On the other hand, this brings new meaning to the idea of dressing for success. After all, in the same week that he gave us a look inside his wardrobe, Zuckerberg also became the sixth most wealthy human being on Earth.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh do you know what today is?!? It's our anniversary! haha nah but seriously. It has been an entire year since we kicked this thing off. So, I want to hit you with something a little different. So, say you dress up every single day, all day. How much thought are you putting into what you are wearing? Does it slightly stress you out some mornings on what exactly to wear? Even dressing up during the day, there is no way I want to be in a suit for anything I have the option to be casual for. There is a movie, American Psycho(based off Bret Easton Ellis' novel, where a character opens his closet and starts describing his wardrobe. The film dispenses with this information visually in a single scene, but the message of both is clear: in Bateman’s world, any man who’s a success has to show it off through his wardrobe. "All it comes down to is this," says the narrator in an unguarded moment. "I feel like shit, but I look great." So, this exhaustion is not just something I have realized and made slight additions to my wardrobe to make it easier.A vivid illustration of how much the times have changed took place this week when Mark Zuckerberg posted a photo of his own wardrobe. Where a captain of industry once owned endless rails of designer suits and tailored shirts, Zuckerberg’s entire wardrobe appeared to consist of grey t-shirts, and grey hoodies. In a 2014 Q&A, Zuckerberg described how he saw getting dressed every morning as a waste of mental energy: "I really want to clear my life to make it so that I have to make as few decisions as possible about anything except how to best serve this community." This is not to say that this sort of controlled minimalism is necessarily unfashionable, though. The Guardian’s fashion writer Lauren Cochrane takes a different view of Zuckerberg’s monochrome wardrobe: "I think it’s far more fashionable than his anti-fashion stance suggests. Grey marl is a definite thing (this season), as is dressing all in one colour – see designers using double denim, or Kimye in beige. It’s like a control freak way of dressing, but also a way of kind of suggesting that he’s too busy to think about clothes." And there does seem to be a recurrent trend among successful types for this sartorial minimalism: Steve Jobs generally favored a black polo neck with mum jeans; Segway inventor Dean Kamen always seems to be in double denim; while even Barack Obama admitted to the same impulse during an interview with Vanity Fair. "You’ll see I wear only a grey or blue suit. I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make." As always, you can not please the world. There will always be someone out there that has something negative to say and this held true for Zuckerberg as well. "Witnessing the mind numbingly boring array of Zuckerberg's ‘wardrobe’ content says a myriad of things to me," says Stephen Monaghan, the founder and director of fashion consultancy Sane Communications. "He has no time, he has no taste, he IS a computer – but also that fashion and flair mean nothing to him. Some people can happily survive on a ‘norm core’ monochromatic wardrobe and to an extent I guess it facilitates their life. I find it hard to identify with this, as colour is paramount to emotional positivity and expression. To think he has created something that changed the world is hard to believe as he barely changes his own clothes…"
On the other hand, this brings new meaning to the idea of dressing for success. After all, in the same week that he gave us a look inside his wardrobe, Zuckerberg also became the sixth most wealthy human being on Earth.
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So, if you can not tell, I am very excited and anxious for these Mardi Gras balls! Heck, going to one this weekend; therefore, here is some more tuxedo information for you all! First and foremost, tuxedos are not suits. Yes, both involve jackets and trousers made from matching materials, but the garments serve different purposes. Suits are a bit more casual and appropriate for daytime wear to the office, out to lunch, and that sort of thing. While you may have to limit yourself aesthetically due to your industry, there’s a lot of leeway a man gets with a suit in terms of pairing shirts, ties, pocket squares, socks, and other accoutrements.
