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| Michael Ferrera measures Jason Lewis for a custom, tailor made suit. Ferrera says that the advantages of a custom made suit over a suit off of the rack are endless. To set up an appointment with Ferrera, visit his website at www.michaelferrera.com, or call his office at (951) 515-9237
Photo by Jeff Lewis (www.jefflewisphotography.com) |
When did Los Angeles become so casual? Look at vintage photographs from the first half of the 1900s and you'll see men in suits, ties, and fedora hats and women in their best dresses. But today casual dress Friday at work has turned into casual dress Saturday night on the town.
Both men and women have become too casual, but men seem to be the worst. Designer jeans have taken the place of a nice pair of slacks, and baseball caps with the sticker still on the bill have taken the place of the fedora. Under dressing has become acceptable in this city.
What ever happened to male elegance? Women put on dresses and high heels, but far too many men are dressing down. Designer blue jeans? Blues jeans were originally made for hard labor workers. Cowboys wore them while working on the range because of the tough materials jeans are made out of. Jeans are comfortable, and certainly do work well in casual environments, but there is nothing elegant about wearing workers pants while trying to look your best.
Prince Charles of England was recently named the best-dressed man in the world. He beat out President Barack Obama. Those two men are always in suits. So men, it's time to go suit shopping.
Most men will take a trip down to their local department store, which is a good place to start. You can get a lot of bang for your buck there, and come out looking fresh and clean. But if you want to look exceptional, you will want to look into getting a tailored made, custom suit.
"A lot of men do not know to get their suits tailored made here in Los Angeles because this city is so casual," said Michael Ferrera, owner of Michael Ferrera Custom Clothing.
You will almost always catch Ferrera sporting a fine suit.
"A suit says a lot about a man," Ferrera said. "It says that he is organized and it speaks about how he carries himself. And it gives a man the opportunity to show a woman that he is well put together."
Ferrera has seen that the casual lifestyle of Los Angeles has crept into the business office.
"LA is casual because of the beaches and all the fun stuff that we have here in California," Ferrera said. "A lot of people carry that over into their business. A suit just gives a better image."
Ferrera always sports a custom suit, and believes the advantages to one over a suit bought off of the rack are endless.
"The look and the feel are much better," Ferrera said. "Nobody is the same, so our clothing should not be. An extra large is made to fit everybody, but nobody individually. Custom clothing looks a lot better, it feels a lot better, and it will last a lot longer."
Ferrera says that there is no wasted material because the clothes are molded to your body. There is no material hanging over the side, which looks sloppy and can snag easily, ripping clothes. Clothes made to your body will be a lot more comfortable, which will make your deal a lot easier.
The look of a custom suit is a lot better because it will fit you just right.
Ferrera makes the process as easy as can be. You do not have to battle traffic or drive way out to be fitted by him. He will come to you. You make an appointment with him and he will come to your office or your home. He will measure you, show you different designs and materials, and then he will custom make your suit. He also custom makes shirts as well, and he can stitch your name right into the cuff. He makes ties and is in the process having custom hand made shoes available.
Whether you chose to go with a custom suit, or you pick one up off the rack, it is a much better look than wearing designer jeans while out with a lady on the town. Women put in a lot of effort to look their best. We can too. And women will appreciate it a lot more.
Neva Netherly points said that if she spotted a man wearing a nice suit next to a man wearing designer jeans and a trendy shirt, she'd be initially more interested in the man with the suit. She said that her first thought would be that the man in the suit has a job (which is really important), and that he knows how to put himself together. She said that he would appear more interesting.
Netherly also pointed out that LA is so casual that she feels that a lot of men do not even own a suit. She said that a man owning a suit is like a woman owning a little black dress. It's something that should be including in everybody's wardrobe.
Even if you feel the urge to be a little more casual, slacks and a button up dress shirt with a collar can work very well. Much better than the jeans and baseball cap look.
Suits can be expensive, especially in these tough economic times. If you can afford it, go with a tailor like Ferrera. It's worth the money, and people will notice. But if you are working on a budget, looks around. You can find some great deals out there.
(If you have any tips on the finer things in life feel free to contact Jason Lewis at [email protected] or at www.jlewisphotos.com)
