A Shirt Style Guide

Were you ever frustrated with the tie being too short or too long? Did you look everywhere for the perfect slim navy matte tie? Search no further, Alexander West is launching our custom tie collection. In addition to choosing your tie fabric, you can also specify: 1. Length - off the rack ties usually range between 58 and 60 inches. 2. Width - 1.75" modern slim tie to the traditional 3.5" width ties 3. Your initials on a metal link   Tie length will depend on your torso length and not necessarily on your height. There are three main factors to focus on, your personal style preference, body type and suit lapel width.   Personal Preference   1.75" - Considered to be more fashion forward.  It is difficult to justify a tie less than 1.75" since it can look out of place  2.25" to 2.75" - Modern men who appreciate slim fitting (aka European cut) suits and shirts 3" to 3.25" - Modern and elegant, yet not conservative 3.5"-3.75" -  Traditional / Conservative   Matching Your Suit Lapel         A rule of thumb if you are after a classic business style, is that the tie should be as wide as the lapel of the suit you are wearing it with.   At Alexander West, we can easily match your tie width with your suit lapel width.        Body Type Tie width should also consider your body type.  For example, an ultra skinny tie on a person with a 18" neck and 48" chest throws off the correct proportion by over emphasizing the head and upper torso.

We found a great illustration below that shows correct as well as ill-fitting jackets and pants.  We take great care and attention to make sure all of our clients have well tailored clothes. On the length of the jacket. Since people have different torso and arm lengths, it is better to look at the person's height minus the head and neck for a proper balance.  Also, pants length is determined by shoes type, width of the pants cuff and your ideal style.

Usually, picking your fabric for your next Alexander West suit is easy: Grey, Navy, stripes, small checks, or solids. You choose what your business dictates. BUT, when it comes down to picking out the lining fabric,quite a few clients let their true colors (pun intended) shine! We invite you to come see not only our suit fabric selection, but our lining selection as well. You may be surprised to see what you'll find- a perfectly fitted business suit fully lined with personality!

Truly no ordinary briefcase, Contango Goods' Axton is crafted in NYC from surprisingly soft oiled leather, English bridle leather handles, cotton flannel lining, and industrial grade rivets and zippers. The full grain leather will develop a patina that can be buffed out with the tips of your fingers. The slim design and superior quality of this innovative take on the classic briefcase far outweighs it's price: $375. Available in Brown or Black at the Alexander West showroom. If you are interested in seeing other cool fashion items I suggest you to take a look at Instyle.com and GadgetHit Fashion Gadgets for more fashion-tech things. There are also several fashion blogs to get inspiration from.

Building on last month's entry for designing your tuxedo, we are going to explore options when designing your formal shirt. A formal shirt should let the tuxedo take center stage. A White shirt is the most traditional option. Opt for a crisp, smooth, densely woven fabric or choose a fabric that has a very subtle pattern or texture that feels more elegant than your business shirts. Subtle shine created by an extraordinary weave or texture on a formal shirt makes the shirt special. Also consider the season and time of day of an event: day events may call for a lighter weight fabric to ease the effects of heat, evening events may call for fabrics with a bit more weight. Below are some fabric options with texture for the shirt or the bib front: There are two traditional collar styles for your formal shirt, either spread or wing. Both are appropriate to pair with a bow tie, but not with a neck tie! If you opt for the spread collar, note that the spread between the collar points should be narrow enough for the bow tie to sit squarely between the points- if the spread is too wide the wings of the bow tie could get caught under the collar! We strongly suggest french cuffs for a formal shirt, in order for you to show off handsome cuff links. We have several french cuff shapes to consider, but a square edge is the most traditional. There are several options to consider for the front of the shirt: with or without a bib, bib with pleats or pique front, exposed studs or fly front. This choice is very personal, choose which style best reflects your style and personality. All our formal shirts come with removable buttons to accommodate studs (unless you specify otherwise). If you are a current client, we would use your most recent measurement profile to create your shirt, with new formal style details. Lastly, we ask that you give us 5-7 weeks ahead of your event date so we deliver you a perfect finished shirt in a timely manner.

