Nouveau Vintage

Norman Hilton revival

2012-01-26T20:45:00.001-05:00

I'm pretty sure Nick Hilton's revival of his late father's name, Norman Hilton, has the exact cut I'm looking for. I generally like my jackets with a natural shoulder line, straight hanging shape, narrow lapels, and trim sleeves. This goes for whether they're a three-roll-two sack or darted two button jacket. Usually, if some companies get one thing right, they'll get other things wrong. They've got it all right, down to the shape of the 3" notched lapels. This probably has to do with the fact that they're using original 1963 patterns.

I've heard great things about the sport coats, and if they're anything like the natural shoulder ones I've thrifted from that era, they must be worth it. I've heard not so much about the trousers though. Can anyone give me some insight?

In any case, $695 (30% off right now) is not asking a lot when you consider that the cut and quality of other manufacturers around that price range has gone downhill... not naming names, but these companies were instrumental in the Ivy League look yet hardly seem to care anymore.

"Wear Norman Hilton and you too can lay on a stack of logs and plaid blanket."

A nice warm pair of slippers

2012-01-14T10:02:00.001-05:00

It's a failing on my part that I don't own a pair of fleece lined slippers. As some may know, it actually does get cold in Florida sometimes. This morning is one of those times.

Town View Leather is yet another of those old hand stitched moccasin companies based in Maine. Though they only make double soled moccasins -- not a penny loafer or boat shoe in sight -- they make them at an affordable price. The fleece lined version I'm looking at makes a great house slipper from what I hear, and is durable enough with the double sole to go outside for a bit. Nice.

Does anyone else have experience with Townview's products? If so, I'd love to hear from you.

Review: The Tie Thing

2012-01-11T21:42:00.000-05:00

This isn't going to be a very long review, given the nature of the product. However, I'll say that this is a must have if you hate tie clips/slides, tacks, chains, or any other visual means of securing your tie to your shirt but still want to avoid "Inappropriate Tie Behavior". Even though I far from hate tie jewelry, there are some situations where those might come off as too fussy or casual, which The Tie Thing is perfect for.

The packaging and marketing is very slick. It's unfortunate they don't have much of a retail presence yet, since they are clearly equipped for it. I could easily see these selling anywhere from J. C. Penney to a fine men's haberdashery. The package I was kindly sent by company president Melissa Kane came with three different Tie Things, white, light blue, and medium blue. They are barely noticeable, especially when wearing a coat buttoned up and a coordinating colour to your shirt. Like a tie tack with chain, the design allows a bit of movement from the tie vertically and horizontally, so not many people are going to notice that your tie is anchored to your shirt besides you.

There are some minor downsides. The first is that it won't work on shirts with only six buttons in the front, such as Mercer & Sons, since the spacing is too wide for a Tie Thing. (Well, you can do it, it'll just lead to a bit of bunching in front. Your tie must also have a keeper or at least a horizontal bar tacked tag for it to work. Unfortunately, a good amount of my ties don't have either since they are from the '60s and earlier. The instruction guide that came with it said the products were made in the USA... but handwritten below it said, "or China". That's a little disappointing. If there are specific colours that are made in China, I believe the consumer has the right to know this. I also can't imagine making, what effectively is, a strip of fabric with buttonhols is so expensive that they need to move some production offshore. There has to be a better solution.

Nonetheless, it's a nifty and ingenious little product that belongs in every well dressed man's wardrobe.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2011-12-30T14:09:00.001-05:00

Go see it. You won't be disappointed, even if you liked the Swedish-language adaptation of the novel. Director David Fincher is at his best and relative unknown Rooney Mara has a commitment to the title role that I haven't seen in a young actor for a long time. If she doesn't win "Best Actress in a Leading Role" next year, I will lose all faith in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. (If I haven't already.)

Best film of 2011? You bet.

Since this blog is primarily about clothing, I'll also say that Daniel Craig's wardrobe is well done. Despite that they were attempting to make him look a little older and frumpier, he still manages to pull it off in style. You only see him in a suit once or twice throughout the course of the film.

A warning: The movie isn't your average thriller, is rather disturbing at times, and Craig is about as far from James Bond as he'll ever be. That said, go see it anyway.

Merry Christmas (Or Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Festivus)

2011-12-25T15:40:00.003-05:00

Admittedly, this blog discusses a lot of material things, but what matters most is family, friends, and significant others. Gifts are only a small part of what I love about Christmas. But whatever you celebrate, I hope you have a great one and are in good company.

