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Camren Williamson

Celebrate Father's Day with Style

Posted by Lacey Wilcox on 4th Jun 2014

Father’s Day is coming June 15. No one’s more deserving of a unique, hand-crafted gift than the man who taught you how to throw a football, who carried you on his shoulders at the park, and taught you what it meant to be a gentleman. He’ll appreciate a thoughtful, well-crafted gift with a distinct style and charm. Our wooden bow ties and lapel flowers fit the bill. They are all made from beautiful, exotic hardwoods and the highest quality fabrics, because dad only deserves the best.

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In honor of the most important gentleman in your life, we’re offering a Father’s Day sale. From now until June 8th, we’re offering 20% off of all Bow Tie/Lapel Combos. Select the wooden bow tie and lapel flower that will best suit your dad, and guarantee him the gift of craftsmanship and style. 

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If you’re dad isn’t a wooden bow tie kind of guy, you can also give him a wooden lapel flower for his favorite sports coat or vest. We’ve just added new offerings featuring Wenge, Paduak, and Purpleheart hardwoods. From now until June 8th, purchase a wooden lapel flower for your dad at 15% off. 

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We’re also excited to launch several new styles and colors, and a new shape for our wooden bow ties. With such dapper pieces available at such a great price, you may want to get you and your dad a matching set. To make your gift extra special, take advantage of our engraving to add a custom message to the back of your wooden bow tie. It’s an extra touch that will make your wooden bow tie a gift your dad will treasure for years to come.

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Camren Williamson

Maven Menswear

Posted by Lacey Wilcox on 28th Apr 2014

Maven Menswear is located in Lafayette, LA, in the heart of Cajun Country. Maven is well-known for carrying unique, trendy fashions, and for providing excellent customer service in a laid back, friendly shopping environment, and we’re proud to share that they carry our wooden bow ties and lapel flowers. We had the opportunity to sit down with Daniel Barbier, co-owner and founder of Maven Menswear.

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What was your vision behind Maven Menswear? (give a brief summary of why you opened this store)

My wife, Christina Barbier, and I began Maven Menswear in 2011. With Christina’s 15+ years of experience in luxury retail and my business management experience, we wanted to create a concept that would give our customers in Lafayette the best of both worlds: a luxury shopping experience in a store with two price points.  One price point is attainable to your average college student and we also offer higher end products for the more established professional.

Our Men’s concept has been extremely successful in the past two and a half years and has helped us to open our women’s version (Maven Womenswear) directly across the street from the men’s store. The women’s store has been open for about a year now and is based on the same values as the men’s store: offering unique fashions and styles and excellent customer service to the people of Lafayette.

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What sets Maven Menswear apart from the other stores around it?

Maven brings a big city style to a small town. We wanted to carry different brands that weren’t available at other stores in Lafayette and some aren’t available in the state of Louisiana. We wanted to have cool, trendier clothes that cater to people of all ages with the same style.

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What’s one item in your store that is your personal favorite?

It’s hard to say since I personally have purchased every item in the store and love them all. The wooden bow ties from Two Guys Bow Ties are definitely one of my top favorites through. They’re a really good conversation piece and will have you thanking people all night long for the compliments! When I first saw them on Uncrate.com, I knew they would be a perfect fit for our store ad I had to have them. I always tell people if a regular bow tie isn’t loud enough for you then the next step are the wooden ones from Two Guys Bow Ties.

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Why do you think our Two Guys Bow Ties wooden bow ties and lapel flowers are a good fit for Maven Menswear?

The bow ties are a perfect fit for Maven. We have a very eclectic style and people who appreciate our style know that when they come into our store they will find fashions that are on trend and cool that will set them apart form the rest of the people they will be around when they are out at night or attending an event. That is exactly what Two Guys Bow Ties is about.

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Any future plans you want to share?

Be on the lookout for more Maven stores to pop up in 2015! We’re still discussing what locations will be the best fit for our stores but expansion is definitely on the agenda for the early part of next year. Feel free to give us a shout if you would like to see the Maven stores in your city.

Forage Modern Workshop
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Camren Williamson

Forage Modern Workshop

Posted by Lacey Wilcox on 15th Jun 2014

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Forage Modern Workshop was born out of a love for the Midwest and good design.  The result is a store that celebrates modern craftsmanship and unique designs, textures, and tastes, while still holding to the ruggedness and beauty that makes the Midwest what it is.

