Gentlemen of the North, Wendy Buhr has been working hard for you. The owner of Ella’s, the vintage clothing store in downtown TC, just arrived back from a week in Vegas, home to the “Magic,” the largest bi-annual menswear show in the country.

Her mission: Make Magic the means to a smart, sexy, stylish expansion of Ella’s men’s department.

“We’ve always done well with our vintage men's shirts and select finds,” she says. “And we have dabbled in new men's products, but never have we really tried to pull it all together so that they could shop head to toe.”

Enter Jonathan Grant, Buhr’s new assistant stylist. And exit Grant and Buhr, from TC to Sin City on what Buhr calls a “quest to discover the best possible clothing styles for the Traverse City man.” Here’s her report:

Ticker: Magic is the hottest style show for men in the country, so we have to ask – any celeb sightings?
Buhr: At the Brand New Cosmopolitan Hotel we partied with the Black Keys and Kim Kardiashian.

Ticker: Were they appropriately fashionable?
Buhr: The Black Keys kept their style simple and rugged. No comment on Kim’s stripper attire.

Ticker: You met with designers and retailers from all over the world, discussing styles and fabrics and trends. What’s the look to look for now?
Buhr: For the young professional, prep-school style is the trend. Nautical stripes are everywhere – in a very chic French style. Well-tailored two- and one-button blazers with a thin lapel paired with a straight knit tie. 

Ticker: Tune us in to color trends.
Buhr: Colors this spring include lots of navy and red, and we’ll be introducing purple toward summer. For autumn, we will be adding black, gray and a splash of saffron yellow.

Ticker: Any must-haves for the northern Michigan man’s closet?
Buhr: This will be a great season to collect basic elements: shawl-collared cardigans, wing-tip oxford shoes- all the classic elements of a great wardrobe. It’s a 1960s spin on the 1980s that is timeless and refined. For the older, more sophisticated gent, in spring and summer, invest in lightweight plaids, sharp red gingham, lace-up work boots, suspenders, chambray shirts and westerns with pearl snap buttons. This is the season to invest in a pair of jeans that actually fit and don’t sag in the rear – your wife will appreciate a slimmer fit.

Ticker: What styles are on the horizon?
Buhr: For autumn let’s reference [the musician] Sting and the “Englishman in New York” look – a hybrid of rugged northern classics like flannel and denim with European styling. Think English countryside: a little bit of scruff, an ice-cold pint, and a Harris Tweed jacket layered over a chunky wool sweater. You also can expect British tailored suits with thin lapels, short collars, and contrasting cuffs. Go for a classic, slender 60s tie in a stripe or solid.

Ticker: Almost every major label is represented at Magic, plus independent designers showing their own collections. What’s your strategy for getting a grasp on all the lines and trends, and translating them into what you can sell in northern Michigan?
Buhr: Our customer is a guy who wants good tailoring, quality fabrics, something more interesting, and customer service. So we bought a lot of European product – mostly English – for instance, Ben Sherman, and Scotch and Soda, and even some European army surplus. We also re-ordered some American-made product that we already have been carrying, like Frye Boots, AG Denim, and Velvet Men's. Hopefully the customer will respond well to our choices.

Interested in checking out the new duds, guys? Sign up for Ella's e-mails and you’ll know what’s delivered when: sales@swingbyellas.com.