Style Guide - 5ième Avenue

Posted on 8 June 20208 June 2020 by 5ième Avenue — Leave a comment

The Proper Sleeve Length

Why the proper sleeve length for shirts and suits matters

In this article we will be discussing the proper sleeve length regarding your shirts and suits.

Formalwear trends today favour slim and well fitting clothing. Part of the aesthetic of this style is that your clothing fits you right. Whether you realize it or not, your sleeve length sends out very strong visual cues. Your sleeve length is a visible indicator as to whether your clothing fits you properly or not.

Shirt sleeves that are too long will make your shirt look like it is too big for you, even if it is form fitting. If your shirt sleeve is short, your shirt will look small. The same holds true for a suit or blazer.

However, when a shirt is paired with a suit, the effects of incorrect sleeve lengths are greatly amplified.

By not paying attention to the proper sleeve length for your formal clothes, you can easily ruin the overall look of your outfit. No matter how much you paid for your suit or shirt, your sleeve lengths can make or break your look.

The Right Sleeve Length For Shirts

We will start with dress shirt sleeve length because it can have a larger impact on your outfit than that of your suit.

Most dress shirts are made to come in standardized sleeve lengths. The lengths are usually measured in inches and are denoted in pairs. For example, a shirt will be advertised as having 31/32 inch sleeve lengths. What this means is that if your sleeve length is anywhere between 31 and 32 inches, the sleeve length will fit you correctly.

Sleeve lengths can vary greatly from each person. Ready-to-wear dress shirts usually use an average of weight and height to calculate their measurements. To add variety, many brands will offer different variations for each size, but this may still be limiting. Some people are outside of the averages and may have to turn to custom clothing. An example of someone like this would be a person who wears a size small but has a 36/37 sleeve length. What this tells us is that this person is skinny and has long arms. Typically, a person who wears a small would need a shorter sleeve length.

How is it supposed to fit?

Now that you have had a small introduction to shirt sleeve lengths, we will discuss what you should be looking for.

It is fairly easy to see whether a shirt’s sleeves are too long or short for you once you try it. However, once you get closer to the “sweet spot” it can get a little more difficult.

Ideally, you want your shirt cuff to reach just above the beginning of your hand. There is a small space between the bone of your wrist and the start of the base of your hand. This is where you want your sleeve to reach you when your arm is at rest.

shirt sleeve length — The ideal sleeve length.

When your shirt sleeve is at this length, it will not climb up too high when you raise your arms. As well, it will not hide any watch or accessories you are wearing. Most importantly, however, it will not hang down too low when you are wearing a suit or blazer.

How to measure your sleeve length: Shirts

Measuring your sleeve length is a lot easier than you may think. It can be done on your own or with a partner. A measuring tape is required.

The first method relies on you already owning a shirt that fits your properly and can be done solo.

For this method you need to lay said shirt flat with the back of the shirt facing your and the arms laid flat. Place your measuring tape at the centre of shirt, just under the collar. Measure the distance across to the tip of the shoulder. Hold the tape in place at that spot and measure the rest of the length down to the end of the cuff of your shirt. The number you get at the end of the cuff is your sleeve length.

If you don’t yet own a shirt that fits you the way you like, you can have someone measure you up.

Stand straight with your elbows slightly bent. It is important that they are bent in order to take into consideration any extra slack needed for you to be able to move. Have someone place the measuring tape at the nape of your neck. You should feel a large bone of your spine at that spot, indicating you are properly centred. From there, run the tape along to the edge of your shoulder. The person measuring should place a finger at that spot to hold the tape in place. Continue to run the tape down your arm and around your elbow, all the way down to the “sweet spot” we discussed earlier. The measurement you get is the sleeve length you should be looking for.

For those readers who are more visual, you can check out this video by the Tailor Store.

The Right Sleeve Length for Suits

Identifying the right length for a suit will rely on you having the proper length on for your shirt.

