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Music City doesn’t just have its own sounds. Like New York, Tokyo, and Paris, it has its own aesthetic, too. So, as we were opening our first store in Nashville, it felt right to ask local tastemakers how they’d style our clothes, what makes their hometown unique and what their secret spots are for a quick recharge.
Bentley wears The Italian Linen-Silk Sutton Suit, Tipped Waffle Polo In Navy and TS x Rubinacci Deer Leather Marphy Loafers
Raised in Paducah, Kentucky, Caldwell was a singer-songwriter working at the intersection of soul and folk music until a chance conversation with a friend who was in need of some wardrobe guidance led Bentley to realizing there was a big opportunity helping Nashville’s businessmen up their sartorial games.
What’s a good rule of thumb for making it in Nashville?
Be good at what you do, and be good to the people you do it for. Your reputation is your biggest currency here.
What’s your “getting dressed for a big night out” music?
Anything that’s got a good groove, including old school and funk. I love Dua Lipa, Lucky Daye, Gary Clarke Jr., Cory Wong, Jean Batiste and Donald Glover’s last album.
Ketch wears The Cropped Boucle Sweater Polo and The Italian Linen Wythe Trouser
The arc of Ketch’s journey in American roots music can be summed up by a line in his band’s hit song, Wagon Wheel: “Running from the cold up in New England/I was born to be a fiddler in an old-time string band.” Raised in Virginia, Ketch went north for high school and college, before taking to the open road and busking. A chance encounter in Boone, North Carolina, with folk-country legend Doc Watson started him on a path that led to Nashville’s Grand Old Opry. He’s been in town ever since and has a solo album dropping in July.
You share a songwriting credit with Bob Dylan. Is your favorite Dylan album Nashville Skyline?
I love that album and the other three records Bob Dylan made in Nashville in the 60s and 70s. My favorite Dylan record changes every couple of months. Right now, it’s Oh Mercy.
What’s your “getting dressed for a big night out” music?
Liz Phair’s Exile in Guyville. Or The Smiths’ The Boy with the Thorn in His Side.
Lyon’s original claim to fame as a hotelier was a bed and breakfast in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. When he came to East Nashville in 2014, he saw similar seeds of revitalization. Or as he puts it, “There were artists and dreamers. There were beautiful old buildings, and it was across a bridge and a river from the city proper,” he says. His Nashville hospitality empire now includes two hotels (Urban Cowboy, The Dive) and a new three-story bar with Michelin-worthy pizza that anchors downtown’s newly renovated Arcade.
What makes Nashville different from other places you’ve lived?
It’s different because the city is based on a creative art form. So your doctor, lawyer and barista are all in bands, and you can literally sing for your supper here.
What’s your secret spot?
The bar at Mas Tacos. They have a great agave selection, and if you sit at the bar, you can skip the line and just order lunch.
What’s your “getting dressed for a big night out” music?
It’s 90s hip-hop all day. I love Outkast. Pretty much anyone who was on The Smokin’ Grooves Tour. You've got to put “the urban” in Urban Cowboy.
Nick wears The Italian Suede Snap Dylan Jacket, The Japanese Selvedge Jean and The Tuscan Low Profile Sneaker
While Nick Dryden’s calling is architecture, he’s also Nashville’s answer to Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. He’s a connector, who has designed homes for musicians as well as the local Soho House. And on a larger scale, he has been working on a revitalization of The Arcade, a 5-acre shopping concourse in downtown that dates back to 1902 and is based on Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Has living in Nashville changed your personal style?
I used to look outward — New York, LA, Europe — but Nashville taught me to look inward. There’s an authenticity here that seeps into everything, from the materials I choose to the way I dress.
Do you have a secret spot where you like to recharge?
Stepping into the Ryman Auditorium is always a religious experience; no matter who is playing, it is guaranteed goodness. Mas Tacos is my most coveted food spot, and Gas Lamp Antiques is my go-to inspiration for vintage finds.
Manny wears The Argyle Cardigan In Black, The Relaxed Selvedge Jean and TS x Rubinacci Croc Marphy Loafers
Manny is a jack of all trades, having been a teacher, a nonprofit leader, a professional vocalist, a store manager, a creative director, a board member, and a co-founder of The Commonwealth, Nashville’s menswear appreciation society. Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, he came to town to pursue a graduate degree at Vanderbilt University in Leadership and Organizational Performance. He stayed, and has become a fixture in the city’s fashion scene.
Tell me a little bit about The Commonwealth?
It started as a response to a gap I saw: Brands and consumers who both cared deeply about culture and story, but weren't always meeting in meaningful ways.
What makes Nashville different from other places you've lived?
Nashville has this mix of ambition and hospitality. Many people have said that Nashville is also unique because you can get a meeting or coffee with most anyone (whether you land that second conversation is up to you).
