Origins of the Term Bespoke

The term bespoke arose when in the old days, a customer would choose a bolt of cloth in a tailor’s shop, whereupon the tailor would mark it as being “bespoken for”. It has come to mean a traditional form of tailoring in which a uniquely individualized pattern is drafted for each client, and the optimal traditional tailoring technique is used to realize the shape of the final garment.

The first question about bespoke tailored clothing is this: do you need it? The two main reasons for going bespoke are as follows:

1. Difficulty attaining a good fit from ready-to-wear garments
2. Access to a wider range of styles and cloth designs

Naturally, others just want the finest traditional craftsmanship that money can buy.

If you have a very proportionate figure, then you may not absolutely need it. Ready-to-wear garments are made for a proportionate figure, but are cut on tried and true blocks. The best ready to wear firms only hire the most skilful cutters, many of whom have extensive training and experience in bespoke tailoring. Patterns are cut to the precision of a millimetre or less (1/32-1/64”). At the top end of the market garments are often extremely well made up. The trouble is that everyone has some sort of disproportion, so that even the best proportionate pattern only takes a guess at what your figure is really like. A skilful tailor will find a whole host of disproportions that you probably never even knew existed. Then there is the fact that ready-to-wear always offers an extremely limited choice of styles and colors or cloth designs in your size.

Another way of getting a better fit and access to a wider range of choice is by using a made-to-order program

. This involves making a standard set of basic adjustments to a tried and true ready-to-wear pattern. The range of adjustments that it is possible to make to a pattern is fewer and less fundamental to its basic architecture than in bespoke pattern making. There is usually no try on, or fitting phase, (although some will allow you this option, at extra cost). To start with you will be asked to try on a finished garment in your nearest size. The alterations necessary to achieve a good fit are noted and these come already incorporated into the finished garment. The person who notes these alterations is frequently a salesperson rather than a tailor, but some firms may have a tailor of various degrees of skill to do this task. The big advantages of this approach are that the work is based on tried and true patterns and that it is more economical.

The term bespoke is strictly reserved for instances where a cutter will draft your unique pattern taking into account the specific features of your body along with matters of fashion and personal taste. Fittings are always required. The number of these will depend on the tailor and how difficult a fitting challenge your body presents.

There are a couple of downsides to bespoke tailoring. The first of these is that it takes a very skillful tailor to better the tried and true patterns from ready-to-wear and made-to-order firms. In the wrong hands, there is always the danger that it could end up worse than a ready-to-wear garment. The second downside is that there are too many choices and the client may insist on a style that is inappropriate to their physique. If you add these two downsides together it can be a formula for disaster. However, a good tailor will guide you to making the right choices in terms of style and cloth selection. This is part of the Art of the Tailor.

In the right hands, the greater freedom that bespoke offers can lead to the creation of a masterpiece – something that is peerless in both fit and style. Freedom is the freedom to create a masterpiece or a disaster. The range of styling choices is extremely wide and the choice of cloths even larger than from most made to order firms.

Lastly, there are a subset of people who have no choice but to bespeak their clothes. These are people who have sufficiently pronounced disproportions that they cannot wear ready-to-wear garments, and even made to order programmes have only a finite degree of flexibility. The most extreme cases can be described as “orthopaedic tailoring”, and can present a huge challenge to a cutter.

Icons & Innovators: Kiton: Man of the Cloth

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During a group visit to Kiton’s Naples, ItalyJanuary 01, 2007
, factory in 2001, one of the guests questioned whether the suit being shown was among the world’s finest. Company founder and president Ciro Paone rose from his chair and, with an air of indignation, pointed across the room at the offender before launching into a testimonial for the garment.

