Add a layer

Layering is a good way to show versatility to your outfit, pairing a v-neck sweater or a cardigan will add character to your look instead of being the regular guy next door. Opt for lightweight, thinner, cotton materials and wear them during cold weather or in air conditioned areas in warm countries like Malaysia. If you’re going to own just one sweater, make it a charcoal gray or navy blue; they go perfectly with a suit and with jeans.

Granoff suit

Remember the suiting material we got weeks back? We've selected Granoff to create the suit for us, the creative director for the brand, Mr. Mansor Tun Abd Aziz, is the brains behind their designs and just had so much of knowledge to share and it's such a joy to meet him every single time.

The experience of getting a suit with Mr. Mansor is just great, as he is the type of person which is into every meticulous detail and he's just pouring out with ideas. He does not rush his customers with the process and spends ample time discussing with them to get everything just right. We really appreciate someone with this sort of attitude as you have to keep in mind that when you're getting a a custom made suit, it means that it is supposed to be your own personal suit, not just because it is measured according to your body, but personal in terms of the suit's detailing as well.

Check out Granoff's website at http://www.granoff.ba/

Here's the specifications of the suit:
# Two-button jacket with peak lapel.
# Double-vented back and five-button detail at cuffs.
# Flap welt slant pockets at the jacket waist, single chest welt pocket.
# Flat-front pant with extended button tab.

The pictures below was from the first fitting for the jacket (pants was not ready yet); few adjustments are to be made, there was a little excess material at the back of the neck which will be adjusted, the material at the back body will be let loose a bit for extra comfort, and the button stance will be lowered.

Suiting material

When making a suit, the first thing to start with is choosing the fabric, synthetic materials such as polyester, microfiber should be avoided, they are not natural and they do not breathe. What you should be looking for is 100% wool, it is the fabric of choice for a good suit—it's natural, it breathes well, and it's durable. Pure wool would cost minimum RM200 per meter, and a two-piece suit would require approximately three and a half meters. If you're trying to keep your cost down, look for wool mixed with cashmere as both are natural fibers and they bond well. Wool and cashmere mix would cost about RM100 per meter.

Certainly you can just purchase materials from your tailor, but where's the fun in that? Plus there's much more varieties to choose from by visiting textile stores. If you're looking for materials, head down to Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman and spend some time looking at the different fabrics available and gain some knowledge in the process.

I've been hunting for some materials lately for a new suit and this is what I chose, it's a navy colored Super 130's wool mixed with a little cashmere which cost RM170 per meter. The reason I picked this is because of its exquisite detailing but at the same time has a touch of subtlety to it. From afar, the fabric appears to be a solid navy, but when up-close, the excellent details can be clearly seen.

Silk slim ties

The new batch of silk ties have arrived!!

Money clip

Now that you've got your new card case, if you want extra flair to your look, get yourself a nice, classic, subtle looking money clip, none of those with the funny looking designs. Buy something which can last you a lifetime and not something which would no longer suit you in five years.

Here are some examples:

New stock

Our new ties will be arriving soon from England and Italy. Most of them are solid colors—black, silver, navy, royal blue, purple, dark red, light pink, etc. Will update once they arrive.

Card case

Got yourself the new money clip wallet and you're not sure where to stack your cards? Buy an elegant, slim credit card case like the Louis Vuitton below and stock it with your essential cards. If you want to simply take it up a notch, ditch your wallet and fold your cash in a money clip (not to be confused with a money clip wallet) and store them there. Here are some card holder options:

Louis Vuitton

S.T. Dupont

Dunhill

Do take note bulkier options like the S.T. Dupont and Dunhill are not meant to be kept in your pocket. Keep them in your bag, office desk, car, etc.

How to buy a money clip wallet?

Here are three things you should look out when you're buying a money clip wallet:

1. The Money Clip
Not all money clips are made the same. Fiddle around with the money clip. Open and close the money clip a few times. It should snap open easily and more importantly the grip should be tight when it snaps back into position. It has a lot to do with the spring mechanism.

Bring along 15 to 20 notes with you when you're making your purchase. Try out the money clip and make sure it holds the notes in place. The notes should be secured tightly if it's a good money clip.

Also check to see if the money clip is fixed to the wallet or if it's detachable. Always go for one with a non-detachable money clip. You'll feel a lot more secure.

2. The Leather
With a metal clip as the spine of the wallet, a money clip wallet is understandably stiffer than a typical billfold wallet. That's why it's a good idea to choose one made of leather that's soft and supple.

3. The Size
A money clip wallet is meant to be slim and sleek so it's usually smaller than a regular wallet. Make sure that our notes fits comfortably in the wallet.

Remember, you'll only look stylish if you carry the right money clip wallet. You wouldn't want to be fumbling with your notes because of a lousy money clip. You wouldn't want your notes to be sticking out because your money clip wallet is too small. So make your choice wisely.

Money clip wallet

If your wallet looks like a hamburger, its seriously time to change. Chuck all your business cards into a card holder, throw away last year's receipts; only bare essentials should be stored in your wallet because every man's wallet should be slim and sleek—a money clip wallet is the way to go.

Clockwise from left: Gucci, Montblanc, Porsche Design, Offermann, Tumi, Prada, Goldpfeil. Center: Valextra

Right way to loosen your tie

There's actually a right and wrong way to loosening up your tie. The motive of this act is to look a little less formal while still looking sharp, you don't want to end up looking like a teenage rebel who is going to prom.

This is not a good look, there is simply too much of space between the collar and the tie knot. You would probably be better off without the tie.

If you want to go for a truly casual look, this would be it.

The best look when loosen up your tie would have to be this, you can notice that the button on the collar is undone, yet you would still be taken seriously.

