
I tend to stay away from discussing brands, makers etc... I do this because unless you are very careful it can be easy to veer into simple materialism when discussing brands heavily. The point of what I care about is not materialism. Aesthetics and style are not about materialism. That it is common to think otherwise is only because the materialism of our time is so severe that few can imagine something outside of it.
That being said, I often receive messages from men asking about where to buy this or that, or what maker I would recommend for some piece. I always try to answer the best I can of course. We need to know the names of places who make an item otherwise how else will we find it? That is practical and necessary, not materialism. You need to know where to find the pieces.
All that being said, below I have compiled a list of places I like, or rather a list of places that have supplied me with at least one (all that is needed is one) piece that I like. This is not a purist's list. It isn't a list of only the most hard to find and expensive items and makers. That isn't my concern or anything I care about. It isn't an exhaustive list of every maker that exists. It isn't a comprehensive collection of everything compiled from the internet. There are lots of other brands not on this list, tons. It is a personal list from myself of makers and brands I like / have supplied my wardrobe with at least one piece. It isn't an endorsement of every piece from each brand.
For some of these makers, I own many pieces from them and would recommend everything they make. For others, I own only one and would recommend nothing outside that one. This list only includes brands that still exist and are still possible to buy from. Some of my favorite pieces are vintage and sometimes from places that simply no longer exist in the same or any form. This list only includes places that are still around.
I am not going to comment under each maker but for some I will make a note if there is something specific that comes to mind.
J. Press
Ratio Clothing - [Custom shirts, you can get all the bells and whistles and unlined collars.]
Brooks Brothers
Ben Silver
Oak Street Bootmakers
Allen Edmonds
Paul Stuart
R. Hanauer - [Bow Ties]
Junior's
O'Connell's
Proper Cloth
Polo Ralph Lauren
Spier and Mackay
Lands' End - [Pants. Affordable, they still have some classics.]
L.L. Bean
Mercer and Sons - [Shirts, classic old school style.]
Bills Khakis
Uniqlo - [This is an extreme outlier in this list. There is only one thing I buy from this store. It is socks. They carry a simple 100% cotton sock in a wide array of colors. There is nothing special about it (and that is good!), it is very affordable and lasts just fine. Most of my off-white socks come from Uniqlo.]
Sperry
Mes Chaussettes Rouges
Rancourt
Skagen
Alden
Quoddy
G.H, Bass
Pendleton - [Wool Cardigans are what I buy most often.]
Red Wing Shoes - [Men's Heritage models]
Timex - [Simple, classic watches. Affordable. I love the indiglo.]
Casio - [Retro-Futurism watches]
Cordings
Wigwam - [Socks]
Lacoste - [Tennis (Polo) Shirts]
Drake's
Barbour
Granqvist -[For our European friends]
Chipp
Withernot
Rowing Blazers - [I have a heavyweight Rugby shirt from them, it is solid and sturdy.]
Minnetonka Moccasins - [I had an Essential Hardsole Moc from them for more than a decade, I ran it into the ground. It held up great, I loved it.]