Sunday, June 30, 2013

Men's Custom Made Suits Can Incorporate An Unmatched Vest

Servants working outside added a narrow coat across the front of their torso for extra warmth, and the waistcoat quickly evolved into a staple of every well-dressed man's winter outfits. By the late nineteenth-century waistcoats were a popular accessory both with and without jackets, and they have remained reasonably unchanged in their role ever since.
The term "waistcoat" is generally a more specific one than "vest" -- it refers, literally enough, to a sleeveless garment that covers a man's waist, hiding the top of the trousers and the bottom of the shirt. In a vested or three-piece suit, the waistcoat is made from the same fabric and lining as the rest of the suit, creating a uniform stretch of cloth from the ankles to the chest. Worn separately, waistcoats and vests are flexible pieces of menswear that can fill roles in formal or casual wear alike. 

Like the formal waistcoat, men's custom made suits can incorporate an unmatched (or "odd") vest. The look then becomes more dressed-down, almost playful -- suitable for a relaxed evening on the town rather than a serious business event. Patterns are also popular in odd waistcoats, providing a cheerful contrast to the jacket above them. 

Explore The Online Custom Clothing Option

Monday, June 24, 2013

Explore The Online Custom Clothing Option



This goes hand in hand with selection; with a custom bespoke suit you are free to adjust as many aspects of your cheap custom made suit style as you wish. There are no such things as strange requests; need one sleeve longer than the other (most men’s arm are not the same length!) - done. Are you a detective and need a suit that hides the bulge of your weapon - easy. Do you want to make a statement with a flashy lining - what color? Custom clothing is just that; Custom. Try asking for this at Brooks Brothers, the Men's Wearhouse or at Jos. A Bank!

 Better Clothing Quality and Build
When you have a custom garment created, you are giving a very specific set of instructions to an artist who wants to realize your vision. They work their magic with your chosen fabrics, and the final product is their handmade creation, not a stale cutout from a factory. Quality is higher because each garment is individually created, inspected, and tested. You won't find that even at Brooks Brothers.

Transparency on Price and Build Quality
One of the most powerful aspects of the web is how it forces a seller to lay his wares for all to inspect and see – as a buyer you have the power to walk away with the click of a mouse. You can shop for as long as you wish, look wherever you may choose, and at the end of the day the vendor must convince you his product has more value than the hard earned dollars you are parting with. It is this transparency that makes buying a custom men's suit or dress shirt online great. You design exactly what you want, and can on your schedule ask for clarification on anything that concerns you in regards to the purchase. You control the tempo and speed. No getting caught in a sales speech and the emotion it is meant to arouse. You should ask and expect a response for the privilege of your business. Here at A Tailored Suit, we literally show you everything (including the inside of our pants!)

Time is Money
I mentioned this earlier, but it deserves reiteration. Your time has value. If you earn $100+ a day, then a day spent shopping costs you at least this amount. So what did you gain by shopping for 10 hours only to buy a suit that neither fits nor is the color or style you actually desire. It is always worth paying more for quality and getting what you want versus buying cheap and settling for something inferior that you will never like. A suit's whole purpose is to present a man to his viewers in the best possible light. Do your suits and shirts help you feel confident?
Custom clothing is not for everyone. There are those out there who fit perfectly into off the rack suits, are not interested in customization, are not concerned with quality, like to be pressured into a sale they don’t know everything about, and have plenty of time to waste. If you don’t fit this description, you may want to explore the online custom clothing option.


