Straight
advice from your clothing guys
at Graham’s:
1)
The most important thing about
clothing is fit. Make sure
your clothes fit you well.
If you have lost or gained
a few pounds since your suit
was fitted, try your suit on
at least a week before you
need to wear it. That will
give you time to get down to
the store to get refitted.
It also gives the tailor time
to make any necessary adjustments.
2)
Your suit pants and suit jacket
are a set. We strongly discourage
you from splitting the two
in order to create a casual
or sport outfit. You cannot
pair your navy or black blazer
with a pair of navy or black
pants to make a suit; color
and texture are extremely difficult
to match. Solid color navy
or black suit coats may be
worn with contrasting pants
to help you travel light. Do
not make this a regular practice
because you do not want your
suit jacket and suit pant to
wear unevenly.
3)
Carry your wallet and car keys
in your suit coat. Over time
car keys and thick billfolds
will create wear spots on your
pant pockets. These wear spots
can eventually lead to holes.
4)
Match your footwear to your
clothing and the occasion.
For example, your formal wing
tips are too dressy for your
casual, cotton pants. Your
loafers and Doc Martin’s
are too casual to be worn with
a dark, dressy suit. Lace-up
shoes are always the dressiest
choice with your dark suit.
5)
Well-shined shoes show that
you care about dressing up
and that you pay attention
to detail. A $200.00 shoe without
a shine can easily look like
a $30.00 shoe. Keep a shoeshine
kit handy in your closet. Each
morning, wipe down the tops
of your shoes with a piece
of soft material (yesterday’s
t-shirt or socks) before putting
them on. This will remove most
dust and dirt and help renew
the shoe’s shine.
6)
Alternate your shoes from day
to day; you will double their
life. Use cedar shoetrees to
maintain the shape and sizing
of your shoes and prolong the
life of your shoes by absorbing
moisture. (It is common for
a human foot to create a half
a cup of perspiration per day.
Yikes!)
7)
Your belt should match or closely
resemble the color and texture
of your shoes. Your socks should
match your pants. Black shoes
= black belt. Brown shoes =
brown belt. Tan pants = tan
(not white) socks. Gray pants
= gray socks. Navy pants =
navy socks. If you are wearing
black pants or a black suit,
wear black shoes only. If you
are wearing a brown suit or
brown pants wear brown shoes.
I know you get the idea by
now, but there are still a
lot of men wearing black pants,
white socks, and brown shoes
out there.
8)
Even though your shirt may
be a cotton/polyester blend
or be labeled “wrinkle-free”,
you may still have to touch
it up a little. A “wrinkle-free” label
sewn in the shirt is not a
force field that makes the
wrinkles in your shirt invisible
to everyone else.
9)
You should only wear long sleeve
dress shirts with your suit.
Even when it is 90∞ outside,
long-sleeve dress shirts are
the absolute dressiest.
10)
Collar stays are small plastic
or brass strips that slide
into a slot on the underside
of point collars on dress shirts.
Collar stays give collars shape
and definition. Remove collars
stays from your shirt before
laundering to avoid losing
or damaging the stays. Replacements
for lost or damaged stays are
available here at the store.
11)
Save those scraps of extra
suit pant material sent in
the back pockets. You can take
this piece of material to the
store to match up shirts and
ties without bringing the entire
suit. For reason #2 to hang
on to this extra material,
see “Stuff” Happens
#4.
12)
The smallest part of your outfit,
your tie, is often the most
readily noticed.
- Your
necktie should be tied long
enough to reach your belt
buckle. If you have a large
neck or long torso, buy extra
long ties. There are several
necktie knots that will help
you achieve different tie
lengths. For instructions
on the various knots, visit
www.grahamsstylestore.com
under the Dr. Style link.
- Neckties
change faster than any other
item in menswear. Even though
you may not have worn your
tie often, periodic updates
are still in order. Few will
notice if your navy pinstripe
suit is several years old,
but they will notice a dated
necktie.
- A
necktie tucked in between
your shirt buttons looks
far more fashionable than
a necktie speckled with buffalo
wing sauce, bleu cheese and
Old Style. Next to lunch
and happy hour, dry cleaning
is one of the hardest things
on your neckties. Do not
tuck your tie away during
formal lunches and dinners;
you will just have to be
more careful.
- Neckties
decorated with cartoon characters,
footballs, and rainbow trout
coordinate with nothing.
If you are wearing a dressy
suit or sport coat, wear
a classy tie.
13)
Do not mix and match seasons.
For example, it is not appropriate
to wear lightly colored linen
pants with a favorite sweater
in the fall. In the upper Midwest
there are some items that should
only be worn between Memorial
Day and Labor Day: linen or
linen blends in jackets and
pants; lightly colored, tropical
weight wool; silk, silk/rayon
or madras shirts; silk jackets;
seersucker pants, shirts, and
jackets; and white nubuck shoes.
Conversely put away the heavier
weight/texture (corduroy, tweeds,
and flannels) and darker colored
(dark olives, browns and rusts)
pieces of your wardrobe away
in warmer weather.
14)
If you have questions or are
in need of some fashion insight,
please stop in, call one of
us here at the store (563)
582-3760, or visit us online
at www.grahamsstylestore.com.
We will give you honest answers
and insights to your questions
and dilemmas. Do not let the
services of a good men’s
clothing store end after you
have slung the garment bag
over your shoulder and left
the store. We have had many
years of experience in helping
men dress confidently and professionally.
15)
As always, wear your clothing
from Graham’s proudly
and in good health. Thank you
for the opportunity to serve
you. We really do look forward
to seeing you again.
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