Monthly Archives: June 2011
Keep Your Guy Looking HOT this Summer
Although you’d never know it these past few days in San Francisco, summer officially kicked off June 21st. We decided rather than write about our own dream summer wardrobes, that we should focus on the opposite sex for a change.
We love our guys and even if they don’t want to admit it, they love it when we pick out stuff for them to wear. Take a look at some of the summer goodies we think your man will love…and you’ll love them too!
Nothing says summertime quite like shorts and flip flops but why not pair them with a button down casual shirt and a cool looking satchel for all your important items. We’re digging the subtle camouflage print on these shorts. If you want to look a little more pulled together but still keep the ease of summer style then try a muted color cargo pant paired with a leather belt and a bold plaid button down shirt. Either way, you’re going look and feel good roaming around in these duds this summer.
Summertime is also a popular time to either attend a wedding or tie the knot yourself. Having a nice light weight summer suit on hand is a great way to look spiffed up without the heavy fabrics and dark colors from fall and winter. This is a key item to any well dressed man’s wardrobe so make sure you invest in a suit for all your summer celebrations.
Denim is a wardrobe staple no matter what time of year it is. Wearing a denim shirt with jeans can be a little much but if you combine contrasting shades of denim you’re in good shape. If you’re really bold you’ll wear white jeans with a dark t-shirt. Sure it’s risky if you’re at a BBQ chowing down on ribs and sangria but hey, sometimes you just have to go for it!
Don’t forget your Piece x Piece City Matrix tie this summer to really turn some heads. Christopher Kuh shows us how it’s done here.
Facebook Twitter Email Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Christopher Kuh, City Matrix Tie, Piece x Piece, San Francisco Mens fashion, Summer fashion in SF Comment (1)
Meet Stewart + Brown
This spring we had the pleasure of visiting the STEWART + BROWN headquarters on the coast of Ventura, down in southern California. They graciously donated fabric remnants from their sustainable women’s line and also invited us into their creative space to take a look.
Karen Stewart, a trained painter from New York and Howard Brown, a graphic artist from Montana, launched Stewart + Brown, an ethical fashion brand in 2002. Driven to pioneer the sustainable fashion movement with their label, Stewart and Brown also paved the way for brands like PxP, who wish to create beautiful clothing made in a mindful way. S+B uses sustainable fibers as well as some top grade factory surplus to produce their casual, luxury women’s line with the least amount of environmental impact they can. Their Summer 2011 Collection (pictured above) mixes fabulous organic cotton shirts in graphic prints, european linen dresses and hemp/cotton blend skirts. You could easily spend your summer clothing budget all in one place. And to top it off S+B clothes are also made in the USA. Check out their website and new collection, here!
Aside from walking away with a load full of beautiful, sustainable fabrics, it was inspiring to learn more about such a forward thinking company. Here’s a shot of the Stewart and Brown crew that we met while down south: Annie Beamis (Production) with Wyatt Hough (Art/Design) and Mike Ball (Operations). Thank you all so much for giving us your beautiful fabric remnants, because of generosity like yours we can continue to do what we love to do!
Here’s a sneak peek at a Piece x Piece Division Tunic and some City Matrix Ties incorporating fabrics from Stewart + Brown. Enjoy!
For a little bit more about Stewart + Brown, watch this interview with Karen Stewart and Howard Brown.
Stewart + Brown eco-fashion from JP Selects on Vimeo.
Facebook Twitter Email Posted in Uncategorized Tagged City Matrix Tie, Division Tunic, Howard Brown, Karen Stewart, organic clothing, Stewart + Brown Clothing, Sustainable clothing Comments (4)
Celebrating Dad
Father’s Day, in the United States, is a holiday to honor fathers. Credit for originating the holiday is generally given to Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, whose father, a Civil War veteran, raised her and her five siblings after their mother died in childbirth. She is said to have had the idea in 1909 while listening to a sermon on Mother’s Day, which at the time was becoming established as a holiday. Local religious leaders supported the idea, and the first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, the month of the birthday of Dodd’s father. Father’s Day is also a marker (although not officially) of the beginning of summer and what better way to honor Dad then by planning a special summer outing that you know he’ll enjoy. If your Dad is anything like mine he’ll tell you all he wants for Father’s day is to spend some time with you.