Sunday, June 23, 2013

Dress Shirts info

The dress shirt is a shirt with button-down collar and long sleeves. Cut different sport shirt, which is made to be used with an open collar and looks awkward with a bow. The shirt is designed to wear a jacket and tie, but can be used without one or the other, or neither. Several different types of shirts with collar and cuffs are appropriate for different ranges of clothes, and many can run the gamut of formality.We not discuss short sleeved shirts, for lack of sleeves prevents them from being used with a jacket, prerequisite for a shirt.
During the last half century, the shirt has gone from being an undergarment to holding a prominent place in many outfits. This is one reason that is now available in many colors and designs more than the ubiquitous white plain in recent days. Furthermore, when the jobs of most working men involved get their hands dirty, clean white wrists were a status symbol, a symbol that the man who was at the door above the dirty work. Today, if your style is Chinese or suit and tie, shirts are an essential means for the development of your wardrobe, and they both offer more variety and cheaper than the costumes, shoes and most other parts of the shirt dress.
Dress Shirt for Men with Blue Gold StripeWhatever Worn with a shirt should fit snugly without restricting movement. Like the shirt protects the lining of the jacket from absorbing too much grease and sweat from the skin under a vest can carry the weight of the sweat shirt to keep looking fresh throughout the day and extend its life. If the shirt is worn open collar, a t-shirt will be below the throat, teenagers are most men do well to avoid. V-neck T-shirt are much safer. Some men prefer to feel the end of the dress shirt fabric against your skin and give a shirt altogether.
The first thing that jumps into a shirt is the color and pattern, closely followed by the type of tissue. Although the vast majority of men's shirts are solid white or blue, a man with an understanding of your complexion and the supplement itself opens with a range of colors and larger drawings. Golds, lavender, roses, and an endless variety of striped and checked patterns are available for adoption, matching intelligent conservative t-shirt with a suit can be an ordinary outfit extraordinary. As for the type of fabric, it really depends on your preferences and needs. Pure Sea Island cotton fiber is the most expensive and luxury while pima cotton and artificial fiber blend will appeal to those with a more modest budget. Fabrics can be integrated into clothing excellent, the choice is more of what you like, and the properties of the fabric you want. For more information about shirt fabrics click here.
Men dress shirt with white rose Pin StripesNext begin our discussion on the style of shirt. There are several key elements in the style of a dress shirt, the collar, cuffs, yoke, the back of the shirt, the style of the buttons on the front, the choice of buttons, pockets, and the choice of a monogram all have a say in the attitude of the shirt will be screened. A button-down collar, left chest pocket, single button cuffs and the signal for a casual shirt with the collar folded stage, without his shirt pocket and French cuffs signals formality. The beauty of a bespoke shirt is that you can design the shirt style, not just for the occasion, but also to complement their physical characteristics. More information on the styles of the shirt is covered with a better understanding of the shirt.
A tip for beginners - If building your collection of shirts seeking versatility in their clothing. To maximize value and eliminate any confusion, you want to be able to wear a dress shirt with any outfit you own. Avoid extremes and gradually build your range experimenting with designs, colors and styles that complement your features. Once you have this application, you can move confidently into the complex world of style models of various colors and eccentric.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Classic Menswear and Fashion in the Hit TV Show “Mad Men”



As it enters its fourth season, AMC’s “Mad Men” remains one of the best-looking TV shows out there. Vintage interiors and clothing give the series a classy look that people are starting to turn to in modern fashion — and not just the women’s wear. Enjoy our overview of the men’s fashion in “Mad Men,” brought to you by the creative team at  http://www.matthewaperry.com/ , and be sure to look for the individual articles about each of your favorite Mad Men as well!
Classic Menswear: The Well-Dressed Man
Part of what makes the gentlemen of Mad Men so good-looking is that they’re not just period pieces. Their style isn’t immediately and exclusively recognizable as “early 1960s menswear” — there’s a timelessness about their habits of dress that would make them sharp-looking in any era. Men looking to emulate the Mad Men style will want to remember the basics that Don Draper and company are paying close attention to.
Fitted Suits and Jackets
The boys at Sterling Cooper have more important things to talk about than their clothes, so we don’t always get a lot of detail on whether a character’s suit was custom-made or just fitted by a tailor — but there’s no question that everyone’s suits are personally fitted. Off-the-rack suits were taking off in the 1960s, with Brooks Brother’s American sack suit leading the way, but a close look at any of the Mad Men shows that they’ve had their jackets and trousers carefully cut to suit their bodies and styles.