Tuxedos, on the other hand, are semi-formal, are classically referred to as dinner clothes, and are to be worn exclusively in the evening. If you’re invited to a “black-tie” event, that means you must wear a tuxedo. With a basic tuxedo, men don’t have the sartorial freedom they do with a business suit. Think about the etymology of the word “formal,” specifically in the sense of adhering to a form. Tuxedos have a specific set of guidelines that will make it look “correct” and in tune with its history as a non-sporty garment. Here are some pointers for the first-time tux buyer: DO:
DON’T:
So, welcome back to the blog! Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and everything. Over the break I completely ran out of cologne so I went to the store to attempt to find some new cologne. Walking into the store, I found myself looking at all these different bottles, looking at alll the brands I know, the famous ones and even the ones that I have never even heard of. So, in the midst of my confusion, the salesman comes over and explains different types of fragrances and examples of each so I tried to find something that gives you all the same understanding that I received. Sometimes choosing a type of fragrance can be confusing. It is first important to understand the different types of perfume, and how they interact with one’s skin, before choosing the exact type of smell that suits an individual.
The main difference between types of fragrance lies in the concentration of essences. The order of highest to lowest concentration is first Perfume, second, Eau de Parfum, third, Eau de Toilette, and fourth Eau de Cologne. Perfumes are classically defined as a combination of top, heart, and base notes released over a period of time. The top notes are the first scent released by a fragrance. After the top notes have faded, the middle or heart notes of a fragrance become noticeable. Perfume is considered the most beautiful form of fragrance because it releases the top, heart, and base notes over a period of time, as opposed to one faster than the other (due to its high concentration of essences). With Eau de Parfum, the heart (middle) notes become noticeable after the top notes have faded away. Conversely, with Eau de Toilette, the top notes, the first scent released, are dominant. This makes it initially very refreshing, and it then evaporates rather quickly. Perfume is very expensive because it can have up to 40% concentration of essences. This means that the scent is released over a long period of time, and therefore much less is needed and is sold in much smaller volumes. Eau de Parfum contains up to 15% perfume concentrates, and Eau de Toilette contains up to 10% perfume concentrates. One could think of Eau de Parfum as a bit heavier and long-lasting than Eau de Toilette. Eau de Parfum is also often used on hair and clothing, however one must be careful with delicate fabrics as they could stain due to the oils. Some of the more prestigious and delightful Eau de Parfums are Hermes ' 24 Faubourg', a distinguished, floral scent with hints of amber, or Issey Miyake ' L'eau d'Issey Florale', a feminine floral blend of lily, orange blossom, mandarin, rose, musk and white wood. Eau de Toilette, on the other hand, with up to a 10% perfume concentration, is a lighter, more refreshing scent, and very suitable particularly for warmer climates. Eau de Toilette, however, does fade away a bit faster than Eau de Parfum. A good example of a classic Eau de Toilette is the quintessential ' Eau d'Hadrien' by Annick Goutal -a fresh breath of the Mediterranean - with its fresh citrus fruit combination of lemon, grapefruit, green mandarin, cypress, and ylang ylang. Another rather opposite scent would be Jean Paul Gaultier's ' Classique', which more embodies the sexiness of a woman through its combination of rose, star aniseed, orange, ginger, amber and vanilla. Typically Eau de Parfum is more expensive than Eau de Toilette due to the higher concentrations of essences contained therein. Both Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette are sold in medium volume as one needs to use more than perfume. And lastly, Eau de Cologne, has up to a 7% perfume concentration. It is refreshing for hotter climates and can be reapplied as needed due to the speedy evaporation. Eau de Cologne is sold in larger lots and tends to be the least expensive perfume. So, this past week I had the pleasure of trying to figure out what I would wear to a cocktail party. Yes, there is a little wiggle room when it comes to the attire in comparison to formal, but the question was, how much wiggle room. so here is an article that I looked to for an aid. We’ve all been there. We receive an invitation to attend an event (wedding, parties, inauguration, you name it) everything looks fine and we get excited until we read something like: black-tie, white-tie, semiformal, business, cocktail attire, business casual, etc. What the heck do all these words mean? Dress codes have been around for a while -- they are a formality that instructs guests what to wear for the occasion. They are hard to be broken so don’t try to improvise with a new creative twist. It’s ok to add a personal touch though, but keep it to a minimum; you don’t want to be remembered as “the neon shirt guy” at your cousins’ wedding. Think of dress codes as a true gesture of gratitude to the people who invited you. Sometimes we may not feel totally comfortable with the dress-code, but if you don’t follow it, the feeling of being absolutely out of place could be even worse. The key here is rather simple: if you get noticed, either you missed the code completely or you nailed it in a memorable way. What’s important to know is that wearing the proper attire will allow you to blend with the other guests easily resulting in a more enjoyable experience. If you need extra help, please make sure to remember these two things: 1. When in doubt, it’s always fine to directly ask your hosts -- they are the most interested in avoiding confusions. 2. If you are still in doubt, it’s always a safer bet to attend over-dressed. But for god’s sake, don’t wear a tux to a birthday party. Cocktail AttireThe most popular of all formal dress-codes. It’s still formal but leaves a little more room to creativity. You can sport a cool pattern in your tie, and in some cases, colored socks. However, suits and ties should always be in dark hues but never black (unless you are a priest). Bold patterns are not easily accepted but a well-fitted windowpane suit can also work really well. Wear them with a pair of well-shined shoes such as brogues, oxfords or monk-straps.
