How to: Care for Your Dress Shirt

So, you've buckled down and finally gotten a custom shirt. Bravo! Now, how do you care for it?

DIY

1. If  you have a colored shirt, machine wash cold. If it's white, machine wash warm. The setting depends on the quality of your fabric. Cotton is fine with a normal setting, more refined fabrics deserve a delicate cycle. And please, don't mix your whites with your colors. Duh.

  *All 9tailors shirts have removable collar stays, unless otherwise specified. Please make sure you take your stays out prior to throwing laundry in the washer--the stays could fall out during the cycle.

Courtesy of www.dreamstime.com

2. DO NOT PUT YOUR DRESS SHIRT IN THE DRYER! REPEAT, DO NOT PUT YOUR DRESS SHIRT IN THE DRYER! You had it custom-made for a reason and if you throw it in the dryer, shrinkage will occur. Remove your shirt from the washer and hang it to dry. However, it will dry with wrinkles so you'll have to take an iron to it, see the next step.

3. Ironing. Okay, fellas, it's really not that hard. It's a useful skill to know how to do yourself, rather than relying on Mom Dukes or your lady to do it for you. Check out the Art of Manliness article on how to iron properly.

    *Again, 9tailors shirts have removable collar stays. These are plastic and should definitely not remain in your collar whilst you iron your shirt. Once you have completed ironing, place them back in their allocated collar slots.

Credit: www.madehow.com

PROFESSIONAL LAUNDER/DRY CLEANING

1. Firstly, we do not recommend dry cleaning your dress shirt as the process is very harsh. However, should you have a tuxedo shirt or a dress shirt you only wear for special occasions a few times a year, dry cleaning is perfectly fine, just don't do it very often.

2. If you are sending your shirts out, request a professional launder and press from your dry cleaner.

SPOT CLEANING STAINS

Stains happen, humans are not foolproof. You should blot a stain as soon as possible to preserve the quality of your shirt. NEVER RUB. When you rub, you run the risk of ruining the fabric. 

1. Oil-based stains are best treated by dry-side cleaning agents such as Ajax powder. 

2. Water-based stains, like beer or soda, require wet-side attention, like water or Woolite. 

3. Some stains, like lipstick, have a waxy component and a colored dye component and need both wet-side and dry-side treatment. 

Some horrible stains will need professional attention, so best seek out your dry cleaner if it's a biggie and water-based or powder-based stain removers aren't doing the trick. 

When you're out and about, there's a few things that can help remedy a blemish in a jiffy. I've listed my go-tos below: 

1. Tide Stick. (love it!!!)

2. Soda water. 

3. Cold Water.

4. White Vinegar. 

5. Ammonia or Bleach. (Tread carefully and do not use on colored shirts).

Can't get a stain out of your favorite shirt? Get a fresh one! Email info@9tailors.com to make an appointment and design yourself a brand spanking new crisp, custom dress shirt.

Try this Accessory: Knit Ties

If you're a man about town and like to portray yourself as such: you wear the trends before everyone else is rocking it. Or perhaps you're the type of guy who prefers to keep your style all your own: you clad yourself in whatever you deem the hippest, regardless of what's already out there. Or maybe you don't have the slightest idea on how to keep your style fresh: you wear the first clean thing you grab that morning. Whatever the case, you have your girls at 9tailors to keep our fingers on the pulse of what you should be wearing.

An oldie-but-goodie retro item that keeps popping up on our radar? The knit tie. Sure, it had its heyday in the 80's but it's been sneaking back onto the scene for quite some time. And if Goldfinger can sport a silk knit tie, any gentleman with keen aesthetic sense and the right amount of swagger can replicate this style.

Courtesy of Photobucket

Courtesy of Swagwire

Courtesy of J. Crew

Knit ties are lightweight (okay for warmer temps), squared on the bottom, and can be twisted into a small tie-knot, whether you prefer a full windsor or a four-in-hand. Paired with a lightweight cardigan or sports coat, it's an accessory that will surely perk up an ordinary outfit with preppy panache. A great addition to your wardrobe if you're looking to do something subtle and different with your look. GQ heralds the striped knit tie as a must-have this spring.

Courtesy of GQ

Check out H&M as well as J. Crew to see their limited selections. And if you know a good knitter, why not see if she can take a stab at one of these bad boys with her knitting needles? After all, choosing a cool pattern for a one-of-a-kind tie will punctuate your custom style.

Have a look in mind that you can't find off-the-rack or need some pointers on how to accessorize an ensemble? Email a style consultant at info@9tailors.com and we'll help guide you through our custom designing process.

These are the Breaks*

If you're a custom clothing aficionado, you understand the importance of the pant break: where your trousers meet your shoes. However, with all of the trends out there, it's hard to know what break will look best. Seemingly, there's either much confusion or not enough attention paid to this integral part of how your suit should fit your proportions. Ultimately, it depends on you and your personal style, but here are some helpful hints to guide your choice.

Too Much
We are here to tell you that too much break is NOT a good look. It comes off as disheveled, sloppy, and glaringly obvious that a visit to the the tailor is required to adjust your pants to proper length. It also singlehandedly defeats the purpose of wearing a suit, especially when you're trying to look dapper.

Courtesy of alibaba.com

Too much break = too much bunching at the bottom. And heaven forbid your pant leg slips past your shoe and you're treading along on top of it—the frayed ends alone should alert you that your pants are far too long.