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The owners of Forage Modern Workshop had a desire to take the pressure off buying great design.  They wanted to provoke consciousness in purchasing by encouraging people to think twice about what they buy:  who made it, where does it come from, how was it made?  The products in their store reflect this desire for quality products made with a quality purpose.  Each item in the store has been chosen with care, creating a selection of Midwest modern design, rustic gifts, and items made with the highest levels of craftsmanship.

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Forage Modern Workshop believes that the home is a reflection of each person and family’s unique personalities.  Your home is the physical representation of your story: it’s filled with furniture and decor that is old and new, gifts from those you love, and items that required months of saving and waiting.  The pictures around us are reminders of places we have been, people we have loved, and moments we will never forget.  The home is a space for inviting, welcoming, and warming.  It should be beautiful because it reflects our stories, and our stories are beautiful.

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What sets Forage Modern Workshop apart is its combination of old and new merchandise.  Of the new merchandise, 60% is from local Midwest designers and makers, reinforcing the owners’ love for old school craftsmanship, their region, and modern design.  They wanted local artists, craftsman, and designers to have a platform to showcase the quality, modern furniture that comes only from the Midwest.

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But Forage Modern Workshop isn’t just about great furniture.  They see themselves as a lifestyle store, and carry well-designed products for every aspect of your life.  A mutual appreciation for craftsmanship in all things led to Forage carrying Two Guys Bow Ties.  They appreciate the mixed elements found in our ties, an effect that is reflected throughout their store.  We’re told they look really good next to the Eastvold Credenza, a classic piece with a distinct style.

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Above all, the members of Forage Modern Workshop believe that work should be enjoyable, and they like having a good time.  They hope to provide a space that supports young and fresh design and are collaborating with friends and other local businesses to hold galleries, pop-ups, and other fun events.  Their store is a reflection of their passions, risks, and desires to encourage creativity and collaboration.

Photos by Canary Grey Photography

Hardwood Feature: White Oak
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Camren Williamson

Hardwood Feature: White Oak

Posted by Lacey Wilcox on 28th Dec 2014

We’re proud American craftsmen at Two Guys Bow Ties, and try to pay homage to the grand ole USA in anyway possible. Many of our handcrafted, hardwood products take their names from great American cities, landmarks, and historic personalities. That’s one of the reasons we decided to use white oak for many of our hardwood accessories, like our Earl (pictured below).

White oak is about as American as a wood can be. Its acorns were once a food source for Native Americans. And years later the USS Constitution was built from it. If you’re not up on your naval history, you probably know that ship by its other name:  Old Ironsides. Built to stave off the Barbary pirates of the Mediterranean—American Hero, Paul Revere made its bolts and breasthooks—Old Ironsides outlasted similar vessels, remaining seaworthy to this day. White oak is a pretty special, hardwearing tree whose wood we’d be crazy not to use while on this quest to bring back true American craftsmanship.

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Photo Credit:  U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

Speaking of American crafts, white oak was Gustav Stickley’s favorite wood. Stickley was the originator of the “American Craftsman” style we’re all so familiar with in wood working circles today. The godfather of the American Arts & Crafts movement chose white oak to be the bearer of his legacy.

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Photo Credit

Another fine-crafted, truly American article owes its perfection to white oak—bourbon. Bourbon’s a Southern American whiskey thought to have been brought to the new world by Scots who’d have likely made something that tasted more like Scotch whisky if it weren’t for North America’s different ingredients. Instead of barley, wheat, and rye; Americans used a corn mash. Once the whiskey is aged inside a new charred white oak barrel, it’s ready to become the backbone of your old-fashioned.

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We love using white oak for all the same reasons as those who’ve come before us. It’s a historic wood that’s made its mark on the American identity. White oak is the wood of American artisanship, and we’ve been honored to be able to use it on our Earl and Chester wooden bow ties, as well as several lapel pins: including the Cambridge, Deerfield, and Concord.  Most recently, we thought it appropriate to use it for some of our own stylish furniture on our Mammoth Valet Tray.

Start a fire, put a wooden bow tie and lapel pin on, pour a bourbon, have a seat in your early century American chair, and toast all those who came before’s brilliant use of white oak.

