Neckties have been around since thousands of years ago. It was during the reign of China’s first emperor when historians unearthed replicas of the ruler’s terracotta warriors and found that they wore large bandanna-like cloths around their necks. Thus, the world’s earliest neckties were conceived.
Nowadays, neckties are favored by males from a variety of occupations. From skinny ties, broad ties, knotted ties and ties that are made from a wide array of materials, most executives now cannot imagine a world where these pivotal fashion accessories for men do not exist. Many women cannot comprehend why neckties are so important to men but the fact remains that men treasure their necktie collections as it is a symbol of who they are and even professions are. It is part of their identity, and psychologists have even concluded as a result from numerous researches that neckties may even represent the male ego. Read the rest of this entry »
Men and women have long been using underwear. Whether you wear panties, briefs, boxers, or knickers, you can definitely say that people all over the world have long been using underwear. And this is something that won?t change anytime soon. But are you aware of the very interesting history that comes with underwear?
It was only just about a century ago that the practice of wearing underwear and undergarments was introduced as one of the necessities in life. It was roughly in the 16th century when the very first tried at creating and designing underwear started out.
In 1510, for instance, long underpants made of either silk, velvet, or linen were already being worn. Interestingly, around this time, it was deemed decent for women to stay naked underneath all those clothes. This is pretty ironic because the decent thing to do today is to wear undergarments beneath clothes. At the time, however, the opposite was deemed innocent. Read the rest of this entry »
In the worlds of business, finance, marketing, sales and any other monied profession dealing with people and profits – sartorial style cues are sure to influence even the most staid and conservative of men who work in these industries. In order to avoid the trap of conservatism when it comes to business fashion choices, one’s selections should be bold, bright, and powerful – imparting a sense of confidence, knowledge, and an assertive presence.
The Power Tie – Designer Neckwear from Brioni, Ermenegildo Zegna, Paul Smith
When it comes to assembling a power outfit, the necktie is surely the most important item in the wardrobe. The tie is literally the showpiece of the entire power suit, it is the most naturally attractive item on the menu and must literally pop – meaning that bold prints and bright, attractive colours are necessary when choosing a piece of neckwear to compliment the power outfit in the business fashion sense.
Brioni is a leader in men’s fashion, and is regarded very well worldwide for their handmade, beautifully inspired ties. Traditionally speaking, a Brioni tie will knot exceptionally well, is made entirely of high quality silk, and is a bit thicker than your average storebought necktie.
Brioni ties are typically very bold in patterning – this season’s offerings being found in such high fashion outlets as Neiman Marcus, Harry Rosen and others seeming to intimate that Brioni is offering a variety of large print paisley’s this season, ranging in colour from beautiful purples and lavenders onward to attention grabbing reds and crimson.
Ermenegildo Zegna is another top name in designer neckwear; Zegna is very well known for producing excellent striped ties that work very well as power ties due to their great versatility and ease of co-ordination with common shirt patterns. Most Zegna neckties offered at the designer level contain a variety of complimentary colours, whether they be offered in polka dots or even a fine cross-hatch.
Finally, Paul Smith is an excellent choice for men who love floral patterns – this season being expecially strong for these organic contenders. Paul Smith offers beautiful patterning in extremely large, oversized prints that will be sure to attract the right kind of attention; this label is certainly not afraid to experiment when it comes to aesthetics and retains a near avant-garde / high fashion flair sometimes lost in translation to commercial fashion. Read the rest of this entry »
New Lighter Fabrics Are Now Becoming Available
Wearing a suit in hot weather is rarely much fun – especially during what promises to be a hot summer. But the good news is that as temperatures rise suit fabric weights are falling with some of the lightest, coolest ever cloths being produced this year.
A lightweight fabric for mens suits is made from fine yarns, which are usually then finely woven. “In terms of wool we consider the fabric light when it weighs no more then 170gsm. Previously a wool fabric of 200gsm was considered light,” says Pier Luigi Loro Piana of the fashion house and fabric producer Loro Piana in an email interview with the author of this article.
Cashmere and Silk Light Fabrics
Loro Piana has a cashmere and silk fabric weighing only 100gsm. Specially processed, it has the strength necessary to withstand weaving and a kilo of this yarn would extend for around 570 km, the company has calculated.
The GSM is the weight of the cloth in grammes per square metre. One of the lightest available find at the moment is, for example, just 190gsm with Ermenegildo Zegna’s Trofeo 600 fabric while the heaviest is around 480 to 500gsm and is used for coats, according to a company spokeswoman in an interview with the author of this article.
There are wool-only fabrics which weigh just 110gsm but few tailors can work with something so light just in wool unless they’re treated or mixed with something else. Read the rest of this entry »