Types Of Wool

Merino

The Merino is the most economically influential breed of sheep in the world, prized for its wool. Superfine Merinos are regarded as having the finest and softest wool of any sheep.

Merino sheep produce a clean, white fleece ideal for dying to clear, fresh colours, while the long, fine fibres can be spun to the finest count, woven into the finest fabric and tailored into the finest suits.

The wool has characteristic crimp and elasticity, creating unparalleled style, drape, comfort and performance for the wearer. The handle and lustre is of exceptional softness and kindness to the touch, unlike any other fibre.

For hundreds of years, Merino flocks were the exclusive property of the Spanish Crown and wealthy nobles. King Alfonso of Spain forbade the export of Merino from the 14th Century for over 400 years because of the wool’s value to the Spanish economy. In the 18th Century, the King of Spain gave the finest of these coveted flocks to the powerful rulers in Saxony, France and Great Britain. This gift of Kings was eventually shipped to the farthest reaches of the world, including South Africa, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia, where the treasured Merino sheep flourished.




The refined, unique Merino fleece is shorn once a year and is analyzed for micron, colour and brightness, comfort, fibre length and strength amongst other measures of quality. The fineness of Merino wool is measured by its micron value: the lower the number, the finer and better the quality.

Cashmere

The Cashmere goat is to be found principally on the cold and dry highlands of Central Asia at 3,000 to 5,000metres above sea level. From here the wool travels across India and past the Himalayan Mountains, to China, where it is distributed to mills throughout the western world.

Cashmere was first discovered by the nobility of Victorian England and subsequently became one of the most prestigious fibres of the noble fibre family. The low bulk, high loft fibres combine to make the warmest, most comfortable garments money can buy. In softness, warmth and fineness of fibre cashmere is comparable to Vicuna. Cashmere is appropriate for all climates as the high moisture absorbency rate allows the fibres to maintain their insulation properties in varying conditions of relative humidity. The finest fibres are gathered from the saddle of the Cashmere goat and are harvested by carefully combing the goat’s fleece during the spring months. Cashmere cloths are luxurious with a soft and seductive handle, beautiful drape and timeless appeal.

E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

Dressing Tips For Short Height Person

In order to achieve a taller appearance, you must establish a unified look from top to bottom that uses vertical lines, smooth transitions and thematic consistency. The goal is for people to perceive you either in passing glance or by general perception as a whole and not broken up in parts. Below are the top ten tips tactics (in no particular order) on how to look taller.

Short Hair:
Be sure to keep your hair short and neatly trimmed. Shorter hair allows us to see your neck and well trimmed short hair can create visual lines from the back of your neck up behind your ears, tapering into the body of your hair. Long hair hides your neck and forces our sightlines to naturally follow the growth of the hair down

Fit:
there are two aspects to "Fit" that are critical to appearing taller. First, your clothes must fit you well. Oversized or to tight, either way poorly fitted clothes accentuate every aspect of your body that you would prefer others to ignore. If you're not a tall man and want to build in good practices to appearing taller, be sure to find a good tailor and get your clothes fitting you as best you can. The second "Fit" element is your physical fitness. Shorter men who wish to appear taller must pay close attention to their fitness level. Being vertically challenged is no fault of your own but being unfit is all you!

Vertical patterns:
Stick with pin stripes or vertical patterns and absolutely avoid horizontal, big or loud patterns - simple as that!

Trousers:
Pleated Trousers are best to achieve a vertical sight line. A single pleat is recommended, much more in the way of fabric can defeat the purpose. Cuffs are not helpful in achieving height as they create unnecessary horizontal lines so go without cuffs.




Shoes:
Mens dress shoes typically have heels and most men do wear heeled dress shoes so be sure not to put yourself at a further disadvantage by wearing flat shoes. Incorporate heeled shoes into your work and causal wear wardrobe.

Monochromatic color scheme from top to bottom:
This tactic is one of the most important in order to achieve that unified look. Monochrome implies one color using different "tints and shades" of that same color. Staying with one hue (color) helps establish that unified and consistent theme. Here is a great example using black in a monochrome color scheme...black dress shoes, black socks, black trousers, black belt and a fitted long sleeved dark grey v-neck merino wool sweater.