Because a tuxedo is meant to be formal wear, it should differ greatly in style and detail from your business suit. We have put together some points to consider when designing your tuxedo:

As a benefit to our esteemed AW clients, Craig is generously offering a 20% discount on your next visit to Bistro 1018 - simply mention Alexander West when you arrive. Craig suggests trying their Braised Berkshire Pork Shoulder, served au jus with rosemary gremolata and black eyed peas. Bistro 1018 1018 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, 10025 212-662-7600  |  www.bistroten18.com

Your suit coat is probably too long. We've recently seen quite a few suit coats that reach to the middle of a client's thigh. Traditionally, a suit coat's length is determined by dividing the body in half (from neck base to shoes). The Alexander West Modern suit has a more modern length - slightly shorter than the traditional length. Our AW Modern length doesn't let the suit coat overwhelm the body, which makes the torso look long; it extends the leg line by exposing more of the pants, thus making you look taller and skinnier. Because every body is different, we will work with you to determine the ideal length for you when you come in for a fitting.

 

"DEAR ALEX" "I lost a lot of weight recently and my old suits look pretty awful. They're really boxy and I don't care for that look anymore especially now I'm so much smaller. " - JDC, Greenwich CT   When tailoring a jacket (or "coat", which is the proper term), we suggest a low button stance as shown on the right (in addition to proper fitting waist). The depth of the button stance creates a deep "V" shape which broadens the shoulders and chest and narrows the waist. Conversely, a high button stance doesn't create the deep "V" shape, and broadens the mid section of the coat - giving the illusion of a larger body underneath. During your fitting we will work with you to place that top button in order to create the shape that will best enhance your body shape.

  Our client, Matt Kolmes, and his lovely bride Jenny pose for this beautiful tropical wedding photo. Matt came to us because he wanted a suit appropriate for his Hawaiian wedding- a lightweight wool in a warm sand shade ideal for beating the tropical sun but also doesn't look out of place in Hawaii's natural beauty. We wish them a lifetime of happiness and looking great!  

   

I sat down with Philip Weisner of Kestenbaum & Weisner to learn about his jewelry business.  He is a third generation jeweler and he has been in the business for more than 30 years. I first met Philip in 2011 at John Allan's when I had a pop-up shop there.  He was originally an Ascot Chang client but I was able to convince him to give Alexander West a try.   Philip's natural preference was for white and blue solid shirts only, but I nudged him to branch out to lavender, yellow and other more interesting patterns.   Naturally, they looked great on him! There are many choices for buying diamond rings and jewelry in New York.   What separates Phil from the rest is that he is a relaxed, friendly and trusted jeweler.  He has a hard working, traditional work ethic, and believes that if you make a customer happy, you'll have that customer for life.   In fact he has many stories of multiple generations of the same family purchasing engagement rings from him! Mention that you are an Alexander West client and Phil promised me that he would welcome you with the same outstanding service that he would give me.  Click on the video link below to learn more about him, and to hear some sage advice on purchasing jewelry.

You guys are the perfect fit, why shouldn't your wedding shirts fit just as perfectly? Our featured couple, Gary and Sal, had shopped for weeks for the ideal shirts for their wedding when they decided to ask us to help them create their shirts. Your wedding day is all about expressing your love and personality, and custom shirts are an important facet in the planning of your big day. If your wedding is a formal grand event or a casual destination affair, we will create shirts to your taste and accommodate special requests that will make your shirts reflect your personality.

New York city's concrete jungle can be a little difficult during the summer.  The humidity and temperature will leave a lasting impression on your shirts. "What's the best way to get these stains out?" Some of the answers are a bit surprising*: 1. Aspirin - Crush two aspirins and mix the powder in 1/2 cup of warm water.  Soak the stained part of the shirt in the solution for two to three hours and rinse 2. Lemon Juice -  Create a mix of lemon juice (or white vinegar) and water and rub the solution into the stained area of the shirt. Hope it helps! *RD.com

Marketing and advertising can be defined as an entrepreneurial work together with set up of measures for conveying, designing and offering good to buyers for managing client romantic relationship in such a way that perks the organization plus their couples (Kerin, Hartley, & Rudelius, 2015). The document shows the way the training of marketing was designed because the switch of these age and how that enhancement has influenced the recent highly competitive business. Progress of Promotions

Major emphasis on generation from 1900 to 1920 phase. During this time dispersal and output of new products were given consideration. The procedure of formulation is made simpler and easier and straightforward. The the general public happened to be also contributed goods that were being small and not simply much better on the business (Kerin, Hartley, & Rudelius, 2015). The regular people used to be also provided reasonable prices for your systems taking into consideration the minimal paying for provide power to in those occasions. The entire entrepreneurs presumed in which offer excellent quality products and solutions to better their product sales.

