Get Dressed for the Wedding, and the Season

First, I apologize for the long break!  I've been a bit busy with my personal life - apparently getting engaged and celebrating dips into your blogging time!

So, it's about that time of the year when weddings are in season and the eternal question about what to wear goes on.  There are certain times when it is easy - black tie required, black tie optional (which isn't optional).  However, there are a lot of situations that are a little harder to determine what you should be wearing; there is a Sunday wedding, beach wedding, outdoors, indoors, etc.  

The reality of the situation is that you can never really go wrong with a well tailored suit, regardless of the time or formality.  When you want to step up your game, and try something a little different, keep the situation in mind.

If the wedding takes place outdoors and in the middle of the summer heat there are some great options to consider in order to keep you looking good and sweat free at the same time.  Cottons and linens are now available in well tailored options.  Here are some easy breakdowns how to dress appropriately for the right wedding:

Outdoor afternoon:  keep it casual with a great blazer put together well.  Use a wool/linen blend to keep it a bit cooler, even think about a half-lined or deconstructed jacket to keep it lighter.

photo from zegna.com

Outdoor evening: a crisp suit, following normal  dress codes of darker colors and simple patterns; but try a mohair blend, or wool/silk blend.  These different fabric blends will help make it a bit cooler throughout the night.

Beach wedding:  shake it up and try some seersucker or cotton in a lighter color.

Sunday afternoon: These can be tricky, because you will inevitably find someone who comes in just slacks and a shirt.  Even if the bride and groom choose to celebrate in a more casual way, show some respect and put on a jacket and button up.

As much as you can avoid white (it's the brides day for that), and when in doubt keep it classic - dark navy, charcoal, and grays are always going to work well.  Just remember that when you are getting dressed for a wedding, you should try to look good for the people who's wedding you are celebrating.  

photo from nordstrom.com

photo from zegna.com

Spring Cleaning - your closet needs it too!

Ah spring time!  If you're in the majority of our wonderful country, it feels like a lifetime from now.  However, there is light at the end of the tunnel!  Here in Chicago we are actually supposed to get above freezing just in time for pitchers and catchers to start reporting to spring training.

Try using Goodwill or Salvation Army

If there is one thing that has forever been associated with spring time, it's spring cleaning.  A chance for a fresh start cleaning our homes, and making sure that we come out of our long winter hibernation.  It is also a time when I like to speak with my clients about spring cleaning in their wardrobes.

As a guy, I know all too well about having the shirt that has lingered for 10 years.  There is that pair of pants I haven't pulled off the hanger in 3 years, but for some reason just hang onto it anyway.  This spring, make a conscious decision to reevaluate your own wardrobe.

Whether it's retiring a few suits and replacing them with some updated versions, or maybe donating that sweater that your mom gave you a few years back that you never wore.  I walk my clients through a process where they can evaluate the value of their clothing, and whether it is adding or just collecting dust.

I use the following evaluation on all garments:
What kind of shape is it in? Good shape = move on to next question, bad shape = replace/remove
When is the last time you wore it?  More than 3 months = move to next question
Is it a seasonal item?  Yes = keep   No = move to next question
Does it hold sentimental value?  Yes = keep or find a way to display it  No = replace/remove

Once you have established what stays and what goes, then it's time to determine how you would like your wardrobe to work for you.  From there you have a much better grasp on how to move forward in.  Struggling with how to get started, or want help from someone?  There are professionals in most cities that, like me, can help you with the task - usually at little to no cost.

If clothes can help define the man, isn't it worth taking the time to make sure they are defining you the way you would like?

Proper Care: How often to dry clean

In an effort to add input from other professionals who work with men and their clothing, I am including an entry today from Billie Kersh - professional clothier with elevee lifestyle - on a topic she frequently discusses with her clients, caring for your clothes:

"You've just dropped several G's on bespoke suits.  Take the time to properly care for your investment so that it lasts a long, long time.

Men very commonly take their clothing to the dry cleaner too often.  Dry cleaning is a process that removes debris and dirt particles, but it should not be overdone because the chemicals used can be harsh on clothing.