A look at Don Draper’s bespoke suit gives us a good idea of the well-fitted style: the soft shoulders drape neatly over his shoulder-blades without going past the end of them, and the fabric where the sleeve meets the jacket is free of any bunching or sagging. The jacket sleeve ends just below the large bone in his wrist, allowing a half-inch of shirt cuff to show past it. His trousers sit high on his natural waist and are cut loose enough to present a smooth, unbroken front, presumably with his keys and other small items in them. While the suit jacket tapers at the waist, it isn’t tight, and at no point does it come to a sharp point or crease.

While most men today see it as a luxury, this kind of carefully-tailored fit was a standard of dressing for men like Don Draper. Without the exacting fit, their style would be nowhere near as striking, no matter what other choices they made in their clothing.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Choose The Ones That Fit Your Role In Life

Universal rules of fashion aren’t — choose the ones that fit your role in life. This series of articles looks at clothing choices for men in specific, individual careers, from undergraduate college student to high-powered financier and everything in between. Find the style and the menswear that bespoke suit you and your path in life!
At the undergraduate level, “student” isn’t generally a paid occupation — but it is often the primary investment of a young man’s time for several key years. Depending on the educational institution, his general appearance during those years could be anywhere from a uniform blazer to wrap pants and a tie-dye T-shirt, with most people’s experience falling somewhere in between those two extremes. Can classic menswear be a part of the student wardrobe? Absolutely — within the limits of the average undergrad’s budget, and the social conventions of modern academia.

The Undergraduate Wardrobe: Casual Comfort
Realistically speaking, most male undergraduate students are primarily concerned with convenience and comfort in their clothing. Anything you have to button is iffy; ties are right out. In and of itself, there’s nothing wrong with that, but there’s still room for looking good in the world of the casually-dressed — and looking good matters to professors and potential dates a lot more than it matters to most guys. Happily, this is the classic “in the world of the blind, the one-eyed man is king” scenario, and a very little bit of effort can set a college student apart from his fellows in the eyes of professors and peers alike.
Stylish Clothing: Shirts with Buttons
It’s really as simple as this: on a campus filled with guys in T-shirts, someone with buttons on his shirt stands out. They don’t even have to be done; just having them there sets you a notch above most guys. And except for the hottest days, an unbuttoned dress shirt thrown on over a T-shirt and rolled up at the sleeves won’t add anything that inconveniences you, or that draws comment as being unnecessarily dressy. A plain white or lightly-colored dress shirt is great day-to-day wear, or you can throw on a bolder pattern (even a plaid) and stand out a bit more. Untucked, unbuttoned, and rolled, it’s classic campus chic, and much more noteworthy than yet another T-shirt or hoodie.
The breast pocket is also a handy place to stick scraps of paper like, say, a scribbled-down phone number, and you can always button the shirt up hastily if you need to ask a professor for a favor or your parents drop by unexpectedly. In the winter, go ahead and button the shirt up and add a sweater — you can leave it untucked with the tails showing for a deliberately messy look, or tuck the shirt away for the classic prep-schooler chic.
Pants for the Undergrad
If you’re playing a sport or otherwise exerting yourself outside, go ahead and wear shorts, preferably mesh athletic shorts of a comfortable cut. Otherwise, wear pants. Lightweight khakis or generously-ripped blue jeans will be fine even on the hottest summer days, and either one is preferable to hanging out with your knees on display (shorts that fall past the knees are not even worth considering — all these do is make people think you’re hiding flabby thighs under extra cloth). If they flatter your figure, undergrad is the time to wear tight jeans — you don’t have a lot to carry in your pockets, you’re unlikely to have to exert yourself beyond walking a few blocks, and it’s a reasonably safe bet that there are actually people around you who might be interested in checking out what you’ve got.
Otherwise, opt for comfortably loose, straight-leg jeans or slacks, but avoid pleats at all cost. Even if they’re more comfortable, they make you look like your father, which is death at your age. Sweatpants are strictly for girls, even ones that don’t have writing on the butt.
Details of College Style
Assuming you’ve perfected the basic snappier-than-thou ensemble of jeans and a casually tossed-on dress shirt, start playing with little personal touches. A pair of casual brown leather shoes makes a nice alternative to Nikes, and girls will ask you where you get your shoes (if you can notice theirs and ask them first, this is obviously even better).
Hats are always a unique touch, as long as it isn’t the exact same hat du jour that everyone else on campus is wearing. A decorative belt buckle or a bolo tie makes a casual Western touch, but don’t take it any further unless you go to school in Texas…in general, just find a few “extras” to mix in with your daily no-thought-required outfits. Your friends probably won’t even notice, but the people you need to impress (professors, girlfriends, visiting relatives, etc.) will.
Sample Wardrobe: The Undergraduate Student’s Closet
“The Undergraduate Student’s Floor” might be more accurate, but the point is — there are fundamental basics that any well-dressed collegiate should have kicking around the dorm room somewhere. Mix, match, and add as personal taste and budget dictate, but try to at least keep the bare necessities on hand:
Wardrobe Essentials – Clothes Every Student Needs
10+ T-shirts (simple designs are best, ideally nothing with extremely bold graphics or logos)
5+ dress shirts (missing buttons or rips don’t matter much, so most can come from thrift stores)
3+ pairs mostly-intact jeans or slacks
1+ pair neutral-colored shoes
1 belt (brown and black are the most versatile, or better still, get a reversible brown/black)
10+ pairs underwear (the more you have, the longer you can go between laundries)
10+ pairs athletic socks (ditto)
2+ sweaters
Wardrobe Options – Additional Styles for the Undergrad
1+ sport coat (for church, dates, presentations, etc.)
1+ hat
1+ letter jacket (if you lettered in a sport – wearing someone else’s letter jacket is strictly for girlfriends)
brown dress shoes
leather sandals or moccasins
decorative belt buckles

