Layering Up for Fall

Temperatures are dropping and leaves are turning...fall is here! Here are a few tips on how to layer up without looking like the Michelin man.

Tip #1: Scarves! Yes, scarves can be manly. In fact, they can add just the right touch to an outfit, while giving you a ton of extra warmth. Your neck, head and hands are the likely to be the only uncovered body parts, so wearing the appropriate gear will keep you significantly warmer without needing a full jacket.

9tailors 2 piece suit (see our Grey Matter sale - only this month!)

9tailors blazer

Tip #2: Vests! You've never had a better excuse to wear a three piece suit. It's really your best bet in chilly weather. Not only does it give you an extra layer of warmth on your core, when you get inside to the heated office, you can take your suit jacket off and still look dressed to the nines.

9tailors custom vest and shirt

9tailors custom 3 piece suit

Tip #3: Tweed! Tweed is a fabric made from woolen yarn. It has a rough, open texture but can also be soft to the touch. It is ideal for cold weather because it has great insulating properties. Plus, it has some serious versatility.

9tailors custom tweed suit

Tip #4: Don't be afraid to mix and match! Chances are, your mixed patterns will actually be more stylish than having everything match perfectly. While mixing patterns and textures can go terribly wrong, it can also go wonderfully right. Here's a do and don't example:

DON'T:

Mix and match that makes you dizzy. Way too much going on here.

DO:

Mix and match patterns, textures and colors done just right!

Tip #5: Sweaters/cardigans! A simple, solid sweater can go a long way. Pick up some standard fall colored knits...greys, burgundy, browns, navy...you get the point. Not only do they keep you toasty, but they switch up your regular outfits, making it appear that you have an enormous wardrobe.

9tailors custom shirt, Jegman tie

So there you have it, some simple tips to staying warm and looking great. Contact us at info@9tailors.com to order your vests, tweeds, patterned shirts and custom jackets! We'll have you looking dapper in no time.

Meet Matt: There's an algorithm for that.

Meet our client of two years, Matt. With a full sleeve of a colored double helix and Twins logo tattooed on his right arm, Matt isn't what comes to mind when you talk about PhD candidates in Chemical Engineering. His edgy style challenges the traditions of academia with a fresh take on classic ideas. He is a master at pulling together separates such as the vest-pant combo above.

When he isn't in the lab Matt is busy with wedding planning. We helped him design a great tux for his wedding this winter, although we can't say much more as it is a surprise reserved for the wedding day.

Name: Matthew D. Stuber
Age: 27
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Currently Residing In: Cambridge, MA
Occupation: Graduate Student (PhD Chemical Engineering)

How long have you been a 9tailors client?

2 years

Why choose custom?

It's obvious that you have to have a cereal-box body to look good in off-the-shelf clothing. I've always been in need of either a custom clothing designer or a REALLY good tailor. Even my trusty Club Monaco has begun to sell "Classic Fit" clothing, which is a fancy way of saying clothing that costs them less to manufacture and will make you look homeless. Going custom is the only way to guarantee my satisfaction.

What would be your style advice to other men in your professional field?

Leave your cross-trainers at home and learn to tie a tie. Just because the dress code is business casual doesn't mean you can't step it up and look like a professional. That suit you bought for $50 for "special occasions" makes you look like a 12 year old playing dress-up in daddy's clothes. Where are your hands?

How would you describe your style?
Edgy modern twist on 1920's classic (leave out the pleats and 3-button coats). My more casual days are punk prep.

What/who inspires your style?
-My grandmother and her traditional values of formal attire and "dressing for success"
-James Bond (specifically Daniel Craig)
-Mercedes AMG: classic luxury with an edgy twist hiding shear madness.
-The idea of being the only person who gets dressed in the morning and possibly being commended for it.

What is your favorite piece from 9tailors?

My most heavily worn pieces would include my purple check/white collar shirt and grey vest. Although I haven't worn it yet, I am quite fond of my winter tuxedo.

As any chemist knows, the devil is in the details. Matt's mastery of commanding the smallest components of his ensembles shows. Check out those metal buttons on the pants and vest.

Another detail, that does not go unnoticed, is the contrast fabric on the besoms. This is the same fabric that the pants are made from helping tie the two separates together without having to fully match.

Shoot Details:
Location: Beacon Hill
Suit: 9tailors
Shirt: 9tailors
Tie: His Own
Tie Clip: Tsai Clip

Step-up your look with a vest this season. Works great to dress up jeans and a button-down or to add something interesting to a standard two piece suit.

