The turn of the season is approaching, and along with it comes the turn of the men's wardrobe year – time to take a good look at the clothes we put away last fall, when we brought out the woolens, and start thinking about an update to our spring sartorial lineup.
At Bill’s Toggery, a Shakopee institution that’s been making men look their best since 1931, third-generation proprietor Billy Wermerskirchen has been thinking about wardrobe updates for the coming months – and, what’s more, he’s been stocking his shop with the latest in spring fashions for men.
“Looking at spring sportswear, we’re seeing a trend towards knit polos,” says Billy. “The look tends towards fine knits, with button fronts – think of short-sleeve ‘sweater polos’ that have a less ‘golfy’ look.” Brands like Criquet and 7Diamonds, available at Bill’s Toggery, are right in line with the style. Other popular labels at the shop are Bugatchi – known for its shirts in an eight-way stretch mercerized cotton – Johnnie-O, and, for dress shirts, David Donahue. All look great paired with a pair of jeans from 34 Heritage, tailored from a superior, long-wearing denim.
The need for late-season cruise wear also brings men into the shop. “Guys come in at the last minute, as they always have, after booking a cruise,” says Billy. “So we always keep plenty of shorts and swim suits on hand, no matter the season.”
Bill’s Toggery has always kept up with what’s happening in footwear, as well. One popular new offering, according to Billy, is the line of hands-free, slip-in shoes by Kizik. “They’re sporty, and very fashion-driven – come on in, try on a pair, and see for yourself.”
Sandal season is also on the way, and the shop is ready with the popular OluKai line. OluKai, based in Hawaii, also offers a distinctive selection of white-soled dress sneakers, which nicely complement a casual, open-collared look in suits and sport jackets. Martin Dingman, well represented at Bill’s, is another name to look for in the upscale sneaker realm.
Along with keeping up with contemporary trends in casual wear, Bill’s Toggery continues to be the place to go for the latest looks in dressier apparel. In keeping with the season, Billy reports, there’s a trend towards lighter-color suits, and sports coats in textured, stretchy, more comfortable fabrics. Look for jackets with soft, “unconstructed” tailoring. The term refers to apparel free of padding, interfacings, and linings that detract from a fabric’s natural, casual drape.
Springtime is prom time. Used to be, a date for the prom meant a trip to the tuxedo rental shop – a ritual as routine as ordering a corsage to pin on your date while her father gives you a good looking over. Not any more – the tux rental part, at least – because nowadays, says Billy, young men are much more likely to buy a suit to wear to the prom, and to all the other events that crowd a spring calendar and beyond. As Billy has observed, the rules have changed for proms – “they’ve gotten more ‘suity,’” he remarks, and the days when everyone would show up sporting identical rented formal wear are long past. “Kids like to dress up, and they’ve discovered that it’s possible to buy a suit for the cost of a rental. They can wear the suit to graduations, homecomings, end-of-season sports dinners, and whatever else comes along at this time of year.”
Weddings, of course, lead the list of springtime celebrations. Here, too, it turns out that tux rentals are old hat, with grooms and their groomsmen opting to dress in suits that strike just the right note of formality but still serve well for other occasions. “Ninety-five percent of our wedding party customers choose to buy rather than rent,” says Billy. “We can take care of them at all price levels, from inexpensive labels up to suits made in our custom shop by our full-time, in-house tailor.”
What’s the look for spring weddings these days? “This time of year,” Billy notes, “wedding parties are tending to lighter colors. Tans and light browns are popular. Some groomsmen will match the color the groom is wearing; some will sport their own look. Either way, we encourage a practical color that will see use after the wedding.”
Casual, formal, or in between, it’s easy to suit the season at Bill’s Toggery. Visit 138 Lewis Street South in Shakopee to shop, or visit BillsToggery.com to learn more.