Floral Bow Ties and Floral Pocket Squares, Oh My!

The days are finally feeling warmer and the notion of Spring being around the corner is more of a reality than a fantasy. 

Transitioning your winter wardrobe to a spring wardrobe can be daunting for some, especially for those who don't have an extensive one. A simple way to start is with accessories, pocket squares and bow ties. Bow ties are more playful and evokes a lighter spirit than neck ties do. Neck ties can weigh an outfit down because it automatically draws attention downward. Bow ties draw attention upwards to your sparkling smile, ready and waiting to charm. 

Splashes of color and/or pattern brings darker winter solid colors to life without staying in dark colors or jumping head first into brighter colors before the weather is right. Start with the classics before you venture to bolder colors and patterns. Florals will always in fashion during the warmer seasons, it's how you wear it that will keep you in vogue. 

Our studio is getting ready for Spring with the help of new furniture and our little garden is blossoming...

9tailors Spring Floral Bow Ties & Pocket Squares

If you're not quite ready to experiment with bow ties, pocket squares are a safe bet. They are beautifully understated and changes the mood of your suit in an instant. 

Interested in trying on one of our new floral bow ties or pocket squares with your suit? Want help transitioning into spring? Need a lighter suit for warmer days coming? Contact a style consultant at info@9tailors.com 

Spring 2014 Trends to Avoid

Now that you have the gist of what's coming when the days begin to warm up without plummeting two days later, here's what you should avoid.

Meggings, source: chaos-mag

Meggings, Men's Leggings.

They are as bad as they sound. Men have been wearing leggings for a few years now - under athletic shorts for additional warmth in the winter. That's about it and it should not extend beyond that. It's bad enough when women wear leggings as though they are pants with crop tops, exposing the world to horrendous misfitting and the poor visions that go along with them (camel toe). Same thing goes for men, you do not need to flaunt your package in such a manner, it's distracting and unflattering. Even the painfully tight skinny jeans some men insist on wearing can be a bit too revealing, but at least those have the thickness of stretch denim. Whereas, meggings, leaves nothing to the imagination. Just no. 

Camoflauge cargo shorts, source: GQ

Camouflage - Use Caution

This trend has consistently come and gone and unlike double breasted jackets, it's not a refreshing break and it doesn't get any better with every come back. Camouflage was invented by the French during World War I. Painters, illustrators and fashion designers were put in the front lines to paint and change soldier's uniforms to blend in. They were called "camofleurs", meaning "to disguise". 

Designers think that changing the colors from greens, browns and neutrals - the colors they are supposed to be - makes them fashionable because it's doing the exact opposite of its intended us by drawing attention to the wearer. But is it good attention or is it just early 90's middle school bad attention? Yes, changing the color of a pattern can make it more attractive and wearable. However, this does not usually apply to obnoxiously loud colors that want to be neon. If they do, it's hunting season and not so much runway ready. Should fashion really be playing with something that was invented as a safety precaution against enemies and accidental shooting while hunting with Dick Cheney?

Camouflage done right, source: imperfectlydistinguished

This does not at all meant that camouflage should not be worn fashionably, just use sparingly. Don't deck yourself out in head to camouflage to go to the grocery store. Use it as accents or a single statement piece. The purple in the cargo pants above is a nice color combination because it is not changing every color. The purple acts as an accent color, bringing it to life. Just maybe not as cargo shorts or cargo shorts paired with a pinstripe blazer - it looks like the wearer is trying too hard.

Raf Simons Spring 2014, source:style

Tunics

The slightest difference in length can change the type of shirt you are wearing - cropped, normal, long/tunic -- and then there's dress. What is shown above becomes a dress and not so much a tunic. Now, don't get me wrong - I love my androgynous friends and drag queens. But, this is not for every day street wear unless it fits your lifestyle. In which case, this would not be a trend for you but already part of your wardrobe as a staple. Those who would like to look at this for a trend, I would advise against it. This is not a tunic, this is a dress. If you would like to try the tunic trend anyways, be sure the length falls below the butt but not so far as mid-thigh.

