J Kent Erickson | J. Kent Ltd.

Modern Custom Tailoring: Old-World Craftsmanship & High-Tech Capabilities

Apr 01 2015

In the past, master artisans built up time-tested methods of craftsmanship that created goods of enduring quality. Today, modern custom tailoring is a union of machinery and materials that allows us to enjoy manufactured goods with strength and durability unimaginable by the craftsmen of yesteryear. Which is better? Do you choose traditional quality or technological solutions? Happily, you don’t have to choose: a “marriage” of craftsmanship and technology allows you to enjoy both, in a partnership that combines the best of yesterday and today. Custom clothing offers today’s discriminating gentleman the same painstaking attention to detail and craft as the tailors of old. You don’t have to settle for any of today’s rushed, shoddy workmanship that is merely “good enough” and rarely achieves lasting quality. The fabrics in your custom wardrobe are refined and elegant. Modern textile fabrication methods offer lightweight fabrics with unsurpassed durability and ease of movement. You don’t have to...

J Kent Erickson

Wardrobe Basics

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Seasonal Attire

Spring 2015 Fashion Trends

Mar 12 2015

The men’s clothing designers have revealed their concepts for Spring 2015, and we’ve brought you the highlights. Whether you choose to change your look each season or simply note the styles as they come, being aware of current fashion trends ensures you’re well-informed. Color Blocking Many designers are painting with broad strokes this year. Their creations use large blocks of color to create stand-out ensembles. Stripes are thicker and employ higher contrast between the colors. Geometric shapes are being used in some ensembles. Black and White Along with the traditional spring pastels, designers are looking to black-and-white ensembles to make strong visual statements. This dynamic color combination is being used to great effect in blocks, for accent pieces, in trim, and in layers. Urban and Sporty Many lines are taking their cue this spring from sporty, urban traditions. Designs include sleek black leather jackets as well as loose, comfortable sweatshirts. Nautical Themes Nautical looks are employing bold, broad...

J Kent Erickson

Seasonal Attire

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Ask Kent

Suit Coat: Bottom Button Rule

Mar 02 2015

I received this question from a reader: Why is the bottom button of my suit coat supposed to be left undone? This is what I shared with them: It may seem like the kind of rule that sprang from a long-standing convention of style whose origins and rationale have been largely forgotten today, such as the stripe on tuxedo trousers or the band on a fedora, but that’s not the case here. The lowest (bottom button) on a two- or three-button suit coat is generally left unbuttoned for functional reasons: to allow your comfort when you sit, to avoid bunching up when you move your arms, and to accommodate any girth that may have accumulated since your youth. Alternately, many coats are designed with a single decorative button. These are to be worn open—buttoning the coat could pull and misshape the fabric. ...

Be the Best-Dressed Person in Any Room

Feb 16 2015

Dressing well is less a matter of “making a statement” than it is creating elegance through simplicity. A few key points will help you on your way to sartorial success. The detailing on your clothing matters, as it shows your careful attention to the essentials. Your custom attire allows you to choose details that work perfectly with your physique, your personality, your profession, and your sense of style—and, because they’re tailored just for you, your clothes will always offer you an impeccable fit. Today’s clothing strategy seems to be to dress as casually as the occasion will allow—but that’s never a recipe for being well-dressed. Instead, the best-dressed select an outfit that is slightly dressier than the occasion requires. Each interaction with peers is an opportunity to create a favorable impression. That’s easier to accomplish when you have the confidence that custom-tailored clothing naturally inspires. To avoid spending unnecessary time in your closet...

90/10 System: Every 90 Days, Replace 10% of Your Wardrobe

Jan 26 2015

Keeping your image polished and up-to-date is an important part of being a professional. You can maintain a fantastic wardrobe without it becoming a hassle with this easy 90/10 system. Every 90 days, go through your business wardrobe. Look at every piece and evaluate it based on fabric quality and coloring, fit, and general appearance. Take the bottom 10 percent, and donate it to a charity. (If there is one in your area, consider a charity which helps provide interview clothes to job seekers.) Next, replace the discarded 10 percent of your wardrobe with a garment which is slightly better quality than your best pieces of clothing. Rather than simply adding more pieces of clothing to your closet, you’re improving your wardrobe with each clothing investment. This 90/10 system doesn’t require huge, expensive shopping trips or a large time commitment. Instead, you gradually build up a wardrobe that is not only professional-looking and...