  He explained that the suit requires 25 hours of hand labor because of the delicacy of the superfine wool fabric—a cloth composed of fiber measuring 15 microns, or about one-fifth the diameter of human hair. Such fine cloth, he said, would crimp and crumble if forced under the needle of a sewing machine. He then ticked off the hand-sewn details of a typical Kiton suit: sleeves that are attached to an unusually small, high armhole; the fine irregular stitching around the buttonholes; the high notch on the lapel that no machine can produce; the slight curve on the chest pocket held in place by two sideways, V-shaped “mosquito” stitches; and the way the canvas inner lining is loosely attached to the interior body so the suit does not wrinkle as the cloth compresses. “Questo è poesia, certo!” (This is poetry, for certain!) he declared. “Quality needs a lot of attention, a lot of love, and control,” Paone continued. To illustrate his point, he set aside the 25-hour suit and retrieved from the closet the brand’s first K50 model—so named because it requires 50 hours to produce, twice as much time as a typical Kiton off-the-rack suit. The K50 is made to order by a single master tailor, Enzo D’Orsi, who is so skilled that he does not need to use a pattern; he simply chalks the fabric according to the client’s measurements and begins cutting. Annually, Kiton offers fewer than 50 of these suits, which is the limit of D’Orsi’s production capacity. Such exclusivity is impressive, but Paone maintained that the collection is further distinguished because it employs the world’s rarest fabrics, including superfine merino wool, baby cashmere, and vicuña. Today, the K50 collection remains Kiton’s top-of-the-line bespoke offering.

Kiton has been making suits since 1968, when Paone, a former fabric salesman, established the brand with three of Italy’s most prominent tailors: Cesare Attolini and brothers Enrico and Corrado Isaia. Creative differences resulted in Paone buying out his partners a short time later, and a competitive rivalry ensued, as each has spent the past 40 years trying to top the others’ sartorial accomplishments. Over the decades, Paone concentrated on refining the craft of hand tailoring, which, he contends, Savile Row tailors, as well as such brands as Oxxford Clothes and Brioni, have abandoned for the economic incentives of mass production.

In recent years, Paone has applied his standards to dress shirts, outerwear, jeans, and bespoke footwear. He contends that if you wear a handmade suit, you should not sacrifice quality when selecting sportswear and accessories. To maintain control over the quality of these other wardrobe items, Kiton acquired factories—including Wonderland, in Parma, Italy, where the company produces its outerwear—and hired master shirtmakers and cobblers to work in its  expanded Naples facility.

Nevertheless, tailored clothing remains Kiton’s forte. In a fashion realm that marks change in millimeters, fabrics are the lingua franca for telling a new style story each season. Every premium suitmaker differentiates itself by offering proprietary cloths, but Kiton is the only manufacturer that works with fabric mills to develop nearly all of the fiber blends and complex weaves used for its suits. Paone, who suffered a debilitating stroke last summer but still visits the factory every day, is known to carry in his pocket swatches of fine fabrics, including rare hybrids of cashmere/linen, cashmere/silk, and Super 210 wool, which is made from fiber measuring 12.9 microns.