With warm regards,

Jovan

Review: Ratio Clothing "Campus Oxford"

2011-12-14T15:47:00.000-05:00

Custom shirts? $89? Free shipping? Made in the USA? Say it ain't so!

Well, it is. Ratio Clothing has entered the fold. By using size variables that most guys know such as neck and sleeve measurements, coat size, and fit preference, they take a lot of the work out of measuring for a custom shirt online and simplify the process significantly. This makes them more accessible to people who are just starting to build their shirt wardrobe or want something a little non-standard but are intimidated by the process of online made-to-measure.

For my first shirt from them, I chose the White Campus Oxford with button down collar, barrel cuffs, and side pleats in the back. The last option is something I wish was more prevalent on OCBD shirts. I much prefer them over the ubiquitous American centre pleat in looks and functionality. They somehow feel a little more comfortable and a little less office drone... but I digress.

Here are some pictures of the shirt after one wash and dry. Sorry for the bad phone pics.

As you can see, the Ratio Slim Fit is a little unforgiving, so if you're unsure about it or have a few extra pounds you should probably get the Classic Fit. The tails were a tad shorter after washing, and this is when I chose the Long length. (I'm 6'1, for reference.) Owner Eric Powell later clarified that the Ratio Slim Fit option has shorter tails. I personally think that measurement should be as long as on the Classic Fit, especially when you consider taller guys and the lower waists of modern trousers.

If you're worried about sizing, he informed me that adjustments can be made through email. Any special requests for style options not available on the website can also made. He's also considering offering a more Brooks Brothers-like button down collar in the future, which would be excellent for the purists.

Their button down collar looks nice worn open, but needs a bit of work to look better with a tie. The points lay pretty flat as they are, more so than on a similarly proportioned Ralph Lauren button down. I've already talked with Eric about this and he seems very receptive to making improvements such as giving a bit of curve to the points, increasing the tie space to 3/8", and adding a little more roll. I think the collar could be further improved by making it completely unlined, but I was assured this can be specially requested. To my eye, this looks better both with a tie and open collar. The collar, cuffs, and placket are lined, but the interfacing is soft and unfused. This is similar to Brooks Brothers' current OCBD. The fabric is also comparable to their Supima Oxford in terms of thickness and quality. It's a bit stiff at first, but he assures me it softens up nicely over a few washes.

The construction is great for the price and includes a split yoke, single needle tailoring with sixteen stitches per inch, and high quality resin buttons. Again, this isn't bad at all considering an imported off the rack shirt may cost just as much if not more than $89.

I highly recommend them despite the minor nitpicks -- which no one besides me and "Trad" aficionados will really care about -- and will be making at least a few more purchases in the next year to round out my shirt collection. Is an Ecru Classic Pinpoint with English spread collar and French cuffs in my future? Probably, unless the collar and cuffs decide to go to war with each other.

Trade up and get quality undershirts

2011-11-15T20:29:00.001-05:00

Mikel of RibbedTee has created a new promotion designed to not only introduce men to higher quality undershirts, but aid people in need.

Trade in any of your unsatisfactory undershirts from any brand (Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, Jockey, Calvin Klein, 2(x)ist, Stafford, etc.) and you'll get half off your purchase on the website up to $50 in value. Basically, you could get two packages of their ClassicTees for the price of one. Other possibilities include one MicroRib undershirt OR package of RetroFit and one package of ClassicTees.

You still have to pay shipping, but regardless, this is is a great opportunity to try their products if you've been on the fence. Go to ribbedtee.com/trade to get started. As far as I know, you can send as little or as much as you want with the prepaid shipping label, it will still get you 50% off. All the undershirts will be donated to Planet Aid or recycled if they are unusable. (Go green!)

Navy trench coat

2011-11-06T00:43:00.000-04:00

$350 from Kent Wang. Pretty reasonable price and looks good.

Don't let the listed sizes put you off. I wear a 40L but the measurements for a 40R show a shoulder of 20" and sleeve length of 26", which is an inch longer than my shirt sleeves (35").

Contrived "Lifestyle" Shot

2011-10-20T22:55:00.000-04:00

Hey, at least I'm not taking pictures of my food.

Yet.

Buttoning options

2011-10-10T22:03:00.001-04:00

I've already talked about how to be at ease in tailored clothing. Now I'll discuss something a lot of guys fret over... buttoning. The short answer: You cannot fail with a two button. The long answer (or diatribe, if you like) is below.

