Sweet Tee: Ball and Buck

At Capsule a few weeks back, a girl about my age approached me while I was talking to a friend. I recognized her from passing her a little earlier while browsing the booths.

“Excuse me,” she said. “Are you from Madison? I think we went to high school together.”

Not surprisingly, I LOVE when that happens, as I’m always looking for an opportunity to brag on Wisconsin a little to anyone will listen. And so we chatted for awhile with Erin, who was a few years above me but whose sister had been in my class.

“So what brings you to the trade show?” I asked. And that’s how my fellow Madisonian introduced me to Ball and Buck, a great new men’s brand based out of Boston that she works for. And because I’m not above pimping out another Midwest transplant’s endeavors, I thought I’d tell you about it today.

The name comes from George Washington’s encouragement to his troops in the American Revolution to use “buck and ball” loads for their muskets, a loading method that used smaller pellets to make a greater impact on target.

I’m now on high alert for guys wearing the brand’s Original Pocket Tee. They sent me the cream color with the blackwatch (dark plaid) pocket, and I really dig it. It’s thicker than an Everlane tee (my other new go-to tee find), with a slim cut that makes me excited to see how it washes up. If I saw a guy in that? Uh, yes please. With the varied colorways and pocket options, it definitely steps up your t-shirt game. Throw one on with dark wash jeans and you’ve got an out-and-out outfit on.

My other favorite is the black with camo pocket; I definitely wouldn’t think it came out of Aisle 12 at Wal-Mart, next to the deer hunting ammunition (Is there special ammunition for deer hunting? Is it different than different hunting ammo? Whatevs, you get my point). And if pockets aren’t your thing (though, really, who doesn’t love a good pocket), they also have v-neck tees in white and cream.

At $48, the t-shirt is definitely a bigger investment than a Hanes 3-pack, but the steeper price tag makes sense considering how they’re made. In elevating guys’ t-shirt game, the company is also determined to, as they put it, “bring America back to her roots.” This heritage idea isn’t just lip service; the brand manufactures all of their garments and other products here in the United States. With manufacturing facilities on the East Coast, garments are made when you order them, in the factory that’s closest to your home. “Less time from assembly line to you, less pollution in the environment. We’re creating jobs for Americans, running an honest business, and reducing our carbon footprint. We see that as a win-win-win situation.” As much as I love a good deal, I’ll pay a little more for that.

Go take a look at all of the tees and tell me which is your favorite.

And if you’re in Boston, go check out their store on Boston’s Back Bay, on Newbury Street.