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Camren Williamson

Show Your School Spirit with Style

Posted by Lacey Wilcox on 9th Sep 2014

College football season is here, and fans everywhere couldn’t be happier. Your favorite team deserves the most dapper attire possible. No matter who you yell for, we have hardwood accessories to help you show your school spirit at any event. We’ve put together some pairings that are sure to have people talking about your team…and your style. If you don’t see your school below, we’re sure to have a wooden bow tie or lapel flower to to serve you well. 

In honor of Bear Bryant’s infamous houndstooth hat, Alabama fans can yell “roll tide” in style, by pairing our Melvin wooden bow tie with their favorite game day ensemble. Fashioned from Canary wood, its smooth shape is pleasing to the eye, and its white and black houndstooth center is a crisp contrast to the Crimson Tide’s uniforms, and an ode to the Bear himself.

Our Frederick wooden bow tie features Rosewood with a navy centerpiece, and provides Auburn fans with a look that is as distinct as their team’s play. This wooden bow tie is sure to bring out the navy and orange at any game day showing.

When thinking of Southern style, you certainly can’t forget the Georgia Bulldogs fans’ dandy ways. When paired with Georgia’s red and black, our Russell black ebony wooden bow tie is sure to bring its own unmistakeable style to show Bulldogs’ pride.

Tennessee Volunteers fans also support their team with Southern charm. The Arthur is the wooden bow tie for them. Polished Rose wood comes together with an orange fabric center as a dandy way to show Tennessee football pride and stay dashing at the same time.

Baylor Bears fans will appreciate both our Glenn wooden bow tie and our Oakland wooden lapel flower. The Glenn’s smooth shape, Walnut finish, and yellow plaid center make it almost as eye-catching as Baylor’s mascot. The Oakland wooden lapel flower is also made from Walnut hardwood and boasts a vibrant yellow center. It’s the perfect complement to the Bears’ green and gold.

Others in the Lone Star State are more likely to bleed purple and white. For the Horned Frogs, the 1-2 combo of our Dale wooden bow tie and Detroit wooden lapel flower pack the perfect punch of class and style. Both are hand-crafted from Walnut wood and display a purple center that is sure to proclaim your Horned Frog pride.

Last, but certainly not least, we have wooden ties and lapels that are sure to please fans of teams near and dear to our hearts. Cowboys fans will turn a head with our Portland wooden lapel flower. Its Rose wood and bright orange centerpiece will have everyone around you rooting for OSU as well.

Not sure that any of these pieces quite meet your school spirit needs? Create a custom wooden bow tie with your choice of hardwood and fabric center. Learn more about our custom wooden bow ties and how you can create a unique piece that proclaims your school pride without saying a word.

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Camren Williamson

Phuong + Mykel: A Brooklyn Wedding

Posted by Lacey Wilcox on May 12, 2014

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Phuong and Mykel were married in Brooklyn.  Their wedding style was industrial, modern, and simply beautiful.

The bride and groom allowed each member of their wedding party to show off a bit of his or her style, while staying within the palette they’d chosen for their wedding colors.

Bridesmaids chose their preferred color and style of dress, and each groomsmen wore a different one of our wooden ties.

The groom wore the Ira wooden bow tie.  We love how the green in this tie coordinated with his boutonniere and still complemented the other colors in the wedding party, flowers, and decorations.

We wish you all the best, Phuong and Mykel.  Congratulations on such a distinct, beautiful wedding day!

To see a more detailed depiction of Phuong and Mykel’s special day, visit Manchik photography’s blog.

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Camren Williamson

The Bow Tie in History: Mark Twain

Posted by Lacey Wilcox on January 11, 2015

The bow tie makes a bold statement. It’s a piece of fashion that only the most cavalier can don with confidence. Some of the most influential men in history have shaped the modern world after shaping the triangular knots around their necks. If the bow tie makes a bold statement, it’s only fitting that the boldest persons should favor this dapper, timeless staple.

A statement couldn’t get any bolder than when issued from the pen of Mark Twain. The sartorial southern satirist, with a penchant for cigars and white suits, often donned the boldness of the bow tie.