“Fabric has always been Ciro Paone’s main interest,” says Massimo Bizzocchi, chairman of Kiton Corp. in the United States. “Cloth was practically hot-wired into his DNA,” adds Bizzocchi, noting that Paone was preceded by five generations of cloth merchants. Despite his recent health problems, Paone continues to help Bizzocchi—as well as Paone’s nephews, Kiton managing director Antonio Paone and chief executive Antonio De Matteis—create new fabrics each season with top textile mills in England, Scotland, and Italy. (Click image to enlarge)
Paone’s ancestors, who were from Naples, also purchased cloth in England and Scotland, as long ago as the mid-1800s. They sold the materials to Italian tailors, many of whom eventually emigrated to Argentina and continued to purchase their materials from the Paone family, which had expanded into an international business. By the turn of the 20th century, the Paones were operating fabric shops in Naples, where Ciro later began his sales career catering to the local tailors.
When, in the 1950s, suitmakers adopted machinery that facilitated the speedy manufacturing of ready-made clothing, Paone noticed that his master-tailor clients had begun purchasing less-expensive cloth to remain competitive. According to Bizzocchi, Paone told these tailors that if they worked for him, he would supply them with the finest materials so they could continue producing premium-quality garments by hand. With this plan, Paone laid the foundation for Kiton. Naturally, Paone sought to distinguish his brand further with original and exclusive fabrics. “Ciro Paone is the only one I know who, 15 years ago, was talking about micron counts instead of referring to fabrics as Super 100s and Super 120s, because he knew that the micron is the only real measurement of fabric that counts,” says Bizzocchi, explaining that the lower the micron number is, the finer the finished cloth will be. “He was the first to show lightweight cloth made from superfine 15-, 14-, and 13-micron wool, and now he is offering 12.8-micron fabrics.”
Paone was undeterred by the conventional wisdom that such ultrafine materials were too delicate for the rigorous demands of tailored clothing. Under his direction, Kiton developed several exclusive and extremely limited fabrics. One of those materials, conceived in the late 1990s, was called 360 because it blended Super 180s wool with Super 180s cashmere. The company offered it only through Neiman Marcus because the quantity was so limited. About the same time, Kiton introduced 14-Micron, a four-ply wool fabric made from 14-micron fiber that continues to be a best seller because it looks and feels like cashmere but, like wool, keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer and resists wrinkles. In 2001, Kiton was among the first to offer lightweight wool woven from rare merino fiber measuring a mere 13.2 microns, about the same size as vicuña, a fiber from a South American animal that was an endangered species at the time. That cloth was so scarce that Kiton could produce only 45 suits. A year later, the company produced 20 suits from a limited supply of cloth made from sheep’s wool measuring less than 12.8 microns. Kiton will surpass that benchmark this spring with a new cloth made from wool fiber measuring only 11.5 microns.
These delicate and rare fabrics, which can cost as much as $4,000 per yard, are extremely difficult to work with and demand the skills of only the most accomplished tailors, which explains why suits made from them can command as much as $40,000.
Paone prefers lightweight fabrics for both summer and winter suits because they naturally conform to the body and are more comfortable than heavier materials. For spring, the company offers sport coats made from 65 percent cashmere and 35 percent linen, an unusual combination of winter- and summer-weight fibers that provides the lightness and soft hand of cashmere, which tempers the wrinkles associated with the pure linen. Cashmere also figures prominently in a range of sport jackets weighing from about 5.6 to 10.5 ounces. “Depending on the climate, a man can choose the cashmere weight that is right for him,” says Bizzocchi. He adds that Kiton prefers to make sport coats, whether for winter or summer wear, from fine-gauge cashmere, because the cloth absorbs dyes differently from wool, creating a more colorful mélange.
This spring, Kiton also will produce a limited number of $34,000 suits made from a rare blend of 93 percent vicuña and 7 percent silk. A jacket constructed from this material weighs less than 10 ounces, which is comparable to the weight of two silk scarves.
Even the doubter at Kiton headquarters six years ago was duly impressed that day as Paone explained that every cloth—from summer-weight linens to winter-weight cashmere blends—is washed in cold water and naturally dried between sheets of cardboard before it is made into a Kiton suit. The 200-year-old process, which few cloth- and suitmakers use today, retains the fiber’s natural oils that machine drying destroys. For Paone, perfection may be in the details, but, in his words, “fabric is what gives soul to the suit.” 
Kiton212.813.0272

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You need at least one fantastic suit in your wardrobe.

1. You need at least one fantastic suit in your wardrobe.

If you don’t have much money then probably the one item to make a large one off investment in is your jacket. Don’t feel shy spending at least $500 for a great suit – even more if you can afford it. Then substitute it with a couple more light-weight suits and jackets in the $200-$400 range to help mix things up.

2. Always make sure your suits and shirts fit well around the collar.

Don’t buy over sized collars, they come across as slack and lazy. And too tight, well, we all need to breathe now don’t we??

3. Match the suit to your lifestyle

Some men can easily mix patterns, suits, stripes, loud pocket kerchiefs, silky shiny materials, hats, top hats, and blinged up cuff links. Some cannot!! It’s important to find the style that suits your personality, fits your career (bling in a conservative law firm certainly won’t go down that well!) and helps you ease forward in the game of life.

4. Accessorize!

Ties are the one accessory for men that can really be personalized and allow you to express yourself and add some color and diversity. Ties can be suited up or dressed down with jeans and a white shirt (open top button and loose knot). Wander into second stores to dig up some classic and vivid ties with vibe and spirit, and perhaps spend a bit more on some nice new (perhaps black or red) versatile ties.