Email a style consultant at info@9tailors.com to design a custom vest today.

How To: Layer

Yesterday's post touched on layering, but since its the most practical way of dressing in the coming weeks, it deserves a little more attention. Layering is something of an art and can easily turn ugly if not approached properly. Lets start with the obvious; stick with colors in the same family, thinner layers first, avoid over-sized clothing, and bulkier layers on top.

Here are some ways to put together a casual Friday look for the office. Pair it with some chinos or textured wool slacks and a nice pair of lace ups. For personalized blazers get yourself an appointment with a 9tailors style consultant who can help you design a perfectly fitting perfectly you piece of outerwear. Add a pocket square with a bold print to get some more color in there. Printed scarfs are an alternative to rescue a controlled color scheme from becoming bland.

Now for the weekend. Try a track jacket with a vest underneath. Or try a hoodie under a leather jacket. With both looks you can add a colorful belt and a t-shirt with your favorite band on it for an infusion of personality.

Can't find a properly fitting vest? 9tailors regularly makes vests from anything you dream up. Last year a client came to us with a pair of old pants that were promptly made into a vest for his wedding. Choose a different fabric for the back, choose how many buttons, choose where the first button hits, and get the perfect fit.

Steal This Style: Glee

While the Glee title may carry the infamous hand signal for loser, these guys know how to dress themselves out of the studio. The two best dressed men from the Glee cast seem to be the teacher everyone is crushing on and the football player in a wheelchair.

Artie (Kevin McHale) and Mr. Schuster (Matthew Morrison) both have an affinity with vests and sweaters but clearly wear a suit naturally as well. Below Artie, on the left, has fitted suit on with notched lapels and a bowtie. The choice of blue keeps the suit fresh and modern without being ostentatious. Mr. Schuster also has a fitted suit with notched lapels in a more subdued grey. The sheen of the fabric makes it a bit more formal and it tied it all together with a skinny maroon tie and pocket square to match. Photos courtesey of MTV.


Tips to steal the Glee(k) style: Add the following to your wardrobe.

1. Get yourself a vest- of any kind. These two men constantly wear button down vests in grey, in green, in herringbone, in checked patterns. They wear sweater vests over tailored button downs. They are simply enthralled with vests of all sorts and work them into every outfit ranging from the most casual to formal occasions.

2. Bowties. Striped, patterned, checked, big, small, they all have a place for the Artie impersonator.

3. Cardigains. Mr Schuster is always layering a button down with a cardigan. It is formal enough for his profession as a high school teacher but not too stuffy to put barriers between him and his students.

4. Button downs. Always in a button down Mr. Schuster and Artie have perfectly fitted shirts. Many times with rolled up sleeves, which keeps it casual everyday wear.

How To: Expertly Mix Patterns

Classics are great but sometimes you want something more daring to don in the morning. Mixing patterns is one way to accomplish this. It can be daunting to the novice but with a few guidelines in place you can begin to clash your prints with class.

Try easing yourself into the process. Trial and error is a great way to learn, but you want to avoid as many errors as possible. So, until you get a firmer grasp on the concept try mixing with a monochromatic palate. In other words, if you have a light blue checked shirt on pair it with a dark blue striped tie or pocket square. The linchpin of mixing for beginners is a solid pant or jacket to hold it together. Below are some examples on the runway.


Above, Moschino, has subtle details which add interest. His red striped tie competes with the checked trim rescuing a potentially boring upper half with a battle for your attention.

Below, Etro, the ultimate mix master, has competing fabrics on nearly every portion of the model. A paisley shirt with a textured tie, a checked suit jacket with bold lining are all anchored by neutral, solid pants.


Now, here are some examples of how to take it from the catwalk to the sidewalk. Photos by the Satoralist.



Choose a theme and stick to it. Above he layered casual flannel checks of varied color and size keeping it easygoing but far from bland.

Below he has avoided a clownish appearance by tying his accent pieces to his jacket. The navy jacket serves as an anchor to his striped tie and checked vest.
Vests are a great accent and are small enough to be constructed of bolder patterns.



Start off with a custom vest in a bold check or pinstripe. Then check out Etro for a great paisley tie that mirrors the colors used in the vest. Then bring it together with solid pants.

Keep it easy going. You don't want to look like you tried too hard to get it perfect. Part of the charm of mixing patterns is looking a bit unkempt. The key is to avoid looking like you dressed yourself in the dark.