Shirts:
dress shirt collars should be classic straight or narrow shirt collars with elongated collar tips. Sweaters should be v-neck not rounded. Skinny or slender neck ties with smaller knots, no bow ties. Again, our goal is vertical lines, bow ties and spread collars are horizontal and should be avoided.

Belt:
We always suggest your belt should match your shoes. We continue to stand behind this recommendation however, if can, get yourself dark brown or black dress shoes and let them become staples in your wardrobe. If you're hoping to achieve tall points having a noticeable horizontal element like a belt is bad news. Use a belt that is darker than your trousers, avoid thick belts, avoid clunky buckles and don't violate the match your shoes rule.

Jackets:
Single breasted is your best option. Never double breasted! Follow the tactics like pinstripes or vertical patterns, monochrome color schemes and above all be sure your jacket is tailored to fit you. A nicely tailored 3 button single breasted jacket will server your needs perfectly.

Posture etc:
You should not have to be told, if you're below average in height you don't have the latitude for poor posture. Don't slouch, stand up-right, project your confidence, walk with purpose, be assertive, speak clearly, definitively and in controlled lower tones...That's how to look taller!

E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

Interview Attire

Interview attire is certain to be a critical element in the employer's first impression of you. Taking the extra time, energy and even costs to get this part right is paramount.Let's just suffice it to say, within the first 7-17 seconds of meeting you, the employer is formulating deep personal impressions of you that are terribly difficult to change. Take advantage of this and get your appearance right then we can talk about the other elements that affect the first impression.

As far as your interview attire, conservative and professional is the name of the game. Your goal is to look polished and be so appropriately dressed that the prospective employer notices your qualifications and not your distracting or poor choice of attire.

Business Suit:
Conservative colors and styles. Dark tones like charcoal grey or navy is recommended. If you don't own or wear suits on a regular basis it's probably best you avoid suits with patterns as matching patterns in suits, shirts & ties is an aquired skill for most men. In terms of style, single breasted two button is most simple and traditional and will fall in line with your conservative, professional look.

Dress Shirt:
Again, conservative and professional is the objective. For job interviews stick with the crisp white or blue dress shirt with a straight or traditional spread collars.

Tie:
The tie should obviously coordinate with your suit and shirt but it's also important not to overindulge here. Avoid big or busy patterns and overly loud or bright colors. In order to achieve our conservative, professional look, your tie has to be consistent with that theme. Be sure it's tied properly and that the length reaches the middle of your belt. Lower is too long and higher is too short.




Shoes:
Good leather oxfords (balmorals or bluchers), dark brown or black. Loafers can be acceptable but be sure to follow our rules for Loafers with Suits. Make sure your belt matches your shoes and make sure your shoes are polished and in good repair.

Socks:
Socks should be the same color as your trousers or darker. Be sure your socks are high enough to not show any leg when seated.

Grooming:
Well groomed! we're not here to tell you how long or short your hair should be or how much if any facial hair you should have. However, make darn sure you're trimmed, hair combed and neat, finger nails trimmed, nose, ear & brow hair trimmed. If your a scent man keep it to a minimum.

Accessories:
Accessories for men interviewing should not extend beyond a watch, glasses & ring. No earings or other peircings, exposed necklaces or braclets. Remember were conservative today!

Fit:
The last piece of advice we offer regarding interview attire is that your clothes fit. This seems to be a simple and obvious thing but many men try to get away with an emergency suit off the rack and/or that suit they have not worn in 4 years. Fit is vital in looking professional and put together. Too big and you look sloppy and immature, too tight and you'll look like it's been a while since you've done anything important enough to wear a suit. Be sure your clothes fit.

E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

Apparel, Clothing & Garments

Various items of clothing, also known as apparel, garments, dress or attire are worn not only in order to protect the body against extreme weather conditions but also for functional as well as cultural, social reasons. Clothings also have an attached emotional value for the wearer. It actually reflects social classes, sexes, occupation, marital status and ethnic or religious affiliation. Apparel, Clothing & Garments can be categorized based on innumerable criteria- Clothing by Fashion, Clothing by Fabrics, Men's Clothing, Women's Clothing, Kids Clothing, Industrial Clothing, Infant Wear, Animal Clothing etc.

