Special Pricing for the Summer on Custom Suits

Beginning at the first Monday in June we have put in some special pricing for custom made suits. Currently our opening pricepoint for custom tailored suits, which regularly sell for $975, is on sale for $750 each. There is currently a glut worldwide in luxury fabrics, therefore high end fabrics are costing less until the market conditions correct themselves to normal.

The suit collection you get to select from is top notch Super 130's and above, and would be determined in person with your personal clothier of course!

We ReMeasure Every Time!!

Alan Vinson

When the economy is down, dress up. In a challenging economy, people want to look their best, perform their best, and give themselves every competitive advantage. Dressing up, and dressing well, is akin to keeping one's chin up and maintaining a positive perspective in turbulent times.

Dressing well gives one a sense of confidence and professionalism. Appropriate attire communicates both to the wearer and those with whom we associate, that we are competent, credible and capable. It's that great feeling that comes from putting on a well-tailored suit or even a new shirt and tie.

Recognizing both the need to stand out in the workplace and an overall push in the marketplace to raise the standard by dressing up, package yourself for maximum benefit. We're happy to assist you in presenting yourself in tailored clothes that are dressy and understated.

Elegant suits and jackets with modern silhouettes and styling details are the foundation of today's executive-friendly wardrobes. Classic, not trendy styling is the order of the day. Accessorized with fresh, crisp shirts and ties that provide the perfect professional look without dandyish decoration, and you have boardroom-worthy attire. Call them recession-proof wardrobes.

How many suits should I have?

by Alan Vinson

The answer to this question depends of course on how often a person wears a suit, however there is a pretty good rule of thumb to follow also. Most any professional clothier would suggest that a gentleman have a minimum of a two to three week rotation of suits. What does that mean? That means that during your busiest time of year, you could function as you normally would without having to wear the same suit more than once every two to three weeks - i.e. three days a week in a suit = no less than 6-9 suits at the ready. Keeping a 3 week rotation of suits is no easy task, and is even tougher if one is subject to weight fluctuations since we tend to over-wear the clothes we have that fit best.

What do men wear when they meet with the President??

Jacksonville's Rick Ferrin and Dick Morales with President George W. Bush during his recent visit to JAXPORT.

Both Mr. Ferrin and Mr. Morales are pictured here with, you guessed it, JT Vinson designed custom suits. When the occasion calls for your very best, what else would one wear.

-published with permission from Mr. Ferrin and Mr. Morales. I probably should have checked with the President also.

Why you should buy every suit with two pair of pants

In short, because you can! The idea of two pair of pants with each suit is nothing new. It used to be that having two pants made with your suit was always an option. These days many places don’t even offer the option, or if they do, they do not suggest it. Because of cloth utilization advantages, and because so little extra work is required to make an additional pant while already making a coat and pant, it has always been fiscally sensible to order one extra pant with your suits. And just think of all the advantages:

One of the great parts of having two pants for a suit is the ability to travel wearing the suit, and bring along the second pant. It’s like bringing two suits! You also will essentially double the life of your suit if it has two pants, as the wear and tear is greater over time on the pants than the coat. You will dry-clean the coat less often, therefore you will dramatically lengthen the suit’s life span by having two pants. You can always have one pair of pants at the cleaner’s being pressed and the other pair at the ready, fresh and pressed and good to go. The effective impact upon your wardrobe is like adding two suits to your rotation in terms of wear and tear, yet only costs an additional 25-30% more than the suit cost with just one pair of pants. It’s really a no-brainer when you’re going to the expense of having a nice suit made to get that extra pair of pants cut when you order it. And besides, think how glad you’ll be if you tear a hole in one of the pants accidentally.

by Alan M. Vinson

Haberdasher

Actual Cloth Bolts - A new wrinkle in our business

While I was at the clothing show in Las Vegas I picked up 7 (particularly nice) bolts of cloth to bring back to Jacksonville with me. So, now I have 4 bolts for suits and 3 bolts for Sport coats at my office. These fabrics were just too good of a deal on too nice of a piece of cloth to pass up. Here's what it means to you. If you were to have a suit or sportcoat made from one of these that I own the cloth for, you would get an incredible value. These 7 cloths are available at a 30% discount from their regular price. If you have any interest, contact me and I will come to your office or you can stop by to see the actual bolt of cloth. What this also means is that you can see a very large piece of the fabric rather than the usual 5" x 7" swatch. I anticipate ordering more fabric this way in the future. It allows customers to see a large piece of the cloth before ordering and I can give a better price on these fabrics which I have already "landed". Stay tuned for more details.

