Carolina Cup is a day full of horse races, seersucker and lilly dresses. I like to say its South Carolina’s version of the Kentucky Derby. It’s a little bit of a tease for everyone since Cup is usually sooner than when we are all “allowed” to wear our seersucker and white pants, but it’s Cup and all rules are broken (not always in a good way).

My look for cup this year actually started coming together about a month before the races. Here is the process of how it came together:

The Bow Tie:

I got lucky and ran across an awesome Lilly Pulitzer bow tie and immediately bought it. At that point I wasn’t sure where I would wear it, but I knew that I would save it for a special occasion. It ended up matching perfectly with the pink on the sport coat that I picked to wear.

The Sport Coat:

Soon after finding the bow tie, I was checking out Vineyard Vines’ new arrivals and ran across the Seersucker Party Sport Coat. I purchased the Gignham Party Tucker Button Down weeks before and knew that I thought the four way designs by Vineyard Vines were genius. The jacket would be perfect for Cup and I had to have it. To my surprise I noticed the “coming soon” label across the top of the sport coat picture. I was going to do everything in my power to get this jacket. I called Vineyard Vines and they set me up with their notification system. I would get an e-mail as soon as the jacket was available to the public. Now, I just had to play the waiting game.

The centerpiece to my Cup look came in a week before Cup and I quickly got it to the tailor. I tailor a lot of my blazers and shirts to fit me perfectly. A little tailoing makes items look even better on you.

Side note: I was SO excited about getting this jacket for Cup that I could not stop talking about it. I checked on it everyday, I had friends going to stores and checking for me (without me asking), and I called Vineyard Vines several times just to make sure it would be avialable to the public in time for Cup. My friends were really annoyed about the jacket and they were relieved when I found out it was coming to my house! (Thanks for your support guys!)

The Classics:

I knew that my sport coat would be the life of the party at cup! (did you catch that?) Therefore, my look was polished off with some classics. I pulled two classics (with a Southern twist) from my closet (also essentials to any guy’s closet) a White Button Down and Khakis. Most of my khakis come from Southern Tide. The fit for them are perfect and they are light weight.

The Shoes:

You all should know that I am a very big fan of Cole Haan and I own several pairs of their drivers. They are my go to shoes for my everyday looks. I recommend investing in a pair for two reasons:

• If you are trying to upgrade from a typical boat shoe

• If you want a shoe that is comfortable and versitile. These drivers work great with a polo and khakis, but also work when wearing a blazer and bow tie.

The particular pair that I wore to cup is my favorite pair (I really like the color for some reason), They are the Grant Drivers in Papaya color. TIP: If you are going to buy a pair of these: shop around because you can always find great deals on them. Check out Rue La La or the Cole Haan site that has them on sale all the time.

The Accessories:

The Timepiece: This past year for my 20th birthday I was very blessed to receive a Rolex Yachtmaster II from my family as a gift. I wear it all the time and it goes with everything. SOme other watches that I really like as well are Daniel Wellington watches (simple, yet elegant and timeless) and Michael Kors watches (metal watches look great and can dress any look up, while the rubber strap watches are a little more sporty and laid back).

The Wallet: I like finding pieces that are twists on classics. Louis Vuitton has had the Damier Ebene Wallet for a while. Not long ago they released the Damier Cobalt Collection for men, which is limited edition. I wanted this wallet because its a twist on one of their classic wallets and it’s going to become a unique piece due to its limited edition status. Therefore,  I drove to my favorite Louis Vuitton store in South Park Mall (Charlotte, NC) and got my hands on one (the multiple model). A great investment if you are looking for a wallet that is going to last you for a long time.

Not pictured, but a part of this look:

• The Belt: Crown Logo Stiched Belt  by Peter Millar (I’m a big fan of needlepoint!)

• The Signature Piece: My Cartier Love Bracelet   (story behind this piece coming soon)

What do you think about this look? If you’ve got any questions about the items above or items from any of these brands, make sure to comment them below.

-the Bow Tie Gent