What’s your “getting dressed for a big night out” music?
If I am going out for a long night, I need to get in the zone, so I am going hip-hop or R&B — likely from the 90s and 2000s. But I love easy listening like Ella Fitzgerald, The Carpenters, and gospel music because they soothe.
TJ wears the The Fisherman Ribbed Muscle Tank, The Italian Linen Wythe Trouser and The Station Jacket
For those wondering what the “225” tattooed on the country star’s left arm refers to, it’s the phrase “a deuce and a quarter.” That was the name of the bar band TJ played in with his father and brother growing up in Deal, Maryland. And car buffs know it as the nickname for the Buick Electra 225. “And now I have two of ‘em — a ‘64 and ‘69,” he says. The Grammy-Award winning Brothers Osborne play an eclectic mix of country, rock and blues and have a new single out, aptly titled Finish This Drink.
What makes Nashville different from other places you’ve lived?
I don’t know another place that is supportive of people chasing their dreams. Here, people have your back.
Do you have a secret spot you like to hang out?
We usually end up hanging out in East Nashville. There’s a new bar over there I really like called Skinny Dennis.
What’s your “getting dressed for a big night out” music?
It’s pretty eclectic. It can run the gamut from Abba to Joe Diffy. Might be Shania. Or Def Leopard. Or Doechii. 80s rock to Dancing Queen.
Chandra (left) wears The Italian Linen Silk Sport Coat in Cream Glen Plaid, The Rayon Hollywood Shirt and The Italian Relaxed Utility Pant. Leigh (right) wears The Linen Utility Vest, Rayon Hollywood Shirt and The Relaxed Striped Denim Chino
SEEING DOUBLE: The Watson Twins Live In Nashville is the title of the sisters’ newly released album and a reflection of a musical journey that began in Louisville, Kentucky, where their mom spoonfed them Squeeze, Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris. Their time as aspiring singer-songwriters living in L.A. was a mix of Laurel Canyon and indie rock from the Silver Lake scene. “Now in Nashville, Music City, we are surrounded by all types of music, and what we write and sing is a melting pot,” says Leigh.
Do you have a favorite secret spot in town?
Gas Lamp Antiques for hours of roaming aisles for the perfect artifact. Butterlamp for bread and wine; it’s a little cafe tucked in our East Nashville Neighborhood. Margot or Cafe Roze for a perfect date night.
What’s your “getting dressed for a big night out” music?
Erykah Badu all day long, Khruangbin always raises the vibration and this one might be a weird one, but Willie Nelson's Honeysuckle Rose record. It has several live tracks that get the night going.
Cameron wears The Denim Engineer Coat, The Italian Relaxed Gurkha Trouser and the 1959 VW Beetle is his.
Cameron Weiss founded his watchmaking company in California in 2013, after honing his craft at Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin. In 2019, he moved the workshop to Nashville, a city that offered both the space to grow and the freedom to control nearly every step of production in-house. Drawn by the city’s collaborative energy and creative spirit, Cameron found the perfect home for Weiss Watch Company. We’re proud to partner with Weiss on a series of exclusive styles, available at our newest location.
What’s your secret spot?
A long bike ride with a friend on the Natchez Trace Scenic Parkway. It helps me recharge and get the momentum I need for both work and parenting.
What’s your “getting dressed for a big night out” music?
Spoon, Future Islands, or if I'm getting into some more vintage stuff, I would go with some Tom Petty and maybe The Allman Brothers.
Thomas wears The Linen Tab Trouser, The Premium Jersey Tee In Steel Blue and Todd Snyder & New Balance 574
While still an undergraduate at Santa Clarita University, Thomas first came to town for an internship at the music publisher Combustion Music. He moved to Nashville after graduating from college in 2022. In time, he was accepted into the prestigious Songwriting Program at Belmont University. He’s dropping his first single, “February”, on all the major streaming services this June. In the next year or so, he hopes to be picked up for an opening slot on tour, and to eventually sign a publishing deal.
You’re originally from Fairfield, Connecticut. Has living in Nashville changed your style?
Definitely! I love a good band t-shirt.
Do you have a favorite secret spot?
Mitchell's Deli. It's one of my favorite places to go for lunch. It's out on the East Side, and it’s right by Dose, my favorite coffee shop in town, so more often than not, it's a great two birds/one stone opportunity.
What’s your “getting dressed for a big night out” music?
Lately, you absolutely can't go wrong with anything from Role Model. His new record doesn't miss. Something a little less mainstream… I've really been enjoying Joan, a pop-rock band/duo.
Photographs by Emily Dorio
Interviewed by John Brodie
And when you're in town, don't forget to check out:
TODD SNYDER AT 12 SOUTH