Tailor your ties

You may notice that FTM often preaches the slim look: narrow suits, slim ties. But what if you have a bunch of nice ties that aren't so slim? This may sound crazy, but bring them to a good tailor. He should be able to take them in from, say, three and a half inches wide to about three or two and three quarters if you want it a little more slim. And if you already own a slim tie you like, bring it with you: It'll give the tailor a model to work from.

Go for small-collar dress shirt

The key to a successful shirt-tie combo isn't just color and pattern; It's proportion too. So as slim ties have grown in popularity, several designers have responded with proportional small-collar dress shirts. It makes total sense: Your tie and collar (and even lapels) aren't individuals—they're a team. They should, more or less, be the same width. Balance is crucial.

2009

We would just like to wish a great new year to our readers.
Cheers to looking sharp.

How to buy a suit: The complete GQ guide

Prior to getting our suit from Lord's Tailor, we thought we'd share details on how to buy a suit.

Click here to view the slide show.

How important is what we wear?

Many people do not realize the importance of how they dress; for some, it is just a matter of putting on some clothes and walking out the door. In a job interview, the candidate who is selected for the job is the one who is perceived to be the best candidate, even though that person may not actually be the best candidate for the job. In this world we live in, it is all a matter of how well you display yourself which determines your success—whether it may be in your career, romance or influence over others.

The way you dress is more important than you may think. Researchers have come up with some scientific evidence to support the notion that what you wear really does make a difference in how you influence the world around you. It's a scientific fact that people make judgements about you in less than 30 seconds. Since 80 to 90 percent of your body is covered by clothes, what you wear makes a significant statement. Therefore why not take advantage of this knowledge to enhance and control how to present the best image of yourself.

Start by buying the correct size for your clothes, this may seem like something which is generally understood, but the truth is that many people actually buy clothes which are far too big for their body. Try on clothes from different brands which you like until you find one that really fits you well. View our 'bad fit, good fit' and 'fit - pants' posts to understand how they should fit.

Stock clearance

I realized that it was especially difficult finding beautiful slim ties in KL, as a matter of fact it is hard finding anything really desirable down here—no D&G store, no Krispy Kreme doughnuts, no Playboy magazines. Oh well anyway back to as I was saying, I then decided that since I could not get a hold of sharp looking slim ties in the market, I had to search for other alternatives.

As of today, I have been wearing slim ties for years and I'm pretty sure that there are guys out there who face the same problems as I did. Therefore I've decided to share my findings.

These selections are some of the finest and are made in Italy. They are acquired straight from the factory and have not been branded which means they do not come with hefty price tags.

Brand new
100% silk
Length: 150cm / 59"
Width: 6.5cm / 2.5" at widest
RM50 each (free postage)

Email: admin@forthemodern.com

A1. - SOLD

A2. - SOLD

A3. - SOLD

A4. - SOLD

A5. - SOLD

A6. - SOLD

Tie length

Back to ties, the tip of the tie should hit the waistband of your pants, not pass it. Once your tie length goes beyond that line—it's too long, period.

The right shoes

There's a simple rule when wearing shoes—wear the right shoe for the right purpose. In other words, running shoes are meant to be worn when running, basketball shoes are meant to be worn when playing basketball, futsal shoes are meant to be worn when playing futsal. For casual outings, wear proper shoes which are meant to be worn on the street. Here are a few examples:

By Lacoste

By Topman

 By Cole Haan

By Adidas

By Nike

Go sockless

When wearing your shorts, skip the high length socks, please. You don't want to walk around looking like an old grandfather. Instead, go for the sockless look as shown in the picture. It goes practically with every kind of casual shoe—sneakers, loafers, slip-ons, you name it. Purchase a few pairs of "no show" socks, these socks will be fully covered by your shoes, giving you this simple yet stylish look.

You may just get as much attention as Pharrell Williams.

Fit - pants

Lets talk a bit about how pants should properly fit:

1. A well fitted pants should sit comfortably below the waist without needing a belt.

2. The pants should be cut higher so there isn't too much excess cloth hanging (this also helps elongate the legs).

3. Square through the hips, slim through the thigh—it should be trim and not look like you're wearing baggy jeans.

4. The hem should fall just at the top of your shoes and cover your socks when you take a step. Ask your tailor for a single break.

GQ Rules: Building your business wardrobe

Shirt & ties - Choosing a shirt collar

Make sure you have these three collar types in your business wardrobe. And know how to pair them. Not all suits and ties go with all collars. Here are the three basics:

Slip on a tie bar

You should always have one piece in your outfit that pops—something that makes you stand out. Could be a suit jacket, cardigan, belt buckle, could be a gold watch. Or when you're wearing your slim tie, it could be a tie clip. The key to success is by keeping the rest of your outfit on the simple side—dark solid tie, muted shirt.

*Pop*

Just look how bad-ass English actor Dominic Cooper looks.

Thank you

Hi guys, as some of you may know, this is a new blog and we started this blog less than a month ago. We hope to get your support by simply joining our Facebook group. Kindly feel free to e-mail us as well about anything concerning ties or men's clothing for that matter. Thanks to everyone who supported us and thanks to you as well.

forthemodern@gmail.com

Loosen up

After office hours or during the night out, loosen the tie a little and it will give a more relaxed look. Just don't loosen it too much or you will end up looking like Avril Lavigne.

10 ties x 10 shirts = 100 foolproof options

You don’t need dozens upon dozens of shirts and ties if you know how to pair them. The key to building a wardrobe is maximum compatibility. These shirts and ties all go perfectly with each other.

Click on the images to see how.

For the rest of the images, click here.

Bad fit, good fit

Most guys don’t know it, but they’re walking around with way too much shirt—baggy arms, sagging sides, ballooning backs. A fitted dress shirt can make new men out of them.

Click on the images to see how.

Bad fit

Good fit