Sunday, February 19, 2012

Hi to all,

It has been a while I know, but I've something to say.  Recently, I'd been to my tailor with my soon to be father in law to get some alterations done on his suit.  The suit is cut in a contemporary silhouette, trim with a flat front trouser and the trouser opening is about 7.5 inches.  Very little needed to be done to the garment, sleeves and a hem, which indicates an ideal scenario.  When purchasing a suit the less you've got to alter it the better off you are.  What this represents is a garment that fits you pretty well, and that's a good thing!

Now back to my visit to the tailor.  The issue here was the hem and the extent to which the trouser needed to break.  Most tailors, in their relentless quest to minimize re-alterations will default to the standard break; which means marking the trouser in the back at the top of the heel and "playing it safe".  This mark gives the trouser a nice break up front and satisfies a lot of customers.  But I had to hold my tongue with my tailor because my soon to be father in law really had no opinion on trouser length and wanted my input.  My tailor adamantly insisted on this standard break because of the width of the opening of the trouser.  His contention, if the pant is trim the bottom needs more of a break.  Now if you've paid any attention to, not only current trends but really the trend of the last few years, especially in Europe, slim trousers are being worn with very little to no break even bordering on short, by many standards.  I am one of these adherents and have been for many years.  I believe that the little or no break on a trouser looks clean and refined; giving one the opportunity to show some sock or in the summer some ankle.

The point to all of this is if you care about how you look take stock in knowing what you like, what's currently in style and most importantly have your own sense of style and insist on it with your tailor .

Regards,

Riad  

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

An After Thought on the Holidays...

Greetings To All,

I haven't written for a while because I've not really had anything of substance to share.  I vowed that I would not write for the sake of writing and take up your time, especially during the holidays, you're busy I'm certain of that.  Anyway, hope your season of giving was all that and more.  I know that for most the Holidays, for those that celebrate at least, can be a time of added stress,  what with deciding what to buy and for whom, how much to spend, the lines, the attitudes and the resulting financial burden that many inherit as a result of overspending.  Pretty much the same routine every year, right?  Hopefully things were a little different this year and actually maybe things have been a little different for you the last few years as the economy has struggled and many of us have had to readjust our lives in many ways to just make ends meet.  I guess what I'm about to say has been said many times before so I'll say it again because it's worth remembering...this time of year when folks are frantically running around "getting things" lets really keep in mind the true spirit of the season and really keep it going the year through.   Be Safe and use good judgement.

Cheers,  Riad 




Sunday, December 4, 2011

And the verdict is...

Happy Sunday,

And the verdict is... a resounding YES!  Yes to color, yes to fit , yes to proportion and yes to being true to yourself in the choices you make every single day in all that you do.  Pretty tall order, right?  I want to take a moment and speak on this idea of "style" ; one's own personal stamp on things.

Let's face it, we've all seen it.  The person who stands out, catches our eye, makes us look twice.  Sometimes depending on your reference this "standing out" can be viewed positively, sometimes not so positively.   I know growing up as I began to make decisions on what direction my style would move in, it really came down to understanding me, being honest with what story I wanted to tell the world as I moved about it.  The key here is honesty and a consistency; a true to oneself kind of representation and really your style is and should be an extension of who you are.  Style extends far beyond just what you've got on your back and feet; style is an aura, a presence, a comfort within "one's own skin"; style is what and how you speak.  Style can move mountains!  Are people born with the style gene or is it an acquired trait? What do you think?

Riad



 









Friday, November 25, 2011

A Life Lived


Good Morning,

It's early.  I've just read an article in the New York Times on the recent death of Josef Stalin's daughter.  She was 85, I believe.  This got me thinking about some things, things like the fleeting moments in life that many take for granted, myself included.  Life is a son of a gun, throwing us twists and turns on a daily basis, we get caught up in things, whatever these things may be.  Some people live interesting lives, all relative certainly, but interesting; many live the mundane.  I was fascinated with the life that Ms. Stalin lived, the many places she resided in, her multiple marriages, aliases; all the while forever haunted by the specter of her infamous father.   You might be asking what this has at all to do with fashion...not a damn thing!  Peace out.