Thursday, June 13, 2013

A Man’s Guide to Wearing Eyeglasses

The Vision Council of America estimates that about 75% of the country uses some form of vision correction.
That means more men than not have at least faced the possibility of wearing glasses — and that’s not counting people who’ve considered “vanity” frames with non-corrective lenses.
This infrequently-discussed topic is relevant to most of us.  Even if your goal is to minimize the effect of your glasses entirely and select the most unobtrusive frames possible, you’re going to need to think about what kinds of shapes blend in with your face and features and what kinds stand out.  And for the man who uses his glasses as an active piece of the fashion ensemble — which we recommend — there’s even more to think about.
Armani-glasses
Should a Man’s Glasses Be Noticeable?
There’s a traditional school of thought that says glasses should be unobtrusive.  The thinnest wire frames possible try to make the glasses vanish into your face and remove them from the visual impression altogether.
The problem is that that’s not really possible — you just become a man in thin glasses.  That may not be the best look for every man’s face.  On some, it may even take a strong profile and make it look less striking.  More modern fashions have embraced the idea of glasses as an expression of style the same as a necktie or a pocket square.  Shape and even color of frames can become a part of your visual identity.  And for most men that’s going to be the right choice — though like any accessory, it’s important to keep the glasses in their place.  They should complement your style, not define it.  A pair of glasses that’s the most memorable thing about it risks becoming a novelty rather than a stylish accent.  So exercise some restraint…
Glasses and Face Shape
Here’s the basic rule for the shape of your glasses:  figure out what your face is lacking, and get frames that provide it.  If you have a very angular face with lots of lines and planes you want rounded glasses to add some curves in there.  If you have a soft face with curving features you’ll do better in straight or angled glasses.  That’s the basic paradigm.  Within it, there are some basic dos and don’ts for the various shapes we see faces in:
Glasses for Round Faces
To really be considered “round” a face needs to be about the same width and height, with a curving chin and cheeks.  Something angular and slimming is your best look for a round face.  Flat, rectangular lenses will make your face appear longer and thinner, particularly if they sit high on your face.  A little bit of a “butterfly” taper — where the edges of the lenses closest to your nose are shorter than the outer edges — can work, but the corners should be squared off rather than rounded.  Thick frames look a little clunky on a round face, so keep the actual material thin.
mens-glasses
Elijah Wood: round face, round glasses, just a little bit goofy-looking. It's his thing.
Glasses for Square Faces
A square face is similar to a round face in that it’s about equal in width and height.  The features are more angled, with a broad chin and strong jaw squaring the shape off.  Men who want to soften their impression up a little can wear rounded lenses.  If you like the strong profile and don’t want glasses to make you look imposing, squared-off shapes can still work, but be sure the lenses are large and about even in height and width.  Narrow, rectangular lenses on a broad, square face will make you look like you have a permanent squint rather than a steely-eyed determination.  The frames should stay slim — thick, dark frames give a square face an overpowering impression that will draw away from the rest of your appearance.
mens-glasses
Malcolm X set a style for generations with rounded-square lenses on a square face. Note the thin wire around three sides.
Glasses for an Oval Face