Mannnnnnnn.....it is starting to get cold everywhere in the US. So, with that being said, what adjustments do you make for you to stay trendy, yet be warm? Here is a list of things to do and understand in order to stay warm, yet stylish! Understand LayeringLayering basically means just what it sounds like: wearing multiple layers of garments, one on top of the next. Several lighter layers will keep you warmer than one very thick one–air is trapped between each layer and warmed by your body, surrounding you with a self-generated heat shield that insulates you from the cold. Of course, some types of clothing do a better job than others. Layering regular street clothing until it will keep you warm in sub-zero temperatures will leave you so bulky that you might as well roll to wherever you’re going. That’s not our goal. Instead, seek out the right clothing for each layer and then use it accordingly for optimum cold weather insulation protection. Experts break layering into three sections: 1) the base layer 2) the insulating layer 3) the outer protection layer Let’s cover each layer in detail. BASE LAYER Your cold weather base layer lies against your skin and is primarily meant to provide the first layer of insulation and most importantly deal with moisture removal. Staying warm and active means occasionally sweating, and sweating is bad if your clothing doesn’t allow it to move out and away from your skin. Water on the skin in cold weather can turn deadly as it can lead to rapid heat loss, so ensure you use an inner layer that pulls sweat away from the body. Old fashioned solutions mostly relied on garments made from loose wool strings, which absorbed the moisture and had enough thickness for it to soak toward the outside of the clothing. More modern solutions use synthetic fibers in much the same way. The process of drawing moisture away from the body is often referred to as “wicking.” Athletic and specialty cold weather garments are the best balance between moisture wicking properties and thin, lightweight construction. They add almost no bulk and if properly fitted allow extreme flexibility. Your hands and feet need layers as well, and liner socks are key to any kind of warm weather outfit. Camping stores sell these quite inexpensively so don’t skip on this purchase; wear them under thicker socks to keep your feet dry. Fingerless liner gloves or very thin wool gloves make a useful base layer for the hands, where sweat is less of a concern but an extra layer still adds warmth by trapping air. INSULATING LAYER The job of your main insulating layer is to trap in heat. Natural fibers like goose down and wool have excellent insulating properties. They provide a lot of heat for reasonably light weight, which is a concern for more active cold weather situations like skiing or hiking. Wool can absorb 30% of its weight and not feel wet and even continues to provide some insulation when soaked, while down loses its effectiveness when wet (but is lighter overall and has better insulating properties that wool). Wool (to include cashmere and angora) sweaters are some of the dressiest options available that still provide serious winter warmth. A good wool sweater paired with a regular cotton dress shirt makes for a functional insulating layer for around the town needs on seriously cold days. “Performance fleece”–actually a trademarked term, but widely used these days to describe any artificial fleece garment–is lightweight and a proven insulator. Its best property is that it continues to insulate when wet, but it offers little protection from the wind unless layered with a tightly woven, wind resistant fabric. These are often among the least expensive and most widely available options for insulating layers. Thick wool or fleece trousers make the best insulating layer for your legs. Over a base layer they’re extremely warm. Jeans can serve as light protective wear, but they offer little if any insulating properties. Men that live and work in cold weather areas stay away from jeans unless they’ve been lined with an inner insulating layer. PROTECTIVE LAYER
