Fashion Mistakes

Why be concerned with your appearance?

Is it really that important to your career, romance, or influence over others?
Absolutely!!!
It’s a scientific fact that people who don’t know you make up their minds about you on a subliminal/prehistoric basis in 30 seconds or less. This evaluation of you by others takes place so quickly and is so entrenched in the human brain that it is not usually conscious thought.
Behavioral scientists tell us that we notice the following about another human being and in this order: Skin color, Sex, Age, Bearing (height, body language, etc.), Appearance, Direct Eye Contact, and Speech.

The first three we can do nothing about, but we can take advantage of this knowledge to enhance and control how to present the best image of ourselves.
Since 80% of what others see is our clothes, lets look at some basic faux pas:

1. Never wear a short sleeve shirt with a tie. Short sleeve shirts are perceived as lower class apparel. Fine as part of a uniform or if you aspire to be a fast-food manager, not if you want to project a professional image.
And the Button-Down collar dress shirt is not acceptable for dressy eveningwear (after 6 PM) nor with a double-breasted suit. That's because even though it's now a daytime business classic it was originally a sport shirt. The collar was buttoned-down by polo players to keep it from flapping in their faces.
2. Shoes are one of the most evaluated elements of men's wardrobes. Your shoes should be clean, shined, in good repair and appropriate for the occasion. If you are wearing a suit, wear lace-up shoes.

Don’t wear the same shoe on consecutive days and keep shoetrees in your shoes when you’re not wearing them.
3. Trousers should be long enough to cover your socks, and socks should cover your shins even when you cross your legs. Pants are long enough if they have a slight break in the front.

Pleats and cuffs are traditional and functional. Pleats let you sit down comfortably and cuffs add weight to the bottoms allowing for proper drape.

4. Never wear both a belt and braces (suspenders). You'll appear insecure.
5. Socks should match your trousers.
6. Belts should match your shoes.
7. Ties should reach your belt line. This is neither arbitrary nor negotiable. Too short of a tie makes you look like a rube.
8. Properly knotted ties have a “dimple” under the knot. Clips and tacks are out of date.
How to get a dimple under your knot?
Place your index finger in the middle of the tie just under where the knot is forming, pinch that part of the necktie between your thumb and middle finger and squeeze together as you pull it down and tighten the knot.



The necktie knot should hide the collar button.
9. Suit and Sports jackets are symbols of authority. However the bottom buttons of men's jackets are not designed to be buttoned, since King Edward VII gained weight, and started a fashion trend.
Single Breasted suits can have one, two, three or more buttons. Two and three button jackets are classic, one or more than three get you into the fashion forward arena, which is more suitable for social events than business. With two button jackets only the top button is fastened.
With three button jackets, you can close the middle, or middle and top button. Some suits are made so that the lapels roll to the middle button. On those suits you leave the top button unfastened. Some East Coast hipsters fasten only the top of three buttons!

Four or more button jackets may be designed to fasten all the buttons, even the bottom. If the bottom button of a four button can be closed without a noticeable pulling of the fabric, it’s ok to close or leave it open.
Double Breasted suits are the more formal of the two styles and can have four to six buttons with one or two “to button”. They are often identified by a two-number designation such as 4/2, 4/1 or 6/2 (also “four to two”).

Translated, the first number gives the total number of front buttons and the second is the number of functioning buttonholes. It doesn’t always mean that all the buttons have to be fastened.
Often only the middle or upper button is secured on a 4/2 or 6/2, but the Duke of Kent started buttoning only his lower button creating a longer diagonal line across his chest giving the wearer a thinner, more dynamic look.
Why do men never button the bottom button of your suit, sports jacket, vest or Cardigan sweater?
King Edward VII, “Bertie”, son of Victoria (1841 – 1910, King 1901 - 1910) was so heavy that he could not get the bottom button fastened on his vest or to be more historically kind, maybe he just forgot. His subjects taking it as a fashion statement followed his lead and today most men’s suits, sports jackets or vests are not designed to button the bottom button.

The tradition of not buttoning the bottom button may have also come from the early waistcoats, which were very long. It may have been out of necessity of being able to walk that the bottom buttons were left undone.
10. Suit and Sports jackets should fit properly which includes showing 1/4" to 1/2” of “linen” or shirtsleeve at the jacket sleeve.

We live in a complex, crowded society where considerate people dress appropriately for various places and occasions. Dressing appropriately is about respect for your fellow humans and our institutions.


