Learn Some ‘Northern Etiquette’ With This Student Run Brand

Story by Devon Rademacher
Photos by Anne Langan

There’s no denying Michigan is a gorgeous state. A local clothing brand is making sure we, and other states, don’t forget it.

Connor Jacobs is a junior at Central Michigan University from Haslett. He and his friend from Michigan State University created a Michigan based brand, Northern Etiquette.

“Most of our state is so beautiful, and so when people wear this shirt I want them to have pride in being from Michigan,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs and Tyler Mehigh, his business partner, cultivated the idea in 2014, which is on all the logos.

Jacobs said he and Mehigh wanted to move forward with Northern Etiquette last spring. So, they launched early summer 2016, and have taken off ever since.

The brand prints t-shirts, long sleeves, glasses, hats and cozies in East Lansing. They also plan to introduce sweatshirts and beanies.

Embodying Michigan
Lake life and the Great Lakes are an important aspect of Northern Etiquette. It’s no wonder the brand’s logo is a lighthouse.

“Michigan has the most lighthouses out of any state in the country. We have over 200 lighthouses, so it’s a good way to represent the state.”

Northern Etiquette embodies the preppy lifestyle, in a typically un-preppy state. The colors of the shirts take both nature and a preppy aesthetic into consideration.

Dark blue, sea foam green, crimson, and crisp white are just a few of the colors offered, and channel the feel of waves, sunsets and sandy beaches.

As for the feel of the clothing, Jacobs said he wanted the brand to be representative of his own personal style – casual, comfortable and preppy.

He describes the line as “some comfy clothes that you can wear on the beach or the lake.”

The Social Effect
With over 3,000 Instagram followers and 250 shirts sold, the brand is taking off quickly, and there’s no plan to stop now.

They’re currently reaching out to Michigan stores and boutiques, specifically in northern Michigan, and along the coastal sides.

While no stores in the state currently carry the brand, a store in Georgia has stocked up.

“They put in, like, a $2,000 order off of our Instagram, so that says a lot.”

Social media is extremely vital to any business, but especially for the target market of preppy Michiganders.

“Especially now that we’re getting more mature, everything is coming from Instagram,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs said he hopes his work with Northern Etiquette will be a life-long gig.

Before the brand really hits it big, you can find Jacobs on campus or hanging out on the beach. You won’t find him without that signature lighthouse though.