Garment Processing

There are four major kinds of textile processing - fiber processing, yarn processing, fabric processing and garment processing. Garment processing has grown to a great extent during the past few years. This growth can be attributed mainly to the denim garments, which is the largest garment segment today.

Garment finishing is mainly done through wet processing. Garments are dyed for imparting color to them. Proper finishing can provide a better look to the apparel, change the feel and texture of the fabric, and can also add value to the end-product. Various types of finishes are given to the garments which include peach finish, anti-microbial finish, wrinkle free finish, aroma finish, UV guard finish, acid wash, enzyme wash, moisture management, laser coating etc. The factors to be considered while processing include the choice of chemicals, production limitations and types of machinery used. Usually garment processing is done on small scale which minimizes the damage risk. If some changes are to be made or the process of finishing has to be replaced, it could be done easily in small scale productions.

Seam Engineering in Apparels

The most basic unit of an apparel or garment is fiber which is further converted into yarns and threads before the final product- the fabric or the garment- comes into being. Threads used for construction and stitching of garments are vital to the Apparel Industry. Seam Engineering includes seam and stitch construction while manufacturing garments. The basic principle involved here is- more thread a stitch consumes, the greater will be its strength. Greater seam strength can be achieved by adjusting the sewing threads tensions, threads controls, adjustment of machines and eyelets etc. Revolution in thread manufacturing has ensured the availability of thread quality as per the fabric demands. If the factors like quality parameters of threads and machine type, lubrication of machine and threads are kept in mind, it can add quality to apparels manufactured.




Defects in Garments

For the textile and apparel industry, product quality is calculated in terms of quality and standard of fibers, yarns, fabric construction, colour fastness, designs and the final finished garments. Quality control in terms of garment manufacturing, pre-sales and posts sales service, delivery, pricing, etc are essential for any garment manufacturer, trader or exporter. Certain quality related problems, often seen in garment manufacturing like sewing, colour, sizing, or garment defects should never be over looked.

Sewing defects

Open seams, wrong stitching techniques, non- matching threads, missing stitches, improper creasing of the garment, erroneous thread tension and raw edges are some of the sewing defects which can affect the garment quality adversely.

Colour defects

Variation of colour between the sample and the final garment, wrong colour combinations and mismatching dyes should always be avoided.

Sizing defects

Wrong gradation of sizes, difference in measurement of various parts of a garment like sleeves of XL size for body of L size garment can deteriorate the garments beyond repair.

Garment defects

Broken or defective buttons, snaps, stitches, different shades within the same garment, dropped stitches, exposed notches and raw edges, fabric defects, holes, faulty zippers, loose or hanging sewing threads, misaligned buttons and holes, missing buttons, needle cuts or chews, pulled or loose yarn, stains, unfinished buttonhole, short zippers, inappropriate trimmings etc. all can lead to the end of a brand name even before its establishment.

E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

The Elements Of Black Tie Attire

The Elements of Tailor made Black Tie Attire

Unlike white tie, which is very strictly regulated, black-tie ensembles can display more variation. In brief, the traditional components are:

* A jacket with ribbed silk facings (usually grosgrain) on a shawl collar or peaked lapel (while a notched lapel is a popular modern choice, it is not traditionally considered correct)
* Trousers with a single silk or satin braid covering the outer seams
* A low-cut waistcoat or Cummerbund
* A white dress shirt with a turn-down collar, shirt studs, and cufflinks (a marcella front is traditional, but other styles are also accepted - a wing collar shirt is acceptable in the US)
* A black ribbed silk bow tie matching the lapel facings (self-tie bow ties are preferred but not necessary)
* Black dress socks, usually silk or fine wool
* Black shoes, highly polished or patent leather Oxfords, or patent leather court shoes

Tuxedo Jacket

The typical black-tie jacket is single-breasted, ventless, and black or midnight-blue; usually of wool or a wool–mohair blend. Double breasted models are less common, but are equally acceptable. The lapels may be faced with silk in either a grosgrain or less traditional satin weave. Traditionally there are two lapel options, the shawl collar, derived from the smoking jacket, and the peak lapel, from the tailcoat. The former is older, while the latter is considered more formal. A third lapel style, the notched lapel, has only recently gained popularity, and has been accepted by some as "a legitimate ... less formal alternative," although, despite some precedent, it is disdained by purists for its lounge suit derivation. In France, Italy, Brazil, Germany and Spain, the jacket is called smoking. In France the shawl-collared version is le smoking Deauville, while the peaked-lapel version is le smoking Capri.


