Dressing For Business OR Dressing Casually

Mad Men

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:53:00 EST

I have always thought that dressing for the occasion is imperative. So, for those of you who agree, and you love movies where the dress accurately reflects that time period, check out this topic on AMC's Mad Men from a forum that I have been reading for a long while and just became a member:

http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8174

I highly recommend checking out this site from time to time because the participants in this forum are extremely sophisticated and love dressing as much as I do!

The Fascination With Super 130's, 140's Fabrics and Above

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:20:00 EST

I figured I would write a little piece about the fascination that many people have with the higher thread count fabrics. Now don't get me wrong...the higher count fabrics are more expensive because they lay better on the body and they are softer on the skin, but that is not the one and all determinant of a great suit...IN FACT, IT IS FAR FROM IT.

Wool is milled all over Europe and in places like Australia and New Zealand. But the most important thing, is that everybody has a different process and everybody has a unique way of manufacturing these fabrics. Some methods are 100 year old secrets...just like the formula for Coca Cola!

But there are quite a few cases where the thread count has no bearing on the finished product. Case in point: Dormeuil.

Dormeuil has many different fabrics, including some in the very high thread counts. But their biggest seller?... "Essentials" which is only Super 110's. My clients AND all of Dormeuil's say the same thing..."Essentials" is their favorite. This fabric costs Elegant Consulting more to buy then any of their other cloths. Obviously, demand creates high prices, and Dormeuil Super 110's fabric is pricy, albeit worth it.

Zegna, Loro Piana have Super 150's and 180's fabrics that are beautiful and luxurious. They drape fabulously and hang on the body very well...BUT THAT MAY BE ALL THEY KNOW HOW TO DO. So yes, keep getting the high thread count fabrics, but understand that some of the best fabrics have low thread counts too.

Many of my clients are getting caught up in what is fast becoming the clothing equivalent to a cliché..."What is the Thread Count?" And even a couple of them have said to me that the garment's construction did not matter as long as they had the high thread count.

Brad Twersky
www.elegantconsulting.com

Colors are manly!

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:01:00 EST

I sometimes chuckle to myself when a client picks out some shirts that happen to have more then one color, and then wants to be re-assured that he won't look like some sort of walking rainbow when he wears them under his new suits!

Now these guys above?...Great suits. But the overall look is pretty corporate, n'est pas?

I now have my first clients in other countries, and have discovered that this might just be an American thing. In England, where the stereotype is unassuming or subdued, I see men dressing with much more color then here in the U.S.

Even in Canada, men dressing with color and flair is normal.

So when I found the following quote, I smiled knowingly (especially since I dote on my kids.)

"I've been disappointed with men's fashion for a long time," he sighed. “In every society of animal life, even plant life, the males are so beautiful and so vibrant with color. But the most intelligent and the most creative of species, which is mankind, has been reduced to brown, black, gray, and ugly. You go inside a men’s shoe store and you see these bubbilicious men’s shoes. I used to ask women that would try to sell me these shoes, 'If you walked in here and these were your options, would you buy this?' They all said no."

"If you go to France or Italy, the men wear color and they are also more affectionate with each other," he said. "You see a man walking down the street holding his son's hand and you see a man kissing his son. That's great. Color allows us to be as expressive as we need to be without being gay." - Terrence Howard

From http://www.observer.com/2008/style/terrence-howard-depressed-mens-fashion

Mixing Patterns with Confidence

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:04:00 EST

Mixing Patterns with Confidence

One of the fun things about some of my clients is an insatiable appetite to learn new ways to dress while other clients prefer to keep it simple (white shirt & red tie.)

But whatever your 'mindset' is for dressing, the one thing you MUST know is that you can give yourself more looks without having to break the bank. Buy less, when you follow the MAJOR-minor-MAJOR rule of dressing.

Combining stripes, checks and patterns doesn't have to make you uneasy, in fact, when done right, it is down right stylish!

Occasionally, clients raise their eyebrows when I tell them how easy and smart combining patterns can be...

