Save Jermyn Street!

I was recently emailed an article from the London Evening Standard that discusses a 50 million pound plan to demolish and remodel eight buildings in London’s historic West End, an area that includes the famed men’s shopping area of Jermyn Street. In danger of losing their stores in this remodeling effort, amongst others, are Herbie Frogg, Bates and recently discussed Trumper’s (not the original, but their second shop).

Having just visited London and shopped on this street, I would call this nothing short of a tragedy for the sartorially-minded male. So much history and craftsmanship reside on these few blocks.

Jermyn Street was originally named so after Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of St. Albans, and has been peddling fine men’s clothing – particularly shirts (Savile Row is to suits as Jermyn Street is to shirts) – since the middle of the 18th century. Keep reading to find out a little bit more that I learned while I was there…

Shortly after entering Jermyn Street, you are greeted by Beau Brummell, a 19th century gentleman who apparently defined elegance and style during his business around town. He stands guard of the street with the following quote on his plaque:

“To be truly elegant, one should not be noticed.”

I did manage to quickly visit each and every store on the block, but in sticking with tradition on this blog, have decided to highlight the most affordable of the lot.

T.M. Lewin began on Jermyn Street in 1898 and has been a staple there since, despite expanding to more than 60 stores across the UK. I found TM Lewin to be the most affordable of the shops I visited, and was so without sacrificing fit and modernity. I ended up buying two shirts, two ties and a suit at this store before it was all said and done. Their clothes, especially the slim cut dress shirts, embody English tailoring and the pocket-pleasing prices were certainly welcome on an otherwise expensive street.

They support a vast website for men and women – and you can find it here.

Charles Tyrwhitt is the new kid on the block on Jermyn Street. This shirt and suit retailer was only founded in 1986 by Nicholas Charles Tyrwhitt Wheeler to become a mass-producer of men’s and women’s shirts. Their prices are also on the reasonable side, especially during their annual end-of-range sale where I found the perfect blue and white striped, french-cuffed shirt I had been searching for all week for a mere 24 pounds.

This particular shirt is from their slim fit line. I have owned a couple of their traditional cuts and do find them to be very “American” in that regard – much more baggy and flowing. Whatever style and collar you prefer can be found at their website.

Another shirt retailer that began as a Jermyn Street staple and has since advanced and expanded globally is Thomas Pink. Slightly more expensive, but with superior selection, fit and quality, the Pink experience is something to behold. They pride themselves on service and catering to the customer, providing them with whatever they need.

Photo courtesy of Debi Kirksey

This couldn’t be more true than in the example of their White Shirt bar, located at the Jermyn Street shop. A customer has dozens of choices for their made-to-order white dress shirt such as cuff, collar, fit, buttons, tabs, and a plethora of other decisions. Their sales representatives are happy to spend as long as it takes to find the perfect white shirt for you – and then you are expected to buy, buy, buy.

Visit the Thomas Pink website for more information.

Photo courtesy of Hawes and Curtis

Another imminently affordable shop along the route is Hawes & Curtis. H&C  was established in 1913 by two friends with a mission of providing quality products while also seeking out the opinion of customers to help define the inventory and style of shirt. They boast the Prince of Wales on their client roster and have also significantly expanded throughout the UK.

Hawes & Curtis have a useful and substantial web presence here.

Other famous shirt-makers and purveyors include the pricier, but classic and timeless Turnbull and Asser;

Photo courtesy of Debi Kirksey

As well as Hilditch & Key.

Photo courtesy of Debi Kirksey

Quickly, Jermyn Street became one of my favorite places to browse, window shop and daydream. I visited the short little road at least three times on my trip, finding myself with each subsequent visit wishing more and more I could live near such a treasure chest of men’s fashion.

If some of it is to be remodeled and destroyed in the process, it will be devastating to those who see value in the historical precedence of elegance. These places for men are few and far between, but Jermyn Street certainly tops the list. Visit it when you can.

For more information on Jermyn Street, visit the street’s Association web page.

Summer wedding

How I wish I could go an east-coast summer wedding and be surrounded by the experience Adam Rappaport writes about in this GQ blog:

See the post here.

I have the seersucker suit, I have the bowties, I have the linen and the loafers. Someone who knows me on the east coast and who is getting married when the weather is warm, please send me an invite!!!

Books

If there is another passion I have that can rival style, it would be a good book. So, I thought “why not combine the two?!” To that end, I have added a page at the top of this blog with links to books I recommend about style, about dress and about being a gentleman.

Some of these I have own, some of them I have just flipped through, while still others have been recommended to me. I have a good list started, and will continue to update as I come across great titles.

If you have one you recommend, please let me know so I can share it.

The direct link is http://mensstylerevival.com/books.

Pant length

Quick one today, as I am always happy to oblige when someone asks me a question or seeks my opinion about something.

The question of appropriate length for men’s pants came up at work (I have no idea how or why), so I thought I would illustrate my opinion through written word and, hopefully, some good pictures.