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He began working as a printer’s apprentice at age 12 and began publishing articles and cartoons for an adult audience soon after. Known as Samuel L. Clemens then, he was a self-educated, voracious reader and public library loiterer. His early ambition was to be a riverboat captain. “Mark twain” was actually a term used to describe a safe water depth for steamboat travel. Of course we all know “Mark Twain” as the “father of American literature.”

His first sustained writing work was in the form of travelogues. He roughed it out west, went to Europe in 1867, and visited the Holy Land during a time when world travel was in its infancy. Twain embraced science and technology with all the vigor of a futurist. It was his relationship with men like Nikolai Tesla and Thomas Edison that spawned sci-fi type stories like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Twain’s boldness was ahead of its time.

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Twain’s boldness made him broke almost as much as Donald Trump. He had incredible financial troubles, and his sharp social criticism made him a target for blacklists and other forms of restriction. While most recent generations have had the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as required reading in high school, Twain’s contemporaries were shielded from its attempt to dismantle common hypocrisies.

Hardly a bolder statement could be made by hardly a bolder man than Mark Twain. Of course, he usually made it while wearing a bow tie. He spoke cleverly and unfavorably of many popular institutions like the state of American politics, social injustices, and cultural vanities.

Hemmingway said of Twain, “All modern literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.”

Cover Credit: Michale J. Deas

That’s high praise indeed. While we can’t guarantee you’ll make the same historically formative impact in your world of work with a handmade hardwood bow tie, we can guarantee it’s a good start.

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Camren Williamson

Posted by Two Guys Bow Ties on October 23, 2015

It was officially two weeks ago today since our company aired on the hit TV show, Shark Tank, on ABC. Which also means, it has been four weeks ago today since we found out our segment was even going to be on the show. What an amazing ride this last month has been! 

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It all started when we went to our first open audition last summer in Oklahoma City. Only the first 500 attending the audition were guaranteed to be seen by casting officials, so Tim drove down at 5 a.m. to get a place in line at the Devon Boathouse. He stood in the rain wearing his “nice dress clothes” until 10 a.m., when we were allowed inside.

But instead of a quiet room where the attention is seemingly focused on just one or two potential contestants, this casting call involved a row of picnic tables with one casting person behind each, listening to the one-minute pitch — all at the same time.

There was definitely a moment in our audition when the girl we were pitching to — who was acting moderately disinterested — set down her cell phone and asked us to repeat what we had said. At that point, we could tell we had definitely gotten her attention. 

What was supposed to be a one-minute presentation turned into 10 to 15 minutes and, pretty soon, the other contestants were gone and the rest of the casting staff was coming over to ask us about our products.

After we had left that night, we could tell we made a good impression, and felt we had done the best we could.

But the road to getting on the TV show became much more involved. Once we were notified we had made the next round, there were follow-up phone interviews, an audition video to make, paperwork to file, background checks, producers to work with on crafting our pitch, etc. And along with every step, we were told there was no guarantee we would make it on the show. 

Finally in July, we were asked to fly to Los Angeles to tape our segment for the show. The producers did a good job of preparing us for the show, but the reality of what was happening didn’t hit us until taping time. When those huge doors open and you walk down that hall, it gets really real, real fast. 

When we walked into the Tank, they asked us to pause for 30 seconds while they took some display shots, then they said go, and we started our pitch. No producer stopped us, so it really was just a conversation between us and the sharks. 

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After close to 45 minutes of being in the Tank, we walked out with smiles on our faces after making a deal with Daymond. But the process wasn’t over yet! We still had paper work to fill out, conference calls, and Skype appointments to make. But after several months on wondering if our segment was going to be chosen to air, we finally found out at the end of September we were in! 

Our episode aired on October 9th, and we hosted a “Watch Party” with our employees, friends, and family at our Tulsa shop. It was incredible to see the amount of support we got from our hometown of Tulsa, as well as people all over the country and even the world. 

Since then, we have been able to grow our team from 7 people to 13 people and are looking to even hire a handful more. We have been able to become more efficient in our making process while maintaining the utmost quality that we require, and our sales in one month have already beat last year’s numbers!

All in all, this whole Shark Tank experience has been great, we are so thankful for the opportunities we’ve been given as a result of it, and we’re excited for this year’s holiday season.

