Alex Maine's Jean Therapy

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The new shop Alex Maine has been getting a lot of press -- mainly for their politics. The men's store was opened with the idea of demonstrating you can manufacture domestically and still produce on-trend products at attractive price points. The store's press materials invoke the shocking figure that about 97% percent of clothing purchased in the United States was produced overseas, which makes you think what an impact could be made on our economic outlook if we brought just a few more clothing companies back on-shore.

All well and good. But the real reason you should give them your money is the brand offers insanely wearable clothes for guys.

Alex Maine mastermind Bron Heussenstamm isn't so much of a jeans guy. He wanted to create a denim alternative that offered a lot of mileage -- acceptable and comfortable enough to be worn to work, but also work for life outside the office. He was basically tailoring to his own desires (never mind the fact that he's tall and lean and could probably wear a suit made from plastic bags and still look great), and came up with a jeans-cut pair of pants that as comfortable as a pair of sweats, look a bit classier than jeans, and can be dressed up or down.

There are a few different fits and choices for fabric -- most of the pants are made from a sumptuously soft brushed twill, and there's also a pair that look like herringbone. They're cut like jeans, only they're just a little more relaxed. (But yes, available in a skinny fit.)

Of course there are tees, because it's just better when guys wear shirts in public. Soft soft soft bamboo tees. Neon tees. V-necks. Tees in normal colors. Starting at just $36. And henleys and pullovers. In a nicely put-together store with a big screen TV, a cozy couch, and room enough for a bar. It isn't a full-on mancave or anything, but it does make for a pleasantly masculine shopping experience.
· Alex Maine [Official Site]