Gala season is once again in full swing, presenting a particular style conundrum for the Kansas City guy, who, much like Bill Murray’s character in the film “Groundhog Day,” repeats the same formal look, verbatim, year in and year out. How can he inject a little bit of variety, personality and flair into the mix?
Let’s start with the foundation of a man’s formal wardrobe: a black tuxedo or evening suit. Fabric and fit are the two most important elements to consider here.
Michael’s Fine Clothing For Men, the iconic 105-year old Kansas City men’s retailer, offers a range of custom-made formalwear from Canada-based Coppley. With a choice of premium super 130s to 150s wool fabrics from top mills such as Loro Piana, Vitale Barberis and Holland & Sherry, the company will deliver a suit cut to a client’s exact measurements within seven business days.
A range of jacket bodies and trouser silhouettes provide options to satisfy the tastes and needs of different generations, from grandfather to grandson. A Country Club Plaza menswear destination, Pinstripes is celebrating 15 years of helping the Kansas City man suit up in his formal best. The shop employs a team of expert tailors to custom fit its varied selection of “off the rack” tuxedos from top brands such as Joseph Abboud and Samuelsohn.
With the more classic option locked in place, the next ingredient to add to the mix is a dinner jacket in a more offbeat fabric such as velvet. This piece should be more playful and adventurous-the rock star yang to the black jacket’s movie star yin.
Color and pattern are permissible, but should be limited to darker jewel tones and neutrals. Halls on the Country Club Plaza is currently showcasing a beautiful plum velvet jacket with black satin peak lapels from Prossimo Jack Victor. Michael’s offers a razor sharp hunter green, black and midnight-blue velvet watch plaid fabric from Coppley.
Dress furnishings for example the shirt, neckwear, studs and cufflinks are the finishing touches that elevate the overall look. The color white still gets top billing when it comes to the French cuff dress shirt, but a variety of high-end thread finishes and textural weaves keep this from becoming a one-note proposition.
Hudson & Jane in the Crestwood Shops is partnered with Houston, Texas-based Hamilton Shirts to provide its customers with a made-to-measure shirt service. Working personally with Hudson & Jane owner Rick Brehm, a client chooses from a palette of fabrics then selects cuff, collar and body styles. After the necessary measurements are taken, he can look forward to the delivery of his personalized shirt creation in two weeks.
Neckwear is best kept to the color black, the inclusion of both bow tie and regular necktie options nicely expands the formal wardrobe. Studs and cufflinks should add a subtle, polished finish to the outfit. Here again, Hudson & Jane has the customer covered. He can’t go wrong whether he chooses a custom silver stud set by Sipan, Murano glass cufflinks by Orionor genuine cat’s eye cufflinks by George Graham Galleries.
It takes a bit of extra time and energy-as well as a veritable army of tailors-for a guy to build up his formal wear arsenal, but it will be well worth it when he breaks through the doldrums and regains a little spring in his well-heeled, gala-bound step.
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