Oval faces are the universal blood type of eyewear.  They work well with most styles as long as you avoid the extremes.  An oval face is taller than it is wide, with a rounded chin and high cheekbones, and it can wear either squared-off frames or curving ones.  The lenses can be narrow or wide, though too square or circular a lens (where the height and width are close to the same) may look a little clunky for your narrow face.  A thicker frame can add definition to your face — just be careful not to get anything so heavy that it overpowers your actual features.
men's-glasses
Matt Damon, like many oval-faced men, can look good in just about anything.
Glasses for Heart-Shaped Faces
Narrow cheekbones and a small chin look very pretty in photos, but they’re sort of a pain to fit glasses for.  You can take a lot of the emphasis off a pointed chin by wearing lenses that are wider at the top than the bottom.  A butterfly taper to the sides can help as well by bringing the attention in toward the center of your face.  Stay away from anything too blocky or squared-off — it won’t work with the curves in your face’s shape.  Ultra-narrow frames may look a little wimpy on a heart-shaped face, so don’t be shy about a thicker wire or plastic.
men's-glasses
Heroes' Masi Oka in a set of thicker (but lightly-colored) frames.
Choosing the Color of Your Glasses
Unless you have the money for multiple frames, you’re going to be stuck with the color of your glasses for a long time.  Choose it carefully!  Suit-and-tie men are limited by their formal dress code to the most traditional and neutral options:  base metallic colors (gold and silver tones) or fine black are acceptable, but anything thick, plastic-looking, or brightly-colored is going to clash with business dress.  More casually-dressed men have the option of adding colors, either as the solid base of the frames or as detailing.  Thinner frames may be best for men looking to add color — a thick, brightly-colored frame is moving into the realm of novelty or costume gear.
Frame Sizing
If you’ve looked closely at the packaging (or sometimes the frame itself), eyeglass frames are sized with three numbers.  In order, they represent the size of the lens, the size of the bridge across the nose, and finally the length of the temples (the hooks that go over your ears).  Unfortunately, these measurements can’t take the thickness or shape of the wires into account, so one set of frames may feel much more comfortable than another with identical measurements.  Lighter, thinner frames will generally sit more comfortably and allow a closer fit.  Large, heavy frames may need to be sized looser than you are accustomed to.
Frame Materials
There are dozens of different chemicals and alloys used to make eyeglass frames.  Plastics and nylon-based composites are usually used for brightly-colored glasses, though painted metals are also available.  Zylonite (sometimes called “zyl”) is lightweight, affordable, and available in just about any color you can think of.  Higher-end sports glasses can be equally colorful, but are made from more flexible nylon materials.  Titanium and titanium alloys are popular metals for their light weight and flexibility.  Be cautious of cheaper blended metals if you have sensitive skin — most alloys used for eyeglass frames include nickel, which some people have a contact allergy.  Aluminum frames are cheap, but not very durable.
Vanity Glasses
Some men just look better in glasses.  If you think you’re one of them but you don’t happen to need eyeglasses, there are “vanity frames” or “costume glasses” available that have plain window glass inside the frames.  They have no effect on your vision, other than the occasional reflective flare or fogging issues.
If glasses really seem to make a noticeable difference for the better, you should certainly be open to the idea of non-prescription glasses — it’s no different from any other bit of jewelry or accenting that you might add to suit your personal taste — but be prepared to pay a reasonably steep price.  Frames are usually priced with the expectation that most customers have insurance covering part of their costs.  As a man with healthy vision, you’ll be footing the whole bill.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Vintage Fits