Source : AskAndyaboutclothes.com


E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

Interview Attire

Interview attire is certain to be a critical element in the employer's first impression of you. Taking the extra time, energy and even costs to get this part right is paramount.Let's just suffice it to say, within the first 7-17 seconds of meeting you, the employer is formulating deep personal impressions of you that are terribly difficult to change. Take advantage of this and get your appearance right then we can talk about the other elements that affect the first impression.

As far as your interview attire, conservative and professional is the name of the game. Your goal is to look polished and be so appropriately dressed that the prospective employer notices your qualifications and not your distracting or poor choice of attire.

Business Suit:
Conservative colors and styles. Dark tones like charcoal grey or navy is recommended. If you don't own or wear suits on a regular basis it's probably best you avoid suits with patterns as matching patterns in suits, shirts & ties is an aquired skill for most men. In terms of style, single breasted two button is most simple and traditional and will fall in line with your conservative, professional look.

Dress Shirt:
Again, conservative and professional is the objective. For job interviews stick with the crisp white or blue dress shirt with a straight or traditional spread collars.

Tie:
The tie should obviously coordinate with your suit and shirt but it's also important not to overindulge here. Avoid big or busy patterns and overly loud or bright colors. In order to achieve our conservative, professional look, your tie has to be consistent with that theme. Be sure it's tied properly and that the length reaches the middle of your belt. Lower is too long and higher is too short.




Shoes:
Good leather oxfords (balmorals or bluchers), dark brown or black. Loafers can be acceptable but be sure to follow our rules for Loafers with Suits. Make sure your belt matches your shoes and make sure your shoes are polished and in good repair.

Socks:
Socks should be the same color as your trousers or darker. Be sure your socks are high enough to not show any leg when seated.

Grooming:
Well groomed! we're not here to tell you how long or short your hair should be or how much if any facial hair you should have. However, make darn sure you're trimmed, hair combed and neat, finger nails trimmed, nose, ear & brow hair trimmed. If your a scent man keep it to a minimum.

Accessories:
Accessories for men interviewing should not extend beyond a watch, glasses & ring. No earings or other peircings, exposed necklaces or braclets. Remember were conservative today!

Fit:
The last piece of advice we offer regarding interview attire is that your clothes fit. This seems to be a simple and obvious thing but many men try to get away with an emergency suit off the rack and/or that suit they have not worn in 4 years. Fit is vital in looking professional and put together. Too big and you look sloppy and immature, too tight and you'll look like it's been a while since you've done anything important enough to wear a suit. Be sure your clothes fit.

E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

Apparel, Clothing & Garments

Various items of clothing, also known as apparel, garments, dress or attire are worn not only in order to protect the body against extreme weather conditions but also for functional as well as cultural, social reasons. Clothings also have an attached emotional value for the wearer. It actually reflects social classes, sexes, occupation, marital status and ethnic or religious affiliation. Apparel, Clothing & Garments can be categorized based on innumerable criteria- Clothing by Fashion, Clothing by Fabrics, Men's Clothing, Women's Clothing, Kids Clothing, Industrial Clothing, Infant Wear, Animal Clothing etc.

Garment Processing

There are four major kinds of textile processing - fiber processing, yarn processing, fabric processing and garment processing. Garment processing has grown to a great extent during the past few years. This growth can be attributed mainly to the denim garments, which is the largest garment segment today.

Garment finishing is mainly done through wet processing. Garments are dyed for imparting color to them. Proper finishing can provide a better look to the apparel, change the feel and texture of the fabric, and can also add value to the end-product. Various types of finishes are given to the garments which include peach finish, anti-microbial finish, wrinkle free finish, aroma finish, UV guard finish, acid wash, enzyme wash, moisture management, laser coating etc. The factors to be considered while processing include the choice of chemicals, production limitations and types of machinery used. Usually garment processing is done on small scale which minimizes the damage risk. If some changes are to be made or the process of finishing has to be replaced, it could be done easily in small scale productions.

Seam Engineering in Apparels

The most basic unit of an apparel or garment is fiber which is further converted into yarns and threads before the final product- the fabric or the garment- comes into being. Threads used for construction and stitching of garments are vital to the Apparel Industry. Seam Engineering includes seam and stitch construction while manufacturing garments. The basic principle involved here is- more thread a stitch consumes, the greater will be its strength. Greater seam strength can be achieved by adjusting the sewing threads tensions, threads controls, adjustment of machines and eyelets etc. Revolution in thread manufacturing has ensured the availability of thread quality as per the fabric demands. If the factors like quality parameters of threads and machine type, lubrication of machine and threads are kept in mind, it can add quality to apparels manufactured.




