What is a Brand?

If you’re a guy and 5’8” or shorter (like me), you probably hate shopping for clothes. Finding slim-fitting shirts is a struggle and, at times, seems nearly impossible. In the past, I rarely enjoyed shopping and often had to tailor shirts on my own by running the sides through a sewing machine (very sloppily). That all changed when I learned about Taylor Stitch.

Taylor Stitch is a men’s apparel company in San Francisco that designs and sells slim fit casual shirts and pants. This is hands down my favorite apparel company and one of my favorite brands for several  reasons. First, they design the highest-quality, on-trend clothing in their price bracket ($90-$200). I  love their trimmed fits and modernized styles and always leave their store with more items than I originally anticipated. I credit Taylor Stitch for changing my experience with shopping from dreadful to exciting, which has built strong brand attachment.

My relationship with the company isn’t just about the clothes. From the store aesthetics to how the company engages with customers on social media, Taylor Stitch creates the idea of a lifestyle that is both exhilarating and somehow hip. The store breaks away from the standard boutique setup with bookshelves mixed with products and antiques and artful knick-knacks strewn about. Online, the company blogs about bold camping adventures and documents the trips with photos of fashionable men dressed in their clothes from head to toe. It’s not hard to get carried away and think that owning their clothes will somehow make your life just a little more exciting. 

Of course, men’s apparel is a crowded space and Taylor Stitch has many competitors. While I still shop several other brands - Topman, Uniqlo, ASOS, etc. - none of them match the quality of construction or shopping experience of Taylor Stitch.