ask Can I wear BROWN SHOES with black, navy or gray suits? Yes! We love various shades of brown and tan with dark suits: it’s perfectly appropriate, and very Italian!
IMAGE BY DAVID ARKY
FALL 2016 FASHION TIPS FOR HIM
My girlfriend tells me I’m in a “fashion rut,” that my wardrobe is both boring and dated. (I wear mostly khakis and nice button down shirts.) How do I update my look? Personal style is about knowing yourself, your comfort zone and the image you want to project. Here are a few easy suggestions: 1) Throw on a soft sportcoat or cardigan: it adds instant “attitude,” requires no special fashion savvy and gives you pockets to keep stuff. If you dare, try a printed silk square in the pocket of the sportcoat. (No need to fuss with it: our sellers will show you the most simple folds.) 2) Instead of your basic khakis,
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try five-pocket pants in luxury fabrics with stretch. These are comfortable, fashionable and the fit is amazing. 3) Invest in a great leather belt. 4) Consider a custom shirt. They’re not much more expensive than regular shirts, but they’re a lot sexier. 5) Call us to make an appointment for a closet update; we’ll send over one of our personal shoppers. There’s no pressure to buy, just great ideas to upgrade and update your wardrobe for a fashionable fall/winter ’16.
I have a friend who buys custom suits from a Chinese maker who periodically shows at local hotels. Can this be a reliable source for good clothing? Probably not. Anyone with a tape measure and a few swatches can call himself a custom clothier; the critical issues are the accuracy of the measurements, the quality of the suit (fabric, interlinings, construction) and what recourse you have if you’re not satisfied. The advantages of buying custom clothing from an independent menswear store are many: a vast selection of made-to-measure options from the finest brands; expert in-house tailors for accurate adjustments; and guaranteed top quality. For what’s the point of having a suit that fits if the fabric is inferior, or if the interlinings are glued rather than sewn? (And try tracking them down in Hong Kong when your “custom” suit comes back from the dry cleaner with ripples…) As always: caveat emptor.