Your outer layer is the shell that keeps all the inner layers protected from the elements. It’s usually (though not always) a single layer, and doesn’t necessarily have to have any insulation. The most important consideration for your protective layer is that it traps air and stops wind. It should also be breathable enough to allow moisture out–you don’t want your sweat trapped under your shell with you. That means that most outer layers are water-resistant but not fully water-proofed. Most serious cold-weather shells are designed as outdoor gear. They don’t tend to have a lot of fashionable styling. If you’re primarily interested in dress or business clothing that can provide warmth as well, there are treated wool overcoats that have a windproofed layer or treatment with GOR-TEX and similar materials. Alternatively, buy your parka or shell in the plainest, darkest design you can find and don’t worry about it too much–once the temperature drops below zero people start making allowances for more functional-looking styles. The outer layer also includes protection for your extremities. A layer of weather-proofed gloves or mittens and a wool stocking cap are the bare minimum of protection. An insulated headband, a scarf, and good winter boots also help. Waterproof hiking boots work up to a point, but in really cold weather the best winter boots are soft-sided, natural fiber-lined pieces with built-in insulation and thick, flexible soles. I would like to note many cultures still make use of “skins” as natural outer protective layers. Any American visiting Ukraine during the winter will notice 1) that no one de-ices the sidewalks and 2) that everyone seems to own a large fur coat and ushanka Good day fellas......and ladies because I know some of you all read the blog. Today, I am speaking on an experience I had yesterday........Riding my bicycle in the cold (and partially in the rain). I am not sure if you all ever seriously ride bicycles or not, but I do. I usually get at least 12 miles/ ride at around 12mph city, with speeds topping out between 35-50 mph (yes, I mentioned that as a boasting moment). But yesterday, I actually started my bike ride over dressed, with cold gear and a hoodie, luckily I was advised to take the hoodie off because, if not, I definitely would have burned up. It was only around 50 degrees, not toooo cold but cold enough.....so I researched to see what I need to do when it actually gets really cool outside. I used rei.com as a source for information. Winter Cycling clothingThe most important aspect of cold-weather riding is your clothing. It's also the area where most first-timers make mistakes. The key rule is to not overdress. Since it is cold outside and there is no engine block kicking out heat, you tend to assume you need a ton of clothes. Wrong. Your body produces plenty of heat and sweat when riding, so you can actually become too hot and sweaty. This can lead to hypothermia and dehydration. When stopped for things such as traffic lights, all that extra heat gets dissipated by cold breezes and can leave you wet and shivering. Tip: Wear just enough clothes to be slightly cold when you start pedaling. The first few minutes may be chilly, but your body produces a vast amount of heat when riding a bike so you'll warm up quickly. Base LayerThe goal of a base layer is to keep you dry. Merino wool or any synthetic wicking fiber (such as polyester or nylon/spandex) works well. Cotton soaks up sweat and holds it next to your skin, so avoid that. Here in Minnesota, I often wear a medium-weight Capilene polyester bottom (with rain/wind pants over them) and a long-sleeve wool jersey top. In my bag, I always carry a lightweight fleece pullover as a just-in-case layer for those days when the wind blows strong from the north. Anything more than this is overkill. OuterwearCycling outerwear generally features a longer cut in the back and the sleeves as well as enhanced venting ability.