When discussing length of pants, I truly believe in the same two rules whether I am covered in dress pants, jeans or chinos. These two guidelines can help in assuring pants are never too long or, perhaps worse, too short.

1. Pant legs should be straight through the leg and only “break” once above the shoe, no more than about an inch and a half. Here is what I mean:

Picture from Saksfifthavenue.com

Notice the “break” about an inch and a half above the right foot. There is no bunching at the bottom and the pants are not folding over the shoes. It stops at just the right place, about halfway down the laces.

2. Typically, I like the back of my pants to stop just above the heel of my shoe. This guarantees that I will not be stepping on them on the back side, and assists in the proper length in the front.

Picture from bananarepublic.com

These are about a quarter to a half inch above the heel, which is just about right.

And as you might have noticed, slim dress pants add to the perception that they fit well. Slimmer pants don’t give off the impression of bagginess and bunchiness like looser fitting pants can.  Ususally, the same holds true for jeans and chinos, but the issue often with those two types of pants is that they are typically designed and made baggier and looser to provide comfort in a versatile pant.

Affordable options I recommend at the moment are the Gap 1969 Authentic fit jeans and J. Crew’s slim-fit broken-in chino.

Geo. F. Trumper

Trying to describe what an experience at Trumper’s in London is like is, frankly, quite difficult. When you walk into their original store on Curzon Street in the Mayfair part of town, you are instantly taken back to a time when men had to enter a shop such as this for proper grooming services.

Geo. F. Trumper is London’s oldest and most respected men’s barber and grooming institution, first opening its doors back in the 1850′s. Known for not only grooming services but for its vast inventory of grooming products for skin, hair and face, Trumper’s offers old-world services that are unrivaled at any other barber shop that one could frequent today. A quick check of the website and of their brochure shows that they offer, in addition to haircuts, hair tinting, mustache and beard trimming, shaves, manicures, pedicures, facial cleanses and massages.

When one comes in for one of these services, you are treated to your own individual station with a personal groomer. These stalls are from the original installation of the early 1900′s and feature a comfortable, relaxing chair with shelf upon shelf of the groomer’s favorite products. If privacy is requested, it can certainly be accommodated with drawn curtains.

They do ask that you call ahead and make reservations. I happened to step into their second store on Jermyn Street on a Wednesday, and the employee happily called their flagship shop to make an appointment for my brother, father and I for shaves on Friday afternoon. The employees could not have been more polite or eager to help and answer all my questions – it was refreshing to have that type of service from someone who was not even getting my business that day.

At the time of our appointment, I asked to go last so I could observe my father and brother and get an outside perspective of what the experience is like.

In the chair on the right is my father, experiencing his first hot towel-wet shave. His groomer was a man named Gerry who had been providing these services for 43 years – and he was an expert to say the least – so much so that he earned a new returning customer in my father.

As it came to be my turn, I forced myself to remember the experience and the sequence so I could accurately report it. And I couldn’t be happier that I did – because, wow, what  an experience it was.

After some water on my face, my gentleman began with a soothing lotion before applying the first hot towel of the process. After a good two minutes, he removed the hot towel and used a citrus-based pre-shave oil to open up the skin  and soften it before shaving. The shaving cream used was Trumper’s own almond cream product – something I almost bought simply because the smell was so incredible. Next, he used a straight razor blade to expertly remove the stubble I had let grow for three days prior – I did confirm that every razor is replaced after each client to avoid even the potential for transmission of any blood or skin.

Upon completion of the actual shave, he began to touch up my face with a bar that seemed to sting  with each touch of my skin. I asked him what it was and he told me that it was compressed salt. Salt, I learned, acts as a natural disinfectant much like lemon or vinegar. As the salt dries on the skin, it not only cleans it, but tightens the skin and the pores to close them back in. The last few steps were a post-shave lotion, another hot towel and finished off with a moisturizer to cool and heal the shaved area.

Not only was it the greatest shave I have ever had, but it was completely relaxing despite the presence of things like hot towels, straight razors and stinging bars.

A shave with no other services at Trumper’s will run you about 30 pounds, or roughly $48 at the moment (other services run from about 15 to 50 pounds). And while that might seem high, the experience and the attention to detail more than make up for the amount. It’s not like a shave at Trumper’s is not something a man is going to get everyday. It’s a treat – and one that is well worth its price.

And while I did not purchase anything else, I was able to spend a few minutes browsing the hundreds of products that were on display at the front of the store.

Perhaps sensing my interest, the clerk proceeded to fill a bag for me with samples and brochures and information. Amongst the things I received were various types of shaving creams, skin care products, moisturizers and post-shave products. I look forward to trying them all and then ordering from the catalogue if there is something I can’t live without.

So when I said at the beginning that an experience at Trumper’s is difficult to describe, I truly mean it only one way. Is it possible for the same experience to feel exotic and normal at the same time? Is is possible for it to feel like you are being treated to one of the true hidden secrets for men while at the same time thinking that this is how men should take care of themselves?

