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What brands are nailing the 'Americana' look right now?

rxcowboy

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I know Americana is probably the wrong word, but I'm not quite sure there is one for what I'm trying to describe. When you think of 'classic', even idealized American style, what brands come to mind? For me J. Crew is blowing this look out of the water lately. Sure they are alittle pricey, but I can live with it, especially with a student discount. Nothing too flashy, good construction, fits are getting better all the time, and the aesthetic is a good blend of modern and retro.

Engineered garments has a good style, but honestly they seem very overpriced and the sizing is far too boxy. I'm nosing around the www.rugby.com website, RL is in the same vein as J. Crew but I really hate the prominent branding on so many of the pieces.

What other brands so you think follow this?
 

Ritchee

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Yea, Rugby has some nice pieces but they ruined the cropped toggle coat with the crest on the arm. YUCK.

But from me J. Crew has it for mall brands: chambray shirt, Red Wing boots, oilcloth field jacket, thermal henley. I tend to mix them with pieces I have from Engineered Garments, Nom de Guerre, and Rag & Bone.
 

TheDroog

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LL Bean it totally killing it!!!! They've been waiting 96 years for the rest of America to catch up with their avant garde duck boots and plaid shirts
 

JO3B

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if you don't appreciate it, why bother wasting the time to post? we can't all dress like one of the crew from clockwork.
 

Mauro

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define american???
there are a **** load of brands "nailing" the look inmy opinion.
Are you price sensitive??
there are many factors . It just seems to me you are riding J.crew's nuts and that's fine but there are so many brands hitting the mark....

RRL
sugar cane
wool rich
EG
LL Bean
Orvis
rag and bone
LVC
Lee
the list goes on and on.
 

TheDroog

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Originally Posted by Mauro
define american???
there are a **** load of brands "nailing" the look inmy opinion.
Are you price sensitive??
there are many factors . It just seems to me you are riding J.crew's nuts and that's fine but there are so many brands hitting the mark....

RRL
sugar cane
wool rich
EG
LL Bean
Orvis
rag and bone
LVC
Lee
the list goes on and on.


This is a very good point. J.Crew and Rugby are East-Coast preppy. The rugged Americana look that is big this season seems to have a more blue-collar feel, so Woolrich, LL Bean, Redwing, etc. are your standard bearers, and then there are the designer labels who are doing slimmer fitting versions of the same thing with luxury fabrics (Engineered Garments comes to mind).
 

rach2jlc

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I have some items from "New Republic," which sadly no longer exists (has nothing to do with Banana, of course). Very interesting, traditional garments made very well...

I also have a tough time finding out much info about them, but they really did the "Americana" thing well, IMHO.

The Rugby stuff I've seen is interesting, but it seems far too interesting in saying RALPH! RUGBY! all over it to be of much use to me.
 

AntiHero84

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JCrew certainly pops out in my mind, but I think this brand is getting a bit overplayed. I'd like to see Rugby more available. What I see online is amazing, but I reserve judgement until I can actually try something on.

... Then I sit to think of another brand which accurately portrays Americana as you describe it, and nothing comes to mind.
 

rxcowboy

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1: The Droog: Do you have a point or did you just come in here to threadshit? Also, I'd hardly call redwing a standard bearer, they've made the same thing, untouched, for years. Out of all the pairs of boots they make maybe a dozen are mentioned and appreciated on here. GTs are great and ubiquotous, hell I have a pair, but I'd hardly call them the standard bearer of anything

2: Mauro: Heh I'm enthusiastic about J. Crew because they are going for a 50's-60's preppy look, which is the Americana I like. I appreciate all the western wear and lumberjack flannel that's popping up lately for the other side of the spectrum, but I just can't pull off the slimfit indie rock cowboy look.

And price is a factor which is why EG is out of the question. I can justify 500 on a pair of boots that are versatile, but the same price for an article of clothing from EG that doesn't even fit me well without a ton of tailoring? I'll pass.
 

Pangolin

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Because most of what they produce are exact replicas of vintage garments, I would say Warehouse.
 

rxcowboy

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Originally Posted by octopandda
Because most of what they produce are exact replicas of vintage garments, I would say Warehouse.

Do they have a webpage and do you have a link to it? Googling warehouse clothing sent me to a women's clothing site in the UK, and to The Men's Warehouse, and I'm hoping that you weren't referring to either one of these sites.
 

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