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Keep warm in Style.

- RT

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Truth #7: When you're going out for the night after work, consider throwing on a Velvet Sport Coat for versatility.

In this photo shoot, we have Aden from the team exemplifying how the velvet blazer is versatile enough for work and play. For those of us who don't have time to head home and change for a night out with the boys, you might want to play attention to this one.

Historically, velvet is associated with those of nobility. But now, we all have access to this luxury textile. The smooth texture of the fabric truly makes the fabric unique and sought after. From a utiliatrian perspective, the fabric is thick and provides the much needed warmth for those chilly nights out in the city.

Tip: For your first velvet blazer, we highly recommend sticking with brown or midnight navy. These two colors are classic and will ensure that your blazer will still be "in fashion" 30 years from now.

While we're all for polishing and taking care of your shoes, sometimes shoes look better beat up. It adds a little more characteristic to them and truly makes them yours. This isn't to say that we don't throw shoe trees on them at the end of the day.

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Stylishy Yours,

RT Team

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Truth #6: Anatomy Of A Fine Shirt. What's the difference between a $30 and a $400 dress shirt? 

One of the fundamentals of dressing well is knowing what makes one garment's quality better than the other.  Equipped with this knowledge, you will be able to build a wardrobe that not only looks better, but last longer.

There's a misconception that all brand named items are of higher quality. Unfortunately in the world of fashion, many times you are paying for the label on your clothes and not quality. Our team will be posting to tips on how you can identify whether or not you are getting a top-notch garment for you money.

In this post, we will discuss high quality dress shirts. Have you ever walked into a department store and thought to yourself, what's the difference between a $30 Calvin Klein Dress Shirt and a $400 Kiton Dress Shirt? 

There are 3 things to look for when searching for high quality shirts:

Fabric - This is the most important factor when it comes to purchasing dress shirts. Shirts which are made with better quality fabrics (higher thread counts) not only feel better, but last a lot longer. The last thing you want is for your shirt to rip after putting it in rotation for half a year.

Handwork - This probably accounts for 60% of the premium you pay for nicer shirts. If you look at the Borrelli dress shirt above, you'll notice a ton of handwork. The sleeves, collar, button holes, yoke, shoulders, and gussets are all hand stitched. In the age of mass production, it's rare to find companies who still produce garments by hand. It's unfortunate because handmade items last longer — I've never had loose threads or buttons on any of my better dress shirts. (Cool Side Story: All the handwork on Borrelli shirts are done by old Italian ladies at home in the countryside of Italy. By the time they are completed, the shirts are washed vigorously in the factories because they smell like food and are covered in blood, cigarette ash, and natural oils from the women's hands.)

Mother of Pearl Buttons - Better quality shirts tend to have mother of pearl buttons. Mother of Pearl is a material which comes from abalone or pearl oysters. The reason why these are better than plastic buttons is not purely based off of aesthetics, but because they are stronger and hard to break/chip when laundering. This however is not an absolute indicator of a high quality shirt, as there are many well-made shirts with plastic buttons. Although we don't recommend going to store and doing this: an interesting way to tell if a button is made of mother of pearl is to place your upper lip on the button and see if it's cool. Plastic buttons are more conductive to heat and warmer. 

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Stylishy Yours,

RT Team

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First off, we'd like to apologize to our readers for the lack of posts. New York was recently visited by Hurricane Sandy, who left millions without electricity, heat, and water. But we're back up and running now! Our thoughts and wishes go out to those who still haven't returned to normalcy.

Truth #5: Upgrade your backpack. Even with the most well tailored and put together outfit, wearing a middle school or high school students' backpack instantly ruins your ensemble. 

If you're wearing a full suit and have a meeting, a briefcase or messenger bag is a must. When interfacing with clients or senior management, you want to be perceived as "the man with the plan". Nothing conveys confidence more than placing your briefcase on the table, opening it up, and pulling out the answers to all of your clients' problems.

