Civil Society

It's a risky venture to combine America and Europe, unless it involves Chevy Chase, the Pig in a Poke game show, and an unintentional home invasion. Or super stylized gear from Civil Society. Civil Society's a casual/classy brand helmed by a former designer for English Laundry and dedicated to clothing that blends upscale European-style tailoring and sensibilities with wearable American twists -- a risky move considering Chubby Checker's litigious nature. Outerwear examples include the Norton slim-fitting biker jacket, made of a gleamy cotton/nylon/stainless steel blend instead of leather; the Duke, which's built like a sports coat but made from the oxford material; and a satin-lined trenchcoat-esque number cut to normal jacket length, called The Nasty -- so don't be surprised when your jacket grows a mullet and assaults Ken Shamrock in a Vegas hotel room. They've also got woven shirts (the Loyalist, slim-fitting, w/ two buttons down the front placket; the military-inspired Fredrickson, w/ three front zipper pockets), the Dylan, a shirt-jacket hybrid w/ a diagonal-zipping front, and a denim option they call the Lex Luthor, mostly because it makes Dean Cain look stupid. In addition, Civil Society offers a line of shorts, like the slim-legged, 5 pocket Gabriel, the charcoal plaid Vincent, and the pinstripe Arnold, also the name of another Euro/American combo who intentionally invaded your home.