New Year’s Resolution: Renew Your Wardrobe

Jan 19 2015

Instead of making the same, old, still-not-accomplished resolutions every year, we suggest that this year, you make a resolution that’s not difficult, will bring you great satisfaction, and will support career success: renew your wardrobe. Here’s how to get it done without getting stressed: Restock the basics. Your go-to shirts will be the first to fray at the collar and cuffs. Replenishing your supply of white and blue shirts will ensure you always have your most dependable options available. Embrace new colors. Expand your color choices in whichever palette works best for you, including light, medium, and dark shades of your favorite colors. Enjoy subtle textures. Weave patterns and a variety of natural fibers can bring a fresh look to your clothing, whether used for a sport coat, a working-week suit, or for shirts designed for a night on the town. Accentuate. The easiest way to improve the visual appeal of your wardrobe is...

Business Casual: When to Wear a Tie

Dec 22 2014

I received this question from a reader: How do I know when to wear a tie with business casual clothes? This is what I shared with them: Perhaps the better question is, what’s best for this ensemble? Your goal is to find the right look for the outfit and occasion. A great tie that works with the fabrics, color scheme, and patterns you’ve chosen can instantly add flair to your look. Your well-chosen tie can add texture and color without changing the essential nature (casual or dressy) of your clothing. If you’re concerned that a tie is needed for an occasion but want something beyond the conventional look of a long tie, consider a bow tie or a knit tie—or secure your tie with a multi-layered tie knot....

Custom Clothing: The Fit & The Fashion

Dec 08 2014

Custom Clothing: The Fit & The Fashion Two roads tend to lead to custom clothing; the first is fit. Those with hard-to-fit body types find a welcome relief from the sizing constraints of off-the-rack clothing through creating their own custom fit. Even slight differences from the “average” size in any of several key fitting points can make it difficult (if not impossible) to buy ready-made clothing that fits well. For gentlemen who are wider in the neck, have a long torso, or are otherwise proportioned differently than the manufacturers’ base patterns, custom clothing is the best source for clothing that fits, looks, and feels fantastic. The second road that leads to custom clothing is fashion. There is simply no better way to create exactly the look that expresses a unique personality than custom clothing. Men with a keen sense of style often turn to custom clothing to avoid being limited to the...

Investing in Custom Clothing Is Investing in You

Nov 24 2014

You wouldn’t neglect your professional skills and expect to be accepted as a professional, yet many businessmen neglect their wardrobe and expect to be accepted as a gentleman. Just as your professional skills and abilities must be first-rate and up-to-date if you’re to succeed in business, your image should be stylish and polished. Each piece of clothing in your closet must work hard to create the external expression of your internal confidence and business savvy. Custom clothing is the easiest, most practical way to achieve this hard-working wardrobe....

J Kent Erickson

Image & Lifestyle

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Accessories & Jewelry

How to Tie a Bow Tie

Nov 10 2014

More gentlemen are finding a bow tie to be a perfect accessory in a variety of occasions. They’re not just for college professors anymore—bow ties are a fantastic option for anyone looking to add a distinctive flair to his wardrobe. There’s a practical side to wearing a bow tie. They never find their way into your dinner or twist themselves around—and they’re easier to tie than you may think. Here’s how to tie a bow tie without losing your cool: Place your tie around your neck, with one end slightly longer than the other. Cross the longer end over the shorter one, then bring that same longer end under the shorter and up, next to your neck. Pull the ends until the knot is comfortably snug. Fold the shorter end in half sideways, so that it looks like a bow and is thinnest in the middle. Bring the end with the fold across to...

J Kent Erickson

Accessories & Jewelry

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