For our readers who work in business-casual environments and university students who like to look sharp, there are many casual options that you can choose from. A great choice is a leather backpack like the one below, which will patina and look even better over time:

Another bag we highly recommend are canvas bags like the ones Filson manufactures. Not only are they well constructed and can handle being abused, they are also extremely versatile. This single bag can be used for work, class, and weekend hangouts.

Tip: It's always best to try to match all your leathers in the same color. This would include your shoes, belts, bags, and watch straps. Matching your shoes and belts however is mandatory.

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Stylishly Yours,

RT Team

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Truth #4: Ladies & Gentlemen — Spice up your office attire with a sporty varsity jacket. 

For our first RT photo shoot, we wanted to feature a look that's not only unique and edgy, but also classic. Nothing says edgy more than a classic varsity jacket. We have Blake from the team sporting a made-to-measure Temple of Jawnz varsity jacket. 

The letterman jacket, more commonly known as the varsity jacket, is an American classic. Originally worn by college and high school athletes, these have hit the fashion industry and are now easily accessible through a wide array of retailers. We recommend staying authentic and getting a 100% wool body with 100% leather arms. If you're looking to save a buck, be sure to check out local thrift stores — you can find authentic varsity jackets for under $40.

A varsity jacket not only jazzes up your work attire, but keeps you warm in the winter during those cold morning commutes. When pairing with tailored clothing, we recommend picking a varsity with neutral colors like the grey and white one Blake is sporting. If grey is not your color, try going for navy.

For our female readers, the same tips apply for you. A neutral colored varsity jacket like this black one, gives you more versatility with the rest of your outfit — allowing you to throw a pop of color like these blue heels.

Winter is the perfect season for all textured items such as wool ties, flannel trousers, and suede wingtips like these from Allen Edmonds.

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With Style,

RT

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Truth #3: Solid Shirts & Ties Are Underrated. When we're building our wardrobes, we tend to buy the more unique items — whether it's the Hermès tie with elephants or Brooks Brothers dress shirt with blue and green stripes.

For beginners, it's much easier to make combinations with striped shirts & solid ties and vice-versa. You will also notice solids allow you to create a variety of different looks and combinations.

When building up your wardrobe, it's essential to cover the basics first. We recommend you start with  the following:

Solid Shirts: White, Cream, Light blue, and French Blue

Solid Ties: Brown, Navy, and Burgundy

With Style,

RT

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why do i need shoes to impress a woman? i will admit that round toed shoes may look better, not everybody can fit them. some men have wide feet.

Having wide or narrow feet can be troublesome for many men. But luckily there are several manufacturers out there, which carry a variety of widths and shoe models to fit all types of feet.

Alden makes excellent good year welted shoes — they carry a variety of lasts which have rounded toes. Here's a photo of the different lasts they manufacture, accompanying all widths:

I will be making a post on what makes a quality shoe in the near future.

As to your first question, women usually always notice the shoes in a man's outfit first. You can get away with a cheap well-tailored dress shirt or suit, but a cheap pair of shoes will completely throw your entire outfit off. Shoes definitely need to be an investment piece in every man's wardrobe.

Yours in Style,

RT

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No More Square-Toed Shoes

Truth #2: Your feet aren't shaped like a square, so why should your shoes be? Pick up some round-toed shoes in an elegant last, like the Crockett and Jones' Connaught. Trust me, the ladies will notice.

Budget Tip: If Crockett and Jones are out of your budget. Look into these Perforated Captoes from Brooks Brothers. These Goodyear welted shoes will last a life time, as they can be resoled. Retailing for $368, Brooks Brothers always has discounts — the next one being 25% on 10/26-11/4 with your member card or credit card.

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Truth #1: Don’t be caught wearing a black suit for an interview — Invest in a solid midnight navy or charcoal grey suit instead.

You don’t want to be mistaken for a waiter do you? If you have a black suit, don’t fret! Black suits should be reserved for funerals and more formal events such as black tie affairs.

PS: Wearing a black suit, white shirt, and black tie is not a good look and does not make you remotely as cool as Will Smith in MIB.