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Very helpful helpful resource: http://www.umbc.edu/ Better concentrate on Gross sales from 1930 to 1950. Output was beneficial resulting to a lot of merchandise that are available at the best prices. The businesses started relying on salespersons to show their products and services and influence the individuals their goods happened to be as good as their opposition. Read more...

With the US Open right around the corner, we have compiled a few local places to practice our killer back-hands, ace worthy serves, slicing fore-hands, and torpedo volleys. Even if you don't rank with the USTA these courts make you feel like a pro. 1.  Central park.  Nice clay courts.  Rules for shoes (smooth-soles) and reserving courts are strict, but with a permit ($200) reserving is pretty easy, do it a few days in advance.  Get there 10 before the hour or they give away your court. You can reserve one court for singles for 1 hour (only one person needs a permit) or one court for  doubles for 2 hours (two people need permits).  Costs $15 to play.  Each person. Courts are open from April to November. 2.  Roosevelt Island Racquet Club.  Not that hard to get to -- the F train one stop from Manhattan or the tram.  Nice, clean facility-- not high end nice but very comfortable.  Rates are cheaper than the other indoor/winter courts.  And lots of room on the court to play. No strict shoe guidelines. 3.  Sutton.  Not open in the spring/summer.  Good courts, not much facility available.  Very expensive.  Clay.  Indoor. 4.  Midtown Tennis.  Indoor, clay.  Fair and  fairly inexpensive. Not a lot of room to play, so you or your partner better have good aim. 5.  Gotham, up in the Bronx.  Plenty of hard indoor courts. 6.  Randalls Island has some courts too.  Difficult to get to, and pricey. So plan ahead. photo courtesy of gogo-tennis.com

How does one keep a well organized dopkit? Start at your local drug store and load up on the basics: mini shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, disposable razor, hand sanitizers, floss, mouth wash, etc... Nowadays you can find virtually anything in a convenient travel size. If you're the high maintainence type, hop on over to Sephora or Ricky's. They carry most exclusive brands and fragrances, all in an easy TSA approved sized. Next time the lady at the counter bombards you with samples, take them! You never know when they'll come in handy. store medications in your dopkit so you know where all the essentials are.

The summer linen shirt epitomizes the season. It's relaxed, easy to wear, makes you look relaxed and worry free. Don't let the wrinkles and creases worry you, it's called casual wear for a reason. Available in every color, pattern imaginable, its easy to transition into for every occasion. Probably not suitable for the office, but if you have a company bbq or outing, by all means throw it with a lightweight jacket or roll up the sleeves for an easy elegant look. Pack it flat and let it hang as soon as you get to your destination. Since cotton linens soak up moisture and debris easily, wash after each wear. Careful with the bbq sauce! photo courtesy of thelondonlounge.net

The time between Memorial Day and Labor isn't just about sun and Summer Fridays, the real issue is getting to and enjoying the best BBQ's around. Should it be lamp chops, baby back ribs, a smoldering sirloin, chicken wings, rib eye, pork loin....whatever your 'canvas' is the most important ingredient is the sauce! Everyone knows it's all in the sauce. Spicy, a bit sweet, or tangy, sour, zesty, peppery. Whatever suits your taste-buds as long as it pleases the crowds. Never give away your secret, keep them guessing and keep them coming back year after year. We decided to break the rules and share our favorite 'secret' sauce. Try ours or make it your own. You can't go wrong. The AW Tested BBQ Sauce (don't get it on your shirt) 2 cups white vinegar 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbl. lemon juice 1/2 Tbl. salt 1 tsp. finely ground black pepper 1 tsp. finely ground red pepper 3/4 tsp. hot sauce (add more or less to your liking) 1 cup Heinz Ketchup Combine all ingredients, except ketchup, in stockpot and bring to boil – cover and reduce heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is disolved. Then add ketchup, stir and remove from heat. Yields about 3/4 quart.