The double-breasted jacket is slightly more modern than the single-breasted, and less formal; while it was originally considered acceptable only for wear at home (similarly to Prince Albert slippers or a smoking jacket), it is now equally correct in all situations, though traditional rules regarding slightly different selections of accessories may be followed. While more common with a peaked lapel, a shawl lapel is appropriate. All buttons that can be done up, are, including any inner ones which might normally be left undone on a double-breasted lounge suit. While two-button variants are sometimes seen, the traditional single-breasted jacket has a one-button closure.

Trousers

Black tie trousers have no turn-ups (cuffs) or belt loops. The outer seams are usually decorated with a single silk braid or less traditionally a material that matches the lapel facing. Customarily, braces (suspenders) hold up the trousers; they are hidden by the waistcoat (if worn) or by the coat. The trousers traditionally feature a pleated front, flat-front trousers being a modern innovation in this context.

Waistcoat or cummerbund

The waist is dressed in either a waistcoat (aka Vest) or a cummerbund when wearing a single-breasted coat. The waistcoat should be low-cut; traditional models may be of either the 'V' or rarer 'U' shape and may be backless or fully backed, double or single breasted, and should have shawl lapels. Single breasted styles should have no more than three buttons, and double no more than three rows.

Tuxedo Shirt

The shirt is conventionally white or off-white (cotton or linen) with a turn down collar. Its front is usually traditional marcella but can be pleated, plain, or more rarely a stiff front (as with white tie).


E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

Men Fashion Rule

Every man has asked themselves about matching their socks with their trousers and other assorted questions at some point in their lives. Here I have listed three important men's fashion rules to live by.

1. Always match your belt with your shoes. This is a good rule to follow and it keeps things simple. It's best to stay with traditional colors such a black, dark brown or a rich tan. Other colors will be difficult to match, and generally speaking, should be avoided. If you wear sneakers every day that probably means you are wearing jeans in which case I suggest trying a belt made of fabric or something equally as casual, but please avoid dress belts with jeans and sneakers. If you wear suspenders, I am compelled to ask you why, but I digress. Just don't wear a belt and suspenders together, it's one or the other.

2. Matching Ties and Shirts. For while the solid-colored shirt with a tie of the same (or slightly-off) color was seen everywhere. This is now a somewhat dated look. Try mixing things up a little and experiment with colors. Ties are great way to express yourself, but keeping it tasteful is your best bet. You can't go wrong with diagonal stripes, modern polka-dots, plaids and subtle patterns. Just make sure your tie compliments your shirt, suit, sweater or what ever you will be wearing it with. Novelty ties are best avoided since the novelty is short lived.


Note: Ties should be tied in whatever style most strikes your fancy. You should know that there are many different ways to knot your tie, and different knots say different things. I prefer the Windsor or the four-in-hand, but I do suggest that you explore a little just for kicks. As for clip on ties--just say no.

3 . Pleats vs. Flat-Front. Why so many men have avoided flat-front trousers has always been a mystery to me. Flat-front trousers look better than pleated pants, at least most of the time. Plus pleats make you look less slim. I have heard guys wear pleats because it’s more comfortable or because flat-fronts are more for athletic bodies. Truth is most men can wear a flat-front trouser. If you want more room then buy them a little big and have them brought in at the waist. This can be done at the store where you buy your clothes or by an independent tailor. And lastly, flat-font trousers are much more fashionable.
Flat-front trousers look better than pleated pants, at least most of the time. Plus pleats make you look less slim.

