Don’t leave your suit naked. The addition of a pocket square adds some finishing panache to a good suit. So, the first guideline of pocket square usage is to always wear one when you wear a suit or sport coat. It just looks better. A pocket square can be patterned or solid. The general guideline is that your pocket square color should compliment some color on your tie. So, if your tie has a bit of red, rock a solid red pocket square or a patterned pocket square with some red in it. A white pocket square can be worn with any color tie, making this color handkerchief an essential part of every man’s collection.
Wearing a Pocket Square
September 4th, 2010What fabric is a Wrinkle Free suit made out of?
September 2nd, 2010The fabric of the Wrinkle-Free and Stain-Resistant suit is usually made of 65% Tetron and 35% Rayon. Tetron is a cellulosic fiber and has a high elongation quality, which allows it to stretch by about 20% before breaking. Rayon is a natural cellulosefilament fiber. It is more elastic and affordable than silk. Rayon is known for its sheen, its soft hand, and its high moisture absorption properties. Together, these two materials create a fabric that has high elasticity and resiliency properties. This allows the fabric to resist wrinkles, stretching, shrinkage, and abrasions.
Why Clothes are Important
August 31st, 2010There is scientific evidence to support what you wear actually does make a difference in how people perceive you. When your credibility is crucial, such as during job interviews, court testimony, sales presentations and first dates, it is important to make a good first impression. Science has shown us that the \”first impression\” is a strong one. In fact, the process is on a subconscious/emotional level of the brain and evaluation of a stranger takes less than 30 seconds. This first impression can be so strong, research has shown it can last as much as five years!
Scientific research has shown that a person notices another person in the following order:
Skin color, sex, then age. These 3 can not be controlled by us, however the following 4 factors can be controlled by us:
4. Bearing – includes height, head movement, and body language.
5. Apparel – About 90% of you is covered by apparel and the clothing you choose makes a significant impact.
6. Direct Eye Contact – Obviously, staring is not right. However you should look others in the eye 40 – 60% of the time, otherwise you’ll be perceived as having something to hide or that you don’t know what you are talking about.
7. Speech – 55% of communication is non-verbal. It’s not what you say, but how you say it with your body language and facial reactions.
Wedding Etiquette
August 30th, 2010Below you can find some great tips on what to wear to a wedding:
+ Informal Daytime: For this type of wedding, it is acceptable to be a little more casual than usual. An appropriate attire would be a dress shirt and slacks with a sports jacket.
+ Informal Evening: A suit is appropriate in this scenario ofcourse but you will have a little bit more leeway when it comes to fabrics. If you are planning on dancing a lot, or if it is a hot evening, you can wear a linen suit.
+ Semi-Formal Daytime: Linen Suit acceptable. Don\’t wear a tuxedo during the day time, regardless of the formality of the event.
+ Semi-Formal Evening: Stay away from linen suits. Do wear a dark suit, with a tie if the wedding is after 6 PM, and doesn\’t say \”Black Tie.\”
+ Formal Daytime: Dark suit and tie, no linen suits.
+ Formal Evening: Tuxedo (if invitation states \”black tie\”) or dark non-linen suits. Do not wear a tux with no tie. A dark suit and conservative tie will work in a worst-case scenario but try your best to wear a tuxedo.
+ Ultra-formal Evening or White Tie: White tie, vest and shirt.
http://www.threadedapparel.com/dress-etiquette.html#c
What is Merino Wool?
August 27th, 2010What is Merino Wool?
Merino Wool comes from the Merino, a breed of sheep known for its wool. Merinos are regarded as having the finest and softest wool of any sheep. It is is gleaned during the sheep\’s second or third shearing. This is because after the third shearing, wool grows back coarser and thicker. What makes Merino wool different is the luxurious softness and comfort provided by its finer diameter as contrasted to larger diameter fibers. Unlike coarser grades of woorino wool is much less prone to itching.