Slim Is In

by Alan Vinson

Suits are taking on a decidedly slimmer look both in the pants and jackets. Today's updated suit has a trimmer overall look, with clean lines and natural shoulders rather than the bit more padded extended shoulders that have been the look for so many years. Some men are even opting for plain front pants, however we still recommend pleated pants for your suits. Having said that however, you would do well to have your pants made a bit less full through the leg/thigh area to reflect todays updated styling. An updated suit should have a closer fit while still having great comfort. Also, two button coats with slimmer lapels and a higher button stance are now solidly more popular than three button suits. Last year we made more two button jackets than three button coats for the first time in several years. Side vents are still a popular style, however the center vent has regained popularity even with the most fashion forward designers. As a designer myself, for years I have been a "side vents guy", but the suit I have on order for myself right now is styled with a center vent. It is probably the first center vent coat I've made for myself in over 10 years! And, of course, don't forget the features. Make sure you ask for working buttonholes on the sleeves (surgeon's cuffs), and pic-stitching on the lapels and pocket flaps. These details really add a little something to the suit, and shows that it was made well enough to warrant the extra details. I also recommend doing a little something with the lining inside the coat. You don't have to get crazy, but give it a little thought next time you have a suit made. A burgundy, or gold lining with herringbone or paisley can add character, and I have some very beautiful new choices with which to to line your coats. Of course I hope to create something for you soon. Nothing lifts a man's spirit, and puts a pep in the step like sporting a new suit of clothes!!

More Choices than ever in the New Year

These days when you buy a suit from J.T. Vinson Co. you have more choices than ever. For example, you might want to try our made-to-measure suits from $500-$1,000 each. This suit is made by machine and will compare favorably to suits purchased for MORE off the rack. Next, we have custom clothing from the classic American tailoring houses, which have been making the best clothing in the United States for nearly 100 years. I have built my business, and my name quite literally on these finely made garments. This range of suits sell for $900-$2,400 and include the fabrics from brand name mills such as Zegna, Holland and Sherry, Loro Piana, and others. And finally, we also make a “Hand Sewn” garment. This is a suit that is custom made for you and sewn completely by hand. You could not find a superior garment for less than $4,000 in a retail store. Brands such as Brioni and Kiton come to mind, however I would put a “Hand-Sewn” from JT Vinson up against a Brioni any day. Our “Hand-Sewn” suits start at $2,500 each and go up from there depending on the fabric. These are reserved for gentlemen who desire the very best the world has to offer when it comes to their garments.

In the tie department we still offer all the latest choices from old favorites like Vineyard Vines, Peter Blair, Thatcher Spring, as well as our own JT Vinson private label ties. Plus I am always on the lookout for up and coming tie designers that are “breaking out”, so you’ll always be able to see some things that are really starting to catch on before they do. If I do say so myself our own private label collection just keeps getting better. In this line you’re always guaranteed to find a great assortment of high quality ties from $55 - $75 each, and I know you’ll love the way they tie.

With custom shirts, we are adding new swatches constantly. There are always new and interesting variations on white and blue shirts that will add some variety to your staple colors. Striped and checked shirtings are always present in interesting variations of color and pattern. Shirts like these are great for making more interesting dress shirts or sport shirts. I highly recommend an order of 6-8 new custom shirts at a minimum each year to add freshness and life to the clothes you already have, and JT Vinson will always have plenty of great options to choose from when it comes to beautiful shirts!

With all of these choices, and a professional planner to help guide you in your personal decision making, you simply cannot do better than J.T. Vinson Clothiers when it comes to looking your best with the utmost conveneience, quality and value added. As a small family owned business, we certainly appreciate your business, and look forward to each and every opportunity we have to serve you. We wish you every success in the new year and beyond!