When You Follow A Couple of Rules:

There are two kinds of patterns: MAJOR (the pattern stands out from 5 feet away or more) and minor (the pattern blends in from less than 5 feet)

Your jacket and tie should both be in one pattern category (MAJOR or minor), while your shirt should be in the other category. So...

...this gives us two proven pattern-mixing strategies: MAJOR-minor-MAJOR and minor-MAJOR-minor and we have a look that is very Elegant (oops!)

Even if your tie has bold regimental stripes, it's not obvious to everybody, but a light vertical striped shirt is the perfect compliment and yet many people resist it because they worry about looking to 'busy' (see below.)

One of the main reasons this works is because of how we are wired. The following quote is from AskAndy and summarizes perfectly why this concept works:

"Harmony is something that is pleasing to the eye. It engages the viewer and it creates an inner sense of order, a balance in the visual experience. When something is not harmonious, it's either boring or chaotic."

In summary: There are so many other factors that go into co-ordinating...body style, shape of head, colors, etc. So it makes sense to start practicing, in case you discover a style that you never thought you had.

Hope most of you learned something new this month. Stay tuned! See everybody soon.

Brad Twersky
www.elegantconsulting.com

p.s. We have a '20% off ' sale going on. It is only on our namebrand fabrics, Zegna, Loro Piana, and Dormeuil...but the sale prices are significant nevertheless. Discover More.

Dressing For Business OR Dressing Casually

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:14:00 EST

What To Wear When Playing The Ancient Game of Golf

Many of us play golf during the weekend...it's a lot of fun. For the most part you're with family or friends and maybe you are goofing around...AND, you're probably wearing jeans and tee shirts.

But what do you wear when you are doing business on the golf course?

What if you are applying for a job, and you are playing with your 'hopefully' soon-to-be boss?

What if you are able to get a big appointment with a 'decision maker' of a company, and he wants to find out about you or your product...but on the golf course?

Ok...makes sense, I guess. So now what?

The question becomes..."How do I dress like this is a professional engagement AND stay comfortable?"

A couple of ideas:

--I think pants are a much better look, but if you want to wear shorts...wear shorts that look like they are golf shorts and not running shorts!

--Wear pants that have belt loops and also wear a belt. (Your shorts should also have belt loops.) Also, make sure you do not have cuffs on these pants, otherwise you run the risk of bringing pounds of dirt with you to the office.

--All your shirts should have a collar.

--Make sure you dress like it's a fun game. Maybe choose a bright shirt or bright pants (not both.) A navy golf shirt over yellow pants is a great look.

--If you're playing at 6 a.m. wear a golf sweater or a jacket.

--Wear the correct shoes (spikes.) No sneakers!

FORE!

Every golfer needs at least 3 great golf slacks in his summer wardrobe. It is fine to wear shorts or old khakis on the weekend...

However, as I said before, for the days you are playing in the club championship, or you have been invited to play some place special like Baltrusol or En-Joie, those are the occasions you need to look your best and here are some of my selections.

Notice some of the cool trims and features I have used. Guaranteed to take 3 strokes off your game!

Dark Navy Seersucker:

These trousers are my favorite because they are cool and comfortable as well as fairly wrinkle resistant.

Tab adjusters are very nice and they look cool. The left back pocket will be your scorecard pocket and styled appropriately. The back strap is a nice compliment to the side tab adjusters and is a classic golf look. More.

The Florence Cotton Trouser:

The perfect all season cloth for a black solid basic pair of pants. Jamison wool linen pants are a great alternative and so are Black Florence Gabardines.

The styling features I use for most of my clients on this pant are fancy Keyhole Loops. In addition, I select a light gray contrasting pic-stitch. A great thing to do is get 2 pairs, one unlined and one lined for the cooler months. Learn More.

To round out a great selection, I like our

Fancy plaid linens:

The single side tab loop on the waistband is something I did for a client by accident...and we kept it, because it adds a little flair and is functional as well. I wore this trouser last week in Jackson, MS, and it was 99 degrees, and I was very comfortable. This trouser is the perfect warm weather slack to wear when shorts are not an option. Our linen fancies can be made up into shorts as well. Learn More.