Head and HandsYour head (along with your hands and feet) is prone to getting chilled and losing large amounts of body heat. It is also near impossible to warm up again just with physical activity. A wool stocking cap (or helmet liner) worn under your helmet is sufficient for most days, with a balaclava or a scarf carried just in case. Just make sure the cap you wear is thin enough to fit under your helmet. In rainy conditions, a cap with a visor helps to keep your forehead warm and water off your glasses. For milder areas where rain is a factor, wear waterproof gloves. Best are cycling gloves with grippy palms and fingers, since handlebars can get slippery when wet. Many companies make gloves suitable for cold-weather riding—don't get too hung up on the intended activity of the product. For instance, snowboarding gloves will keep you warm even if you are not snowboarding, but you must make sure you can still safely operate the shift and brake levers. Tip: I've always had success with cross-country ski gloves that have the lobster claw design. Not quite a glove, not quite a mitten, they have 2 fingers and a thumb so that you have 2 fingers inside of each finger of the glove. You gain the warming properties of mittens by having your fingers together but still have some dexterity since they are not true mittens. FootwearThe key to warm feet is to get some extra insulation into your footwear. Clipless bike shoes tend to fit small so all of your power can be transferred to the pedal stroke, but that limits the thickness of socks you can wear. I wear an oversized pair of shoes that I can use with a thick, warm sock. I then slide on a pair of waterproof/windproof booties over those. A good rule of thumb is to go a half size bigger with your shoes.
If you don't use clipless shoes and pedals, you can wear lightweight, waterproof hiking boots that accommodate thick socks. Again, avoid cotton. Cotton socks just can't keep you warm when it gets wet, and you will get wet when riding in cold months (think road slush, rain, freezing rain or just the sweat produced from riding). Most men fail to dress with style because they have the wrong approach.
Unfortunately they don't. And it's a shame. As a man you need to dress well to convey confidence and power. Dressing like a schlub makes you appear weak to both girls, AND other important people in your life (like bosses). So what should you do instead? 3 pillars to successSome men just naturally seem to have style. These men are neither superheroes, nor born with an innate sense of fashion. They were simply lucky enough to have good role models and build their style along the years.
The bad thing is that most of us have to learn it from scratch. And until now, it’s been VERY hard to learn because nobody ever told us how to dress with style. Still, there’s a quick and easy way to reach the same results. The way to make that happen for you is to follow the formula used over and over by men who meet success with style.
It's the formula we use with private clients who are looking to become confident, well-dressed gentlemen who command the respect and attention of every person when they walk into any room. We put all of our trade secrets inside a simple program you can get access to instantly. With the recent cold 40 and 50 degree mornings, I have been very tempted to pull out a coat, but I am still waiting on the sub 40 movement to put a coat over my sweaters, polos and suits. So, what type of coat would you wear? Do you even know the difference between the coat types? You don't? Well do not feel bad because I did not know the specs for what truly differs when it comes to jackets. Check out some of this information I have gathered from websites to get you prepared for this cold weather, as well as a slight history lesson behind initial uses of a couple of coats. Topcoat and overcoat, know the difference? People confuse these two types of coats and often use them interchangeably, but they each have a specific function and purpose. A topcoat is not meant for colder climates. It is to be worn in the spring or fall as it is thinner than the overcoat. An overcoat is meant to be worn over suit and dinner jackets, and are worn outside. When dressing up in cold weather, an overcoat is essential. It should be made of wool because it will be the warmest and most flexible, and it should be worn so the bottom reaches anywhere from 6-8 inches below the knee. This will help in keeping you legs warm . Lastly, if shopping for an overcoat, it should be a size larger than your suit jacket. The top coat is an essential cold weather companion for any perfectly tailored suit. So, you could say it’s the sexier cousin of the longer and heavier overcoat. The top coat is all about that perfect marriage of simplicity and masculinity. With the right fit, it has an uncanny ability of framing a suit and adding even more charm and depth to it and its wearer, much like the way a proper vest might do for a three-piece. While the exact origins of the pea coat are uncertain, the Oxford dictionary has the earliest uses of the term pea coat dating back to the early 18th century, from the term Pijjakker or pilot’s jacket in Dutch. One version of the current pea coat as we know it was adopted from the