Ermenegildo Zegna/Lanvin/Giorgio Armani, source:arizonafoothillsmag

Loose Suits

Just as men were finally getting comfortable with the idea of a form fitting suit that flatters their figure, the runways roll out with these. Loose fitting suits from the 80s. If you want your suit to look more fluid with your movement, opt for a higher thread count like Giorgio Armani's on the right. Otherwise, you do not need to gliding through the wind as you walk (although that does sound like fun, it's not very work appropriate). Stick with flattering form fitting suits. They will last you much longer than a seasonal suit trend that you will want to get tailored after a month of wearing it. 

And remember, nothing says a grown man like looking as though you're a toddler dressing up in your father's suits. ;-)

Interested to become more fashion forward but need some guidance to keep an appropriate balance for work? Want your suits to be a little bit more playful without going over the top? Feeling adventurous with your wardrobe and want to step it up a bit? Contact a style consultant at info@9tailors.com

High-Waisted Pants and Pleats? Trends from the 1950s for Spring 2014

source: wikia

Fashion trends always repeat themselves. We've seen double breasted suits come and go and are here again along with camouflage prints in different colors and scales. Mad Men's series premiere in 2007 launched a huge rival for men and women's fashion, more so for the men. Pocket squares slowly crept back into mainstream fashion after hipsters and street savvy fashionistas took hold, leading it full circle to public television with Cameron on Modern Family. Spike Jonze's latest film, Her, is set in the not so distant future where the men are dressed in high-waisted pants but without the pleats from the 50's. Apparently, Spike Jonze hit the nail on its head. 

Missoni/Joaquin Pheonix in 'Her'/Bottega Veneta/Chris Pratt in 'Her'
source: pinterest/vulture/pinterest/vulture

Designers sent models down the runway for their Spring 2014 collections reminiscent of the 1950s casual wear, much like Spike Jonez's costumes in his movie. I'm glad the trend for men's pants are back on the rise (har-har, I apologize for the pun, kind of) and have graciously moved past the low-riding pants from the 90's, just don't go for the pleats unless your legs really need the extra space. Even Spike Jonze didn't incorporate them in his high-waisted comeback. 

Little Bonus: Spike Jonez explains why he put his men in high-waisted pants. Take an extra read below. 

http://www.vulture.com/2013/12/her-movie-high-waisted-pants-spike-jonze.html

Interested in getting pants that fit your lower half properly? Want to brush up your look with a little bit of class and add a touch of dapper? Contact a style consultant at info@9tailors.com

what does style and fashion mean to you? (awei)

sam and i thought it would be cool to start presenting two different perspectives on our blog: a point/counter-point on divers 9tailors-related subjects. as our faithful audience, you will finally be treated to posts filled with truly witty musings instead of posts filled with a bunch of sam-generated sagets. at the very least, you will gain two worthless viewpoints instead of one.

since most of our 9tailors blog deals with deal with style and fashion, we wanted to first clarify these terms. i consider that style is the aesthetic manifestation of one's attitude and approach toward his or her own environment. i'm somewhat lazy and very, very tolerant. as a result, i end up wearing the same pair of mesh pants and a raggedy sweater several days in a row; while most people consider this style scrubby or Mugatu Derelict, i think of it as time-efficient or spendthrift.

yet, style is a fluid property. as one's attitude and approach to the environment change, the aesthetic manifestation follows. faced with the specter of meeting potential in-laws, i have a revitalized attitude and renewed approach toward my environment. a shower, a crisp shirt, and a pair of matching socks yield an entirely different image.

obviously, one does possess a tendency - a chronic style, so to speak. having uncomplaining, olfaction-less computers as the primary form of companionship over a number of years fortified my own hygienic approach to style.

while style is particular to a specific individual, fashion is the collective agreement of the individuals in a group as to what is aesthetically pleasing. just a few centuries ago, manchurian chinese tacitly agreed that long braided ponytails (queues) on men looked nice. nowadays, individuals swimming in hip-hop culture consider that drowning in oversized, loose-fitting clothes is cool. each group has its own agreements.

fashion, like style, changes. agreements on what was aesthetically pleasing are broken and new agreements are made, thus ushering in a new fashion. celebrities, whose clout and visibility are far-reaching, can often times marshal lots of individuals into some unspoken agreement that some thing is now cool - a fashion trend is born. accepting that fashion trend is a matter of personal style.