Your Bedroom Could Be A Lot Manlier, Says Chicago Company
By Rachel Cromidas in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 11, 2015 8:11PM
via Thread Experiments
The local entrepreneur behind a thriving men's neckwear business is moving into bedroom decor—under the premise that your bed could be way, way more masculine.
The Tie Bar, founded in 2004 by a Naperville lawyer, is an e-commerce site with a bricks and mortar shop in Lincoln Park. The founder, Greg Shugar, sold his majority stake in the company to a local private equity firm two years ago, and now he's launching new venture based around helping men decorate their homes.
Thread Experiment is Shugar's answer to the panoply of bedroom decor options on the market that are heavy on pastels, lace, the colors pink and turquoise and other design hallmarks of femininity, he told Crain's last week.
"Men had never cared so much about how they looked or their grooming. The home is the next frontier. Men can't bring a woman home to a place that looks like they just got out of college."
But what qualities, honestly, make bedroom sheets, duvets and pillowcases "masculine"—and is our West Elm habit unintentionally emasculating the men in our lives? We asked, and Thread Experiment's online shop answered with beige-y, blue and black herringbone, houndstooth, plaid and paisley. There's also some tie-dye thrown in for good measure.
We can't decide whether to be charmed or horrified by the whole thing, so we leave you, without further comment, with the descriptions of some of our favorite "masculine" styles. Some are written by a creative director who goes by the name Justin, who presumably is a man and could further vouch for their manliness if pressed to.
via Thread Experiments
Modern Hippie
"Tie Dye in menswear has made its return. And one thing is for sure - a sophisticated tie dye in your bed has never gone out of style. This look blends inspirations that are nautical, masculine & casual."
via Thread Experiment
The Woodie
"Wood is the ultimate rustic look you can bring to your bedroom. We purposely chose this muted charcoal color so it won't clash with your other rustic bedroom accessories."
via Thread Experiments
Root
"A pure ode to menswear. Plaid meets paisley in this stunning overlapping of designs. The bold white print jumps off for a modern look to your bedroom."
via Thread Experiments
Watchdogs
"Inspired by cabins in the mountains, there is something mystical and captivating about wall-mounted fair. We added neutral and embroidered menswear inspirations to move this design out of the woodsman and into the gentleman category."