Here in Atlanta, it only gets cold enough for about 2.5 months during the year, but since I travel to cold weather climates for work, and home to Pittsburgh, it get its fair share use. It is also very durable on flights and does not show wrinkles. I stumbled upon it while doing some shopping in my own closet. I like to do that sometimes, just go through everything just to remind myself of what is in there.

I got the sleeves slimmed, and and tapered at the waist. I will start posting the costs for the alterations too, since I always get asked the question.

Here’s an up close shot of the material since it does not come through as well in the picture. The lighting made it comes across a little brown in this photo, but it is definitely grey.

(NOTE: The sleeves in the after shot are bunched up some around the elbow, I had pulled them up slightly, they do not normally bulge like that. I just wanted to clarify that the narrowing the sleeves didn’t cause that)

Blazer: Banana Republic,  Jeans: Ralph Lauren Rugby Selvedge Vintage Slim Jean Shirt: Lands End (thrifted)

I paid $99 for the jacket and $34 for the pants. Very seldomly do I not get the works, I’m a believer in buying the suit that what one can afford, and then take it to the tailor. (saw that quote recently on Tumblr via Nacho Broadway)

Pants ($20 for tailoring): Slimmed from above the knee down, and the cuff taken down from 2″ to 1.75″. It is some what difficult to see in the pictures (I’m working on getting a lighting setup, so I can take better pics with more detail)

Jacket ($65 for tailoring): Tapered in the waist, sleeves shortened (very small amount, just enough so the cuff would show) and I had the sleeves slimmed from about mid bicep down. I also had the center seam taken in as well.

Check out my Tumblr for out takes.

Tie: J.Crew, Shirt: Ralph Lauren, Tie bar: Fine and Dandy Shop

Honor Thy Tailor,

Shidi

I don’t like how the 501′s fit straight off the rack as I find the fit to be too full. My issue with the slimmer versions are that they end up being too tight in seat and through the thighs.  I really want a pair of selvedge, but I have yet to find a pair that fits without needing alteration. The way the seam is on them, makes it difficult to alter. Anyone have any ideas?

I got these slimmed up from about 2″ about my knee down to the bottom. I also had them hemmed. In the picture, it looks like it puckers out above my knee, but that was because I had been sitting all day, so material had bunched up. It generally doesn’t do that.

Jeans – Levi’s 501 from levis.com, Shoes – Allen Edmonds Manchester, Thrift Store, $25, MSRP $325

I found this Ralph Lauren seersucker shirt on eBay back in June for $15. I actually didn’t realize the shirt was short sleeve until it came in the mail. I glanced the description, I guess I missed that part. I did end up recently getting a Brooks Brothers long sleeve seersucker shirt about two weeks ago that needs some work. I’ll have to get that ready for next season.

I got the shirt shortened by two inches and had the sleeves and sides taken in to improve the overall fit and look. I spent $20 to get these alterations done. I really like the overall improvement of this shirt.

The pic on the top left was taken outside of my office on her P&S, I tried to correct the color, but I couldn’t without the whole picture getting too dark. There are some out takes over on my Tumblr.

Note: Seersucker originates from the Persian words “shir o shekar,” meaning “milk and sugar”, probably from the resemblance of its smooth and rough stripes to the smooth surface of milk and bumpy texture of sugar.

via Unabashedly Prep

I took a look at Google Trends, and the data supports that there has been an increase in  searching for chambray this year, versus 2009.

I bought this shirt last winter at the Salvation Army, I don’t remember how much I spent for it, but I am sure it was around $5 or less.  The shirt got the works, sleeves slimmed, and the body tapered. I haven’t worn it too much though, but it is a good piece to have and an alternative color to the more popular blue chambray.

The guys over at Street Ettiquette, recently did a post on chambray, for a little history, check them out!

(The before shot, was taken with my P&S, while my DSLR lens was in the shop for repairs. That’s the reason for the color and quality difference in the photos)

Honor Thy Tailor,

Shidi

I had khakis narrowed, from the thigh down. Then I washed them about 4 times, in hot water, and then put them in my dryer. I really like the look of them now. They already had some pre-distressed wholes, but now they look a little more natural.

I also had the tie slimmed down by about a half of an inch. I bought the tie a few months back when I was in NYC doing some thrifting.

After looking at the pics, I need to take better shots of the angles to make sure you can see the difference in the fit. I also, couldn’t decide on the shoes, so I posted bother versions.  Let me know what you think.

Shirt – Lands End(thrift store) Tie – Brooks Brothers, Khakis – Old Navy, Tie Bar –  Shoes – 1)Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars inspired by GIUSEPPE (who was inspired by an email) (eBay $40) 2)Vintage Ralph Lauren Wingtips (eBay) close up here

Additional Notes: I’m still learning my camera, and I also started to do some color adjustment. It was a little difficult for me to get the images to match, I think also part of the problem was the the before pictures were taken with my point & shoot, while the after were shot with my dSLR. Still learning, focus on the fit, not my camera skills. Thanks! Any advice is welcome.

I got this tie off of eBay sometime last year. I had it narrowed, it was just a little too thick for my taste. At the bottom is was about 3.5″ and now its 3″.

Jeans:

The jeans I bought from H&M about two years ago, I stopped wearing them once I got my rigid Levi’s 501′s. It’s hard to go back, once you break in some jeans. I needed a lighter jean for summer, so I went shopping in my own closet. I had them slimmed up from the thigh down, and taken up a little.

I’m not really happy with the jeans, seems like there is too much room around the thighs and crotch still, probably not worth it to get fixed. Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Check out some more pics from this shoot over the next day or so on my Tumblr. There might be one there by the time you read this.

This first pic was taken with my point and shoot, since I dropped my DSLR. I got it back last night, so the new pic was shot with it.

(Note: I won’t wear the tie until fall/winter since it’s wool)

Shirt – H&M, Tie – Brooks Brothers, Jeans – H&M, Tie Bar – Fine and Dandy , Shoes – Allen Edmonds “Grayson” (eBay $40)

You probably shouldn’t walk around in public like this…so…take it to the tailor or your seamstress.

“Don’t believe the hype” – Public Enemy

So, I’ve pulled out everything that I need to take in, no pun intended. It ranges from things I’ve bought recently, to things I bought last summer, and things that I’ve had for quite some time, but I just don’t like that fit anymore.

So in the meanwhile, here’s my stack of denim, chino’s, and trousers that I need to take in. I even have some swim trunks that I want about an inch shorter. (i threw in the watch for some added color)

I purchased these Glen plaid wool pants at Club Monaco during another one of my NYC trips. I believe at the beginning of the season, there was also a blazer to go with it.

My Tailor and a few friends always ask me why I don’t just buy my size. Well, under these circumstances, my size is normally not going to be there. For these pants, that’s just fine. Also, as previously mentioned,  I have a small waist, but I have more athletic thighs, so I normally have to go up a size to accommodate the legs. These pants happened to be the size I needed!

So, I had them taken in at the waist, tapered, hemmed and a 1″cuff.

Shirt – Ralph Lauren, Blazer – Uniqlo, Trousers – Club Monaco, Shoes – Allen Edmonds McCallister ($20 eBay!)