little skin never hurt anybody. You know it's true...

Basically we are bullish on band collar shirts.

There is no down side in our view and that is style to invest in. Are you enjoying the benefits of band collars?

Go Conquer Mediocrity Batchmen. 

Button down collars are a utilitarian style choice with great benefits.

Basically the benefit is the ease of wearing. Less collar fuss allows you to spend time on better things. 

Today more and more men wear their shirts without ties,with the center placket unbuttoned.

This is when button down collars really shine. The shape that the collar makes when it's gently folded over and pinned down by the button is an aesthetically pleasing proportion. A spread collar in contrast tends to fly away or stick out like airplane wings when not worn with a jacket or the shirt awkwardly buttoned all-the-way up.

A shirt casually worn with a jacket and no tie is super dapper.      

This look is best achieved by wearing a button down collar shirt. Spread collars just tend to have a mind of their own, and before you know it one collar makes a jail-break run for it and pops over your jacket collar. Not good friends. Totally embarrassing.

Don't let your shirt speak before you speak

Another benefit is that the buttoned down collar subtly creates a vertical line from the collar point towards the wearer's face, re-focusing your audiences' attention on you. Batch shirts have an added collar detail at the top edge to continue the progression of the eye upward.

When worn with a tie, collar point buttons are great.

If you have a true addiction to ties and your friends aren't calling an intervention, then button down collars are still the perfect go-to collar option. Button down collars create a tight tunnel that help's to securely hold a tie in place at the center of your neck.

Some people view button down collars to be old. But everything old is new and fresh again! With the trend toward wearing shirts without ties, we think that button down collars are more fresh and relevant than ever. 

Go Conquer Mediocrity Batchmen.