reefer jackets of the British Royal Navy. In this case, we are using the 2nd and less popular definition of reefer: a midshipmen engaged in sailing. Its coarse wool and shorter length was ideal for sailors looking for wind resistance, durability as well as mobility. And today, its coarse wool and shorter length is ideal for city dwellers looking for wind resistance, durability as well as mobility. The duffle coat (or duffel coat) is a casual classic that’s also rich in naval history. They were first worn by Belgian fishermen, then popularized by the British Royal Navy when they were distributed to the public via surplus sales after WW I and II. Designed for practicality, the original duffle coats were cut larger to fit an additional waterproof jacket underneath and had large hoods to fit naval caps. They were also fastened with large wooden or horn toggles so they could be easily be done or undone with bulky gloves on, an early innovation made obsolete by these genius gloves that even let you text with them on. We still love the look and make this our go-to coat for a brisk weekend outing. ITS FOOTBALL SEASON!!!!!!! As we enter the middle of the season, the weather is changing, its a must to properly prepare! Listening to dappered.com on this topic is actually a good thing. I see a lot of people coming to sporting events in full tailored suits and, in my opinion, it's ridiculous. I wear tailored suits all the time, but I know if I got excited and threw my hands up like a touchdown in my suit, I might pop some threads, lol. So, according to Dapper.com, this is tricky. If you’re under the age of 60 and you show up to a football game in a sportcoat, you’re absolutely going to be “that guy.” Some claim you can never be overdressed. Gotta respectfully disagree. You don’t want to draw unnecessary attention to yourself, so for this scenario it’s all about fit and details without getting too out of hand. With that in mind, here are two options for those hitting a tailgate or two this fall. One of which is a barely noticeable upgrade (the pic on the left), the other setup is a few notches up from that. If you’re going with some officially licensed apparel from the school, look for plain or vintage designs. Skip the bulky hooded sweatshirts and try a size down if all they have is thick sweatshirts. If you’re fine with dressing it up a bit more and don’t need a team logo or graphic across your chest, try a shawl collar pull over . It’ll blend in with the hooded sweatshirts, but it’s a definite upgrade. Now, in my opinion, layering this sweater with a collard shirt would be ridiculous! But to each its own. I just like being as comfortable as possible on game days. With that being said, your pants are what you choose. You could very simply throw on some jeans to keep warm. Shoes are debatable. You could easily wear a fresh pair of sneakers, but do not get mad if they get dirty, you knew the territory you were entering. Also, a pair of boots or chukkas will do the job. Accessory wise, you can freak this however you want. Throw on some chains, watches, earrings, it is what you make it. If you throw on that big watch and all those gold chains from the middle of the mall, when the sun is not on it, everyone will know where it came from lol. jk. But I like to be very conservative at games when it comes to jewelry. I will wear a watch and a few small pieces. Nothing too flashy or anything. All and all, remember, it is a football game. With that being said, you will probably be tailgating, drinking, and participating in all types of foolery. So, do not dress like you are headed out for that huge homecoming party that you know all the girls will be, and wear your most expensive clothes and ish. Take it in strides and wear things where all you have to worry about is having fun and keeping warm.
This past week, the guys were discussing what makes a great suit, so I'm asking you all now, what does make a great suit? A flawless fit that inspires confidence and turns envious heads is generally driven by 3 elements:
We will use www.7regentlane.com as a way to portray what is meant by the above statement. The FabricSuits are commonly made from polyester, cotton, or wool. Other materials used include linen and microfibers. Irrespective of the fabric used, a good suit should be ‘breathable.’’ It should help keep the body at an even temperature and should not trap heat. This means that during hot or cold weather it will keep you at a constant temperature. Polyesters, in general, make for low quality fabrics. They are synthetic, and retain heat, making one very uncomfortable on extended wear. They tend to be heavier than naturally occurring material such as wool and get wrinkled easily. Some polyester fabrics also have a glossy shine, making them stand out in an unnatural way. Cotton is natural fiber and is a better alternative to polyester, and is sometimes preferred over wool in tropical regions. In most situations though, cotton finishes a step behind woolen fabrics when it comes to suits. While cotton is ‘breathable’ and is comfortable to wear, it suffers from its propensity to crease easily. You may have observed this when wearing 100% cotton shirts, even from the best brands. On extended wear, cotton suits often present