Care & Maintenance

Care & Maintenance

Easy Trick to Discover How Frequently You Wear EVERYTHING

Jul 15 2016

Clothing you don’t wear frequently can fill up your closet while giving you the unpleasant feeling that you don’t have anything to wear. This leads to overbuying, which leads to a cluttered closet. The solution is to figure out how frequently you wear each item, but trying to remember what you wore weeks ago—or even writing down your daily wardrobe selection—is a huge time waster. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution. Instead of arranging your clothing by type or by color, for the duration of this test, you’ll arrange it by date of wearing. When you rehang an item of clothing, put it on the most accessible end of the closet rod. The next item worn goes next to it, and so on. Soon you’ll see what you wear frequently, and what is simply taking up space and collecting dust in your closet. You can also use this trick to avoid over-wearing an...

J Kent Erickson

Care & Maintenance

Care & Maintenance

Your Need-to-Know Necktie Refresher

Mar 15 2016

This season is a great time to review some essentials of style for your tie. We’re happy to share with you a few fun basics on ties compiled by GQ.com Q: How long should my tie be? A: The tip of your tie should reach the middle of your belt. This keeps your shirt from showing through when your coat is slightly open. Q: Why (and how) should I create a dimple in my tie? A: The dimple ensures your tie knot looks crisp and sharp. When tying the knot, make sure it’s tight—that will keep your dimple in place all day long. Q: What’s the purpose of creating lift in my tie? A: A tie that lies flat looks, well, flat. Bring an impression of energy and depth by creating lift. Use a tie bar to secure your tie to the shirt between third and fourth buttons. Be sure to pull the tie up a...

J Kent Erickson

Care & Maintenance

Care & Maintenance

How to Store a Tie

Sep 15 2015

Your holiday or seasonal neckwear needs a safe place to rest until its moment to shine arrives. Instead of letting occasional-use ties collect dust or fade by languishing near your everyday ties, treat them right by storing them wisely. Fold the tie in half lengthwise. Roll it up smoothly from the folded end to the point. Be careful your roll is neither too tight, nor too loose. Store the tie in a shallow drawer. Now it’ll be in excellent condition when its day to shine arrives....

J Kent Erickson

Care & Maintenance

Care & Maintenance

The Wardrobe Toolkit

May 15 2015

Just as a carpenter wouldn’t be prepared for his work without a toolbox full of the tools he needs to create excellence in carpentry, a gentleman should ensure he has a wardrobe toolkit with the essentials to care properly for his wardrobe. Hangers: Thick, well-shaped hangers help you avoid stretched-out or drooping shoulders. Shaped hangers also follow the natural curve of the back, which allows your clothing to hang in a resting state, instead of being pulled straight and taut. Suit bags: Use suit bags to store your off-season clothing. This avoids dust buildup and discoloration due to light exposure. Linen, cotton, or any other breathable fabric are preferable to plastic or vinyl, as they allow your clothing to breathe. Lint remover: Lint, dust, pet hair, stray threads, and more can be removed speedily with a dependable lint remover. Clothes brush: Keep this tool handy for a quick pick-me-up when a suit is looking...

J Kent Erickson

Care & Maintenance

Care & Maintenance

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...

J Kent Erickson

Care & Maintenance

Care & Maintenance

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...

J Kent Erickson

Care & Maintenance

Care & Maintenance

Small Changes, Big Difference

Dec 23 2013

Upgrading your wardrobe and clothing image doesn’t necessarily require starting from scratch. Most gentlemen can increase the value they get out of the existing elements of your wardrobe by making small, meaningful changes to your style choices. Keep your clothing working for you with these easy tips: Check your edges. If your shirt collar and cuffs aren’t extending approximately half an inch past your suit, you’re not getting full visual impact. We can adjust either your shirt sleeve length or your suit sleeve length (or both) to create this essential detail of the well-dressed gentleman. Include classic accouterments in your ensemble, such as a tie bar, pocket square, and a luxurious watch. These embellishments give you an opportunity to showcase your individual sense of style while adding fresh color and visual interest to your outfit. Keep shining. Make sure to shine your shoes frequently. Your efforts at creating a distinctive ensemble can be undermined...

J Kent Erickson

Care & Maintenance

Care & Maintenance

Ironing Basics

Dec 17 2012

More than likely, you send your dress shirts to the dry cleaners to be laundered and pressed, but every now and then, you may need to touch up a shirt at home. Here are a few ironing basics to remember: Care Labels-Your clothing's care label (if it's not at the collar, check the lower left side seam) will give care recommendations that are appropriate for the fabric, such as "cool iron" or "do not steam." Using care techniques contrary to the instructions may damage or discolor the fabric. Steam Settings-Adding hot water to your ironing helps smooth out wrinkles at a lower temperature than using a dry iron. Make sure the iron is hot enough that the water turns to steam rather than coming out as droplets. Starch Options-While you want to avoid the unnatural look of a stiffly starched shirt, a little spray starch can do wonders for thick,...

J Kent Erickson

Care & Maintenance

Care & Maintenance

Caring for Fine Footwear

Mar 31 2009

Like man’s best friend, if you love your shoes and take good care of them, you’ll be repaid with years of loyal service. There’s a huge return on a gentleman’s investment in acquiring and caring for a few pair of fine footwear. While they may not last a lifetime, with proper care and routine maintenance you can log substantial miles and years in a good pair of shoes. Pointers for extending the life of your loafers or beefing up the performance of your brogues: Invest in the best footwear you can afford, and re-sole and re-heel them as necessary, just like routine maintenance on your automobile. Regular tune-ups and even re-crafting over time will restore and extend the youthful vigor of your favorite shoes. Acquire and wear the right shoes for each occasion. Always rotate your shoes, allowing at least a day of rest between wearings. Let them rest on a good pair...

J Kent Erickson

Care & Maintenance