In my opinion, something with a two button front should be everyone's first suit or sport coat purchase, regardless of height, weight, or build. The reason it's the most popular choice is because it works on pretty much everyone. It shows more of your shirt and tie, creating a long "V" that flatters the male torso, whether you're gawky, muscular, or have "more to love" around your midsection. As a general rule, you should only button the top button. (The exception is something like on RFK, left, and big brother JFK, right. Those jackets were cut with a higher stance and to have both buttons fastened.) I've yet to see a body type that didn't look good in a two button.

The Kennedys wore two button suits and supposedly helped popularise them.

Three buttons can accentuate girth on the portly man or make one look even shorter than they are. This is why I generally only recommend them for tall, thin, or athletic guys. Try to find one with a decent lapel length and/or not too high button stance. Some might even roll over the top button slightly, but this is desirable. Most three button suits were cut like this prior to the '80s. I recommend only fastening the middle button. It looks more rakish that way and is less to fuss with when standing up and sitting down.

An example of the three button suit executed well. But of course, you're not necessarily looking at Mr. Brosnan.

I think the reason the three button has to be cut well is because of the aforementioned "V" effect that is shortened by the higher buttoning stance. In contrast to what I described in the previous paragraph, a lot of modern three buttons are cut a little too high and have flat lapels. This is the unfortunate side effect of the "power dressing" era and doesn't seem to have changed much for many brands. This is slowly starting to go away, but be wary nonetheless.

Even on a tall and lean guy, a badly cut three button suit makes one look like they were stuffed into a sausage casing.

A large Windsor knot only adds to the American Psycho yuppie look.

Naturally, there's another option. A three button jacket with a rollover lapel to the middle button. Also known as "3 roll 2" or "3/2" on a many clothing forums. J. Press calls it "button on centre". This is most often found on American sack cut jackets, but not always. I've seen some examples of Neopolitan and British tailoring that also have it. Unlike the American style, these usually have darts and a somewhat nipped waist. This style is somewhat controversial with a number of people who don't see the point in having buttons that one can't or aren't supposed to fasten. It's worth nothing, however, that two or three button jackets are almost never cut to have the bottom button fastened anymore. These work on almost any build.


Cary Grant often wore suits and sport coats with "three roll two" buttoning.

Rare example of Thom Browne worn well.

Double breasteds are a somewhat different ball game. The one most people think of has six buttons total but only two meant to close in the front, otherwise known as "6x2". It follows most of the same rules as the three button in regards to who wears it best, but even more attention needs to be spent on the cut as it visually widens with its double row of buttons and large overlapping of fabric. The buttons should have less space between them if a man of shorter or wider stature wants to wear one. Unfortunately, they have mostly fallen out of favour nowadays. This is a shame because, when well tailored, the double breasted suit grants an air of sophistication all its own. All the same, I wouldn't recommend it for somebody's first suit or for interviews as it may come off as too aggressive or flashy.

Anderson & Sheppard makes some fine looking 6x2 suits.

There are other buttoning styles of double breasted, of course, but they are worn even less now than the classic 6x2. If you must have a 6x1, 4x1, or 4x2, get one that looks fairly timeless. Thrift stores are rife with 6x1s, but most of them look very dated (not in a good way) in their button stance, gorge, and lapel shape now.

Edward VIII was known for his classically tailored 4x2 suits, with top button characteristically left undone.

Unfortunately, single breasted jackets with four buttons and other double breasted styles not mentioned here are best left in the past since they haven't stood the test of time very well.

Some photos of my New Mexico vacation

2011-08-24T23:38:00.000-04:00

Spent a week in Albuquerque. No, I didn't make a left turn there. :)

On Sandia Peak, which is always 25 degrees cooler at the top. Really weird going through 60 degree weather in the middle of August. Only noteworthy things I'm wearing are the McGregor Drizzler and Sperry Top-Siders.

Changed into clothes more appropriate for The Melting Pot later that day. I had never been before, so I was surprised at how casual (to say the least) most of the customers and staff were.

BB GF sack blazer
Mercer OCBD
RLP tie
Kent Wang pocket square
LE Tailored Fit Legacy Chino
Florsheim pennies

At the Botanic Garden, part of ABQ BioPark.