Trumper’s makes one feel that way. It makes you remember that there was a time when men used these services out of necessity, not out of novelty.

Trumper’s can be found online by going here. My mother’s blog also chronicled the experience here.

Paris shopping (that’s actually affordable!)

I have been fortunate enough to have a work obligation that has taken me to Paris for about three days, and it has been quite a fun adventure being here for the first time by myself. Looking to fill a couple of days, and having done most of the touristy things in previous trips, I decided to explore the options for affordable shopping for men – something that is not always easy in a city of severe haute couture such as Paris. But, seeing how one of the main goals of this blog is to provide men with quality, affordable style solutions, I am happy to take on the Paris challenge – for my own interest as well as yours.

As with many things, location played a huge part in what I was able to find and what was accessible. I stayed this time at the Hotel de L’Arcade on Rue de L’Arcade near Place de Madeleine and Place de la Concorde. I have stayed here once before, but was not quite able to grasp the epicenter of shopping I was in.

Two streets near my hotel that are typically known for the quality and quantity of shopping are Rue Tronchet and Boulevard Haussman. Most places mentioned today will be on one of those two streets or just off of Place de Madeleine.

Timing was the second factor in my successful trip. I was in Paris from July 9-11 – right in the middle of when EVERY retail store in town has massive end-of-season sales before they bring out the “nouvelle collection” – the new stuff. Every shop has some sign in the window or marquis proclaiming “SOLDES!” or Sale!, and most range from the last week of June to the third week of July.

Most places run anything from 20-50% off items in the store, so some good deals can be found, despite the fact that most shops are unaffordable for the average buyer to begin with.

The first thing you notice on the intersections of Tronchet and Haussman is that French department stores dominate. All of your Diors, Chanels, Guccis and Burberrys are there as well, but the majority of property is taken up by the multi-floor mammoth stores.

We’ll start with the most famous, Galleries Lafayette. Typically known as a purveyor of high fashion, especially for women, there were deep discounts and plenty to consider on the men’s side.

There are separate stores for men, women and home with Lafayette, and the women’s store features the classic artistic dome – worth going in to shop just to view that masterpiece. The store for men (homme) features its own line of business wear, much like a Nordstrom does, and all of those items were on sale. I found (and by “found” I mean bought) ties for about 13 Euros, or $20 – they were regularly 40 Euros or more. Their dress shirts ranged from sale prices of about 19 Euros to 40-50 Euros. I spotted other designers such as Alain Figaret, Kenzo and Armani at 50% off as well.

Most of the top designers featured many items on sale, but even 50% off is sometimes not enough to make a dent in a 600 Euro suit. But, with about five floors featuring things like accessories, urban wear, business and shoes, there were still many deals to be found.

A Galleries Lafayette clone down the street is Printemps L’Homme. Much like Lafayette, Printemps showcases separate men’s and women’s stores, and also like Lafayette, features all the expensive items you want.

Printemps had things laid out a bit differently, however. Many of their best sale items where featured when you walk in the front door, so you don’t have to look very far to find deals on Lacoste or Thomas Pink. Beyond that, I did not find may discernible differences between Printemps and Lafayette – both feature similar fashion with similar floors and similar deals. Still, a few more affordable items could be found by digging deep at Printemps, in my opinion.

Next up are a couple of lower priced department stores, akin to a Macy’s, for a local comparison. C&A is a much more affordable alternative to the previous stores mentioned. You are not going to find Hermes and Dolce & Gabbana at C&A, but plenty of lower-end European manufacturers who have quality clothing (especially in the way they fit) are sold there.

C&A was started over 100 years ago by two brothers, and although it has had some rough times financially lately, it is still a staple all over Europe. I was able to find a belt I had been looking for from this store for about 15 Euro. Probably the best overall prices were at C&A when considering the sales in each store.

A retail outlet I had never heard of before caught my eye as my day was almost over – a store called Madelios. The slogan for this one was most interesting.

Basically, “Le Grand Magasin Pour Hommes” means The Big Store For Men. Madelios seemed to be like a large conglomeration of many men’s stores all in one place – with the prices and quality falling somewhere in the middle of Lafayette and C&A – but everything seemed to be disjointed here. No real rhyme or reason in how it was laid out. I didn’t find anything here I couldn’t live without.

Speaking of low-priced men’s stores, I would be remiss to not mention one of my favorites, H&M.

I know there is nothing earth-shattering about H&M, and that everyone knows about it, but since there is STILL not one in the city where I live – only the third-largest city in America – I continue to have to visit them when I travel to other locations.

This one on Boulevard Haussman is not the best one for men (there is a bigger one in another part of town), but I did find a great purple tie on super-sale for 5 Euro.

On my way back to the hotel, I actually ran across a store I have grown to love – Salamander shoes. If you remember, I discussed Salamander when I wrote a post about wingtips and how I loved the ones I bought there in 2007. Fond memories, I guess, but it was good to discover how close it was to where I was staying.

Shoes are always fun to browse in a city like Paris. There is something about the way they are displayed and how they all look lined up next to each other in the window that just makes you want to purchase them.

