Clean Shoes, Clean Details: Socks

Now that your shoes are shined and ready for Spring, don't forget the details. Socks and colored shoelaces have become surprisingly important in menswear fashion in the past few years. People are paying more attention to the pattern and colors of your socks and how they match up with your tie or pocket square. The sock is one of the few places that you can have some fun with while at work. 

Ryan Gosling at "Drive" premiere showing off red socks with black loafers.
source: mensfashionmagazine

Keeping it (kind of) Conservative,

If you don't know where to start but want to start exploring, start with playing with classics. Argyle and stripes are safe bets but are brought to life with bright color combinations or go for playful patterns, like polka dots, but stick with classic colors, like black and white. Our client demonstrates the latter option below. 

Actual Client, Dan, showing off playful black and white polka dotted socks with red shoelaces to match the heel of the sock over black shoes. It all ties together so seamlessly, you can't help but love it! 

If you really want to jump into the trend but not get overwhelmed by too many options off a wall, Happy Socks makes gift sets for men with a perfect balance! The argyles keep it classic but the colors make it more playful. Blue is always a safe color and also is the most favored color among men, so you can't go wrong. The gray is a safe color that matches just about anything but keeps it alive with the pink edge and blue toes. The polka dots stay playful but not too outrageously so with it's navy background. This gift set has the conservative sets for work and bolder sets for weekends. 

Happy Socks gift set for Men, $45.00

Want to be a little more playful than argyle's and polka dots but still be able to wear socks to work? Again, play with the pattern but stick with conservative colors. It keeps the looks well balanced and not too overwhelming in the office as you walk by.

Happy Socks, Paisley $12.00

If you couldn't tell, I'm a fan of black and white socks in fun patterns. The pops of color on the heel, toe and band are always hidden surprises that allow you to wear these socks in conservative settings. You get to have fun without looking inappropriately dressed.
Ted Baker Hounds Tooth Socks, $24.75

Getting Playful and Bold,

The geometric pattern and bolder color makes this sock better suited for play and a casual or bolder suit. This would look fantastic with the bluer suits our clients have been ordering! Very seasonally appropriate.
Ted Baker Banofie Sock, $14.03

Super playful and absolutely for weekend wear. Whenever a sock is covered in an all-out print such as parrots, you can't resist buying them but you have to make certain you're showing them off with the right outfit.
Ted Baker Madera Sock, $14.03

Floral, floral everywhere! It can't be Spring without roses blooming and gardens getting replanted and freshened for the long sunny Summer days to come.
Happy Socks Rose Sock, $12.00

Boston Magazine employed local illustrator, Nick Sullivan to show wearers how to show off their socks on weekends by rolling up their pants.

illustration by Nick Sullivan for Boston Magazine

illustration by Nick Sullivan for Boston Magazine

illustration by Nick Sullivan for Boston Magazine

illustration by Nick Sullivan for Boston Magazine

Love having a pair of pants that fits you perfectly? Want to know if we can make you custom chinos for Spring or shorts for the Summer? We can! Contact a style consultant at info@9tailors.com

Stop Go Love!

Earlier this summer, 9tailors partook in a wedding event with Boston Magazine and the W Hotel, in efforts to showcase their beautiful event space. Six of our wonderful clients agreed to help us out for the event while Jared Haskell and Jason McCutchen, co-founders of StopGoLove, were the photographer/director team behind this wonderful, editorial-inspired photo* shoot. The handsome young men seen below? Lucas Lowry, Christopher Cuozzo, Channing Johnson, Robert Ebeling,  Ron Neugold, and Micah Whitson, all rocking 9tailors suits. Take a gander at the photos here and see more on our facebook page.

Lucas Lowry in grey sheen

Christopher Cuozzo in navy cotton

Channing Johnson in blue-grey wool-cashmere

Robert Ebeling in a classic tux

Ron Neugold in khaki

Micah Whitson in blue-white seersucker

STOP GO LOVE!

Read below to hear Jason and Jared's take on capturing the rare, most cherished moments between couples and churning out cinematic true love stories in captivating short wedding films. 