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Also, we received some more of your newsletter ideas from our new blog and they were really good! I have realy learned a lot. See you next time.

Brad Twersky
www.elegantconsulting.com
732-672-6266

Famous Quotes About Nice Clothes

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:23:00 EST

Men's Clothing Quotes Through The Centuries

Since the last newsletter, I received clothing stories, jokes about tailors, a spool of thread, an ancient pair of flat front pants...and even a Brooks Brother's Catalogue (very funny, Peter!) It'll take me a while to figure out which one of you will do the Elegant newsletter, because there are some really good ideas.

So instead, in this month's Elegant Consulting newsletter, I thought it might be fun to discuss famous quotes made throughout the centuries that apply to dressing well. (I wrote a couple of comments)

Today, we have:

     Quotes from the suit lovers
     Quotes from the indifferent
     Quotes from comedians
     Quotes with a philosophical tone

"It is an interesting question how far men would retain their relative rank if they were divested of their clothes."
~Henry David Thoreau

The finest clothing made is a person's skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this."
~Mark Twain

...What does this say about first impressions? As a wardrobe consultant, I've always maintained that image is everything. Can people get an impression of you other then what you are, just by what you wear? It is an interesting question.

"I base most of my fashion sense on what doesn't itch"
~ Gilda Radner

Think back to your old Shetland sweater. Remember how course and thick it was?...Well, the wool was a wider micron diameter then your average suit...the wider the micron diameter, the courser and itchier the wool.

This is the main reason why many clients spend extra for "Super" fabrics. (e.g. Super 110's wool denotes that it is comprised of wool fiber that has a diameter of 18 microns...whereas Super 130's wool has a diameter of 17 microns. The lesser the diameter, the softer it is the easier it lays on you.

"Like every good man, I strive for perfection, and, like every ordinary man, I have found that perfection is out of reach - but not the perfect suit."
~Edward Tivnan

"When you can't do something truly useful, you tend to vent the pent up energy in something useless but available, like snappy dressing."
~Lou McMaster- Bujold

"Stripped of the cunning artifices of the tailor, and standing forth in the garb of Eden - what a sorry set of round-shouldered, spindle-shanked, crane-necked varlets would civilized men appear!"
~Herman Melville

Lookin' sharp and lookin' for love.
They come runnin' just as fast as they can
'Cause every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man.
~ZZ Top

Many clients have told me that when their business is slumping or it is the time of the year when things are usually slow...dressing up gives a little more motivation, so to speak.

"If men can run the world, why can't they stop wearing neckties? How intelligent is it to start the day by tying a little noose around your neck?"
~Linda Ellerbee

"A man hasn't got a corner on virtue just because his shoes are shined."
~Anne Petry

It's a bottom line business where a lot of gray suits are brought in and then, within two years, these guys suddenly know everything about baseball."
~Don Drysdale (former baseball pitcher)

"I buy expensive suits. They just look cheap on me."
~Warren Buffett

Now I must say...I have noticed this about Buffet. He always does look like his suits come from K & G Liquidation...so he may have something there! Maybe it's his hair.

"Dressing up is inevitably a substitute for good ideas. It is no coincidence that technically inept business types are known as 'suits'.
~ Paul Graham

"Now I'm way into suits that I can put on whether I took a shower or not, and wear barefoot and paint my toes black or whatever color the suit is. It's very cool to wear suits like that. Roll up the sleeves and just say yee-haw."
~ Steven Tyler

"He looked like an Italian, was dressed like an Englishman, and had the independent air of an American--a combination which caused sundry pairs of feminine eyes to look approvingly after him, and sundry dandies in black velvet suits, with rose-colored neckties, buff gloves, and orange flowers in their buttonholes, to shrug their shoulders, and then envy him his inches."
~ Louisa May Alcott
(American Author known for her children's books, especially the classic Little Women. 1832-1888)

Very, very old-fashioned...but the way a woman perceives a man in a suit will never change...