And yes, those shoes are all on sale – you may notice some of the “Super Prix,” or Super Price signs on shoes thay say 119 Euro or 129 Euro. Yes, that’s more than $150, but it’s just what you are going to pay in Paris for dress shoes. Be prepared. But also notice how narrow these shoes are and how you can’t find a bulky or clunky one in the bunch – I love it.

One disappointing part of the exploration came when I ran across this on a street corner:

Uniqlo is a Japanese clothing line that I was recently turned onto when GQ highlighted some of their suits that were very reasonably priced. You can’t find them at all in the U.S. (although you can order Uniqlo online), and it looks like I missed the Paris store on Haussman by a few months, as the signs all say that the shop will open fall of 2009.

Otherwise, however, I would have to call my two-day excursion a success. I found some stores I am sure to frequent when I come back, and found deals that would not otherwise had been offered had I been there at a different time of the year.

If you’re ever in Paris and can’t seem to find anything but the out-of-this-world boutiques, try Tronchet and Haussman – you’ll do much better.

The style of Matt Lauer

The Today Show on NBC had an interesting piece the morning of June 18 – on the fabulous subject of ties. “How appropriate!” you must be thinking, seeing how it was three days away from Father’s day and ties are the paragon of male-holiday gift giving. And yes, that was the reason for the bit, but they had a unique angle to the piece as they focused on the reemergence of the tie as well as the tie collections and tie thoughts of two of the network’s most familiar faces: Matt Lauer and Brian Williams.

Both did a little ribbing of the other and of Al Roker, the host of the piece, and they posted extended video of the interviews online, breaking it up into specific pieces for Williams and Lauer. The piece that aired on TV is found here:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/31423437#31423437

While the full video for Lauer can be found here:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/31423437#31413418

All joking aside, Matt Lauer has become a fashion icon of sorts for many men in this country. Personally, I sport a similar hairstyle and quite enjoy his daily sartorial choices. I, however, never did pick up on the fact that his ties “always have some blue” in them.

Another interesting tidbit from the first piece is the interview with Adam Rappaport of GQ. When discussing Lauer, he comments that the Today Show host is neither fashion-forward or conservative, but rather covers himself like a “well-dressed European businessman.”

So at the urging of my wife and mother, and to satisfy my own curiosity, let’s dissect Lauer’s style at work and outside the office. Is he not fashion forward? Is he not conservative? Is he a European businessman? We’ll see.

Let’s start with his typical office wear – the suits. Suits are his uniform and it’s only on rare occasions that he has to dress like this:

I have been doing some research lately (i.e. watching some TV in the morning) and have discovered that Lauer is predominantly going to wear a suit that is a shade of grey. They trend darker in the NYC fall and winter and much lighter in the summer, but grey with some blue in the shirt and/or tie is a safe bet. Let’s start with this one:

Classic – that’s the word to describe this picture. A medium-shade of grey that truly could be worn year-round with the trendy and popular light blue shirt and solid navy tie. This is a suit/shirt combo you will see Lauer wearing on air as the light blue is best for TV lights instead of a white shirt.

But in this picture, Rappaport nails the description of being neither fashion forward or conservative. He is not wearing your traditional navy suit-white shirt-red tie presidential attire, but he is also not attempting the super-skinny tie or spread Windsor collar either. Notice the detail of the tie and lapel of the jacket being about the same width; that’s the sign you are dealing with someone savvy and sartorial.

This suit will work in 1959 and 2059 as well as it does in 2009.

Here is a suit for the colder months – a darker grey pinstripe, with an off-white or possibly very light blue shirt. A sign that the suit fits well is that one can tell that Lauer still can be comfortable despite sitting down, cross-legged, and arms stretched out.

Details are important here as well. The perfect dimple in the tie, just enough sleeve poking out from the jacket, and also displaying what is slowly become his trademark; the JFK-style white pocket square with only the simple, straight line of linen showing.

The tie gives this suit a modern look, but tell me you can’t see this same suit on Cary Grant circa 1950.

Again, the grey suit – but clearly wearing it out of the office this time. You can learn a lot from the little piece of this ensemble we can see.  What can seem to be a very straight-laced, basic suit – the grey suit with white shirt – can always be dapper-ed up a little bit with some original flair or design in the tie, a man’s one true blank canvas with which to work.

Nothing surprising or revolutionary here – the straight point collar, the exaggerated pin-dot look – all modern in style, but classic enough to pass the test of time.

In the Today Show and in the interviews above with Lauer, it becomes clear that suits are not jut a necessity for him, but rather a comfort zone. He has to know he looks good in them, so in turn, he takes pride in creating and refining his look in suits. And don’t be fooled, his look is not all the work of one of the show’s producers or designers – it’s his own.

Now for some more casual wear, here are some examples:

Interesting outfit here in what is obviously a candid photo of Lauer. I am amazed at all the different shades that are in play here, yet they all seem to work, drawn together by an unconventional yet stylish pair of light brown cap-toes.

