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PERIMETER BUSINESS
Clothing line aims to dress
‘Southern gentlemen'
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By Melissa Weinman
Emmie Howard loves a well-
dressed man.
There's just something special about
a man in a bow tie and a seersucker
suit, she said.
Howard has taken her love of the
preppy aesthetic and made a living
creating patterned ties and collegiate-
style clothing to outfit Southern gen
tlemen through her company, South
ern Proper.
"Women, especially in the South,
influence what a guy wears," Howard
said. "We wanted to influence what a
guy looked like and make sure we're
with a guy who looks his best."
Howard, the "chief executive belle"
at Chamblee-based Southern
Proper, launched the com
pany in 2006. She felt there
was a need for a preppy
brand that catered to South
ern men.
Howard said she liked the bright
colors and preppy patterns of Vine
yard Vines, but felt guys going to SEC
football games just couldn't relate to
Melissa Weinman
Emmie Howard loves a “well-
dressed man.”
the brand's New England vibe.
"We didn't summer in Nantucket,"
she said. "We knew there was a niche
in the market for something Southern-
inspired."
Howard said the compa
ny started with printed ties
and bow ties featuring pastel
colors with prints like hunt
ing dogs, lanterns and state
flags. Each year, the company has add
ed new articles of clothing into their
repertoire.
A tie with a cotton boll motif is
Southern Proper's No. 1 seller, she said.
Cotton is particularly meaningful
for Howard, who grew up on a cotton
farm in rural Tennessee. "It's been my
family's livelihood," Howard said.
After graduating from Brenau Uni
versity in 2001, Howard went to work
for Newell Rubbermaid. She used
her experience in product develop
ment from the corporate world to start
her own company. She now lives in
Brookhaven with her husband, who
wears a Southern Proper tie to work
every day, she said.
Howard said her family couldn't
understand why she would leave a
good job for the uncertainty of starting
a business. But she hasn't looked back
since.
"It's been very fulfilling in so many
ways," Howard said. "This has been a
great way for me to express truly what
I'm interested and passionate about -
fun, preppy clothes."
Southern Proper is sold online and
in about 300 men's specialty stores
throughout the Southeast.
Madeline Brumby, store manag
er for Southern Traditions in Buck-
head, said the Southern Proper bow
ties are among the store's top-selling
items. Brumby attributes much of the
recent popularity of bow ties to South
ern Proper. "Any kind of college thing
- formals, semi formals - they're all
looking for bow ties and cumberbund
sets," Brumby said. "[Southern Proper]
really set the stage for that trend."
Perimeter
Profile
Serving your community
for 15 years
Before Construction
After Construction
www.southernoutdoorcd.com
Specializing in Construction, Renovation, Repair & Maintenance
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12 | NOV. 29 — DEC. 12,2013 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net