Suit Pattern Definitions
August 26th, 2010You can determine a suit\’s quality by the way the pattern in the fabric matches up at the shoulder seams, back seam, around the pockets, and seat of the pants. Here are the definitions of common suit patterns:
Barleycorn – blurry little corn triangles are achieved by contrasting the warp and weft threads for a twill weave cloth.
birdseyeBird\’s Eye / Nail Head / Pin Check / Pinhead / Pick and Pick – A minute check effect caused by a combination of weave and color. These patterns have the appearance of tiny white dots repeating in rows, vertically, and horizontally. They hold a sharp crease, tailor, and wear well. In time, they are inclined to shine with wear. Bird\’s Eye is a worsted yarn woven with two light and two dark threads resulting in a small dot (like the eye of a bird) and is slightly less formal when compared to the other worsted wool fabrics.
Please click here or on the picture to the left to see our Firado Brown Birdseye Suit
herringboneHerringbone – Chevron pattern resembling the skeleton of a herring fish. A broken twill weave composed of vertical sections, which are alternatively right hand and left hand in direction.
Please click here or on the picture to the left to see our Rizzoli Gray Herringbone Suit
houndstoothHoundstooth – A duo-tone textile pattern, characterized by broken checks or abstract four-pointed shapes. The traditional colors are black and white, although now other colors are occasionally substituted for the black or the white. Houndstooth checks originated in woven wool cloth of the Scottish Lowlands, but are now used in many other materials. The traditional houndstooth check is made with alternating bands of four dark and four light threads in both warp and filling or weft woven in a simple 2:2 twill, two over – two under the warp, advancing one thread each pass.
Please click here or on the picture to the right to see our Firado Charcoal Houndstooth (Glen Plaid) Suit
pinstripe
Pinstripe – Fine thin stripes in a solid line or broken (called a beaded pin stripe) usually in white or gray, but other colors are seen. The spacing between the stripes can be narrow or wider with wider being more dressy.
Please click here or on the picture to the right to see our Rizzoli White Pinstripe Suit
chalkstripeChalk Stripe – Very wide spacing between the stripes.
Please click here or on the picture to the left to see our Rizzoli Blue Chalkstripe Suit
plaidPlaid – Any numerous textile patterns consisting of stripes of varying widths and colors crossed at right angles against a solid background to form squares or rectangles.
Please click here or on the picture to the right to see our Firado Navy Plaid Coat
houndstooth
Glen Plaid – A type of Plaid, named after Glen Urquhard, a valley in Inverness Shire, Scotland. Glen Plaid is aboxlike design from horizontal and vertical stripes intersecting to form houndstooth sections crossing at right angles. The Glen plaid was first used in the 1800s by the Countess of Seafield to outfit her gamekeepers. It later gained popularity for use in traditional men\’s jackets and suits for the adventure-seeking set.
Please click here or on the picture to the right to see our Firado Charcoal Houndstooth (Glen Plaid) Suit
Windowpane – A type of Check pattern, it consists of dark horizontal and vertical bars crossing over background giving the effect of a window windowpanedivided into small panes.
Please click here or on the picture to the right to see our Firado Charcoal Windowpane Suit
How to care for your suit
August 9th, 2010How to care for your suit
The less you dry clean a suit, the better. Once a season is plenty. If you do get a spot on your suit, take it to the dry cleaner immediately. Always have both the jacket and trousers cleaned at the same time to avoice changes in color dry cleaning can sometimes cause. In 1855, on a chilly night in Paris, Jean Baptist Jolly accidentally upset an unlit oil lamp. He removed thes oiled tablecloth and left it for several hours. When he got around to cleaning up the mess, he was amazed that not only was the spill gone, but also the tablecloth was actually cleaner where the oil had spilled! The first commercial dry cleaner is born! Dry means without water but the process does still use liquid. Just sitting on a garment or resting your jacket\’s arms on a chair or desk can compress the fibers and cause a shine. Also, too much dry cleaning can damage a garment by drying out the natural oils in the fabric, thus shortening the life and sometimes giving a shine to the fabric. If you already ahve some shine on your garment, you may want to experiment with an ironing cloth. This is a damp cloth (like a linen or cotton kitchen towel) that is placed on top of the garment so that the iron doesn\’t touch it directly. Or place the dampe towel over the shine and use a steamer to remove the shine. The damp cloth adds extra stream and protects the fabric from shine. If it is a stubborn shine, a little white vinegar may be used on the shine before the steam. Brushing is also importrant. Brush your suit with a clothing brush after EACH wearing. Dust can prematurelty deteriorate your garments. Brush with short quick strokes, first up against the nap then down with the grain of the fabric.