This does remind me of Europe what with the thick scarf, slim pants and sweater. On what is probably a cold spring night, Lauer certainly realizes bundling up doesn’t mean dressing down.

In what was probably not his proudest moment, Lauer was injured a few months ago, separating his shoulder swerving to avoid a deer on his bike in Central Park. But despite donning a sling for a weeks, he manages to still define casual-cool.

I have seen Lauer in this double-zip cardigan on multiple occasions. He always seems to match it with a dress shirt and jeans – all very clean colors and straight lines that carry a French/Italian feel to it as well. You can tell the jeans are well-fitting and not baggy or sagging – an important lesson for today’s man.

For what looks like a night out, Lauer chooses the dressier casual approach, with basic sport coat, crisp white shirt and flat-front dress pants. Again, muted colors, nothing flashy, clothes that fit appropriately, and making simple things work to look classic – notice a pattern here?

It’s funny how Lauer uses the white pocket square in this outfit. Where we discussed above how he chooses almost daily to show the small, straight line with his suits on the air, he decides in this picture to go with the more laissez-faire approach, with the “give it a tuck and go” toss into the pocket. It’s almost like he uses the white pocket square to help define what he is doing – saying I know how to separate work and play.

Other things I like here: the matching of the belt and shoes – always a subtle detail, the open jacket – gives off an air of casualness, and the orange cell phone cover – just for it being a little funky.

So the final verdict? Simple colors, clothes that fit to the body, attention to details, and a touch of modernity? All these things shout out European everyday couture, so I can’t help but agree with Adam Rappaport.

Lauer has style worth emulating, style that is admittedly his own.

The dress shirt – a primer

Yeah, so I haven’t posted anything for a long time. I’m a horrible person.

I am going to let real life segue into the post this time and then we can quickly get into one of my favorite things.

This week, I celebrated six wonderful and unforgettable years with my beautiful wife with a great dinner out, time with friends and playing with my daughter. It was the best.

When wedding talk began creeping into the picture about eight years ago, it became necessary that I learn about the infamous Four C’s. Gentlemen, if you are not familiar with the Four C’s, and you are ever planning on getting married, may I suggest you start Wiki-ing it now?

The Four C’s typically refer to the four things to look for when picking out a diamond – in my case, an engagement ring. These four refer to color, cut, clarity and carat.

And while I am sure places like Zales invented this alliterative tool to convince you to buy a more expensive diamond than is necessary, it is a requirement to follow these rules when selecting engagement finger-wear.

We are talking about dress shirts in this post, including a little bit about their history, what to look for in purchasing and some that I currently find appealing. While discussing dress shirts, I want to impart on you another set of Four C’s – this one my creation, but just as valuable to the man, and also sure to please the lady-friend as well. Just don’t expect the same reaction to a well-fitting dress shirt as you would get with diamonds.

The four important things you should know about dress shirts are: cut, cloth, collar and cuff.

Cut

When buying a dress shirt, you essentially have two main options when it comes to its make: ready-to-wear (or off-the-rack) and bespoke (or custom-made). I personally have never had a shirt custom made, but I hear it is a heavenly experience. Regardless, most shirt tailors charge a minimum of $100 per shirt and most have a minimum order (especially your traveling tailors or the more high-end names).

So the majority of us are going to buy off the rack. But off the rack does not mean that quality or fit has to be sacrificed; it just depends on what you are willing to pay. Personally, I have seen dress shirts sold for as little as $14.99 and for as much as $800.

But from the high-end to the imminently affordable, most labels are going to feature multiple cuts or fits of their shirts within their respective lines. The trick is finding what fits you best, and then searching for one within your budget.

You have heard it here multiple times, but slim is in. Mass-production designers are noticing, but also have tough decisions to make. While a tailor for a bespoke shirt can fit one to your precise measurements, labels have to produce for the masses, and the masses don’t always look the same. Designing this way has led to two basic measuring metrics for ready-to-wear.

Sizes - this is your standard small, medium, large, extra-large, etc. What this means from label to label is up to them. Most labels are going to have a pattern they draw from to determine these sizes. Whether that pattern starts out narrow or more obtuse is up to them. Many of your medium-range shirts when it comes to price are sold this way: think Banana Republic and J. Crew.

Measures - when you see that a dress shirt is a 16/35 on the tag or price slip, that has a distinct meaning. The size of your neck in inches will always come first followed by the length of the sleeve from the end of the shoulder to the bottom of the wrist. Most of your department-store dress shirts as well as your high-end labels are going to size them this way, but for drastically different reasons.

Department stores are selling to the large masses so they need to be prepared to provide something for every man that might walk in the door. High-ends, in my opinion, provide them in these sizes because the people that are buying them are dropping quite bit of coin and they need to know they are going to fit impeccably.