a rumpled look. Woolen suits are the top of the class and are the fabric of choice for high end, expensive suits. Wool can be processed either as ‘worsted’ or a ‘woolen’ yarn. The difference between the two is in the degree of ‘tightness’ that the wool is spun into. Generally, worsted implies a tightly spun yarn that is a little heavier, while feeling smooth on wear. Woolen yarns on other hand, are spun loose, and while lighter, feels baggier around your body. Other variations in woolen suits, especially in cold weather regions, include flannel and tweed. Tweed, for example, is to this day used in sports jackets. Worsted wool is the most popular fabric for fine suits as it is durable and wrinkle resistant over extended wear. The content of worsted suits are often defined by their Super numbers. A super 100 fabric indicates that the yarn has been twisted more than Super 80 fabric. In general, the higher the Super number, the lighter the weight of the suit. Super 100’s and above make for excellent, high quality suits. In general, the higher the Super numbers the higher the price with all else being the same. Nevertheless, there is a trade off: a higher Super number fabric, while wearing lighter and feeling better, tends to wrinkle quicker and less durable. Hence, suits with Super numbers above 140, may not be ideal for extended, every day, wear and should be reserved for special occasions. FitMost of us who have bought off the rack suits can relate to this issue: You buy this beautiful suit, only to notice that there is a lot of ‘air’ between your torso and the suit. This ‘baggy fit’ may be great for pajamas but is an absolute no-no when it comes to a suit. The principal reason for the baggy fit is that off the rack suits, are designed for generic body types. If you are one of the 5% with a generic body type, great! If you are in the other 95%, the suit will just not fit well. The difference between an ‘off the rack’ suit, and a suit that is custom made for you is significant. Off the rack suits are made using standard measurements that have little in common with your specific body contours. Some off the rack retailers claim that they can provide you with a custom suit after making minor adjustments to the sleeve length and the pant length- this only gets it a little bit closer, but will never fit as well as a suit made specifically for your unique body. A good custom suit begins with creating a template off your measurements. This template is often retained by your tailor for when you require additional suits in the future. Custom suits are then made off the template, catering to the individuality of the order. Lapel sizes, buttons, vents, pleats, pockets, the jacket length, are all adjusted to how you wear the suit. Good tailored suits hug your body contours while allowing you to carry your daily activities comfortably. They wear easily over extended periods of time. While the exterior of the suit is visible to the client, what goes on the inside also plays a vital role in how the suit wears. Between the outer fabric and the inner lining, tailors weave in an interface that keeps the jacket from losing its shape. These fabrics known as a ‘canvas’ can be made out of horsehair, hemp, or in some cases, foam. The high-end suits have a floating canvas that is made out of horsehair, while some other suits have a fused canvas. A fused canvas is less soft and, if poorly done, could damage the durability of the jacket, making it lose its shape over extended wear. Custom fits allow you to personalize the suit to define your taste. The top firms are aware of the latest trends in fashion and provide options that reflect these. Customizable options typically include:
TailoringGood tailoring when combined with the right fabric and fit completes that perfect look. Quality tailors, with their years of experience, are able to take your paper measurements and make the final product come to life. Quality in tailoring is reflected in the comfort of the fit and in the attention to the smallest detail. For example, well-tailored suits allow for free movement as you go about your daily activities, but at the same time, fit snugly with your body contours, giving the sleek look. The best suits also pay attention to smallest details: when ordering a pin stripe suit, examine how the stripes align, especially as you reach the top pockets. Look at the quality of the pick stitching that line up the front of your suit. With proper care, well-tailored suits will last for a long time. It will truly stand the test of time if one chooses classic options. It will certainly remain as one’s favorite suit even with newer additions to your wardrobe. |
AuthorWhat is going on everyone?!? I hope you are as excited about this blog as we are. This is the style section. We will have more than enough to discuss here so prepare yourselves! Please, do not forget to leave your thoughts and opinions, who knows, one of your ideas/comments may end up being the topic of a future conversations. For the record, I am no type of fashion expert or one who goes to fashion week or anything of that nature. Tune in and enjoy yourself, and remember, leave your thoughts and ideas! Archives
February 2016
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