Until recently, I had always thought that guys had it easy when it comes to fashion. I figured that all they had to do was button up a collared shirt, throw on some slacks, and top it off with a clean belt. Boy, was I mistaken! On a shopping excursion with my friend last week, I was overwhelmed by the men’s apparel industry. Trust me girls, it’s a whole other animal!
We were in search of finding my friend, Tom, crisp new clothes for a sweet new job. We trotted about town and stopped into his usual “go-to’s” in order to pull off a clean-cut look: John Varvatos, Ben Sherman and a variety of other well-known brands off Broadway in Soho. But, my friend introduced me to a new line during this excursion called Seize sur Vingt.
Oh yes, that would be me in men’s shoes…and shoe stoppers that they gave me to flaunt!
Seize sur Vingt was founded in the summer of 1998 by James and Gwendolyn Jurney on Nolita’s Elizabeth Street. They design and produce men’s and women’s ready-to-wear clothing as well as made-to-measure pieces. This store made me feel incredibly welcome, and while Tom was in the dressing room I decided to get as much out of the experience as possible and learn about men’s fashion!
I was chatting for a bit with Steven Vega, a sales rep for Seize sur Vingt. I questioned him about the men’s apparel industry, and what he thought the biggest mistakes were that guys make while getting ready for work. Steven was kind enough to teach me more about a man’s world, and even gave his tips for B+H readers!:
-When purchasing a button down, the end of the shirt needs to fall precisely on the crease of your thumb. Unbuttoned! Once you wash and button the shirt, it will immediately shrink at least a half inch and lie perfectly into place on your arm.
-When browsing for jackets to buy, always follow the “4 inch rule” {four inches from your thumb}. The jacket needs to be right at the wrist, so there is only a little bit of the shirt underneath appearing.
-Picking out the perfect color shirt for you depends on your skin tone. Steven suggests purchasing darker shades if you have a lighter skin tone. Tom has an olive skin tone, so we purchased lighter shades for him to mix and match!
-Steven mentioned that picking out the appropriate tie for your work shirt can be a bit difficult. But, he said that if you pair polka dots or striped ties with plain colored shirts, you can’t go wrong. Also, he said that sometimes if you pair striped ties on striped shirts it looks great when the patterns compliment each other.
I had such a fun time in Seize sur Vingt. Browsing their merchandise, getting to know their staff, and learning about the company in general! But, while I was there the entire team was telling me about on of their managers, Richard Costescu. They told me that he was one of the few who actually knows how to properly tie shoes, and that he had learned his skills from a cobbler. Unfortunately, Richard wasn’t in the day that we were shopping, but if anyone who knows me well you know that I marched right on back there to learn more!
I went back into Seize sur Vingt on a quiet afternoon in search of the talented, Richard Costescu. After I approached him, and said how excited I was about learning more about men’s clothing he couldn’t have been more helpful. He even gave me his own tips for future purchases!:
-He said that his favorite look this season was also flaunting a pattern tie, but with a checkered shirt. How hip!
-Richard also mentioned that one of the biggest mistakes guys make is buying their clothes way too big. They typically try to cover their figure. But when you buy bigger clothes, it actually makes you appear larger than you are! When shopping, make sure that your clothes are properly fitted. They will flatter your silhouette!
Richard even agreed to show B+H readers how to properly tie a shoe. Click here to watch. Oh yes, that would be my little foot in a large shoe!
Seize sur Vingt even has a cool blog that consistently keeps their fans up to date about their company as well as tips for guys. My favorite was their video on how to tie a bow-tie! Click here to watch.
So B+H readers, whether you are a guy in search of new clothes or a sweet girlfriend trying to help your boyfriend out with looking clean-cut for work, I hope these tips and a future trip into the Seize sur Vingt shop in Soho will help!
Post a Comment