LE "Trim Fit" OCBD (from before Tailored Fit apparently)
LE Legacy Chino shorts
Sperry Top-Siders

The s/o finds a new pet, but unfortunately we couldn't bring him with us. (The amount we'd spend per year on sugar would be ridiculous anyway.)

In historic downtown Santa Fe.

Arizona polo
same LE chinos (hey, I was packing light!)
Bean Signature bluchers

Lots of personal computer history in Albuquerque. In the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, we find the lost members of the original Microsoft team.

Chino shorts

2011-08-14T20:16:00.001-04:00

Ralph Lauren Polo madras shirt
Lands' End Legacy Chino shorts, 11" inseam (more like 10.5" now after a few washes)
L.L. Bean Signature Easport Handsewn Blucher Moc

Mad Men Collection at Banana Republic

2011-08-12T00:28:00.003-04:00

Only three words describe my reaction to it: I am underwhelmed.

I'm having trouble finding what separates all the low rise trousers, cheap fedoras, and belts worn with three piece suits from what's being offered by J. Crew. It doesn't look at all like you'd see in 1964, which is quite sad when you consider that Janie Bryant -- the show's costume designer -- was involved.

See for yourself.

As usual, they put more time and work into the women's stuff than the men's.

EDIT: Okay, maybe I was too harsh. There is something I like -- this tie slide.

Double sided cufflinks

2011-08-03T15:26:00.005-04:00

Kent Wang's argument for double sided cufflinks has guilted me into getting some as my next jewelry purchase. With both JFK and RFK wearing something similar to this, how can you say no?

Not letting the clothes wear you

2011-07-30T18:22:00.004-04:00

Occasionally I burst into a cacophony of incomprehensible gibberish that needs to be decoded by a special translator. This article is what resulted from one such occasion.

Some friends have commented that they don't feel as comfortable as I do in say, a coat and tie or even just a shirt tucked into khakis. I never thought the latter was a big deal, but apparently it is! What you need to do is own the look. In other words, wear the clothes and don't let them wear you. While it sounds suspiciously like a Russian reversal joke, it's actually the best advice I've ever gotten from clothing forums.

Sean Connery reportedly slept in his suits to prepare for the role of James Bond.

What helps is wearing tailored clothing in the comfort of your own home. I know it seems silly to "get gussied up" in a suit and tie just to surf the internet, read a book, or watch television, but it actually helped me out considerably. Once I was comfortable wearing a suit and tie just lounging around, it helped my self confidence and composure greatly when I went out to dinner, a friend's play, or someone's graduation. I started getting better and more compliments than I originally did. No longer were people occasionally saying "nice tie" or "nice suit," they said I was well dressed or, better yet, "You look great."

Now, you may have heard that one should unbutton the coat to prevent bunching and pull up the knees on the trousers to preserve the crease. The latter is especially helpful if you cross your legs or wear a more fitted trouser. Some may say, "Hold the front door -- how am I supposed to not look self conscious when I'm fussing with my clothes?" Again, practice at home and this will become second nature. If you look at any well dressed movies or television shows there are guys doing this all the time without making a big show of it.

Just try to relax and not make a big deal of the fact that you're wearing something nicer than usual. It goes a long way in others' perception of you and may even help you get the girl and save the day.

Maybe.

Eastport Handsewn Blucher Moc

2011-07-30T02:05:00.002-04:00

Just got these in the mail, couldn't wait to try them on. Immediately, three things struck me:

They're not quite as pebble grained as the website photo suggests.
The leather has an "aged patina" look to it and is a bit lighter in person.
Fit seems a tad narrow, which is saying something when you consider that my feet are between C and D width.

I think I'll just pad around the house in them for a week and see how they work out. If they don't, at least L.L. Bean still has its generous return policy. I could exchange them for the main line bluchers, but I'm not a fan of the modern, Vibram-like camp soles.

Review: Indochino again

2011-07-26T03:37:00.007-04:00

A couple of people have asked me in private about what I meant here. I thought I'd go ahead and clear it up here.

Indochino is perhaps the most well known of the inexpensive, online MTM shops. Like most of them, it employs overseas tailors to do the work so they can pass on the savings to the customer. I won't get into the politics of that right now though. They have marketing all over the place. I don't think anyone's been on a website without seeing their ads at least once. They make it very enticing with their website design and philosophy and all.

Long story short, I decided to give them a try since they had a worry free return policy (more on that later). To say I was disappointed was an understatement. While I did expect a more fitted and modern silhouette, I didn't expect basic measurements to be off by inches or for style details to be wrong or simply badly done by any standard.

