Suited for New York
"Once you have lived in New York and made it your home, no place else is good enough." -John Steinbeck
Uptown, Greenwich, East Village... even Brooklyn, there is something about being from "the city" that separates you from the rest of the country. Call it pride. Or arrogance. Or not having a second to think or you'll miss the next subway... There's really no place like New York. And damn, I love it!
I was asked by Indochino to represent New York City style for their campaign: Your City. Your Suit. Your Style., alongside Philly based blog, Men's Style Pro, and San Fran blog, Of Mice of Menswear.
Indochino has re-imagined tailored Menswear with their made-to-measure suiting and we were each asked to customize a suit and take it around our home city.
In their showroom, you can pick every detail of your suit, down to the stitching. Lapels, pockets, lining, buttons, vents, monogramming.... everything. They take full body measurements and create a template just for you. All the info is stored in your e-profile, so once your first suit is perfected, you can order suits online and they will fit perfectly every time. It's personalized, yet super convenient.
I landed on the Essential Blue Sharkskin 3-piece suit with a notched lapel. The wool is light enough to wear year round and the cut is sharp. I can ditch the jacket in the warmer months but the 3-piece has me set for any occasion.
Call me traditional, but I don't go for contrast stitching or colorful lining. A well tailored suit speaks for itself. Blues and grays all the way!
As for the pants, I had them trimmed thinner and ditched the belt loops. I wanted to streamline my sharkskin! No pant break because: ankles. A little ankle here and there makes every look effortless. Throw on a pair of loafer socks and embrace the 2" of skin. You'll thank me when you're calves aren't sweating in the middle of Summer.
The last little detail: I had them embroider "Never Give Up" on the inside of the jacket. You can embroider anything... A.W. or T.M.O. would have been too easy... Never Never Never Give Up has always been my mantra; a reminder to never give up on my dreams. Still considering it as a tattoo.
It's a small detail but it means the world.
I took the suit to the streets and shot outside the New York Public Library. Those lion statues are by far one of my favorite sculptures in the city and the library has such awesome architecture. Bonus points if you can snap a pic before someone walks in front of the camera.
As far as styling the suit, I wouldn't be me unless I wore it with white sneakers. I have an athletic-wear twist to everything I wear and since I don't work on Wall Street, I can wear whatever the hell I want with a suit!
Truth be told, I'll probably wear it with a t-shirt most of the time. Bucking convention, that's what New York is all about!
If you're in New York, book an appointment and check out Indochino's SoHo showroom at 435 Broome St. It's a cool concept and once you try it, you'll be hooked.
Let me know what customizations you get! I'm already planning my next Summer suit.
Indochino Suit / Club Monaco shirt and pocket square / J-Crew tie / Banana Republic sneakers / Warby Parker sunglasses / Daniel Wellington watch / Meredith Anne Sutton polo cuff