Two important things when considering cut. Go to a reputable men’s clothing store immediately and get the salesperson to measure you in those two areas so you at least having a starting point when looking for shirts. Get re-measured every six months or so so you are always looking for the right thing. Second, always try things on. Don’t worry about taking something out of a package or unwrapping something, that is why the salespeople are there and they should be happy to help you with different varieties. Not trying something on can lead to a miserable experience in your shirt a la the Gordon Gartrell knockoff from one of my favorite fashion moments ever on the small screen.

“No 14-year-old boy should have a $95 shirt unless he is on stage with his four brothers!” And no matter what his friends said when he accidentally lets them see it, this is not and never will be a cool dress shirt.

Cloth

You have a lot of possibilities when considering the cloth with which you shirt is made. The basic (and where we will spend our time today) is cotton; you’ve got linen, polyester (not really many pure polyesters, but rather polyester blends), and then various subgroups of these such as gingham or poplin.

When considering cotton, dress shirts are usually like your bed-sheets; the higher the thread count, the higher the quality. Basically, thread count means that the producer has counted the number of threads in a square inch of material, in this case, cotton. More thread in that count usually leads to softer, finer material which is ideal when considering dress shirts, especially in mild climates.

It has been said that an average thread count for cotton shirts is around 150, so you might see some places from time to time advertise their 180′s or 200′s on sale – and that refers to thread count. Always view these “better quality” shirts for yourself before purchase to make sure it is a pure weave and not some combo hybrid or something.

Poplin refers to a fabric that has some sort of rigid yarn of something (usually silk, rayon or wool) running through that gives it more of a structured or “unwrinkled” look. A lot of the wrinkle-free brands you see advertised are probably poplin or poplin blends. Easy to pick up and wear as well as throw in the dryer if you aren’t able to dry-clean.

Gingham is the standard plaid or checkered look you see on so many dress shirts today. Essentially it is an inter-weaving between two fabrics or fabric that has been dyed different colors. The blue and white windowpane shirt that it seems like every man has is your basic gingham.

Linen or linen-cotton blend is, of course, a very light-weight fabric that is ideal for very warm weather. Made from the flax plant, it is often very difficult to and labor-intensive to produce, so can regularly be more expensive than similar garments made from other materials, according to Wikipedia.

Any of these are going to be fine for you to wear in 2009 and beyond, but please don’t let me catch anyone in a silk dress shirt. Are you one of these guys?

Cuff

When it comes to cuffs on a dress shirt, you have two main options – not a lot of variety. Cuffs on dress shirts come as your basic barrel cuff, with usually one or two buttons, or your French cuff, which may or may not be adjustable, depending on the brand.

Barrel cuffs are by far the most common whether we are talking about mass-produced or designer dress shirts. These have a button hole on one side of the cuff and the button on the other – obviously. So while these don’t need much of an explanation, let me give you my guidelines for rolling up the sleeves of a barrel cuff shirt (something that is best ignored with French cuff shirts).

First, just unbutton the cuffs and leave the button on the sleeve vent still clasped. Do your normal one turn up and then do a second. But on the second, start tucking the fabric of the sleeve you are turning up into the roll. It will start to seem very tight, but you should be able to do it a third and possibly fourth time until the sleeve rests properly at about the elbow. The advantage to leaving the sleeve vent button clasped is that the sleeve remains tight and slim on your arm instead of baggy and loose like it would have to be if that button was undone.

Getting back to cuffs to wrap up, remember that French cuffs are for more formal occasions or to be worn with a suit and should normally be avoided when not wearing a jacket – although I have certainly been caught breaking this rule.

And no matter how debonair Brad Pitt may make it seem, please avoid the Ocean’s 11 unfolded French cuff he wears for the first quarter of the movie.

Collar

When considering collars, you are going to be faced with about four traditional options. Any of the four are appropriate, but some tend to be more popular regionally – whether that is throughout the U.S. or other parts of the world. Here are your four basic types and a little about each:

Straight Point

Straight point makes up the most common collar on for-sale dress shirts, and can work well with any facial structures or suit/tie type. With nothing extraordinary about it, you can usually find straight point collars at 2-3 inches between points on the collar (this distance is standard for how a shirt’s collar is referenced). On shirts with these types of collars, you will have a narrower opening for the tie than you would on other shirt collars.

Spread

Looking just like the name says it should, a spread collar is wider from point to point than the straight point collar – usually a full 3.5 to 4.5 inches, ideal for those who have  a narrower neck to add some thickness to the complexion and make the face and neck seem wider. Sometimes you will see thicker tie knots, like a four-in-hand, on a spread collar.

Windsor

A variation of the spread collar, and also known as the wide spread, this is what’s often seen as a popular collar for very formal wear or in Europe (especially in the UK). The Windsor is categorized by a very wide distance from point to point, sometimes six inches, to the point where it seems like there is a straight line across the collar as opposed to a triangle or an opening.

This style was popularized by England’s Duke of Windsor and continues to gain a slow but steady following over in the states.

Button Down

Created by Brooks Brothers in the U.S., these serve as very functional and practical shirts that have the collars buttoned down to ensure there will be no shifting by the tie and that the collar will stay in place. Still, this remains a more casual style of collar and is not recommended for business suits or other more formal attire. Probably, these are best worn with a sport-coat or in an ensemble with no coat or tie required.