5. Find the right fit for your body:

* If you’re a big guy:

Remember there’s more of you to love, so wear your bulk with pride. Wear lightweight, suits built from heavier textiles will only add weight. Soft, worsted wools are your best friend. Choose darker colors which give desired slimming factor plus they’re classy and classic. If you’re going to stripe it, make it a solid vertical to create a sleek, slender visual. The jacket: Two buttons are optimal – they won’t draw attention to your bulky frame and stay single on the vent, which will give you the extra room you need minus the extra attention.

* If you’re tall and lean

Add weight with heavier fabrics – on a tall, skinny guy, lightweight fabrics will hang and make you look all the more frail. Heavier wools like tweed or a heavier weight worsted wool that hold their form is the smart decision; and give you much-needed proportion and the appearance of additional weight. Colours – opt for the greys and classic browns – Lighter colors, will add weight to your overall look. Jacket? Three buttons create height and length, tall guys, with their longer torsos, can pull this look off successfully. Keep it classy with the single vent – Although taller, slimmer men tall, skinny men have two options for the vent: we advise that you stick with a single-vent or ventless jacket which is always the classier choice.

* If you’re slight and shorter than average

Avoid loud patterns – The print of an overly bold pattern screams for attention and will only draw attention to your slight frame. Subdued, chilled out colours and small stripes, if any, will be far more stylish for you. Stripes – For shorter men, the next best thing to a shoe with a higher sole is a suit with vertical stripes. As stripes run top to bottom, they tend to draw the eye upward. Plus, they also lengthen your frame by elongating the look of the suit; giving you the illusion of appearing taller than you really are. Go for double vents – Small guys, the double-vent jacket was created with you in mind. The dual slits (or vents) along the side emphasize the outside lines of the body; in doing so, they establish an attractive, longer silhouette that complements and lengthens your frame.
More about suits …

The Bespoke Suit:

These are custom made by a tailor from a pattern created entirely from the client’s measurements, giving the best-fit and free choice of fabric. Some of the most expensive suits in the world are painstakingly hand made by an increasingly scarce breed of extremely skilled tailors.

These tailors know how to make suits that hide physical flaws and highlight attributes, without sacrificing comfort. Machine use is minimal, and each and every nuance of a client’s spoken and unspoken needs are met and often exceeded. Brioni, Attolini, Kiton, Luigi Borelli and Caraceni are some of the best known names in Italian bespoke suits. Some of the world’s most expensive suits are the Kiton K50s exclusively tailored by Senor D’Orsi, one of the finest tailors in the world. He makes not more than 50 suits in a year, each costing up to 50,000 USD. The fabrics used on a bespoke suit are usually the best, mostly worsted wool for business suits. These fabrics are used in the counts of 80′s and 90′s, or super 100′s, super 150′s and higher. The counts in the range of 80′s and 90′s also feel great and usually last longer than higher counts made at even the best clothing manufacturers. For those who can afford it, a bespoke suit made in the super 150′s fabric can be an absolute asset. It feels fabulously comfortable to wear and looks even better.

Made-to-Measure Men’s Suits:

Not every one is privileged enough to get a bespoke suit made, but there is a range of suits which is nearly as good. With made-to-measure suits, (a pre-made pattern modified to fit the client, with a limited selection of options and fabrics is available) it is possible to achieve a degree of customization because the tailor takes up to 25 measurements of an individual body, and these are then sent to the factory. Here, alterations are made to already available basic patterns in order to achieve the best fit possible. Special requests like extra pockets, specific fabrics and linings, and a certain design and style can be accommodated. Some of the best fabrics, threads and interlinings are used, which helps guarantee a quality suit. But the production is assembly line, and many tailors work on the suit at different stages of production, unlike the single tailor for the bespoke suit. Ermenegildo Zegna su Misura does some of the best fittings in the made-to-measure industry. A good deal of technology goes into the making of these suits and their fabrics. Some Zegna suits use fabrics like Micronsphere which has all the great qualities of a worsted but is also stain-resistant, or Cashco, which is a blend of cashmere and cotton, making it an all-weather fabric.

Off-the-peg Designer Men’s Suits:

Though these cost about half that of a good made-to-measure Italian suit, they are still worth the money. The first and foremost advantage is speed, no agonizing fittings and long waits for the suit to get ready, and if chosen carefully, an off-the-peg suit from Prada, Armani, Versace or Gucci fits quite well and is unbeatable for casual elegance and comfort. The trick is to shop around for the right size, cut and look. What is more, off-the-peg suits are good for those who are looking for variations and for different types of fabrics and styles. The beauty of an off-the-peg designer suit lies in its ability to change from season to season, and to bring in a hint of casual flair to the conservative world of men’s business clothing.

