Rush Wilson says the name of the game for men’s fashion in 2022 is comfort, with the important caveat that comfort and looking great can —and should—go hand in hand.
“These clothes are great for work, for going out and about or traveling,” says Wilson, owner and president of Rush Wilson Limited, a men’s clothing boutique in downtown Greenville. “It’s smart casual. It can be comfortable, but men should still look nice.”
After a year-plus of staying home, he says his customers are ready to get out, and they are ready to dress up. “We’re selling more suits than we ever have,” he says. But he is also noting the tilt toward the casual, with sportswear taking up about three-quarters of the store while it once only took up about one-quarter.
Rush Wilson Limited focuses on having everything a man could need, whether he is attending a gala, going to work, walking the dog or traveling through Europe. And Wilson makes sure to have styles that suit every age and taste.
“We always have the classics, the traditional looking clothing,” Wilson says, including dress shirts, slacks, sport coats, and suits.
“But probably 15 to 25 percent of our presentation every season is fashion —something different,” he adds. Popular fashion choices include colorful “party shoes,” slimmer-cut shirts and bow ties made of bird feathers. “Those aren’t just a trend,” Wilson says of the Brackish brand ties, “they are a groundswell.”
Rush Wilson Fact File:
- The business was started by Rush Wilson Jr. in 1950 in Davidson, N.C. It is now run by his son, Rush Wilson III. The third generation, Rush “Jay” Wilson IV, joined the company in 2014.
- Rush Wilson III sold his first suit at age 15.
- The Greenville store opened in 1959 on Main Street where the Hyatt is now located.
- The store relocated to its current location, just off Main Street on W. North Street, in 1978.
- Their Instagram feature Window Shopping Wednesday has a large following around the country and yields sales as far away as Texas, North Dakota and New York.
- Rush Wilson Limited now offers several women’s items, including silk scarves and Barbour coats.
It’s a stretch
Men’s clothing is finally catching up to what women have known for years: that the key to comfort and a great fit is stretch.
For Wilson, the most important ingredient to looking nice is wearing clothes that fit. He says some men, especially in the 55-plus age group, may change in size, but don’t update their clothes accordingly, leading to garments that are too tight or too baggy.
“Those old pleated pants that don’t fit properly look dated,” he says. “Flat front pants that fit properly, with a trimmer silhouette, are more fashionable.”
He says men often defer clothing purchases, making it a low priority compared to outfitting the rest of the family, and will keep wearing garments 15 or 20 years old—or more. But updating clothing, not just to fit with current trends but to fit their body, will pay immediate dividends. “It makes men look taller, trimmer, or just make them feel good. That’s Dr. Wilson’s prescription to make you look better.”
When customers update their fit, they can also find out how much the latest innovations have increased comfort, even in dressier clothes. For example, traditional wool dress slacks from Ballin now have stretch mechanically built into the weave of the cloth. Waistbands that were once unforgiving now stretch up to three-quarters of an inch.
Similarly, shirts made of fabrics like CoolMax and other advanced polyester performance fabrics are wicking, wrinkle-fighting and machine washable.
Wilson says 2020 was “the year that people wore loungewear,” but as someone who has been known to walk his dog in slacks and a blazer, he’s happy to see the community ready to hit the town—and look good while doing it.
“There is a lot of pent-up demand to get dressed up again,” he says. “It’s freedom, and 2022 should be a great year to dress up.”
Top trends for 2022
- Dress sneakers: These shoes blend the comfort of your old Nikes with a dressier upper, making this style look great with pretty much everything.
- Flat front pants with stretch: Why wear sweats when you can wear nice-looking pants that feel just as comfortable?
- Shirts made of performance fabrics: These are no-iron, wicking, breathable and offer stretch.
- Slimmer cuts: While at least 10 percent of his customers still prefer traditional cuts, many are opting for slimmer pants and shirts.
- Soft coat: These coats are unconstructed, with no shoulder pads, and give a finished look to an outfit with the comfort of a sweater.
- Blues: This color, in all its forms, is always No. 1.
- Unique ties and pocket squares: “If you choose not to wear a tie, then you should wear a pocket square. It adds a little more expression.”
Rush Wilson Limited, 23 W. North Street, Greenville. rushwilson.com, 864.232.2761.