"I live for a meeting with men in suits. I love them because I know they had a really boring week and I walk in there with my orange velvet leggings and drop popcorn in my cleavage and then fish it out and eat it. I like that. I know I'm entertaining them, and I know that they know."
~ Madonna

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Well, with these last two newsletters, we seem to have hit on a theme. Whether to dress up (or not) has always been an issue since the beginning of society...and always will. I wonder what men like Socrates or Jesus thought about nice clothes...hmm...

Next time...different ways to tie a tie!

Brad

_________________

This months fantastic clothing feature: Pants that won't wrinkle. Since becoming a clothier, I've never seen a pair of pants perform like this.

_________________

Brad Twersky
Clothier/Tailor
www.elegantconsulting.com
732-672-6266

So instead, in this month's Elegant Consulting newsletter, I thought it might be fun to discuss famous quotes made throughout the centuries that apply to dressing well. (I wrote a couple of comments)

Today, we have:

     Quotes from the suit lovers
     Quotes from the indifferent
     Quotes from comedians
     Quotes with a philosophical tone

Even Ed Asner Needed To Be Impressed

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:06:00 EST

Even Ed Asner Needed to be Impressed!

(The "Real" Business Casual World)

"It's my brains that people hire me for, not my clothes..."

"Honey, do you think I need to go out and buy some new suits and ties for this?"

"It says here 'we allow appropriate business casual.' I wonder what that means?!"

This subject will be talked about for years to come...so we'll get serious about it another time.

But in this Elegant Consulting newsletter, I wanted to poke a little fun about dressing casual (or what can be perceived as dressing casual.)

Did you ever watch 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'?

In this funny series starring Larry David, the creator of 'Seinfeld'....Ed Asner plays a character who wants to change his will.
(From an episode about 2 years ago.)

Here's what happens when he walks into the office:

"Joel: (Offers his hand to introduce himself) "Hello sir...Joel Reynolds."

Ed Asner: "Your Joel Reynolds..?" Looking curiously at his jeans and tee-shirt.

Joel: "Yes I am...would you like to have a seat, sir?" He points to seat facing his. Ed Asner: "Yeah, in a minute...uh...I'm a little puzzled" He looks really awkwardly at Joel's clothes "What's this outfit... are you going to a Halloween party or what are you?..."

Joel, arms crossed defensively, awkwardly laughs, "It's casual Friday."

Ed Asner: "Casual Friday, what does that mean?"

Joel: "That means we just dress like we would at home."

Ed Asner:" But you're not at home," He says incredulously and, obviously, flustered. Joel: "No, but it is casual Friday."

Ed Asner: "Yeah, I know, you told me that already. What do you do on Casual Friday?"

Joel : "Well, we just come in, do our work, but we dress...casually." He grins sheepishly.

Ed Asner: "I don't like it."

Joel : "Well, it's just one day a week." Trying to pacify him. "We wouldn't treat you casually..."

Ed Asner: "Then why the hell you dressed that way!!?"

Joel: Points to what he's wearing. "It's just..."

Ed Asner: "I want you to be on cutting edge, man, whenever you're handling my business."

Joel: "This is cutting edge." Pointing to his clothes again.

Ed Asner: "I don't need this (expletive). You look like an (expletive) cowboy. You're JR, eh? Joel Reynolds, right? You belong in Dallas, not LA."

Joel: "I'm sorry...please...I..." Joel face turns ashen. He's just beside himself.

Ed Asner: "You should be sorry because you just lost my account. You go wrangle somebody elses. Thank you very much." He walks out.

Joel: "If you come back on a Monday or Tuesday..." He calls out to him.

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Now, obviously this is fiction. However, I go into many offices and many elevators on a daily basis and there are two constants; one, I see many different "business casual" outfits when I'm in these surroundings AND two, all of those same people are happy with what they're wearing (otherwise, why would they have left for work that morning?)

What is truly appropriate?...well that's a subject for another newsletter.

The point here is that, in this case, what one person thought was okay to wear was not perceived that way by the other.

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Your next Elegant Consulting newsletter will be written by one of you!! It will be a lot of fun...stay tuned.

Stay well everybody,

Brad Twersky
www.elegantconsulting.com
732-672-6266