With Father's Day around the corner, we reflect on the moments that make Dads..... well just Dads. Behind the button up shirts and ties, their panache for turning every moment into a reflection, and best of all having no shame of embarrassing their children. Through laughter, horse-play, teaching us to live and enjoy our lives the best we can. After all, they brought us into the world...well partially.

Fondest Childhood Memory: Ski trips with dad singing Rod Stewart songs while I was stuck on the chair-lift, and finishing the day with Mac and cheese. Road trips with James Taylor, Seals & Croft, and Abba blasting. Thanks to Dad they're still our favs. Most Embarassing Childhood moment: There are so many, how do we narrow this down? My dad sporting a cheetah print Speedo to a father/daughter Girl Scout water park trip should top it. Funniest/Inappropriate Saying: A woman is as old as she looks, but a man is not old until he stops looking. Greatest Lesson Learned: Don’t forget to fill the vodka bottle with water and don’t blame it on the cleaning lady. If you're going to do something, do it well, and give it your all. What I disliked most as a child but am grateful for now: Homework before television and math lessons with my dad every single night. Turns out it really is best to always write everything down and show your work. Now share your favorite memories with us!

You’ve transitioned your wardrobe months ago to accommodate the warm weather, why not give your hair the same treatment. With summer heat and humidity your hair products and maybe style can under go its own face-lift. We sat down with Rodney Cutler of Cutler Salon, New York for some of practical summer hair tips. Rodney has styled every Joe on the street, to celebrities, artists, ad campaigns, and leading fashion shows season after season. A serious athlete on his personal time, this guy knows how to rough it up and still keep every strand in perfect place. You might have less face time with the boss during the summer months, but that’s no reason to neglect your tresses. You’re probably spending a lot more time in the pool or on the beach… Once a week use a detoxing shampoo which will help break down chemicals such as chlorine. If you’re an avid swimmer, dab a bit of conditioner under that swim-cap. This will create a barrier between the chlorine and your hair. When the humidity rises, lose the heavy sticky products-Stick to styling creams for a light weight hold and movement. When traveling for the weekend or a long trip, stick to a multi-purpose product. You’ll have what you need minus the extra baggage. From beach to dinner: If you don’t have time to wash your hair in between. Dampen your hair and apply a strong wax through your hair. Slick it to the side for an instant a la Cary Grant-esq look. Sophisticated and polished, your Grace Kelly might just find you. The summer’s also the best time to let your hair grow. If you can tolerate the heat, this is the time to add some length. You’ll less likely be wearing a high collar shirt, so bear the heat and add some length. If people start mistaking you for an Argentinian Polo Player, then it’s time for a trim. Go to www.cutlersalon.com

Summer is officially here! The heat wave brings unwanted sweat stains, reeking city streets, congestion and the list goes on so forth. On the bright side think about all the girls in summer dresses, dynamic bar scenes, summer Fridays, outdoor bars, rooftop bars, beer gardens, summer shares, did we mention the bar scene? Bar scenes take on a whole new face-lift once the thermometer hits 'outdoor.' We took the liberty to round up some of our favorites. Favorite bar for first dates, to pick up chics... Oops meant ladies, best bar to de-stress, best for everything. If you have a few favorites, share your comments with us. Regardless what's on your agenda, keep it cool, don't make a scene, avoid ending up on page 6, and remember gray t-shirts under your dress shirts. It's less likely to show through creating that "We can see your t-shirt silhouette." Especially with  summer here and your summer weight dress shirts. Favorite Drink of Choice:Porkslap at Brinkley's. The can alone is worth the drink!Our favorite answer: Ahm, all of them! Dream is to be locked in a liquor store overnight...where to start... Favorite place to unwind and de-stress Cafe select Favorite place to take a first date to: Tiny's & the bar upstairs Favorite place to pick up girls: Boom Boom Room

-Any fun summer plans? Trying to escape the office at 5pm…if I can accomplish that goal, it will be a good summer.