Hanging suit pants – First empty your pockets and take off the belt. Brush out the cuffs, and always re-crease your pants before hanging. Find the center front and back by aligning the out seam and the inseam, one on top of the other. The creases that form will be the center front and center back. The best method is to hang your pants full length. Hanging by the cuff gets the wrinkles out most efficiently since the full weight of the pants helps pull the pants smooth by gravity. If you\’re hanging at the middle of the leg, center the pants over the bar and make sure both legs are laying smoothly, one leg directly above the other to avoid creases. The ankles and waist should be evenly balanced so the portion about six inches above the knees is draped over the bar. Since the knees get the most wear, you don\’t want to add to it by hanging the knee portion over the bar.
Be prudent – Every so often, give your clothes a breather. It will prevent odors from becoming absorbed and creases from taking shape. Generally, make an extra effort to be careful with your clothing. Avoid pinning anything to your favorite tops because the pin\’s thickness can also break the fabric\’s threads, and make a hole in more delicate fabrics.
Storing – The first step is dry cleaning. Cloth-eating moths are attracted to soil, fresh food stains, and sweat residue. Mothballs and cedar closets will deter the hungry insects, but because their protective elements evaporate over time, they do not guarantee a mothproof hibernation. If your clothes have been dry-cleaned before they are stored, they will at least have a fighting chance. The second step is to remove the dry cleaner\’s plastic sot hat moisture will not accumulate on the clothes. The tissue paper should probably be removed as well. Colored tissue especially can be damaging if the item somehow gets wet. Only acid-free tissue, which professional cleaners use for an item facing lifetime storage, such as a wedding dress, should remain in and around clothes for any length of time. A breathable fabric or paper bag is best for long-term storage. The last step is to make sure your storage space is temperature controlled, which rules out that damp, dark closet in the basement and the unused corner in your hot attic. Professional long-term storage generally provides the right temperature. Another advantage of storing clothing with a professional is the closet space you will save.
How To Look Your Best
August 6th, 2010How To Look Your Best
A man who does not dress up like a grown-up gets gets what he deserves when it comes to respect. This is because clothes are more important than most people think. Researchers have come up with evidence to support the notion that what you wear really does make a difference in how you influence the world around you. Behavioral scientists tell us that the effect of first impressions is very strong. Your evaluation by a stranger takes 30 seconds or less and could take up to five years to erase from memory! There are only a few basic things to know about getting dressed. For starters, there are many bad choices a persona can make. One bad choice can be wearing clothing with horizontal stripes. This is because wide horizontal stripes make the eye move left to right, thus creating a broadening effect. Conversely, vertical stripes coax the eyes up and down helping to establish a thinner look. Also, large designs like plaids focus on girth not length, whereas small (or no) patterns create a thinness effect. Posture is very important. Good posture can make you look up to 10 pounds thinner. You should walk with your chest out, stomach in, and with confidence. Slouching can cause you to seem intimidated and that you lack confidence. Swaying or bouncing you r foot shows that you are nervous. Do not walk with your head down as this makes you look less important than those around you.
In regards to fabric, it is important to realize that heavier fabrics (Tweed, flannel, bulky sweaters) give the impression of a heavier body. Light weight fabrics (cotton, twill, linen) on the other hand make you look thinner. Your body type is very important in determining how you should dress. The five body types we will highlight are below:
Athletic – Stocky, bulky, muscular torso. If you have a large torso, consider wearing a ventless jacket so that it will provide a slimming effect. Boxy or straight cuts will work best and a two-button suit would be appropriate.Suits should be dark colored with little or no patterns. Medium and lightweight fabrics would work best, along with vertical stripes. Suspenders would provide a thinning effect due to the vertical lines of the braces.