I was a bit of a Daddy’s girl growing up and would often ride co-pilot while my Dad ran many errands. I’d head out to the hardware store with him, pick up groceries, shop for art supplies, go to the lumber yard, the auto supply and so on. My Dad loves his sweets so it was pretty much a guarantee that we’d make a stop for ice cream or some other sweet treat on most of the outings, so that was definitely a good reason to join him. Beyond the sweets though, it was an opportunity to just be alone with my Dad and be together. Since I am the youngest of our family I feel that having spent so much time with just my Dad as a kid created a special bond between us that means a lot to me today. I can talk to my Dad about pretty much anything and he will always give me his full attention, his honest advice, his humor and his wisdom. My Dad also taught me how to be a problem solver in many ways because he was always fixing something around our house whether it was a leaking faucet, a clogged drain, or a door that squeaks. If he didn’t know how to do something then he’d get a book to look it up, ask someone or just roll up his sleeves and figure it out. I’d like to think I learned how to solve some of my own problems because of him. I also learned from my Dad how to drive a stick shift, check my oil, take care of my plants, make salsa (although I can’t compete with his), read maps, take risks and roll with the punches. He will always be the first man in my life who had my heart and I will always be his little girl.
I love you Dad…Keep on truckin’!
Meet Taylor Stitch
Meet the guys of Taylor Stitch, Barrett Purdum, Michael Maher and Michael Armenta. Taylor Stitch is also a fabric contributor to Piece x Piece for the City Matrix Ties and we think it’s the perfect match! In case you don’t know about TS let us introduce you to this smart men’s shirt line. Taylor Stitch is a small San Francisco based, independent shirt maker offering ready to wear and custom tailored men’s shirts made right here in California. Their shop, The Common, is stocked full of cool fabric swatches to choose from if you decide to go the custom route or peruse the bounty of merchandise already in stock. Really you can’t go wrong.
Stop in and get a lesson on the importance of a well made shirt. These guys have a lot of passion for creating thoughtfully crafted, high quality clothing and they’d be more than happy to talk to you about it. The Common is near Four Barrel Coffee so you can get your favorite fix, then stop in to visit TS and see for yourself what all the fuss is about. *Michael Armenta seen above wearing a TS shirt with a PxP tie.
Check out: http://blog.taylorstitch.com/
Facebook Twitter Email Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Four Barrel Coffee, Piece x Piece City Matrix tie, Talor Sticth, The Common Comment (1)
For all you aspiring fashion designers…
Piece x Piece is a small women’s apparel company based in the Dogpatch in San Francisco. Our focus is on limited edition, high-end apparel with sustainable practices in mind.
We are searching for one talented, intelligent, detail-oriented, fashion student to be a part of the Piece x Piece team this summer. The internship starts in June and lasts between 3-6 months, for 2-3 days/week, depending on availability and experience. Please only apply if you are of Junior or Senior standing in school for apparel design, unless you have previous design related experience.
Internship duties may include, assisting design (apparel and accessory,) patternmaking, muslin sewing, organization, cutting and assisting with press, sales and production.
We are looking for someone with strong communication skills who takes direction well. You must have a positive demeanor, be proactive, punctual, organized and be detail oriented.
Please only apply if you have knowledge in patternmaking and garment construction. Knitwear knowledge or previous experience is a plus.
Internship is for school credit only. Please ONLY apply if you are SURE you are able to receive academic credit for this internship.
For more information on our company, Piece x Piece, please visit the remainder of our website: www.pxp-sf.com.
If you are interested in our internship program and able to receive academic credit for your time, please email your 1) resume and 2) details regarding your availability (school schedule, hours you will be able to work, any major obligations or vacations you have planned) to info@pxp-sf.com.
“If you are in school for design and want to have your own label one day, there is no better way to learn the business than as a Piece x Piece intern! It’s a great experience and you will get your hands in everything.” Michaela, Fall 2010 Intern.