How did you get into this business?

JASON: "I began to teach video to high schoolers, one of whom was my current business partner, Jared. Years later, after Jared attended media school, we decided to work together. We both love shooting video and working with people so it was a natural fit."

JARED: "I was moving back to MA after working as the Director of Photography at a small production company in Lindale, Texas. Myself and Jay would get coffee when I would come home and the subject of shooting video projects always came up. Little did we know that those side projects would turn into a full fledged wedding film company."

Can you describe your first project?

JASON: "The first wedding StopGoLove did was definitely a blessing. We called around and through friends, found a beautiful, amazing couple to shoot. Sara and Josh were, in many respects, dream clients."

JARED: "I honestly can't remember the day itself, only that I passed out from the physical and mental exhaustion at the end of the day. We didn't have the slightest clue of what the end product would turn out to be. We had never met Sara and Josh before the first time we pointed cameras in their faces.  We booked 10 weddings the next year based off that one video!"

What's the most frightening thing about filming weddings?

JARED: "Besides the bride? I'm playing, we've been blessed to work with some incredible couples so far. It's probably dropping a camera off a 15 foot ledge...wait, that was last year... " 

JASON: "Basically, you have one shot to do it right and weddings are so unpredictable.  This is the most important day of a person's life. There's a lot riding on your lens."

What do you look for to capture the essence of a couple? How do you cram so much footage into such a short film?

JASON: "It all starts with getting to know WHO these people are. The relationships we develop with couples are essential to the process. I also think that a wedding is so emotionally raw and genuine that, in a way, it's easy to capture who these people are and what their love is really about. At that point, it comes down to simply observing and documenting all the cool stuff that goes on throughout the day. As far as the trailer videos we do, we always have in mind certain things we'd like to see in that video, but in ways it's creating on the fly. It's art. Part of what we like about this job is the ability to freely create."

JARED: "When people truly love each other in a deep and selfless way, it's apparent to everyone. That's what makes our job easy, all we have to do is point the camera and shoot. People don't believe me when I tell them it's much more work to put together one of our trailer videos compared to some of the longer ceremony cuts that can sometimes top an hour. We often go into a wedding with a pretty concise idea of what kind of music we'll be playing to soundtrack the trailer, etc. A lot is mapped out in pre-production and by really getting to know our couples."

What do you notice about weddings with regard to how people dress? Anything stand out to you?

JARED: "It's so refreshing seeing a sartorial conscious gentleman at his wedding. First of all, it makes my job 10 times easier. Secondly, I'm tired of having to tell guys how to tie a bowtie or what the difference between a windsor and pratt knot is. Better dressed gentlemen make for much better photo and video, period. That goes for both the groom and wedding attendees."

JASON: "I think what I observe the most is how much a couple's wedding style reflects their personality. I think this is true of style in general. Clothing is art. Art tells a story. Clothing tells the story of you. I think that definitely plays out during a wedding, but magnified times a million. And, men accessorize at weddings!" 

How far in advance do couples need to book your services?

JARED:  "Much of what we do is based on building a relationship with our clients so the earlier we meet, the more creative and unique of a video we can get!"

JASON: "NOW… just kidding. To be honest, it really depends on availability and if we aren't booked we're always open to work with amazing, fun people. Typically though, couples book us at least nine months in advance, but sometimes even two years." 

Thank you, gentlemen! We are huge fans of your work! 

*All photos courtesy of StopGoLove

Interested in achieving a custom look seen on the models above? Email a style consultant at info@9tailors.com to book your appointment today. 

9tailors at "Life is a Runway" Charity Fashion Show

Check out these pictures from the recent "Life is a Runway" Charity Fashion Show hosted by the Harvard Business School Retail & Apparel Club. 9tailors shirts as well as Samantha Shih, CEO and designer, were featured in Boston Magazine's Party Pics from this event. For the full feature, go here: http://tiny.cc/vyl26.

Designer Samantha Shih (9tailors), event organizer Alex Nelson, sponsor Marc Harris and designer Julie Kontos

Brad Lautenbach in 9tailors