Ready to Wear:

These suits are mass produced, least expensive and most common. You’ll find them in department stores and they’re a good option for the budget conscious shopper. If you’re diligent in shopping carefully and following the tips above on getting the best fit for you, these suits may allow you to look suitably elegant in business attire and save your pocket at the same time.
In all, wearing a tailored and well fit suit could do wonders for your love and work life. A man in a fabulous suit is a great creature to cast your eyes on; he commands respect without even uttering a word and he walks confidently, with grace and sleek power, which is why here at MenStylePower, we’re highly motivated to encourage all dudes to suit it up.
What Thomas Merton said in the first part of the 20th Century is still relevant today. You can’t ignore “… men in bowlers and dark suits with their rolled-up umbrellas. Men full of propriety; calm and proud, neat and noble.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPORTION

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPORTION

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The Importance of Proportion in Classic Men’s Clothing

The gentleman who gives attention to proportion in his apparel always looks good. Alas, this detail is sadly under valued nowadays; it is rare to discover an adult male whose manner is understated elegance, the sort of gentleman who folks feel is always well dressed without knowing why. Most apparel sold in shops is available in just a few standard sizes, and are built according to the fashion of their day. It is true that with suitable tailoring, many gentlemen can get a decent fit out of a retail suit or other garment, but with a suit particularly there are a lot opportunities for customization that one misses out on them when buying off the rack. In retail clothing, important particulars like gorge height, closure, button position, and lapel width are determined by the impulses of fashion instead of the needs of a wearer’s unique physical structure.

Nearly all clothes are cut for a theoretical fashion model, a one in a hundred human who does not exist. Knowing this, it is no surprise that most men wear suits that do not flatter them. Most of us would look better in clothing built to our bodies, as that the right cuts and proportions can enhance any appearance. The best dressers knew this. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. had his jacket shoulders built out to offset his rather large head; Gary Cooper had his lapels cut to end in a low gorge which breaking up his height. Just look at modern day examples such as George Clooney, Sean Combs, and Tom Brady; these men wear menswear that compliments their natural strengths. It is true that certain body shapes clash with certain articles of clothing, but by no means does one’s body type confine him to a particular style. An important step in dressing well is finding the clothing proportions that work for you and then ensuring those proportion standards are met in every article of clothing you purchase.

The proper proportions on a jacket are critical to yield a natural and attractive visage. If a man’s head is especially wide, wider shoulders will frame his noggin to great success. A narrow face does better with sloping shoulders, while a large round face should ensure it is surrounded by enough material in the shoulders to make it look normal in size. Short men look best with a high-gorge configuration, while a low gorge balances a tall man. Also the width of a man’s lapels should be in proportion to his torso; if not they will accentuate his girth or lankiness to ill effect. And whatever your size, your jacket’s length should be such that it ends at your thumb’s knuckle when you stand with arms relaxed at your sides, and the ends of your sleeves should line up with the ends of your arms where your hands begin.

The shirt has rules of its own. The shirt collar size and shape should be selected based off of the face of the man wearing it. Collars types such as straight points tend to elongate the face; a wise selection for the round faced man but not a good choice for the man who has a long face. Most men wear collars that are too small, which is a shame as that the whole purpose of a shirt collar is to frame the face by properly drawing the eyes to it. Cuffs should gently clasp around the wrist, with anywhere from three quarters to a full two inches of room permissible.

Many trends in clothing consist of breaking the rules of proportion. Every day designers blast the public with their images of attractive models striking enviable poses and clothed in their latest offerings. By objective standards, these may be too loose or too tight, excessively short or top-heavy, or otherwise unbalanced. Models have jobs because they look good in anything, but most of us are not so lucky. Trendy designer clothes only look good because they evoke the beautiful people on billboards and magazines. When tastes change, in a few years or a single season, those who paid full price for designer wares at the height of their fleeting glory are left with expensive clothes that look slightly ridiculous. How much wiser is the man who buys clothes that are right for him, and wears them confidently knowing his style transcends the pettiness of fleeting fashion.