E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com

Suit To Wear In Recession

Only the smart will survive, so pull your socks up

Lucy Kellaway on work

Last summer, I had dinner with a dozen British and Italian insurance managers in Rome. In desultory fashion, we discussed the weather (hot) and the economy (not so hot) until someone raised the subject of socks. Suddenly the evening sprang to life: the men pushed their chaise back form the table and rolled up their trouser legs. Each British man was wearing a low sock that ended three or four inches above the ankle, revealing a quantity of snow white leg; each Italian had his calf covered in a finely spun Each nationality stared in a finely spun sock that went all the way up to the knee. Each nationality stared at the other’s socks in uncomprehending horror.

I thought of these insurance experts the other day when I read a New York Times blog in which a fashion writer advised men what to wear on the day they get the sack.

“The perfect termination outfit should feature professionalism and employability as the top note, but with accents of confidence and an aftertaste that leaving premises means moving on up. A sober suit with a bright shirt perfect.”
The advice appealed to me, as did the delicious compress of the writing. Yet the post caused a storm of self-righteous indignation from readers accusing the author of crassness in focusing on unessential at a time like this.
Such readers miss the point. Unessential are even more important at a time like this. Even in good times, there is nothing trivial about what business people choose to wear.
A peep at our socks will what nationality we are; a peep at the rest of it will tell what line of business we are in and also will give a clue on the state of the economy. One of the most blesses side-effects of recession is that we all smarten up. A sober suit is not only the right thing to wear the day you get axed but also the right thing to wear every other working day, too.

At a conference in London last week for HR managers, everyone was in a suit and tie while, at the same conference two years ago, they were all casual. HR people are on the front line of the jobs market and they are also like lemming – so, if they think suits are in, they are in.

The casual look, which we used to celebrate as a sign of egalitarianism and unstuffiness, now looks sloppy. When Stephen Hester, head of Royal Bank of Scotland, was photographed on a recent Sunday leaving the Treasury in jeans and an extraordinary beige gilt with suede patches on the shoulders, the punters did not like it. One wrote to the Financial Times claiming that Mr. Hester appeared to be wearing the very same M& slipper that this reader got for Christmas. The fashion A sober suit is not only the right to wear the day you get axed, it is right every other working day, too scales have fallen from our eyes. We now see that men in casual clothes look simply awful; and we also are starting to suspect that a man who is casual with his clothes may be casual with our money.


The new smartness is born of paranoia. I know one man who has just gone out to buy some Jermy Street shirts (a sale bargain) in order to send the message to his boss that the would rather not be fired. It has been a good investment: he still has a job and says the ritual of ironing these shirts reminds him that his job matters, and claims to respect it a little more.

I discovered a few year ago the truth that one feels better about one’s job when one looks smarter. Until I was 40, I used to dress myself mainly in clothes bought from the sale rail at Gap Kids (size XL) and slung them on carelessly. Now I wear jackets and pearl earrings. Partly, I’m trying to offset the ravages of age; but I’ve also noticed that, when I dress to impress, I may not succeed in impressing anyone else but I do impress myself. And that, surely, is a good start.
More than this I find that dressing up is a nice thing to do in itself. It lifts the spirits. I have a friend who has just been appointed to a senior managerial job and her first decision has been to launch High Heels Friday. Early soundings suggest that this is going to be popular with her female staff. When the economy is grim, we need to dress up to cheer up.
There are two further advantages to dressing to dressing formally for work. First, it means that you always know what to wear. Those stressful daily questions – tie or no tie? Chinos or suit? – are answered simply. Even better, dressing up means a sharper demarcation between work and the rest of your life: tie means slopping around doing nothing.

Yet the biggest joy about saying goodbye to casual is that we say goodbye to some of the cruddy thinking that went with it. Most pathetic was the idea that dressing casually helped you to be creative. I have been watching the television series, Mad Men, and an gratified to see that the creative in a Madison Avenue advertising agency in the 1960s did not let their stiffly starched collars and perfect tailoring prevent them from dreaming up good ads. (Neither did their secretaries.)

To survive this recession, we need to smarten up and buckle down. We need some belts and braces. We need to pull ourselves up with our own bootstraps. We need top get some work under our belts. It is on coincidence that none of these clothing their message is: pull your socks up whatever length they happen to be.


We Remain with Best Regards,
E-tailor at www.mycustomtailor.com