[Editor’s Note: I’m doing four things at once today, hoping to do at least one very well. Please forgive me for repurposing a post that I wrote for my tailor, but I thought that you might find the information in it useful. I believe the illustration comes courtesy of Tintin, The Trad, but can’t be sure. The idea here is to show you how to stretch your wardrobe dollar by combining pattern and color. Many thanks for your kind understanding and I hope you enjoy the article.]
Here’s an idea courtesy of Leviner Wood Custom Tailors and Shirtmakers: Get more uses from your six favorite ties.
You’ve got hundreds of ties don’t you? But let’s face it, you really only love about six of them, right? And you wind up wearing them with the same four shirts over and over again.
Why not get more use out of those same ties and build another dozen choices into your wardrobe? The great advantage to having Leviner Wood as your custom tailor is that you have your clothing made.
There is very little in the way of inventory hanging around the studio. Nope, you get thousands of choices, not dozens that were bought thanks to runway trends and now have to be moved.
Let’s take those ties we were talking about.
Bring them in to the studio at 2012 Monument Ave. . Then let’s get out the big, three-ring binder of shirting materials and pick three fabrics that play beautifully with each one of those favorite ties. That’s the way everyone used to do things and the way that we, as custom tailors and shirtmakers still can.
Take a look at that photo at the top of the page. That was from “Apparel Arts” magazine, summer of ’34 or so. It was an industry rag that reported on what was being worn and how to wear it. The center swatch is suiting fabric, the next ring is shirtings, the outer ring is for accessories like ties, socks, pocket squares. One suit, twelve different combinations. Correction: suggested combinations based on season and popularity. All guaranteed winners.
Call it keeping up appearances with a minimum of effort on your part. We’ll do the matching, even take photos of suggested combinations for you. All you’ve got to do is bring in those six ties that you love so much. So double down on that repp. Box a favorite regimental stripe. Hit the trifecta of perfect shirts with that beautiful, heavy woven silk number. If that isn’t added value, we don’t know what is.