INTRODUCTION TO THE SHIRT COLLAR

Men’s dress shirt collars come in all different colors, sizes, and styles. The right collar on the right type of face is a sight to behold, a union of shapes and curves that bring out the best in each other. A collar’s job is to properly frame the face, accentuating a man’s facial strengths while down playing any abnormalities. Our discussion here centers around turn-down collars; if you are interested in learning about wing collars, (aka black tie collars) visit my other articles.
To facilitate this discussion, let us define a few terms important to understanding a shirt collar.

1. Collar Points - The tips of the collar.
2. Collar Point Length - The distance from the Collar Points to where they meet the Collar Band.
3. Collar Band - the piece of fabric that wraps around the neck.
4. Collar Height - The height of a folded collar as it fits on the neck.
5. Tie Space - The distance between the top of the folded collar parts when the shirt is buttoned.
6. Spread - The distance between Collar Points.

THE POPULAR POINT COLLAR -

The point collar is the most common turn-down collar style, found on approximately 90% of men’s dress shirts. Having it’s origins in the military uniforms from the turn of the 20th century, the variations of the point collar have established themselves as the de facto collars of the world due to their ability to remain neutral (an important characteristic for manufacturers looking for a collar type that will appease the majority of wearers). Key characteristics are that the collar is cut so that the “points” are reasonably close together, sometimes to the extent that they almost hide the top portion of a tie. In more extreme versions of the collar, longer more closely set points tend to draw the eye down towards the tie and away from the face, while a more moderate cut frames the tie and completes the arrow effect pointing at the face. The point collar is most at home on a man with round facial features; the collar’s elongating effect help to even out the look of his face. Men with thin faces should avoid these collars, as that they will only accentuate this feature.

Here is a Classic Straight Point Collar, clearly distinguishable by the small spread between the collar points. On this particular example, we see a 3/4 inch tie space and a collar point length of about 2 3/4 inches. All of a collar’s parts can be adjusted to ensure proportion for the individual; however, you need to ensure when accommodating your wishes the collar maker does not compromise the integrity of the collar type you wish to see framing your face.

Narrow Straight Point Collar - Here we see another version of the straight point, however in this version notice the even smaller spread between the collar points accentuated by the lack of a tie space altogether. The collar point length here is closer to 3 1/2 inches, a clear indicator that this collar is meant to help a round faced man look less plump. 

Button Down Point Collars - The button-down point collar style is most often seen on more casual shirts. These collars have small buttonholes at the very tip of each point, corresponding to a small button on each side of the shirtfront. While this collar can be worn successfully with a tie, it is the least formal of all the collar choices and is an excellent choice for the man looking to leave the tie behind. The buttons on the collar, however, are always fastened; to appear with undone collar buttons would be a faux pas.

SPREAD OR CUTAWAY COLLARS - THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

The second popular style is the cutaway, or spread collar. These collars have the points “cut away” or spread – thus the name – revealing more of the upper shirt area and leaving additional room for larger knots such as the Windsor. Like the point, spread collars come in a variety of widths, with more moderate ones resembling slightly flared point collars, while more extreme versions can be nearly horizontal. The particular dimensions are best left to the wearer’s preference and body type, with very wide spreads tending to accentuate wider figures while creating a more fully proportioned look on thin gentlemen. With that being said the spread collar is most at home on a man with thin or long facial features; the collar’s widening effect help to even out the look of the face. Men with round faces should avoid these collars, unless they plan on wearing them without a tie.

The Medium Spread Collar is a close cousin to the point collar, separated only by the interpretation of the size of its spread. Although this collar point length may be a bit shorter as well, it’s primarily designed for the man whose face falls between the extremes. A safe choice, it is a great introductory collar for those looking to slowly explore the benefits of this collar family.

The Classic Spread Collar - The spread of this collar leaves no doubt as to its heritage. A classic in bespoke circles for almost 100 years, this collar was made famous by the likes English royalty and Hollywood’s A-list Actors. The Duke of Windsor, Prince Charles, and Douglas Fairbanks are just a few of its advocates. Pair this collar with a thin face or small boned man, and you have a match made in heaven.

