Fall Fashion Tip #1: One-Of-A-Kind Boyfriend Shirts

by The Fashion Professor | 5:20 pm, August 19th, 2010

Looking for an incomparable gift for the male person in your life? Try custom-made shirts. Suri Cruise would.

If the clothes make the man, it’s three yards of fine fabric and custom tailoring that make your man’s shirt. Go ahead, caress it. Surely, he’ll think, you’ve sprung for Zegna, Pink or Ralph Lauren Men’s Collection. And you have — sort of. These made-to-order shirt fabrics are from the same Italian mill, with prices 50% less than comparable ready-mades.

But what if your BF suffers from time famine? J. Hilburn Men’s Clothier sends personal stylists to take measurements at home or the office. Ten minutes — tops! And no fee for the special treatment.

Back of neck monogram, label on the shirt tail, choice of monogram styles. Pocket, no pocket, back pleat, double pleat, no pleat. Choice of collar and cuff styles. European, American, Western, Hip-hop, Tuxedo cuts. Name it.

He liked it? Wants more? BF can click, order whatever he wants, and pay online. He’ll have his shirts in about three weeks.

My BF? Had a great birthday. But still doesn’t know he’s missing one white, 2-ply, 80-Count luxury twill, spread collar, European cut. Soft as butter on my skin.

Styling Tips:
*Know his off-the-rack collar size and sleeve length for starters.
*Fabric for Spring & Summer: cotton.
*Fabric for Fall & Winter: Merino wool.
*Most luxurious: Merino wool/silk/cashmere blend.
*A guy can never go wrong wearing a white shirt and blue blazer with jeans, khakis or grey
flannels.
*Shirts are best tucked in except when wearing jeans or hiphop styles.
*Short sleeve shirts should never be worn as dresswear after 6pm (unless the event is outside)
*Undershirts are a no-go — not even in winter.
*BF might consider the 14-shirt wardrobe — 7 in the closest, 7 in the cleaners. (Plus: custom shirts made
of fine fabric need less ironing than their off-the-rack sibs. Then again, Brooks Brothers’ “no iron” shirts at
$79.50 each aren’t custom-made but they do eliminate dry cleaning bills permanently.)

Avoid:
*T-shirts for casual dress unless they’re made of linen or cashmere.
* Golf shirts (unless you’re about to tee off).
*Polyester.

He Didn’t Ask, But:
*The tie complements the jacket, the shirt complements the tie.
*At work, dress better than you have to, and
*Don’t wear anything you wore in college.

Roundup of quality custom shirt makers and prices:

J. Hilburn Men’s Clothier, $79-$149
http://www.jhilburn.com
toll free: 866-789-5381
email: marylee.pass@jhilburnpartner.com

Imparali Custom Tailors, $99-$129
608 Fifth Ave, Suite 310
New York, NY 10020
fax: 212.245.5505
toll free: 1.888.880.SUIT
email: info@imparali.com

Manju’s Inc. by Gary Tailor, $55-$175
http://GaryTailor.com
2424 Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78705; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Ask for Mr. S. Gary.
Fax: 1-512-474-5634; 1-800-514-0637 toll free
Email: gary@garytailor.com

Custom Men, LLC, $85-$195
140 W. 57th St., Suite 4C
Between 6th & 7th Aves
(Near Carnegie Hall & Russian Tea Room),
New York, NY 10019
Tel: (212) 767-0545

***

The Fashion Professor (currently a lecturer in film studies at Yale University) is a frequent contributor to the Bergdorf Goodman glossy mag, has written dozens of magazine articles including for The New York Times Magazine, Huffpo, Salon.com, Washington Post, New York Magazine, Glamour, Marie Claire, Redbook, is a the author of Are You There Alone?:The Unspeakable Crime of Andrea Yates, many episodes of Law&Order and is producer of the 2007 documentary Unborn in the USA. A former model, she has appeared on the covers of Esquire, Maxim, New York Magazine, Family Weekly; and inside Vanity Fair, Mademoiselle, Mirabella & WWD. Her boyfriend is a secret. More later….

boyfriend shirts made to order shirts tailor made shirts the fashion professor

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