Dressing Optimistically for Hard Times: 1929-1939
How Then Is Right For Now
Wearing a bold suit gives the wearer added confidence in uncertain times. This era gave a lot of credence to the phrase “the clothes make the man”. Today, many men are seeking to improve their profile in the limited job market with less income. Menswear of the 1930s adapted to this similar situation with adaptations that stood the test of bad times as well as the good.
Because these clothes are over 70 years old and made of almost exclusively natural fibers and blends, they have been damaged, colorfasted or worn out. My advice for those inspired by the Dirty Thirties is to spare finding actual pieces. If the drape style of the 1930s works well with your body type, look to that fit as an inspiration in a modern suit. If your frame does not correspond to bulkier fittings, stick to accessories like pocket squares, cuff-links and suspenders to give your new suit a vintage touch.
Fits
If you have a tall slender frame, fits from this era should add some needed bulk. At this time, suits were modified to create the image of a large torso. Shoulders were squared using wadding or shoulder pads and sleeves were tapered to the wrist. Peaked lapels framed the v-shaped chest and added additional breadth to the wide shoulders.
Timeless patterns in menswear came from this period. Dark fabrics were enhanced by herringbone and vertical and diagonal stripes. In winter, brown cheviot was popular. In spring, accents of white, red or blue silk fibers were woven into soft wool. The striped suit became a standard element in a man’s wardrobe at this time. Single, double, chalk, wide and narrow stripes were all in demand. Today, these elongating patterns work best with the shorter or larger man.
Accessories
  • Pocket Squares- This period made the mandatory finishing touch on any suit. Like a good hair-cut, the pocket square does not draw attention to itself. You will be able to find the standard 16 inch pocket square in a variety of patterns from this era fairly easily at good vintage stores. Icons like Fred Astaire would puff-fold his where the Duke of Windsor “staged” or folded it at an angle.
  • Suspenders- The most recognizable accessory of the 1930s are suspenders. The genuine article may be hard to find and the banded elastic may be worse for wear. Suspenders are only an option for pants without belt loops and suspender buttons. Clasped suspenders came later in the 20th Century.
  • Formal Hats- The Jazz Age offered several hats. If you are adventurous or an experienced hat wearer, you have your pick on the fedora, derby, or homburg hat. The homburg, with its well-defined rolled brim, is the more popular and versatile of the three. If you stay away from the kitsch hats with feathers and buckles, this accessory will be tasteful with a well fitting suit.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Vintage Fits for Modern Suits

