Charlie

Man Up with Indigo and Cotton

You’re a man. You don’t have to explain why your wardrobe may not be quite up to par.

We’re sure it’s a long story, fraught with storm-tossed seas, too much gin, and a swift departure from a southbound yacht, but we completely understand. The point is that here you are, a castaway wandering the streets of Charleston, in urgent need of a new summer wardrobe.

“Urgent” defined as “before your 7 p.m. dining reservation,” obviously.

As luck would have it, a quick jaunt to Indigo & Cotton is all that’s required to get you out of your predicament.

You’ll happily trade tatters for tattersall once Brett Carron shows you his selection of Gitman Brothers Vintage button-down dress shirts. The cool summer weaves (yes, seersucker is among them) will keep the sun from beating you down while you’re out on the town.

We recommend Raleigh Denim to go with your new Gitman: these lend just the right touch of style and sophistication. In fact, you may well end up referring to them as “the best pair of jeans ever.”

Handcrafted in small runs (each pair is signed on the inside pocket and has its number hand stamped on the leather patch), these jeans begin with denim from Cone Mill’s White Oak plant, grounding them firmly in the rich tradition of American denim from North Carolina. It would take a young Indiana Jones a good while to rub these meticulously crafted beauties out, so pack them alongside the bullwhip and fedora next time you’re off to high adventure in some faraway land.

Once your body is no longer bare, you’ll want to think about shoes.

Those Mark McNairy dirty bucks look like they will do the job just fine, but if you’re more inclined toward those Quoddy chukkas or a snappy pair of Keds, hey, why not?

(Side note: you’ll want to snag a pair of Birdwell board shorts for some fun in the water later on.)

Once your transformation from Waif to Boy Wonder is complete, you can even hang out awhile and chat with Brett about all things style. Prior to opening the doors at Indigo & Cotton, he did his time in the world of the arts, both here in Charleston and far away in a fabled land known as New York City.

There’s a love of American craftsmanship and an unwavering sense of what he loves in the fashions he selects for his showroom. He goes for the timeless: dress shirts, shoes, and jeans that will neither slip out of style nor go needlessly threadbare before their time.

You could spend even more time perusing accessories such as bowties and handkerchiefs, but better keep an eye on the time. There’s a table with your name on it at your favorite eatery and a special someone who is about to be bowled over by how well you clean up.

Don’t keep them waiting, ye fine young scalawag.

IndigoAndCotton.com
79 Cannon Street

Story and photos by: Jason A. Zwiker