Good pictures of these and more as well as a guide to what to wear with your type of face can be found here.

Just please don’t let me see you in a collar like this one.

In that outfit, yes, you are funny like a clown, yes, you do make me laugh, and yes, you are here to amuse me.

And finally, some recommendations. Right now, my favorite dress shirts are from Zara and Ted Baker. Go search through the racks at Zara if you want a very well-fitting, well-made dress shirt that looks good with suits and jeans and won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Ted Baker will run you around $150, but I have a hard time finding dress shirts that fit better across my chest and torso than these quality shirts.

My parents recently bought me a shirt from T.M. Lewin on London’s Savile Row, and I love it as well, so it may be added to the list soon

Style Surfing

The internet has proven over the years to be a veritable grab-bag for the the stylistically inclined. On one hand, consumers have access to products, advice, etiquette tips and countless other useful items to further their fashion arsenal and knowledge. But, the web has also given us people making fashion statements such as this guy:

The Perez Hiltons of the world notwithstanding, the internet has also allowed any idiot (like me) to share their thoughts and impart their style wisdom to anyone lending their computer screen and cable connection. Some of it has proven to be dramatic and iconic, such as Wikipedia providing history of fashion and designers and materials at the snap of a finger; while others we could have certainly done without, such as thefashionpolice.net, who, in their opinion, point out the obvious and not-so-obvious fashion mistakes of the rich and sometimes not-so-rich and famous. Like when they told us all that something called a “Witch Dress” does not look terribly desirable. Um, you didn’t a website to convince me of that.

But look long enough, and you will certainly find the gems that exist in cyberspace; the sites that can benefit the savvy shopper and provide guidance through your fashion faux pas. A lot of what I have gleaned has been through a computer – and recently, I have been introduced to just a little bit more.

Here are three recommended sites for those curious about all things tyle:

The Sartorialist is a celebration of style blog written by Scott Schuman, also of GQ. There is nothing terribly ground-breaking about the premise of this blog, but its simplicity and thoughtfulness is what makes it so unique. Have you ever wondered about the best real-life fashion that cities like Paris, New York and Milan have to offer? Schuman will take you to those places armed with nothing more than a digital camera and his brief thoughts on the subject. Taking pictures of regular people on the street that he admires for their boldness and creativity in style, Schuman documents them on his website, and will sometimes write a word or two, but many times just let commenters tell the story of the subject and make notes on their style. Often the comments for one photo will be in the hundreds.

His latest round of photographs are from Australia and include this gentleman, with the photo entitled “The Tailor of Chapel Street:”

Photo property of Schott Schuman - www.thesatorialist.com

Another website I was turned on to lately is Shop Style. If you are a little bit OCD, like me, you love lists and organization. With style, especially online style, it is hard to manage and keep it compartmentalized. What do I like? What is new? What’s on sale? It never ends.

But, with Shop Style, in the mold of an Amazon Wish List or something similar, all you need to do is create an account and then you can search the tens of thousands of products and labels and deals they have, which draw from all over the web, to find your favorites. All that is required is that you scroll over the item you prefer and it will prompt you to buy or to add to your favorites or your wish list. I first looked at sunglasses as an example. Currently, there are 81 pages with 12 pairs of sunglasses per page at which to look. And that’s just the beginning.

Browsers can search through clothes, bags, accessories, outerwear, big & tall, or anything that meets your fancy. All of it is fully customizable by price range, brand, color, size, on sale, etc. It is one of the most convenient and comprehensive resources I have found for shopping and browsing. The wish list serves as a perfect place for something looking for a gift who does not want to ask or pry. The favorites section lets you create looks and outfits and styles that match your own preferences. You can see how items look together before purchasing.

Many may wonder, “is it just cheap stuff, or maybe it’s just the ultra-expensive items?” I can assure you the range is quite broad. Just looking under the pants section shows that there is a range of pants from $12 to over $1700 – with about 2500 to choose from.

Last week, I get an email from my wife inviting me to join something called Shop It To Me. After a filling out the requisite info, taking less than two minutes, I was up and running on a site that sends you emails as often as you choose about items that are on sale online in your size and from your favorite brands.

You see, when you sign up, you are asked to fill in all of your sizes for shirts, shoes, pants, etc. as well as at least 10 of your favorite brands/designers. You are then asked your preference on how often you would like to receive emails (I selected Mondays and Thursdays) and you immediately get your first round of on-sale items emailed to you.

After signing up, you can easily go back and change sizes, select additional brands, add women’s clothes (if you are looking for a gift or something), and browse deals. Essentially, you are telling the site to send you all the sale items from your favorite retailers instead of searching through each site individually, undoubtedly taking up more time.

Here is a sample screen grab for what you will receive – sorry, women is the only sample they have:

As you can see, they offer brands that are considered luxury as well as brands that are imminently affordable. Whenever I end up buying something through the site, I will update with my experience and how it went.

