There are certain pairings in the universe — yes, the universe — that go together well without even a second thought. An icy cold beer at an indie rock show, the perfect pair of boots alongside classic blue jeans, a chambray shirt and, well, another cold beer at an indie rock show — at least, that’s my outlook on the world.

What about a brand bringing a dash of that same sentiment and forward-thinking outlook together in one community, both online and IRL? A lofty goal and moment to meet, but Chicago’s FRET12 talks the talk and walks the walk — an ideal brand to dive into ahead of the weekend, right?

Founded in 2008 by Dan Tremonti, the brother of Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti, the company takes an ingenious approach to live music and culture — spurred on by the inventive and utterly fun “String Thing,” a found-art type of object that takes old, broken guitar strings and transforms them into lively action figures of sorts.

Chicago’s FRET12 does oh-so-much-more than that (which you can read about in my latest CoolMaterial feature on the brand!), including crafting a seriously cool, rugged lineup of the best gear and menswear for guys out there like you and me. The company also specializes in all sorts of music gear and emphemera, and if ever you get the chance to trek to the Windy City, a visit to the FRET12 space at acclaimed Chicago music venue The Salt Shed is very much recommended.

But back to that lineup of rock n’roll-inspired menswear. Take the FRET12 Studio Shirt, the kind of handsome denim or chambray shirt that wouldn’t look out of place on the back of one of your favorite guitarists (Aaron Dessner, anyone?).

It’s designed, cut and hand-sewn in Chicago from 100 percent cotton, and serves as the perfect complementary piece alongside, say, your favorite pair of black jeans and some trusty tan leather boots (feel free to mix and match, people!). I’ve gotten plentyof mileage wearing it alongside dark blue jeans at a music festival as well as alongside chino shorts in hotter temperatures.

Yessir, it’s a new staple in my rotation, but beyond that, Chicago’s FRET12 is an inspiring brand taking on a bit of everything at the intersection of rock music, craftsmanship, menswear and more (keep an eye out for collaborations with the likes of Huckberry, for good measure). This certainly isn’t the last time you’ll be hearing about FRET12 — plug in, score a new shirt in the meantime, and embrace the power of great gear and great rock n’roll, my friends.