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 Clips and tacks are out of date.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

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.mycstomtailor.com

How To Tie A Tie Is Most-asked Web Question In 2010

NEW YORK — News trumped celebrities in 2010 as the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and World Cup soccer in South Africa topped the list of most-searched items of 2010, and the most-searched for question was "How to tie a tie," according to Yahoo.
It is the first time that news came up first since the technology company began publishing its yearly review a decade ago.
Vera Chan, the company's senior editor and Web trend analyst, said the BP oil spill was the most searched topic for term for a variety of reasons.
"It became an issue about so many things, such as the environment, energy, workplace disasters and the role of big government. It became a lightning rod for peoples' anxieties," she explained.
The World Cup, on the other hand, was searched for as both a sporting event and a cultural experience.
"People didn't just search for the players and the teams. It was a cultural learning experience. It was the first World Cup in Africa, and people wanted to learn about post-Apartheid South Africa," she said. "People also wanted to find out what that noise was — the vuvuzelas."
The list, released on Wednesday, identified the top trends, searches and news items from several categories.



All but one of the other top 10 categories reflected public fascination with celebrities. Teen pop sensation Miley Cyrus was in third place in the search rankings and television personality Kim Kardashian was not far behind at fourth place.
They were followed by Lady Gaga at No. 5, actress Megan Fox in seventh place, with Justin Bieber, American Idol and Britney Spears completing the top 10.
The iPhone stood out as the exception, coming in sixth.
Britney Spears continued her fall in the standings, after being knocked down from number 1 to number 5 in 2009, only to land at number 10 in 2010 as rising stars such as Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber become more prominent.
While "How to tie a tie" was the No. 1 question in 2010, it was followed by searches on "how to lose weight", "how to kiss" and "how to write a resume."
Unemployment was the most searched-for financial item, followed by "Wall Street companies" and "recalls".
Yahoo also released a list of top obsessions, defined which it defined as "a person, a pop-culture phenomenon, a political party, a gadget, or a pesty plague that spurred constant online monitoring and obsessive tangential searches."
Chan said often these are guilty pleasures and fan favorites not covered in the news.
The top obsession of 2010 was the much-anticipated iPhone, followed by actress Lindsay Lohan, the iPad, and the television shows "Glee" and "Jersey Shore".
"All of these lists together speak a lot about 2010, and the revolutions in politics and technology of the year," Chan said.

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

More On Topstitching

What is it?
Topstitching is a single or multiple set of lines of stitching showcased on the garment right side, either for decorative or functional purposes. It's found on many types of garments, from sporty to formal, tailored to heirloom. The term is often used interchangeably with edge stitching, though generally topstitching refers to a stitching line about 1/4" from the edge or a style line, such as seaming or pockets. Edge stitching, as its name suggests, is done very close to the edge. Occasionally, both types of stitching are used in a single design area. For example, a collar may be both edge stitched and topstitched. Topstitching helps to hold garment layers in place and keep edges flat, or it may be a means of attachment for a design feature, like a pocket or band. On a collar or lapel edge, the added stitching keeps facings rolled under and gives a structured look.

Thread Tricks
Because topstitching is meant to be seen as a design detail, it's often done with a contrast and/or heavy weight of thread for prominence. Many thread companies make a "topstitching weight" in basic colors, and a sometimes in a variety of fibers, including silk.

Topstitching can also be done using regular sewing-weight thread, either in a matching or contrasting color. It's also possible to put two all-purpose threads through a single needle to make a more visible stitching line.

Stitch Smarts
Most topstitching is sewn with a straight stitch, using a slightly longer length than is used for garment construction. When using topstitching thread, it's imperative to lengthen the stitch to create a good quality stitch.
Topstitching can also be done using a triple straight stitch, where the machine actually stitches backward and forward in the same line, creating a more prominent look.
Decorative machine stitches can be used for topstitching if they seem appropriate to the garment styling.

Thinking Straight
Since topstitching is highly visible, it's important that the stitching lines are perfectly straight. Most machines have a presser foot where the distance from the needle to the foot edge is 1/4", which can be used as a guide.
Some machine brands also offer a 1/4" topstitching foot, with a raised edge guide, either fixed or adjustable.

Twice as Nice
Topstitching can also be done using a twin needle to create two rows of straight stitching on the garment right side, spanned by a zigzag on the underside. The two threads may be the same or differing colors. This technique is often used on knits for hemming.

E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

In Recession Dress Up To Cheer Up.

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