Vintage clothing is not for everyone. This statement is not divisive; it is the first constant in wearing the fashions of old. Clothing made today is much more inclusive to all shapes and proportions of people, its materials are much more durable, and there is a much wider selection of styles because people have more clothes today than ever before. The wise man who favors vintage clothing does not necessarily follow yesterday’s fashions. He follows classic fit and past styles of clothing utility.
At best, fashion follows cycles; at worst, fashion lends itself to faddishness. The leisure suit will always recall the 1970s no matter who dons the polyester costume. Its trendiness made it identifiable to a particular era. Suits should always be timeless, but there are many styles from yesterday that fit and compliment the modern man quite well.
It is key to view vintage clothing as a garnish on top of your specifically suited style. A lot of these old clothes were bought off the rack then and will not translate to style today simply by being old-fashioned. Like anything bought new today, articles made decades ago should measure up to the permanent standards of good style.
Informed Decisions
Before you raid your grandfather’s closet or make the trip to your local vintage store, look over and read up on the style icons of the past. Identify those who resemble your body type and match your personal style. Remember, these men became idols and style icons because they knew the basic rules of dress of the time and pushed forward with their own ideas. This makes wearing vintage clothes not about mimicking the past, but co-opting the past into the current moment.
To wear vintage-inspired suits or vintage accessories assumes the wearer knows his history. If you take history into account when looking at the wide landscape of old-fashioned menswear, the limitations of the articles themselves become obvious. For instance, there are few waistcoats in semi-formal dress today because of the advent of air-conditioning. If you want to step out in a vintage waistcoat, prepare to do some scraping around or find a special (most likely online) retail shop. Let’s take a look at the eras in design and how they correspond to each character and body type of today’s man.
Dressing Optimistically for Hard Times: 1929-1939
How Then Is Right For Now
Wearing a bold suit gives the wearer added confidence in uncertain times. This era gave a lot of credence to the phrase “the clothes make the man”. Today, many men are seeking to improve their profile in the limited job market with less income. Menswear of the 1930s adapted to this similar situation with adaptations that stood the test of bad times as well as the good.
Because these clothes are over 70 years old and made of almost exclusively natural fibers and blends, they have been damaged, colorfasted or worn out. My advice for those inspired by the Dirty Thirties is to spare finding actual pieces. If the drape style of the 1930s works well with your body type, look to that fit as an inspiration in a modern suit. If your frame does not correspond to bulkier fittings, stick to accessories like pocket squares, cuff-links and suspenders to give your new suit a vintage touch.
Fits
If you have a tall slender frame, fits from this era should add some needed bulk. At this time, suits were modified to create the image of a large torso. Shoulders were squared using wadding or shoulder pads and sleeves were tapered to the wrist. Peaked lapels framed the v-shaped chest and added additional breadth to the wide shoulders.
Timeless patterns in menswear came from this period. Dark fabrics were enhanced by herringbone and vertical and diagonal stripes. In winter, brown cheviot was popular. In spring, accents of white, red or blue silk fibers were woven into soft wool. The striped suit became a standard element in a man’s wardrobe at this time. Single, double, chalk, wide and narrow stripes were all in demand. Today, these elongating patterns work best with the shorter or larger man.
Accessories
  • Pocket Squares- This period made the mandatory finishing touch on any suit. Like a good hair-cut, the pocket square does not draw attention to itself. You will be able to find the standard 16 inch pocket square in a variety of patterns from this era fairly easily at good vintage stores. Icons like Fred Astaire would puff-fold his where the Duke of Windsor “staged” or folded it at an angle.
  • Suspenders- The most recognizable accessory of the 1930s are suspenders. The genuine article may be hard to find and the banded elastic may be worse for wear. Suspenders are only an option for pants without belt loops and suspender buttons. Clasped suspenders came later in the 20th Century.
  • Formal Hats- The Jazz Age offered several hats. If you are adventurous or an experienced hat wearer, you have your pick on the fedora, derby, or homburg hat. The homburg, with its well-defined rolled brim, is the more popular and versatile of the three. If you stay away from the kitsch hats with feathers and buckles, this accessory will be tasteful with a well fitting suit
http://www.matthewaperry.com/Product/SUITS.html

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

An introduction to the language of clothing for men

bespoke suit

Too many men are bewildered by the unspoken language of clothing and fashion. Rather than attempting to piece together the latest rules of fashion, rely on three fundamentals to shape your wardrobe as a man: the basics of fit, style, and accenting.
Anyone who’s had to spend a long day at the mall with a serious shopping enthusiast already knows that fashion is a language — and probably thinks of it as a staggeringly incomprehensible one as well. Everyone likes to think of himself as a well-spoken, articulate individual, and the idea that our clothing is speaking for us before we get a chance to open our mouths can be an uncomfortable one.
Unfortunately — or fortunately, for the sharp dressers among us — the human brain loves assumptions, particularly assumptions drawn from brief visual impulses. We save computing power in our brain by relying on past experience to teach us what a particular appearance means. In our caveman days this meant reacting reflexively to visual cues like “bright colors are poisonous,” and now it means that we form our impressions of people based on their appearance.
However beautiful your face may be, the reality of most social situations is that your clothes are going to do most of the talking in those first few seconds of visual processing. With the exception of the occasional beach party, we spend most of our public lives with about 90% of our bodies covered. The covering is going to make the impression. Understanding and controlling what your clothing is saying about you may be the most important conversational skill you ever master.