Monday, April 29, 2013

How to Tie the Bow Tie



How do you tie a bow tie? It’s a question I receive almost daily. It is normally followed by a long explanation about how the person has been practicing and just can’t get it right. My suggestion is to go to Youtube and search “how to tie a bowtie” and watch the video. This makes it easier because you can pause and review each step. My other suggestion is to use a mirror so a smart phone would be the best tool to use. However, if you don’t trust Youtube or you are a genius who can convert simple words into bowtie magic I will offer the step by step here.




  1. Adjust the bow tie to a width smaller than your neck size.
    1. The bow tie will stretch due to the nature of how it is tied. At first you may want to tie the bow tie at your normal neck size but as you tie it smaller and tighter you will make the length shorter.
  2. Put the bow tie around your neck.
  3. Make the left side hang approximately 1 ½” longer than the right.
  4. Fold the left side over the right then underneath and pull it tight to your neck.
  5. Take the side in your left hand with your thumb and fore finger and fold it into the ribbon shape.
  6. Take the right side and put the skinny piece of the tie and place it over the middle of the ribbon folded section.
  7. Then use your thumb of your left hand to push the portion in your left hand folded through the hole created between the right side of the bow tie and the original fold on your neck.
  8. Finally, use the folded ends (known as on the bite) to tighten down the bow tie to the desired size.
There is a link to a video to help you with this. If you want an in store display stop by LR2. 


Stay Classy.


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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The Super Suit...Not Your Average Super Hero Look...

The Ultimate Super Suit...or Super Hero Suit..
There is a lot of conjecture on what “super” means in suit descriptions. Suits are often tagged “Super 120s” or “Super 150s” etc. To this point in my career, I have heard hundreds of possible explanations. Basic or extensive research will render several results as to the origin and meaning of this term in suiting. This post is not about origin or meaning. This post is to tell you that if there is that much confusion about something it is unlikely that it is used congruently by everyone. This post is to tell you to stop relying so heavily on a term. The term “super” has become somewhat of a barometer for quality and nothing further. There are brands, like Loro Piana and Dormeuil, that use the term with conviction and mean it. These brands do not simply slap a label on something and call it “super”. However, most brands use the term as a marketing tool. My suggestion is to rely more on fabrics (hand or feel of the garment and how it lays), gram weight (300 grams is considered a winter suit and below 270 is considered a summer suit), mill (the better the mill, typically, the better the product produced), and construction (full canvas v. half canvas, is the suit hand made, etc.) than the term “super”.
An Everyday Super Suit Look 

Monday, April 8, 2013

A Few Words on the Tux


It is truly the time of year when business in men’s clothing changes from outerwear and suiting to servicing weddings and prom. For many men, this means either renting or buying a tuxedo.  Here are some rules to apply when it comes to choosing a Tux.

Jacket:

The same rules apply in style for a suit as they do for a tuxedo.  Our suggestions tend to steer people towards the classier and more sophisticated simplistic looks in formal wear.  We recommend peak, notch, or shawl in a one or two button, with side vents, flat front pants, and no cuffs.

Shirt:

In the shirt, one can wear either a wing collar or lay down collar with either a bow tie or traditional tie. However, more and more people are wearing shirts without the pleats in both wing and lay down collars. It looks cleaner.

Accessories:

Traditionally, a person would wear a cummerbund and a button stance that was lower with a single button along with wearing tails; a look you won't see often these days. Celebrities often wear a tuxedo with a plain front fitted dress shirt with a bow tie and without a cummerbund or vest. This is now the definition of clean and classy when it comes to formal wear.

Some Prom Advice:

Prom is an animal. The moment will likely be the most important one in any young individuals life until anything of any significance happens in college, but until then it’s the biggest deal ever. That being said, we place a lot of weight on making sure young men look good. Color is king in prom season and matching the dates dress with the vest and tie is still a popular concept. However, more and more young gentlemen are buying suits and just dressing well for prom. This has always been our suggestion because if you look good and so does your date that should be all that matters.  Also, rental prices have risen significantly often nearing $200 when a shoe is necessary. Therefore, for similar money a young man can and should get a full outfit he owns.

Searching for Color:

There are two things that will be quite hard to find in either search of the perfect attire for Prom or a Wedding; a tuxedo in a color other than black or white and a wing collar tuxedo shirt without pleats. For either option, we suggest having the garment custom made. If that is not an option unfortunately a person may have to acquiesce a little because these two common requests are incredibly hard to find on a shelf.

Stay classy.

3 PCs and DBs, Suits for Thought...


3 Piece Suit on "Suits" actor Gabriel Macht
There are two look questions we get on a daily basis. People ask "are double breasted suits back?" and “are people wearing a 3-piece suit again?” The answer to both questions is a resounding YES. Most older individuals will tell you that everything that goes will come back, in fashion at least. Fashion starts on runways as a fledgling idea or an ornate concept and then progresses into the mainstream very slowly. When major conventional manufacturers, like Ralph Lauren, are featuring 3-piece suits and DBs (double-breasted) in their RTW (ready to wear) lines the concept has gone mainstream. This also means that the look is back in full force. (Just so you know, these looks have been back for a few years) The next question becomes how to wear them. The simple answer is SLIM.

DBs have one common problem. The fact the jacket buttons across makes it larger through the mid section making even the trimmest individuals look as if Thanksgiving was the day before. The way to rectify the problem is to get a slim cut which most manufacturers sell. We recommend a wide stripe in a DB or a solid. The 3-piece has more options and more looks. Many people wear an opposing vest to the suit material or color. Other people combine the two concepts and get a double breasted vest under their suit. Try one or the other and you will be in fashion, on trend, and hopefully living well.

Stay classy.

via GeorgeHann.com

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

What's In Style Now?

It’s hard to say whether people are disconnected from fashion or simply don’t care, but on a daily  basis we hear people say “That’s the style now”. If you are into fashion the word “now” means right now, as in on runways in Europe or walking the streets of Tokyo. (If you did not know many Asian countries are on the cutting edge of style) So for a suit here’s what is in style-Two button, side vent, slim fit, cropped jacket, flat front pant, no more than a medium break. The only aspect of that list that is the “style now” is the break or length of the pant. For approximately two years, the pant leg has been slowly creeping up the actual leg. Many prominent fashion magazines would suggest rolling your jeans up or having your break above your shoe. This is uncomfortable and impractical for most men. It is important to note, however, that fashion is about confidence and if it feels right let it fly. While we are at it, here’s a few other items that are “the style now”-A double breasted fitted rain trench, a shawl collared sweater, v-neck t-shirts, dark wash straight leg jeans (try AG or Citizens of Humanity), bow ties and plaid sportcoats. 

As always, stay classy.

Hugo Boss
Vince Camuto
Facconable