Defects in Garments

For the textile and apparel industry, product quality is calculated in terms of quality and standard of fibers, yarns, fabric construction, colour fastness, designs and the final finished garments. Quality control in terms of garment manufacturing, pre-sales and posts sales service, delivery, pricing, etc are essential for any garment manufacturer, trader or exporter. Certain quality related problems, often seen in garment manufacturing like sewing, colour, sizing, or garment defects should never be over looked.

Sewing defects

Open seams, wrong stitching techniques, non- matching threads, missing stitches, improper creasing of the garment, erroneous thread tension and raw edges are some of the sewing defects which can affect the garment quality adversely.

Colour defects

Variation of colour between the sample and the final garment, wrong colour combinations and mismatching dyes should always be avoided.

Sizing defects

Wrong gradation of sizes, difference in measurement of various parts of a garment like sleeves of XL size for body of L size garment can deteriorate the garments beyond repair.

Garment defects

Broken or defective buttons, snaps, stitches, different shades within the same garment, dropped stitches, exposed notches and raw edges, fabric defects, holes, faulty zippers, loose or hanging sewing threads, misaligned buttons and holes, missing buttons, needle cuts or chews, pulled or loose yarn, stains, unfinished buttonhole, short zippers, inappropriate trimmings etc. all can lead to the end of a brand name even before its establishment.

E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

The Elements Of Black Tie Attire

The Elements of Tailor made Black Tie Attire

Unlike white tie, which is very strictly regulated, black-tie ensembles can display more variation. In brief, the traditional components are:

* A jacket with ribbed silk facings (usually grosgrain) on a shawl collar or peaked lapel (while a notched lapel is a popular modern choice, it is not traditionally considered correct)
* Trousers with a single silk or satin braid covering the outer seams
* A low-cut waistcoat or Cummerbund
* A white dress shirt with a turn-down collar, shirt studs, and cufflinks (a marcella front is traditional, but other styles are also accepted - a wing collar shirt is acceptable in the US)
* A black ribbed silk bow tie matching the lapel facings (self-tie bow ties are preferred but not necessary)
* Black dress socks, usually silk or fine wool
* Black shoes, highly polished or patent leather Oxfords, or patent leather court shoes

Tuxedo Jacket

The typical black-tie jacket is single-breasted, ventless, and black or midnight-blue; usually of wool or a wool–mohair blend. Double breasted models are less common, but are equally acceptable. The lapels may be faced with silk in either a grosgrain or less traditional satin weave. Traditionally there are two lapel options, the shawl collar, derived from the smoking jacket, and the peak lapel, from the tailcoat. The former is older, while the latter is considered more formal. A third lapel style, the notched lapel, has only recently gained popularity, and has been accepted by some as "a legitimate ... less formal alternative," although, despite some precedent, it is disdained by purists for its lounge suit derivation. In France, Italy, Brazil, Germany and Spain, the jacket is called smoking. In France the shawl-collared version is le smoking Deauville, while the peaked-lapel version is le smoking Capri.


The double-breasted jacket is slightly more modern than the single-breasted, and less formal; while it was originally considered acceptable only for wear at home (similarly to Prince Albert slippers or a smoking jacket), it is now equally correct in all situations, though traditional rules regarding slightly different selections of accessories may be followed. While more common with a peaked lapel, a shawl lapel is appropriate. All buttons that can be done up, are, including any inner ones which might normally be left undone on a double-breasted lounge suit. While two-button variants are sometimes seen, the traditional single-breasted jacket has a one-button closure.

Trousers

Black tie trousers have no turn-ups (cuffs) or belt loops. The outer seams are usually decorated with a single silk braid or less traditionally a material that matches the lapel facing. Customarily, braces (suspenders) hold up the trousers; they are hidden by the waistcoat (if worn) or by the coat. The trousers traditionally feature a pleated front, flat-front trousers being a modern innovation in this context.

Waistcoat or cummerbund

The waist is dressed in either a waistcoat (aka Vest) or a cummerbund when wearing a single-breasted coat. The waistcoat should be low-cut; traditional models may be of either the 'V' or rarer 'U' shape and may be backless or fully backed, double or single breasted, and should have shawl lapels. Single breasted styles should have no more than three buttons, and double no more than three rows.

Tuxedo Shirt

The shirt is conventionally white or off-white (cotton or linen) with a turn down collar. Its front is usually traditional marcella but can be pleated, plain, or more rarely a stiff front (as with white tie).


E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

Men Fashion Rule

Every man has asked themselves about matching their socks with their trousers and other assorted questions at some point in their lives. Here I have listed three important men's fashion rules to live by.

