Suits | J. Kent Ltd.

Can I wear a striped tie with a striped shirt?

Jan 01 2019

I received this question from a reader: Can I wear a striped tie with a striped shirt? What about with a striped suit? This is what I shared with them: While some would say, “Enough already with the stripes,” if you’re the adventurous type you could pull off a look that works if you follow some simple guidelines. First, when it comes to lining up the stripes, a little goes a long way. Next, keep the color palettes in the same family. Finally, watch the size and scale of the pattern, being certain to vary the scale, like wide with narrow. Wear wide stripe tie with a narrow spaced striped shirt or narrow spaced striped shirt with wider spaced striped suits. You have to feel comfortable with what you’re wearing, of course, so if stripes-on-stripes isn’t your thing, stick to convention. Dressing well should be a fun form of creative self-expression, so break...

J Kent Erickson

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Wardrobe Basics

TWO SUITS, SIX SHIRTS

Dec 01 2018

Let's talk efficiency. Building your custom wardrobe is an investment, and you likely want to maximize the value of that investment while controlling outlay. The key here is to start with a solid base: two custom suits and six custom shirts. With this base, you have the start of a wardrobe that is built to last-and built to look and feel fantastic, every day. Make sure your two suits and six shirts are designed in versatile colors and fabrics that will be appropriate in a multitude of occasions. Add carefully chosen accessories for individual style, and you have a versatile wardrobe that will fit better and let you move more comfortably than any other suits you've worn....

J Kent Erickson

Wardrobe Basics

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J. Kent Ltd. Experience

Custom Guidance from Your Custom Clothier

Aug 15 2018

Each gentleman has his own circumstances, goals, and individual style. Our aim, as a custom clothier, is to enable each of our clients to create a wardrobe that will work hard to help him meet his goals and express his unique taste. To accomplish that, we work hard during your consultations to ensure you consider several important factors. Throughout our conversations we will help you to discover whether you prefer Italian, English, or American style sensibilities, as that will usually inform your tailoring choices. We’ll also discuss which custom items are your current priority. For some gentlemen, it could be suits, while others need to focus on trousers, coats, shirts, or a focal point item, such as an “odd vest.” When you set your budget, we can help you consider how long each type of custom clothing tends to last, as well as how many of that item category you’ll need. We are...

J Kent Erickson

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Wardrobe Basics

EIGHT GREAT MUST-HAVES

Jul 15 2018

With a closet stocked with well-chosen staples, dressing is nearly effortless. That's why we've compiled this list of basics, to make sure you're stylish from head to toe. Loafers. Get a pair each in black and brown leather and you'll have shoes that coordinate with just about any outfit. Custom suit. If you currently plan on only one custom suit, a dark color will give you the most mix-and-match possibilities. A v-neck sweater. This layering option ensures you'll be comfortable as temperatures change. Dark blue jeans. Ensure your jeans look as elegant as possible by choosing those with a dark, uniform "wash." Custom dress shirts. A fantastic, custom-fit suit deserves several excellent custom shirts. Start with white or blue shirts, and then add in other solid colors and stripes to your taste. A blazer. Traditional navy is always a great option for your custom blazer, but depending on your preferences...

Play To Your Strong Suit

Feb 01 2018

When you play to win in a card game, you use the cards in your strongest suit. When you play to win in business, you wear the strongest suit in your wardrobe. Custom clothing gives you the ability to design a suit that plays to your strengths and minimizes any irregularities in shape or proportion. You have the power to create exactly the image you desire, and can build your clothing to meet all your individual requirements, even if you are not proportioned like the average gentleman. Whether you're aiming for an approachable, casual suit, or a somber, more formal suit, custom clothing gives you the powerful image you need-because you always play to win....

Mastering Cocktail Attire

Aug 15 2016

You’ve been invited to a wedding, and the invitation says “cocktail attire.” Unfortunately for your tan, the wedding isn’t on a beach in Florida or California. It’s an evening event held indoors, and you’ve decided to create a fantastic ensemble that perfectly epitomizes cocktail attire. Where to start? You’re not going to start by wearing a tuxedo. Unless the invitation says “black tie optional,” your tux will be too much—and choosing to wear it means you risk outshining the couple on their special day. Go with a dark, solid-colored suit and crisp white shirt. (A wedding is the perfect opportunity to get your next custom shirt made, so it’ll be sparkling white.) Choose a bowtie if it won’t overshadow the wedding party, or turn to a traditional tie. A solid-colored silk tie will look both festive and elegant. If you prefer, wear a tie with some texture for visual interest. Your pocket square will...

J Kent Erickson

Cocktail Attire

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Trimming Your Figure with Custom Clothing

May 15 2016

Certainly, those on the thin side can wear slim-cut suits—but what about the rest of us? Many people believe that a larger figure needs a roomy suit in order to be comfortable. You might be surprised to discover that, in reality, the opposite is true: having excess fabric in your suit can make it less comfortable. Gentlemen with a more mature figure can wear slim-cut suits—if the suit is perfectly tailored. When your clothing is made from exactly the amount of fabric you need and cut exactly for how you move, it develops a degree of comfort and mobility that a lesser suit cannot duplicate. By adjusting the dimensions of the chest and skirt areas of the suit coat, we can create a slimming look without a tight, uncomfortable fit. Even a change of one-quarter inch, if taken in just the right places, can make a big difference in look and comfort. In...

J Kent Erickson

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Patterns & Textures

All About Stripes

Jan 15 2016

Stripes can be a great way to bring interest into an outfit—as long as the stripes are chosen with care. To incorporate stripes into an ensemble that that works for you, consider the following points: Vertical for business. Rugby and polo shirts often use horizontal stripes, but in business clothing, vertical stripes are more appropriate. Thin is in. While not all stripes need be pinstripe width, choosing thin stripes over thick, blocky stripes will generally look more refined. Variation works. Your stripes need not be uniform in either color or width. A shirt or tie with a variety of multi-width and multi-colored stripes can be quite pleasing to the eye. Combinations matter. If you’re creating an attention-drawing outfit, colors that sit opposite each other on a color wheel are highly effective. If you’re crafting an elegant business ensemble, your colors should be closer to each other on the wheel. Subtlety in a pin. Your pinstriped...

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. ...

Suits: To Press or Steam

Aug 20 2014

I received this question from a reader: Should I press or steam my suit? Or should I just take it to the cleaners? This is what I shared with them: Steaming is far gentler on your suit than too-frequent dry cleanings and the high-temperature commercial press. Steam it lightly just before wearing, instead of immediately after wearing it. This will allow any moisture to dry naturally and remove any wrinkles from storage. Your dress shirts should be pressed instead of steamed to smooth the fabric and give it a crisp look....

J Kent Erickson

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Older Posts

Suits Tag

Can I wear a striped tie with a striped shirt?

TWO SUITS, SIX SHIRTS

Custom Guidance from Your Custom Clothier

EIGHT GREAT MUST-HAVES

Play To Your Strong Suit

Mastering Cocktail Attire

Trimming Your Figure with Custom Clothing

All About Stripes

Suit Coat: Bottom Button Rule

Suits: To Press or Steam

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