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Camren Williamson

Posted by Two Guys Bow Ties on May 09, 2016

Handmade right here in Oklahoma, this distinctive line of wooden bow ties have quickly become the most talked about style to date. Where hometown pride meets innovative style, each bow tie features a front-etched skyline of the city of your choosing.                

There are four main wood types we offer as a part of our stock designs. These include: Walnut, Maple, Sapele, and Padauk (pictured below from left to right). The Walnut and Padauk woods are paired with a neutral gray centerpiece, while the Maple and Sapele wood types feature an eye-catching blue fabric. All four pairings are specifically chosen to compliment the wood’s tone and natural grain, as well as their unique variations. You can find these styles on our website by clicking here.

However, similar to our custom bow tie builder on our website, we also have a page where you are able to choose your own wood type, skyline, as well as the center fabric to completely customize your cityscape wooden bow tie to make the perfect gift for someone you love or to match a specific outfit in your wardrobe. The link to design your custom skyline bow tie can be found here. We have 8 wood types and 35 fabrics for you to select from with the price ranging from $75 to $90 depending on the wood species you decide on. Like the rest of our wooden bow ties, the adjustable elastic band sits snugly around the shirt collar for a comfortable fit.

Currently we offer over 60 cityscapes including:

       

                 

Once your skyline bow tie is ordered, our maker’s process takes about 2-3 days as each skyline is handcrafted to order. As soon as the wood piece is hand selected, laser etched, and the fabric and strap are carefully secured, you receive an email notifying you that your USA made wooden bow tie is on it’s way to your front door!

But don’t forget to post a photo of your new tie on Instagram or Facebook when it arrives and tag us in it! We love hearing from you all. 

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Camren Williamson

Posted by Lacey Wilcox on July 31, 2015

If you have an upcoming wedding, one of your responsibilities as the groom is to choose a gift for your groomsmen. Your wedding may be fast approaching, and chances are you don’t have any idea what groomsmen gifts to buy. We’re going to help get you through this wedding season though. We’ve already laid out a groom’s wedding responsibilities guide, but now we want to focus on some of the other details. This groomsmen gift giving guide will make hooking your groomsmen up with great gifts as easy as pie.

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We think choosing gifts for groomsmen that they can wear is your best bet. The key is to choose groomsmen gifts that play to their unique brand of dapper style. But choosing gifts that your groomsmen will wear is your chance to be remembered as the most thoughtful groom they know.

  1. Watches – We think watches are a great groomsmen gift because they’re something your fellas will wear and use all year long. If most of your groomsmen are gents of the well-dressed variety you’ll have an easy job. You can find great watches around the $100-mark and probably cheaper if you look hard. Go with something classic for the most versatility—leather band, solid color face, 3-hands, day & date. Anything more and you run the risk of gifting a ticking paperweight.
  2. Kicks – Now we’re getting into that two-birds-with-one-stone territory. It’s always a great idea to give your groomsmen a gift that they’ll wear in your wedding. A unique pair of shoes can identify them as members of your wedding party and they should also be smart enough to utilize afterwards. We don’t know what your budget or style is but you could go top-shelf with all that oil money and score you groomsmen some custom leather cowboy boots. Or do something more relaxed like Tom’s or our all-time favorite sneaker to dress up or down with—Adidas Sambas.
  3. Wooden Bow Tie, Pocket Square, Lapel Flower – We have another two-birds-with-one-stone option for you because we know you’re as efficient as you are dapper. Another great wearable gift for your groomsmen is a dapper accessory like a wooden bow tie or unique pocket square to be worn above the waist on your wedding day. Hardwood accessories like a wooden bow tie or handcrafted lapel flower are always a good option because groomsmen can wear them after the wedding. A unique, hardwood accessory like a wooden bow tie, pocket square, or lapel flower is useful for dates, interviews, sales pitches, and one-upping your co-workers with dapper style.

Of course you already know we’re the authority on item no. 3. So be sure and shop our hardwood accessories for the perfect groomsmen gifts. You could risk it by buying silk long ties and pockets squares or metallic lapel flowers/pins, but the worst thing about traditional accessories like those is that they’ll only play to a few crowds.

Not so with our handmade wooden bow ties, lapel flowers, and pocket squares. They dress up or down easy, and they always look unique and trendy.

Stay tuned for more entries to our Groom’s Gift Giving Guide series. We’ve got your back.