The Wide Spread and Curved Spread Collars - two variations of the classic spread; the spread has been increased by the collar point’s length (in this case to 3 1/2 inches). Found only in bespoke circles, the wearer must not only have a firm grasp of the collar style that looks good on him but must be willing to display this grasp of sartorial excellence for all to see.

OTHER COLLARS THAT BREAK THE MOLD

Tab Collars - The Tab collar employs a small tab extending from the middle of each point, which is fixed together – usually with a hook-and-loop closure – behind the tie. This forces the tie forward and up, creating the “standing” look of more elaborate knots. This collar should never be worn without a tie, and can be used to hide a abnormally long neck (Google image search Tom Wolfe).

Pin Collars - This collar has small holes in each point, allowing the insertion of a decorative pin or bar behind the tie knot which thrusts the tie knot forward and up while adding extra decoration to the collar itself. Like in the tab collar, this forces the tie forward and up, creating the “standing” look of more elaborate knots. This collar should always be worn with a tie; the empty holes and flapping tabs present an untidy appearance. Only wear this collar if you have the confidence to wield the attention it will draw.

WHERE TO FIND THESE COLLARS?

To find these collars a man should explore the world of custom clothing. It is here that a man can not only specify the type of collar he wants, but he has control over every aspect of a shirt’s design and dimensions.

How to choose a Tailor

How to choose a Tailor

Posted on October 20, 2008, 10:41 pm, by admin, under Writing on Men's Fashion.

How to choose a Tailor
Picking out a tailor used to be simple; you either went with the tailor who had been servicing your father or you headed to the experienced suit salesman who would get the right introduction.  Nowadays regrettably, the job is more arduous - expert tailors are tough to come by, and the ordinary menswear salesman does not hold the knowledge to guide you in the proper direction.  In this article, I outfit you with the tools to determine a good men’s tailor whose services can transform you and your clothing.
The below steps are in order of action to be taken when searching for a tailor, and they are intended to be applied in concurrence with each other.  The 1st point is the most crucial, and shouldn’t be passed over.
1.    Educate Yourself
Prior to you talking with a tailor or seamstress, you want to possess a grounding in the fundamentals of men’s style.  The most arduous thing for most men to do is to find a couple of hrs to sit and learn about suits, shirts, and other menswear; yet most gentlemen find once they begin studying the material they become captivated.  Learning about the intricacies of quality menswear you begin noting men’s clothing particulars you never considered before; you pay attention to the fit of suit jackets, working sleeve buttonholes, and the break along a pair of pants.
Stepping into the universe of tailoring, you will realise just how crucial your clothing is in broadcasting messages about who you are.  Most folks you go past daily know you solely by the clothing you have on; your appearance is the only way they can make any sense of who you are and what you do in this world.  The suit, shirt, and tie combination you put on in the morning covers up ninety percent of your body, and before you speak this garment combination declares who you are and indicates to other people whether or not you merit attention.
To build a firm base in the fundamentals of men’s style, I recommend reading any book by Alan Flusser, Nicholas Antongiavanni’s “The Suit”, or Bernhard Roetzel’s “Gentleman”.  An extraordinary internet resource is A Tailored Suit’s Style Guide, a trove of men’s style articles. Once you have a foundation, you ought then to then interact with experienced people at places like Style Forum, an internet community of men’s clothing partisans.  When you find you can talk the tongue of bespoke menswear, you’re ready to begin questioning tailors.
2.    Tailor Recommendations
Be heedful here - most gentlemen are not discriminating in picking out their tailor, and remain with their current tailor just because they are oblivious of a better alternative.  Aggregated with the reality most men do not understand what proper fit is, it’s very possible that a tailor who gets high praise only does so because of the cluelessness of his patrons.  Don’t presume since somebody addresses themselves as a tailor or seamstress that they know anything about men’s style or can evaluate proper fit.
Conduct a critical look at your acquaintances - who amongst them is a natty dresser?  These are the folks you would like to ask for tailor recommendations.  You’ll be able to widen your search by asking women also, only be careful.  The manner garments fit on an adult male vs. the way they should fit on a woman are very different.  A skilled woman’s tailor doesn’t necessarily possess the correct skills to tailor men’s clothing.
3.    A Tailor’s Communication Skills - does this tailor listen and understand you?
You now have a list of tailors - now you should start speaking with them.  You will be able to do this over the telephone or e-mail; your goal is to determine if this is a individual you are able to work with.  Do they have superior communication skills?  Do they really listen to you, or are they attempting to drive in a direction you know you do not need to go down?  Do they have time to speak, or are they in a hurry?  To be fair, you should not hold the last one against a tailor if you call up their workplace out of the blue - however any master tailor ought to be willing to put aside twenty minutes to talk with a prospective customer at a determined time within a few days of phoning.
You would like to work with a tailor whom you feel confident in - this decision is very personal and ought to be based off the tailor’s knowledge and communication skills - ideally you encounter a tailor with solid skills in both arenas.  Regrettably, a combination of the 2 in a tailor is uncommon except in bigger urban centers.  You could find a very skilled tailor, but if he doesn’t understand you or the tailor decides he should ignore your wants and execute what he believes is correct, both you and the tailor are going to be frustrated.  Communicating is critical, and ensuring that both sides clearly understand and respect one another is important to a long term partnership.
4.    When is the Tailor satisfied?
There’s one answer here; the tailor shouldn’t be content until you’re satisfied.  This does not imply that a accomplished tailor or seamstress always gives you what you wish or doesn’t make errors - nay, a tailor really worth retaining is one who learns what your idea of the ideal fit is and perpetually works to accomplish this.