Long story elaborated...

Rise was way off from what I indicated. They gave me the freedom to specify a rise measurement. I had hoped they would do that. Instead the waistband sat three inches below my navel, enough to be mostly exposed underneath the waistcoat. They could have at least emailed me to say they were uncomfortable with or couldn't fulfill my request for a longer rise (but again, the measurement form gave me the freedom to specify what I wanted).
Because of the low rise, the outseam measurement was thrown out of whack and the legs were too long.
"Natural shoulders" option is described as "opt for a lower amount of shoulder padding" which is quite reasonably what I think of as the definition. It should actually be "no shoulder structure or padding whatsoever." It's like they just forgot it entirely.
"Side tabs" option is more like "cheap zipper adjusters you'd find on a tuxedo rental."
Brace (suspender) buttons on the waistband were specified, but I only found four. Not sure what I was supposed to do with that, given that all braces need six buttons -- two in the back, four in the front.
Belt loops were on the waistband even though I did not ask for them.
Sleeves were too short by a full inch.
Fabric was nothing as it appeared on the website in close up pictures. Maybe they ran out of the original fabric and got something as close as possible without updating the pictures.
Return shipping cost me nearly $30 to Canada. I was willing to eat that cost, except that they took almost two weeks to refund my money AFTER they received the package. They didn't even notify me that they had received my return until after I tracked the shipment and emailed asking what the frak was taking so long! I was almost worried it had gotten lost in shipping.

Now, I realise there are many happy owners of Indochino suits. I won't deny them their happiness and they are free to like their suits if they think it was money well spent. However, I think they hold clothes to a different standard than me. If they want fashionable suits with a 10" rise with fabrics that look okay and somewhat close to the website photos then they can have them. As it stood, however, I knew I wasn't going to be happy with this suit no matter how much they tried to correct it. Sometimes you just know. So goes my little experiment.

When nobody's looking...

2011-07-24T23:57:00.010-04:00

Anyone who says Brooks Brothers has always been a bastion of conservative style needs to check their references.

Conveniently doubles as a costume for a magician or clown.

Found this amusing shirt when looking through the infamous AAAC Informal Trad Thrift Store Exchange thread. Brooks Brothers is known for making "fun" casual shirts that have different coloured sleeves, front pieces, back, and collar in the same pattern. However, up until now I've never seen one for wearing with black tie and could have never imagined it. The best part is that no one will know unless you remove your dinner jacket or, for some reason, they get a good look up your sleeves. Sadly for those interested, it has already been sold, so if you want one you'd better have it made up custom.

Withdrawal

2011-07-24T03:18:00.003-04:00

Readers, I'd like to share a struggle that I've been having recently.

I'm going through some serious withdrawal symptoms right now. I can't sleep. Every minute I'm awake I think of when I'll get to do it again. It's the perfect crutch and makes me feel good. I haven't had this craving for two months now, but it's hitting me hard yet again.

Ladies and gentleman, I'm going to die if I don't wear a necktie soon.

New look

2011-07-21T00:13:00.000-04:00

Just gave a new look to this blog. I think it looks a bit more "upscale" than the very plain and boring version I used before. The background image is temporary. I'll need to find something better, but in any case it'll be a black and white photo for that retro look.

Let me know what you think.

If you're thinking of getting an Indochino suit...

2011-07-20T23:49:00.005-04:00

Don't do it. Seriously. That's all I'll say for now.

Review: RibbedTee RetroFit and MicroRib undershirts

2011-07-12T18:57:00.005-04:00

It's mid-summer, it's pretty hot outside, and many guys ditch the undershirts during these months to keep a bit cooler. After all, why on earth would you want to wear another layer? Well, I'm pleased to say that I've experienced almost no underarm sweat stains with the undershirts I received from Mikel Schwarz of RibbedTee.

Their most recent product, the RetroFit (har har), is meant to replicate the popular Towncraft 50/50 poly/cotton undershirts sold a few decades ago. Half polyester sounds like suicide if you're a clothing enthusiast like me, but the knit is designed in a way to let air flow while still soaking up most of your perspiration. I was surprised at how light and comfortable it really was. The only changes made to the original design were slightly slimmer sleeves and a longer length (27" on a Medium). It stays tucked surprisingly well, probably because of the natural stretch the fabric has. Since it is designed from a vintage pattern, the sleeves are a good inch or two shorter than you'll find on most modern undershirts. The v-neck version is a bit deeper than modern ones as well, but not as crazy deep as you'd see on the average American Apparel hipster. This might be because there were fewer buttons on shirts back then and thus a deeper gap produced when unbuttoning the collar. While the length is perfect to tuck in or leave untucked, I wouldn't recommend wearing it alone -- the fabric is quite transparent. It makes me wish they'd create a version in regular 100% cotton jersey. Mikel did inform me that they were considering making the same pattern in their MicroRib fabric, however.