Happy surfing!

Style Icons: Cary Grant

A couple days ago, my wife, a film aficionado, opened up her Alfred Hitchcock box set she received for Christmas and decided to start with the classic North by Northwest. This film centers around the themes of deception and mistaken identity and stars Cary Grant as the poor advertising executive mistaken for a government agent.

After watching just a short piece of the movie, she tells me that she loved being reminded about the stylistically classic and timeless Cary Grant. And just as she loved being reminded, and, in turn, reminding me, I feel it my duty to spread the word about this leading man and the role he still plays in style.

Grant in North by Northwest

A quick, off-the-cuff way to determine classic style is to always try and pull your subject off the page or out of the movie and place them walking down a busy street in the current year. Do they blend in? Is anyone staring at them because of their odd fashion choices? Is it obvious they do not belong in 2009? Frankly, I think you would be hard-pressed to say “no” to any of these about Grant. Another picture from the movie as an example:

Looking stylish while having a drink

A British-born actor (originally Archibald Alec Leach before taking up his stage name), Grant was in movies for more than three decades, earning himself an Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1970 after he was shut out of winning the award when he was nominated twice in the 1940′s.

But even long before his death in 1986, Grant was being idolized and immortalized by countless books, articles, biographies and other mediums. Today, you can find literally tens of thousands of hits when typing “cary grant style” into a search engine. Personally, I read at least a couple dozen articles, blogs and reviews of Cary Grant before writing this piece.

Still, as accessible a man as he may be, one does not become so revered just for being a great actor (voted second-best all-time behind Bogart) or by dressing impeccably (GQ voted Grant’s suit worn in North by Northwest the best suit in film history) or by being charming (he is thought to have popularized the idea that a leading lady could be a partner to the man in creative conversation, witty banter and physical expression). It has to be all of those things, or maybe it has to be so much more than those things.  It must be about gravitas; about panache; about….true style.

From all that I read, I think I can sum up what developed Grant’s style in a few key ideas; ideas that any man could benefit from adopting:

Simplicity - perhaps the most underrated quality of a man’s wardrobe, Grant personified not making things too difficult. Many of his suits were shades of gray and blue, with a few black thrown in. He wore dark in the winter and light in the summer and rarely ventured into complex patterns or combination. His everyday look would be solid-color suit, solid shirt, solid tie, solid pocket square. Easy to do and easy to replicate. You can literally find dozens of sites that will teach you how to “dress like Cary Grant,” a feat that can not easily be copied using various other celebrity figures throughout the past century.

Confidence - with a difficult childhood in his past, and facing his awkward twenties as a street performer, juggler and dancer, fine-tuning his craft and being himself in real-life or someone else on screen never came difficult for Grant. There are countless quotes out there about Grant and the way he carried himself in private and around others. The old Connery line, “men want to be him, women want to meet him,” line certainly applies as well. Grant was so confident in fact, that he became the first actor to break away from the standard motion picture studio contract game and freelance himself to studios for his services; leading him to star in some of the best movies of the past 100 years as well as earn boatloads of money.

Grant’s attention to stylistic detail helped him to know, not think, that he was the best-looking in the room. No matter the occasion, Grant was prepared.

Dedication - Grant is famous for once saying, “do your job and demand your compensation – but in that order.” A man passionate in his dedication to his job, friends and family, Grant desired to always be the best.

Dedication to work, to play and to style led Grant to become the most sought-after man in Hollywood and influenced Hitchcock to say that Grant was the only actor he ever loved.

In style, dedication can be difficult – it seems like things are always changing. But using a combination of simplicity and confidence, the craft becomes easier. I have been a student of style for nine years, since the spring semester of 2000 that I spent in Florence. For every one thing I think I know, there are 1,000 things I have not yet discovered. But just as I admire Grant for his dedication, I stay committed to it, trying to learn a new thing every day.

Charm - I think we all could come to some sort of consensus as to what charm can mean when we contextualize it as in the presence of a lady. That goes along with a discussion on etiquette and is way out of the realm of this discourse.

Charm, in the world of style, however, can have multiple alluring descriptions. Grant exemplified these with class and ease. It might best be seen in his always-present pocket square, perfectly placed. It might be the fact that he was photographed multiple times sitting Indian-style, yet his clothes still looked as comfortable on him as they would if he were standing. It might be the ascot he loved to wear, including in his role alongside Grace Kelly in Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief. It might be the perfect tie dimple – I challenge you to do an image search and find a tie of his without one.

Charm in style means subtleties, it means details, it means taking a second look. No one did this better than Grant.

For other great reads on Grant, I recommend you go three places.

Check out Richard Torregrossa’s book, Cary Grant: A Celebration of Style, which can be found on Amazon or st any bookstore.

Torregrossa also gives a very descriptive interview about the book and Cary Grant at carygrant.net.

Also check out the review of this book which contains a fabulously-written narrative and biography of Grant the man by Benjamin Schwarz of The Atlantic.