1. Always match your belt with your shoes. This is a good rule to follow and it keeps things simple. It's best to stay with traditional colors such a black, dark brown or a rich tan. Other colors will be difficult to match, and generally speaking, should be avoided. If you wear sneakers every day that probably means you are wearing jeans in which case I suggest trying a belt made of fabric or something equally as casual, but please avoid dress belts with jeans and sneakers. If you wear suspenders, I am compelled to ask you why, but I digress. Just don't wear a belt and suspenders together, it's one or the other.

2. Matching Ties and Shirts. For while the solid-colored shirt with a tie of the same (or slightly-off) color was seen everywhere. This is now a somewhat dated look. Try mixing things up a little and experiment with colors. Ties are great way to express yourself, but keeping it tasteful is your best bet. You can't go wrong with diagonal stripes, modern polka-dots, plaids and subtle patterns. Just make sure your tie compliments your shirt, suit, sweater or what ever you will be wearing it with. Novelty ties are best avoided since the novelty is short lived.


Note: Ties should be tied in whatever style most strikes your fancy. You should know that there are many different ways to knot your tie, and different knots say different things. I prefer the Windsor or the four-in-hand, but I do suggest that you explore a little just for kicks. As for clip on ties--just say no.

3 . Pleats vs. Flat-Front. Why so many men have avoided flat-front trousers has always been a mystery to me. Flat-front trousers look better than pleated pants, at least most of the time. Plus pleats make you look less slim. I have heard guys wear pleats because it’s more comfortable or because flat-fronts are more for athletic bodies. Truth is most men can wear a flat-front trouser. If you want more room then buy them a little big and have them brought in at the waist. This can be done at the store where you buy your clothes or by an independent tailor. And lastly, flat-font trousers are much more fashionable.
Flat-front trousers look better than pleated pants, at least most of the time. Plus pleats make you look less slim.

E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

Suit To Wear In Recession

Only the smart will survive, so pull your socks up

Lucy Kellaway on work

Last summer, I had dinner with a dozen British and Italian insurance managers in Rome. In desultory fashion, we discussed the weather (hot) and the economy (not so hot) until someone raised the subject of socks. Suddenly the evening sprang to life: the men pushed their chaise back form the table and rolled up their trouser legs. Each British man was wearing a low sock that ended three or four inches above the ankle, revealing a quantity of snow white leg; each Italian had his calf covered in a finely spun Each nationality stared in a finely spun sock that went all the way up to the knee. Each nationality stared at the other’s socks in uncomprehending horror.

I thought of these insurance experts the other day when I read a New York Times blog in which a fashion writer advised men what to wear on the day they get the sack.

“The perfect termination outfit should feature professionalism and employability as the top note, but with accents of confidence and an aftertaste that leaving premises means moving on up. A sober suit with a bright shirt perfect.”
The advice appealed to me, as did the delicious compress of the writing. Yet the post caused a storm of self-righteous indignation from readers accusing the author of crassness in focusing on unessential at a time like this.
Such readers miss the point. Unessential are even more important at a time like this. Even in good times, there is nothing trivial about what business people choose to wear.
A peep at our socks will what nationality we are; a peep at the rest of it will tell what line of business we are in and also will give a clue on the state of the economy. One of the most blesses side-effects of recession is that we all smarten up. A sober suit is not only the right thing to wear the day you get axed but also the right thing to wear every other working day, too.

At a conference in London last week for HR managers, everyone was in a suit and tie while, at the same conference two years ago, they were all casual. HR people are on the front line of the jobs market and they are also like lemming – so, if they think suits are in, they are in.

The casual look, which we used to celebrate as a sign of egalitarianism and unstuffiness, now looks sloppy. When Stephen Hester, head of Royal Bank of Scotland, was photographed on a recent Sunday leaving the Treasury in jeans and an extraordinary beige gilt with suede patches on the shoulders, the punters did not like it. One wrote to the Financial Times claiming that Mr. Hester appeared to be wearing the very same M& slipper that this reader got for Christmas. The fashion A sober suit is not only the right to wear the day you get axed, it is right every other working day, too scales have fallen from our eyes. We now see that men in casual clothes look simply awful; and we also are starting to suspect that a man who is casual with his clothes may be casual with our money.


The new smartness is born of paranoia. I know one man who has just gone out to buy some Jermy Street shirts (a sale bargain) in order to send the message to his boss that the would rather not be fired. It has been a good investment: he still has a job and says the ritual of ironing these shirts reminds him that his job matters, and claims to respect it a little more.

