Chasing Down Style at the Legacy Chase

Brian Branton was impeccably dressed at the Legacy Chase wearing a navy, red, and white plaid fitted blazer that he purchased from El Ganso, his favorite boutique in London (which is actually a Spanish store). He was drawn to the amazing patterns, colors, and cut. He mentioned that he is currently captivated by bold blazers or pants, but he wears them separately – never together. Brian knows that dark colors like navy and grey are flattering on him, so he likes to “stick with those but I’ll add a pop of color in details-such as pocket squares, ties, or even shoes!” He likes to pair bold pieces with muted colors to create a sophisticated balance. He chose to wear a pair of navy pants from Eredi Pisano and a white Oxford from Nordstrom to balance out the bold patterned blazer.

The accessories and the small details really made Brian’s outfit look distinguished through flawless thought-out details such as cut, mixing patterns, and fabrics. Brain was wearing a navy bowtie with white polka dots from Country Club Prep.

His jacket also had a lovely navy patch which gives it an elegant collegiate feel. Brian is a true class act!  He says that he “is a prep at heart” and still carries his Lacoste wallet around that he bought in 1984. Classic pieces that are made well will never go out of style.

A.J. Williams brought some European flair to the races wearing a suit from Express and a floral Grand Frank vibrant shirt. He enjoys dressing up for the occasion. A.J. said he felt he inherited some of his style from his grandfather and likes to believe that he is carrying on his legacy. The endless attention and compliments at the event was quite a tribute to granddad! A.J. looks for unique items to combine to make an award-winning outfit. He’s into “the small details of an outfit; it can be as simple as adding a pocket square that matches my socks and shirt or adding a lapel pin to add a little more to my suit.” A.J. chose a deep fuchsia colored pocket square from Macy’s and lapel pin from K&G Fashion.

One of A.J.’s favorite items to buy and wear with any outfit are Happy Socks. The socks add an element of fun even to the most conservative suit, reflecting his playful and expressive personality. A.J. – who’s also known for his exceptional boxing skills in the ring – shows that he’s a champion when it comes to fashion and his personal style!

Wendy Fox brings sophistication to a whole new level by taking dapper men’s clothing line traits and making them her own. When I spotted her, she was wearing a grey with pewter/charcoal micro jacket from Zara, cabernet colored pants by Theory, and a classic white shirt by Ralph Lauren. She uses fashion as a form of expression and really lives by Coco Chanel’s quote, “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” She uses the line of androgyny as a jump rope and infuses her style from this to create an andro-chic/dapper dame look. She looks for – and appreciates – interesting lines, details, high-end fabrics, and the importance of getting clothes tailored to fit correctly. She also appreciates and looks for pops of color, patterns, and accessories. She layers these to make simplistic clothes more interesting and bring them to life.

Wendy adores and marvels over unique accessories. They’ree the added and final details that bring the outfit together and make it go from average to extraordinary (Snap worthy)! She added a sharp looking silver link watch by Michele Deco that had a mother-of-pearl face.

She paired this with back patent and wine colored Franco Sarto loafers and an eye catching Landisun lapel pin. All of these unique pieces created a sophisticated outfit that came together. Wendy has a good eye for couture pieces and doesn’t let rules define her. She often mixes family heirlooms or vintage touches into modern looks; their story and history are great conversation pieces. I applaud Wendy for her view on fashion, which really transfers over to a lot of things in life. “My general rule is there are no rules. Be you. As we become more comfortable with ourselves, we are less afraid to take risks and our style transforms.” Wendy Fox is a creative visionary with everything she touches; fashion, her passion for cooking, presentation, and hosting parties and events. She finds beauty in everything she encounters.

I noticed William Rienhoff from across the tent because of his stand-out shoes. His outfit had a quintessential classic outdoor prep look without being over the top. He was wearing a plaid oxford from Eddie Jacobs, vest from Patagonia, and jeans from the store Jean Pool. At Jean Pool, in Cross Keys, Scott Wable, the owner “takes it from there” and helps get William “sorted out.”

When I asked William about his shoes, I couldn’t believe it when he said they were called FROATS, a men’s casual shoe brand that HE just launched within the past month. The style he was wearing are called “The Marylander” and were bright yellow with Maryland Crabs and lacrosse sticks on them. Nothing completed his look better then these – if you didn’t peg him for an old-school lax boy already, then these sealed the deal. I had to look them up online right then and there. I was blown away by all of the additional fun colors and patterns such as the Classic Seersucker, the Anglers, Star Spangled, and the Bermuda Breeze.

Of course, it was no surprise when I spotted a FROATS booth in The Old Line Society tent at the Legacy Chase. It fit the bill, hitting the right market targeting high school and college prepsters and young professionals who have that classic “ivy style.”