Too Little
Similarly, too little break isn't a great look either, depending on how one wears it. If a guy has really short hemlines, his pants will look too small for him. Geek Chic is one thing—Revenge of the Nerds is quite another.

Courtesy of starkinsider.com

When considering the break of your pants, we suggest you adhere to three industry standards to achieve a polished appearance for your body type: the full break, the medium break, or the short break.

The Full Break
Considered by most to be an adventurous and bold trend, this version is for the taller gentlemen as it gives a little more fabric to provide coverage for longer legs. The full break gives the pants a deeper crease along the front and falls right above the sole of your shoe. This prevents the pants from looking too short on a man of higher stature. It still may run the risk of looking a bit too untidy, so proceed with care.

Courtesy of ESPN here

The Medium Break
The most traditional and classic look is the medium break. Known for its conservative style, this is a clean look that cuts right across the top of the shoe and covers a little bit of the laces (if there are any). Men of middle heights wear this look very well, while those on either side of the height scale are better advised to approach with caution. However, the medium break has an angled hem in the back, which allows the pant to be long enough to hit the top of your back sole and shorter in front to reveal some dress shoe, which looks presentable on most men.

Courtesy of Telegraph.co.uk

The Short Break
For the trendsetters who keep a watchful eye on the runway, this is a look that you know well as more and more designers consider this a style standard. The short break is generally a higher hem that gives little, if only barely, a crease to the pant leg and hits just below the top of your shoe front (a la Thom Browne). Some refer to this as a "high water" pant, as it can show a bit of ankle. Any body type that wants to make a statement can pull this off, but it's generally delineated to more slender gentlemen. Not meant for those who are weary to reveal some ankle.

Courtesy of Mens's Health

Cuffed? Rolled?
As for cuffing or rolling your pants: we leave this up to you. The trick here is not too much roll and not too much ankle, and it's usually done with denim, but it's a fashion-forward look worth mentioning.

Courtesy of GQ

Those who don this look have guts. If you love it, go for it! If you hate it, better leave it be. The most important thing about wearing a look well is how comfortable you feel.



Still unsure what pant break you favor the most, or which one will accommodate your personal style? Email a style consultant at info@9tailors.com for some sage advice on pant styles and lengths, or make an appointment to custom-design the look you crave.

*"These are the Breaks" by Kurtis Blow

New York! New York!

Have an hour to spare? Make an appointment to meet with CEO Samantha Shih and her design staff to create custom shirts or suits for yourself! The process? Choose your fabrics, decide on the styles you desire, and then after your measurements are taken, discuss fit requests and preferences. The advantage? Custom design allows you the luxury of personalizing your ensembles to your particular tastes and unique proportions.

We are taking appointments in advance of this event. To make an appointment, please send an RSVP e-mail to info@9tailors.com. We will send you a confirmation e-mail when we receive your RSVP.

WHERE: 

TBD

WHEN:

MARCH

Thursday, 3/22 - 1:00PM to 8:00PM

Friday, 3/23 9:00AM to 5:00PM

APRIL

Thursday, 4/5 - 1:00PM to 8:00PM

Friday 4/6 - 9:00AM to 5:00PM

Stretch Khakis - Combining Comfort and Style

We've ramped up our basics this spring. What better way to celebrate the dawn of a new season by perking up your wardrobe with new khaki blazers and trousers! From electric blue to soft stone hues (see our spring 2012 trend report here), you will never be without a pair of great looking bottoms for work or play. You'll still be able to get them in traditional sand or olive tones. The added bit of stretch means that it will be comfortable to wear all day without losing its shape so, you won't look like this poor guy.

Khaki blazers start at $300.00 and trousers start at $175.00. Get them in the studio. Request an appointment here or call us at 877.513.1898.

Spring 2012 Trend: Bright and Bold

Spring is fast approaching-some may even consider the season already upon us as the wintry months turned out um…not so wintry (by new England standards). Regardless, as temperatures rise, it’s time to think about brightening up your wardrobe.

Vibrant maritime and royal blues as well as marigold yellows dotted the runways debuting Spring 2012 menswear collections. Read: bright colors are in! However, doing bright right is immensely important. You don't want to blind people with too much dazzle, nor do you want to mute down a vibrant hue and take away its luster. Never fear, we have some helpful tips for you! We've selected a 9tailors checked favorite below. 

Checked patterns are very versatile and you can wear them both casually or in a professional setting, when done correctly.  For a more casual look, if your shirt has a louder color like yellow, simply accentuate it with complimentary, downplayed colors in your other garments to make the shirt stand out more.



Need a more formal look for the office? Try toning down a brighter, checked pattern with a solid dark suit, like navy blue. Go a step further and venture out of your comfort zone, play up the preppy with a lighter color for your accessories, like baby blue for a pocket square or tie.





Still unsure how to approach a new spring look? Set up an appointment at info@9tailors.com and we'll gladly ease you into the brighter side of things.

Hello, Goodbye

I am happy to introduce a new writer to the 9tailors blog, Kimberly! She will be bringing you the latest news and trends in men's fashion and anything else that strikes her fancy.  Can't wait to see what Kim starts turning out!

Photo Courtsey of Channing Johnson

I bid you adieu!  It was fun. And, of course, I leave you in good hands!

Of course, we love getting tips.  If you love it, hate it, or want to know more about it- chances are we do too!  You can reach Kimberly directly at kimberly@9tailors.com.