I discovered a few year ago the truth that one feels better about one’s job when one looks smarter. Until I was 40, I used to dress myself mainly in clothes bought from the sale rail at Gap Kids (size XL) and slung them on carelessly. Now I wear jackets and pearl earrings. Partly, I’m trying to offset the ravages of age; but I’ve also noticed that, when I dress to impress, I may not succeed in impressing anyone else but I do impress myself. And that, surely, is a good start.
More than this I find that dressing up is a nice thing to do in itself. It lifts the spirits. I have a friend who has just been appointed to a senior managerial job and her first decision has been to launch High Heels Friday. Early soundings suggest that this is going to be popular with her female staff. When the economy is grim, we need to dress up to cheer up.
There are two further advantages to dressing to dressing formally for work. First, it means that you always know what to wear. Those stressful daily questions – tie or no tie? Chinos or suit? – are answered simply. Even better, dressing up means a sharper demarcation between work and the rest of your life: tie means slopping around doing nothing.

Yet the biggest joy about saying goodbye to casual is that we say goodbye to some of the cruddy thinking that went with it. Most pathetic was the idea that dressing casually helped you to be creative. I have been watching the television series, Mad Men, and an gratified to see that the creative in a Madison Avenue advertising agency in the 1960s did not let their stiffly starched collars and perfect tailoring prevent them from dreaming up good ads. (Neither did their secretaries.)

To survive this recession, we need to smarten up and buckle down. We need some belts and braces. We need to pull ourselves up with our own bootstraps. We need top get some work under our belts. It is on coincidence that none of these clothing their message is: pull your socks up whatever length they happen to be.


We Remain with Best Regards,
E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

Casual Yet A Business Executive Attire

We all enjoy the freedom that causal business dress allows us in the workplace.
To be able to pull off the business casual look is quite tricky, you want to be comfortable, appear stylish, and still look like an executive, even when you're wearing jeans to work.
If you're presenting yourself to the public, a client, or just your office colleagues, and wearing business casual, here are some pointers that will help you create a crisp, yet casual business image of an executive.

For women, business casual includes pantsuits, tailored separates - such as skirts, slacks, blouses, sweaters, sweater sets, and jackets.

Jeans
When you have several pairs of jeans for work, then you're on your way to your executive casual styling. No torn hems, no ill-fitting jeans, no holes, no matter how chic they are at the time.

White Blouse
A must have for an executive in a business casual situation. With jeans, khakis, any style of casual slacks, a white blouse is dazzling and versatile. Worn with jeans, and an attractive belt, the white blouse has the ability to be the basic pallet for a variety of business casual polished looks.

Well-tailored clothes that fit your form do add authority to your entire appearance. Even khakis or blue jeans can be classic if made to measure to your own perfect fit and custom made to your exact unique measurements, not too baggy and not too tight as it would be with a off the peg clothing in most cases, made to fit perfectly at each part of your body. If coordinated to a quality custom made top would give you an amazing casually dressed business executive’s look. Or Wear a dress shirt. If you like to get away with a plain scoop neck or v-neck shirt with your slacks, go for a crisp, ironed button-down dress shirt and wear it tucked in. Finish the look off with a nice belt.


Dresses
Business casual does mean dresses are allowed. Just be careful not to show too much skin, or consider wearing your sun dresses or anything that resembles sleep-wear in the business environment. There's a wide variety of dresses that are perfectly suited for business casual, so choose styles that are easy to wear and not too revealing.

Fabrics and Colors
Leading ladies need not hide in beige and browns, but they ought to steer away from neon and loud patterns. Sexy see-through fabrics and gaudy or childish prints have no place in the office. Powder pink and baby blue speak of innocence, but not intelligence and innovation. Classic looks simply attribute class to the wearer. Solid colors like navy, black, gray, brown and khaki are safe bets for business casual attire.

Accessorize Astutely
An exceptional leather belt with a polished and understated buckle is an absolute requirement. A quality wristwatch can be a powerful fashion statement as well. A few well-chosen pieces of genuine or fashion jewelry can complete a classy look.

If your company does not have a set policy. It is not mandatory to conform to business casual if you are more comfortable wearing traditional or conservative outfits on the job.
Traditional business attire includes business suits, dress shirts, and ties for men. It includes business-oriented suits for women, both skirted suits and tailored pantsuits.

Your confidence in what you are wearing does make an impression!
All you need to do is to believe in yourself and your abilities, and then you are free to dress any way you choose in business while looking just like an executive.

Look Smart Executive!! You will always be taken seriously.

We Remian with Best Regards
E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com