Sale to the Tail(or)

This might be the best time of year when it comes to retail. Almost everyone has broken sale by now and the price cuts are steep this year for some reason. The only problem we all face is size availability when it comes down to this time of year. This is a little tale of one of my recent purchases from J. Crew, my first Ludlow Suit in a classic olive cotton, which I some how managed to swindle down from an original suggested retail of $650 to an exact $99.09; I laughed at the Stylist there as I walked out of the store with my new digs.

Lucky for me, the store had just received a consolidation from another store and had my sizes for the suit separates (a 42R jacket and 33x32 pants). Even still, the suit as a whole is going to need a few tweaks if I have any aspirations at turning heads for being on point as opposed to on par; read Average Joeish. So off to the tailors we go, but first, have an idea of what needs to be done and what doesn't!

The Pants

The pants should break right at the top of the shoe, or in this case right over my high-tops!

All in all, most of society isn't aware of how a jacket should fit or what a proper fit even looks like on a man, but the first thing that can be spotted as ill-fitting by any average joe or jane are the pants. Too short leaves us looking like Pharrell at the Grammy's and too long hints at some sort of hand-me-down arrangement from your bigger brother. When you head into the tailors dojo, bring a pair of shoes you will most likely wear with this specific suit to get just the right break, right on the top of the vamp.

Next comes the waist and taper, which in my book, go unnoticed by others, but can really dig at you if they aren't just right. The waist should be tight enough to hold your shirt in when it's tucked, but the pockets shouldn't flare out at the sides either; tailors know this and will find that perfect balance for you, all you have to do is ask! The taper is a personal preference, but rule of thumb says that the fabric should look controlled, unlike that of a sail or woman's blouse. With that in mind, a taper that leaves a leg opening with enough room to easily slide your feet through, yet still slim and crisp will be ideal.

The Jacket

Having a jacket taken in is the difference between boxy banker and swanky stylist.

Although the pants are the most noticeable in terms of error when it comes to fit, the jacket is the hardest of the two to fix up just right. The fact that a 42R was on the rack when I walked in was an absolute miracle, but not all of us are that lucky, so when your faced with the decision of what to buy, its better to go bigger than smaller. More fabric means the tailor has more to work with, and he can act more like a butcher than brain surgeon, which he'd have to be to let out a 40L enough to make it fit.

Most times, especially for me, my jackets need to be taken in which can be done from the front, sides, and center-back seams of the jacket to get an optimal fit that won't snag or fall unnaturally on the body; again, this is where the tailors expertise takes over, just advise on how you like the fit. The next issue with anything off-the-rack will be the sleeve length, the easiest of alteration decisions! See the part of my wrist that adjoins with the bottom of my thumb, thats the length sweet spot for showing off some sleeve or wearing casually.

We have found the sweet spot folks. Oh, and the pick stitching is a nice touch too.

When all was said and done, the alterations bill for this specific visit came to a whopping $75, and for those of you unfamiliar with suit alterations, that's more than worth it. Bringing the overall investment of the suit to $175 for a suit that has become a wardrobe staple and absolutely one of my new favorites! Fit is king in this fickle style game, so make sure its always on point with everything you own, and as always, be dapper and different!

The end result: A perfect fit for a perfect price!

New York Fashion Week: Men's

All thanks to some technical complications, I haven't been able to post my galleries for the shows or my daily recaps of what has been one of the busiest weeks I have been a part of. There was no shortage of entertainment and excitement, and let's not forget the caffeine that got me through it all. The central location for the week was Skylight Clarkson Square in the Meat Packing District, but a few shows were held at brand show rooms and galleries, and all the parties being held throughout the city.

Such a fun shoot at The Gent on Day 1 with Daniel Seung Lee! Click through for his work!

Armed with my camera and a folio filled with phone charging cables and hair spray, I embarked on day one of NYFW: Men's; the look was simple that day with an olive suit and white oxford, all anchored by my brand new white sneakers! My first day on site featured a relatively new brand called Artistix by Greg Polisseni, who is an artist from upstate New York with a unique take on vintage apparel. Drawing from his personal paintings, he creates collections based around his artwork, which can be anything from the lining of one of his stunning jackets to the entirety of a piece. I had a chance to cover the show and interview Greg one-on-one, so go check out the gallery for more! The next stop was Suit Supply, one of my personal favorites, over in the SOHO Loft showroom where they typically bring clients for made-to-measure purposes. When I tell you that I haven't seen a collection so flawless in my life, I mean it! Every piece was perfect, from the fit to the styling, but most importantly, it told a story and had a deeper meaning than just a collection of clothing; check out that gallery as well!

