If it ain't bespoke...part 2

 

A moderately wide cutaway collar looks both elegant and formal.  The generous gap displays both narrow and fairly thick necktie knots to full advantage.

 

Photo credit: Tyra Bleek Photography

 

 The devil is in the details.

 

 

The tab collar pictured here appears to its best advantage when combined with a very narrow necktie worn in a small knot.

Photos courtesy of 9Tailors, custom clothiers with a studio in Boston.  During private appointments, a Style Consultant will encourage clients to make the most critical decisions (collar shape! cuff style! monogramming!) about how they want their clothes to look, feel, function and fit. Custom pieces reflect personal style, complement body shape and skin tone and broaden the options for beautiful, personal, and unique clothing. 

Fabulous fabrics, part 1

 Hand-loomed fabric from pineapple leaf fibers, used for the dress shirts ('barong Tagalog') of the Philippines.  

 With the numbers of artisan piña weavers in the Philippines dwindling, the delicate cloth is used only for very formal events.

For Valentine's Day, and every other day

 

Tiny Prints greeting cards for special moments (or for no reason at all).  The ability to personalize for every friend and every occasion brings hand-written notes back to life.  In this age of Facebook, IMs, e-mail, tweets (and, yes, even blogs!), plush paper and personally written messages make a charming mailbox surprise! (click image to enlarge)

Gone fishing!

Taking a posting break for Valentine's Day weekend -- but do read through what's here so far, and I encourage you comment, follow, or subscribe!  TQoG will be back in a few, and would love to hear your thoughts on how to bring you better and more beautiful things...every day.

If it ain't Bespoke...fix it.

 

 9Tailors bespoke dress shirt, combining old-world custom tailoring techniques with a modern selection of fabrics, cuts and detailing.  No two people are alike, why should your shirts be? (click image to enlarge)

A McQueen Wedding Moodboard [Updated]

 

From top left, clockwise: Manila Cathedral at night, Alexander McQueen tartan-accented outfits, McQueen Fall 2010 gown, ikat print fabrics, Dior Spring/Summer 2011 look, Maynila Ballroom, Manila Hotel lobby, bouquet of white phalaenopsis orchids. (click image to enlarge)

UPDATE: Could Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton really be tapped to create (one of) Catherine Middleton's wedding dresses?  If commanded by the Queen of England, this Queen of Gems certainly would not be averse to sharing her McQueen wedding moodboard...

If it's good enough for the Queen of England

 

NO, not Tiffany's...but the most formal of printing methods: Engraving, traditionally a mainstay of royal and diplomatic correspondence.  Text is etched onto a copper plate, which is then coated with ink and wiped clean, leaving the ink only in the indentations. 

Soft, high-quality cotton paper is pressed hard against the plate, causing it to deform into the etchings. The result is raised, crisp text, with warmth and a sumptuous tactile quality that cannot be achieved with flat printing.

 

It is easy to tell whether a piece of stationery has been engraved (rather than thermographed -- the somewhat less crisp imitation). Simply turn it over. If there is a tell-tale "bruise", caused by the pressure from the press, it is engraved.  Another way to tell is to look at the letters closely -- thermographed text is shiny, while engraved text is more subtle and matte.