How often you dry clean your suits depends on many factors.  Including: how many suits are in your roation, how often you wear them, whether you've soiled the fabric or gotten it sweaty, and outside factors such as light, smoke, or food.  In general, I recommend dry cleaning no more than once every 60 days; however, I've even heard it's best to only dry clean once a year.  The best advice is to dry clean your clothes only when it's absolutely necessary.

If you spill wine or food on a garment, take it to be spot cleaned as quickly as possible.  Other than that, brushing it with a suit brush and hanging it on a proper hanger in a well-ventilated area in between wearings will do the trick.

Feel free to steam your suits or take them in for a sponge and press in between cleanings to reshape and reset the clothing.  In this process, a small amount of moisture is added to the cloth without any chemicals, so the wool fibers are not damaged and odors are released.

Keep in mind that just because you wore the suit, doesn't necessarily mean it's dirty.  If your shirt fits properly, your jacket doesn't really touch your body at all.  Wool is a natural fiber that is inherently antimicrobial, so hanging it in a well ventilated area for at least a week before wearing it again allows the fabric to naturally defunk and reset itself.

Maintenance actions in between dry cleanings to extend the life of your suits:
-brush your suit after each wearing
-steam it (I recommend the jiffy home steamer)
-spot cleaning
-take it in for sponge and press at a cleaner or tailor shop
-don't iron the cloth directly.  If you feel the need to iron, use a medium setting and place a clean white cotton cloth between the iron and jacket"

Billie Kersh is a professional clothier with elevee bespoke in Chicago, IL and can also be followed on twitter @chisuitgirl

I would like to add that I personally, dry clean my suits 2x per year, with regular steaming, or additional cleaning only if I spill on them.

Your big day- it's not time for a rental!

Alright everyone, happy new year! I've thought a lot about this post, and seeing that I'm going to my cousin's wedding this coming weekend I decided it was time to discuss this. If you, or someone you know is planning their wedding, please, please, please have them read this.
 Let's talk about if you should be renting when you say "I do"

Pros: Let start here. What are the pros of renting a tuxedo/suit for you wedding? The honest answer here is, NOTHING!!! There is no reason to rent for your wedding. The only argument that can even be made for this is economics, but I'm hoping to drive that out of your mind. The cost of a rental is $150, on the very lowest end, to $500+ on the higher end. This is the only argument that can be made for renting, and it is a terrible argument.

 Cons: Let's look at the most obvious one here- it looks TERRIBLE!!! I have never seen a rental that I looked at and said, "wow, he looks great in that tux!" Guys, you are going to have these pictures for the rest of your life, you are going to show them to your children; and you want to look like you wear clothing that doesn't even fit?! The fit is usually off from head to toe (boxy shoulders, baggy pants, etc). Not to mention you are wearing something that countless other people have also worn, partied in, and done who knows what in. Talk to your cleaner about any rentals they get- you instantly get stories of the vomit, urine, and unknown stains that they have to try and get out. Why sour your special day with that? 

Why you should purchase something... Yes buy something new!
Depending on the source you use, the average wedding cost more than $20,000. Spending an extra few hundred on what you wear isn't going to break this. Your wife to be is spending, on average, just over $1,000 on her dress- that she will never wear again! Don't stand next to her in a $200 rental.
At least go with a suit if you want something you will use frequently.  Choosing a suit that fits over a rental tuxedo results is a far better look. Sticking with classic styles, your tux or suit can stay in style for many years to come, and can be worn again for a special night in the future.

image from http://elevee.com 

 Tuxedo: keep it classic- black is your safest bet. stay classy with a peak lapel, one button jacket and traditional fitting pants (no super tight pants here)
Expect to pay around $800 or more here for something good.

 Suit: keep it versatile and simple- black, charcoal, or navy (unless a theme or destination wedding is in your future). You can keep the simplicity of a notch lapel, 2 button, and wear the pants the way you like.
Expect to pay $500 and up based on cloth, and type (rack, M2M, or custom)

 It can be as little as a couple hundred dollars, but it is worth far more than that. After all, you only get married once right?!