Luckiest guy at the show, standing in front of the AC! Click through for more of Artistix!

Just a part of an amazing Suit Supply SS16. Click through for more!

After the hustle and bustle of the day,  I was able to make my way up to Chelsea to hangout at one of the coolest spots of the week, The Gent. This little gathering point for GQ Insiders acted as a great chill-zone for in-between and after shows, with activities running all day to create even more excitement around NYFW: Men's. It's too bad the WiFi wasn't up to par with the demands of everyone there, otherwise there would have been much more frequent posting on my part throughout my adventures. Once the sun set over the city skyline, there was a chance to unwind at the Grand Opening of The Baccarat Hotel in Midtown for some champagne and caviar and some other assorted goodies as a warm up to the rest of the New York scene. No level of extravagance was spared with bottles floating around the rooms and garçons delivering the most decadent finger foods, but I had to keep in mind that I had an early call the next day for one of my favorite designers. 

Bravo Mr. Bastian! Bravo! Click through for more!

So many amazing looks from Asaf Ganot SS16! Click through for more!

The big surprise of the week, Nautica SS16! Click through for more!

Day 2 was where fashion week really hit home for me with a full lineup of shows and activities planned before a late flight. I styled together a look I called the rugged businessman, with refined details such as the whole-cut double monks and chambray cutaway shirt combined with rugged staples like the CPO jacket and sun-faded denim. The first show on the docket was Michael Bastian's Bel Air Presentation, quite an amazing show and one of the best I saw, but I had a truly surreal moment on the way there. After getting off the crosstown bus, I was walking toward Skylight Clarkson Square which was lined with Cadillacs when suddenly, from behind the SUVs emerged at least 15 street photographers to take my photo; I just told myself to act cool and pretend like this was whats expected, when in reality, my heart was pounding out of my chest. The next show was uptown a ways at the ArtBean Gallery where Asaf Ganot displayed some serious muscle with some edgy and fun jackets and accessories that you will be hearing a lot about in the next few months. My favorite piece was a powder blue tux with a split lapel that reminded me of a futuristic Harry from Dumb and Dumber! Then came the biggest surprise of all, the Nautica SS16 presentation, a well known name, but not a brand anyone would peg as game-changing in the menswear world. Expectations were of trunks and swimsuits and a few raincoats, and what I got was some exquisite knitwear surely to be on the shopping list of many come next spring.

Day 2 Style! Click to visit the amazing lady that took the photo!

As of now, I am still completely drained from all the fun I had with in the city, and if I had the chance to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat! The inaugural New York Fashion Week: Men's was a successful experience on all fronts, but especially on my front, having made meaningful connections with some like-minded, equally stylish people and finally getting a chance to immerse myself in style and fashion like I had never done before. It truly is a shame that this only happens once a year, but I plan on returning in full force next summer for event that will only continue to get better. As always, be dapper and different!

The Journey to NYFWM

Today started off before the crack of dawn, at 3:50am to get ready for a 6:00am flight to La Guardia, to New York City, to the home of the Inaugural Men's Fashion Week! Just to preface that wake up, I spent the night before packing from 8 at night till 1 in the morning, due to my absurd need to procrastinate with matters such as packing.

Plane seats and I just don't get along...

My daily garb was rooted in minimalism with crisp whites and accents of chambray and brown, a stunningly simple street look that was perfect for roaming the streets of the city. According to my iPhone's Health app, I logged an astonishing 8.15 miles all in my Clarks desert boots; if you don't have a pair, I highly recommend them. White jeans and a fresh white tee were the anchor to a lightweight chambray bomber jacket, the cherry on top being a matching Panama hat.

Look at this guy being all official!

Today's journey took me through the streets of FiDi and SoHo, all the way uptown to swanky Madison Ave, but I also managed to pick up my press credentials and meet up with some GQ Insiders at The Gent. My total retail expenditures hovered around $250, but lets introduce the oxymoronic "I saved more than I spent" comment; it's not like New York is a hop, skip, and a jump away. This was all done in effort to prep for the next two days ahead, to cover some of my favorite and newfound brands for New York Fashion Week: Men's!!!!

My favorite new spot: Double RL Co. in SoHo!

Tomorrow, be on the lookout for a gallery or two for the shows and events I will be attending, followed by a blog recap at the end of the day (hopefully). Be sure to hop on my Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat (sparry4) to get live updates of all my happenings for the week!