Speaking of which, the MicroRib is a pretty fantastic undershirt in itself. While it costs a decent bit more than their other undershirt lines, it is worth it. The fabric, owing to the modal content, is quite absorbent. There was barely a sweat stain showing, even when I wore a fitted blue pinpoint. (And we all know how terrible blue shirts are about sweat stains.) The fabric is buttery soft and hardly noticeable under a shirt. The fit is slimmer than the RetroFit, pretty much body-hugging close. It is also a few good inches longer, so there's no need to tuck it into your boxers. Unfortunately the sleeves do tend to lose their shape after a bit of wear but go back down once washed and dried. I've heard of this problem on their namesake line of undershirts as well. Not a big deal, really. Mikel commented once that they could avoid it by using some lycra, but refused to since he believes it is actually detrimental to the life of the undershirt. Only thing I would improve upon is adding taping to the neck and shoulder seams for durability and comfort.

All in all, these are the best undershirts I own. I'm getting more for sure.

Website: RibbedTee.com
Price: $27.90 (RetroFit, pkg. of 2), $29.00 (MicroRib, pkg. of 1)

Patch madras shorts

2011-05-18T16:00:00.000-04:00

I used to hate patch madras. Thought it was ugly, too flashy and what have you. Originally I purchased these RL Polo shorts at a thrift store to be sold on Ask Andy's infamous "Informal Trad Thrift Store Exchange" thread. As fate would have it, I slowly warmed up to them and decided to keep them for myself...

Here's me doing the Take Ivy thing -- untucked white OCBD and Venetian loafers. Monogram not my own, but I've decided it stands for Lewis & Clark College if anyone asks. (Thanks to AAAC Forum member Leighton who came up with that one.)

Springtime lunch with the girlfriend

2011-04-24T00:22:00.000-04:00

vintage "Gentry PENNEY'S" madras sack
Mercer & Sons OCBD
Liz Claiborne belt
LE Legacy Chino, Tailored Fit
Gold Toe socks
Florsheim pennies

Review: Shurt Clip Adjustable Tailoring Device.

2011-03-20T01:56:00.003-04:00

Paul McLendon of Shurt Clip recently sent me a sample of this relatively new product. Does it work as well as it says it does?

Yes and no.

Essentially, it aims to reduce the amount of fullness around your midsection to have a more tailored look to your shirts. It forms the sides of your shirt into a "military tuck," a little trick both the military and civilians alike have been using forever. All good and well, but it doesn't achieve this much better besides holding the folds more securely. The problem is not in the area it does this in -- right at the hem -- but the area above your trouser waistband. I find it blouses away from my midsection a little anyway, just at the sides rather than all around like a regular tuck. However, it does result in a cleaner looking front. My fuller cut shirts tend to bunch around my tie when wearing a coat. It reduces this problem a bit, which is nice.

These suckers are a bit hard to get into place, though. You'll be fumbling with them for a while if you follow their directions. It's actually easier to clip them onto your shirt before putting it on and then adjust as necessary. There are advanced user tips on the website suggesting clipping them onto the back of the shirt rather than the sides. I tried this and while the sides looked nicer, it just bloused in the back instead. It's not a perfect solution -- it won't trim down full cut sleeves or make the armholes any smaller. However, I give the designers kudos for making it unobtrusive and comfortable to wear. I wore it at work for a day and forgot I was using them. They were not visible through my trousers either.

All around, it's an interesting device, but the results are not quite as dramatic as the website photos show. It will result in a cleaner looking shirt front, which is nice for wearing sport coats and suits, but not so great for wearing alone with jeans and khakis. In this case it's better to get your shirts taken in at an alterations tailor. However, it doesn't cost much and might be worth it for those who don't want to spend money trimming down every shirt they own, especially if they gain/lose weight a fair amount.

Price: $9.99 (two pack/one pair) and $11.99 (four pack/two pairs), including shipping.
Website: www.shurtclip.com