Short – 5\’6\” and under. Two or three-button suits would work well and you may consider double-breasted suits. Double-breasted suits provide a longer line in front and provides a taller look. Center or side vents add a vertical line. Avoid pocket flaps and wide lapels; they add a horizontal line. Slightly built up shoulders will add height. Light or medium weight fabrics should be worn.
Tall – Above 6\’4\”. The suggested suit style is two-button, single-breasted. Plaids or patterns in medium to large size you can wear well, but avoid stripes. You can contrast your slacks and sports coat since you are looking for horizontal lines. Try bold patterns in your sweaters or casual shirts. Since you are tall, even heavy weight fabrics such as tweed will look good on you and not make you look short or fat.
Heavy -15% or more overweight. A three-button jacket will add height. Slanted, flapless pockets add to the vertical look. Avoid extra width in lapels. Avoid ventless jackets if you are weide int he rear (side vents can emphasize the wideness). Tight fitting clothes accentuate bulges. Avoid tightness in the upper chest and shoulders. As for fabrics, avoid heavy fabrics like tweed as they will make you look heavier. Vertical stripes play up height and slenderize. Simple patterns or solids in dark colors will look great. Dark, cool muted colors would be appropriate as they make you appear 10 pounds slimmer. Steer clear of warm hues like red, yellow, and orange as they bulk you up.
Thin – 15% or more underweight. Try suits with wider lapels and double vents. Patch and flap pockets will help as well. Any bulky or heft weaves will add to your size (tweeds, flannels). Patterns will give you some width. Avoid vertical stripes. Contrasting sports jackets and slacks create a horizontal line. Lighter, warm colors have the illusion of bringing you closer to your observers and tends to bulk you up.
As for some general guidelines for casual clothing, here are some great tips on what is appropriate where:
1. In general, a short sleeve shirt is always considered a casual shirt.
2. Khaki and flannel pants are not considered formal enough in many businesses.
3. Flip-flops, tank tops, and shorts are a no no in the office.
4. Leather jackets are shunned upon in the office as they portray more of a \”biker\” look.
5. Now-a-days shirts come with many different patterns and in many different styles. For the office however, plain shirts are most formal.
6. Button-down Oxford shirts, although an improvement from a T-shirt, are still considered casual.
7. Loafers and walking shoes or sneakers are not formal enough.
8. When wearing a blazer or sports coats, make sure that the fabric does not shine or change colors in a different lighting. This is considered to be a party coat.
Fabrics that are formally appropriate include wool, cotton, linen and some forms of microfibers. From these options, wool is the most versatile as it can be worn in summer or winter. Linen suits are best for extreme heat and high humidity but it wrinkles immediately. As for shoes, it is important to coordinate your shoe color with your suit color. For example, black shoes go well with charcoal, black or navy suits. Brown shoes match brown and tan suits. It is important for your shoes to be in good condition and not scuffed. An old trick is to use a Sharpie permanent pen to cover up scuffs on black shoes. How to shine shoes the easy way- Ofcourse, the best method is to use a shoe polish but if you do not have any
an easy way to shine your shoes is to apply water to a cotton ball until it is damp (not soaking wet) and then apply to it your shoes in a small circular motion to the entire shoes. If the cotton balls were not extremely wet, the water will dry quickly and will remove some stains and help give the shoe some shine.
What does Super 140s mean?
August 5th, 2010What does Super 140s mean?
super 140s
The term \”Super 140s\” is indicative of the fabric grade. \”Super\” followed by a certain number, such as 130 or 140, refers to the length in centimeters one woolen yarn can be stretched. It is a measurement of fineness. The S number was set up as shorthand for describing the fineness of wool fibers. The S-System (aka Worsted Count System) began in the 18th century.
Please click here or on the picture to the left to see our Firado Blue Shark Skin Suit