5.    Does the Tailor understand style?  Does the tailor understand timeless fashion?
I brought this up earlier, but don’t presume a tailor or seamstress understands classic men’s style.  While a lot of accomplished tailors are experts at constructing anything you are able to conceive of, their eye for what colour material or style of jacket suits a man is oftentimes inconsistent with reality.  Culture differences could also play a factor here, because a lot of the best tailors nowadays are native Chinese, Thai, or Indian - what worked for tailors in Mumbai in 1970 might not be practical nowadays.  With your base in classic men’s style (see point 1), you ought to be able to figure out quickly if the tailor possess an eye for timeless fashion.

6.    Samples of the Tailor’s work - Can the tailor present you his custom suits and tailored shirts?
Pictures, example pieces, alteration miracles - you’re seeking samplings of their work that validates the tailor’s claims of greatness.  If the overall garment appears fine, spend a couple of minutes analyzing the details - does the stitching look firm and neat, is the build and silhouette something you want in your clothing.  Be weary of a tailor who does not have anything to display or pleased clients to refer you to.

7.    Tailoring turnaround times?  Is the tailor accessible?
A lot of the better tailors out there are really active folks.  They accept more work than they can handle, and alas wait times of more than a month  for a expert tailor’s time are not unheard of.  Ideally you want a tailor who can attend to your wants quickly, particularly when you call for a quick fix before an crucial appointment.  Be direct about your needs here, as that most tailors will accommodate emergencies aware it creates loyalty and good will.

Notice I did not bring up cost when picking out a tailor - this is the least significant factor and should be a small consideration even for those tight on money.  You need to find a good tailor who can assist you to realize your vision of the perfect tailored fit.  Saving 20 bucks on a cheaper tailor and not getting what you desire is a waste of money - spend a bit more and getting precisely what you envisioned by employing the skills of a master tailor - it’s always worth it

When looking to buy clothing, remember to look for these three things -

When looking to buy clothing, remember to look for these three things -

1. The Proper Fit – I don’t care if the suit has a 90% discount; if it does not  fit you it will not look good. And when you find a suit that fits you well, take it to get tailored so that it fits you perfectly. Nothing is as important as fit.

2.Timeless Style – Ensure the clothing is classic in style. You want a suit you can wear not only this season, but 5 years from now. Avoid fads like the current thin lapels, and instead opt for styles that compliment your individual body style. Spread shirt collars on the narrow faced man and point collars for the round faced fellow. Go with conservative colors such as navy blue or my favorite charcoal grey (which does not accentuate youth, thus helping you avoid looking like your 17).

3. Quality – Go with Wool if you can afford it, a blend with up to 40% man made fibers is OK if you are cash strapped. Wool is sought after because it maintains its shape, retains heat, absorbs moisture without showing, and it has the look other fabrics are judged by.