If you are going for a modern look, your suit sleeve should be 1/4″ to 1/2″(maximum) shorter than your shirt sleeve. This is done so that you can see your shirt sleeve while you are standing straight or at rest. Following this idea, if your suit sleeve is longer than your shirt, you know it is too long. If your suit is more than a 1/2″ shorter than your sleeves, then they are too short. Keep in mind that it is normal that when you raise your arms, your sleeves will lift. If you stay within the proper dimensions, you should not have a problem.

However, if you are not trying to go for this look, then the proper length for your suit sleeve is one that reaches the base of your hand and completely covers your sleeve.

How to measure your sleeve length: Suits.

The only time you would need to know the sleeve length of your suit is if you are inputting measurements for a remote made to measure suit. In most cases, when you buy a suit, the store will offer to tailor it. Or, you have it altered by someone else who takes the measurement for you.

If you need to know the actual measurement of your arm length for a suit, you can simply use the same methods discussed above. Although, keep in mind that you should subtract the necessary amount in order to have your shirt sleeve stick out a little.

We hope this article was informative and that it helped you out!

Feel free to contact us or come see us in store if you have any questions!

Posted on 31 May 202031 May 2020 by 5ième Avenue

Different Shirt Collar Types

In this article we will explore some the different shirt collar types and the different ways they can be worn.

There are many different shirt collar types or styles and each is unique in its own way. It is important to know about these differences because they will compliment certain face shapes and the kind of tie you can wear.

The main differences between each shirt collar type is typically the size and the spread. Going into more detail, other variances will include stiffness and height.

When buying ready-to-wear dress shirts, the main factors you will be considering are spread and size. The reason is because these two aspects are pretty much standardized towards current style trends.

SIZE

When we talk about the size of a collar, what is generally meant is the “wideness” of the actual collar. The size of a collar is referred to as either small, medium or large. Some may confuse collar size with collar height, which is completely normal because the two are relate. However, the main difference is that height refers to how high the collar will sit on your neck. Again, size refers to how large the actual collar is.

Current trends favour medium sized collars because it is an all-purpose size. A medium sized collar is great for business or formal events. A smaller collar size is typically used for more casual shirt styles.

The main indicator on which collar size is ideal for you is your face shape. Larger faces will be better suited by larger collar sizes and smaller faces will be better complimented by smaller collar sizes.

SPREAD

When examining the different types of shirt collars, spread is often taken into consideration.

Collar spread can be simply referred to as the spread between your collar points. The range from narrow to extra-wide. The spread of your collar also plays a role in complimenting your face shape. If you have a narrow face, a narrow spread will make your head appear longer and more narrow. A wide spread will make a rounder face appear more wide. Therefore, it is ideal to choose a spread opposite to your face shape in order to properly compliment your head’s proportions.

Different Collar Types

The Spread Collar

This type of collar can be separated into two categories: The Simple Spread, or The Cutaway.

We’ll start with the simple spread.

light blue dress shirt 5ieme avenue — *Spread Collar*

The main thing to notice here is that the collar points are spread wide apart from each other. Spread collars have gained popularity because they are ideal for wider ties and knots such as the half and full windsor. A spread collar will also pair perfectly with a tie made of a thick material such as wool or cotton. The reason the collar is spread is because larger and thicker ties need and extra amount of space to keep the strings of your tie hidden.

The Cutaway Collar is often grouped with the Spread Collar but typically, a cutaway collar is much more spread.

DressLikeA — Proper Cloth - smart online mtm-shirts — *Cutaway Collar*

As can be seen in the image above, the cutaway collar is much more spread than a typical spread collar shirt. The cutaway collar is very Italian in style and will almost always show the the tie strings. It is ideally paired with a larger knot, although many men will wear it with a simple knot, which is still acceptable. Men who wear this collar style with a simple knot are usually trying to go for a more “rebellious”, or “indifferent” look.

Spread collars are great for business; however, cutaway collars can come across as more aggressive and may not be ideal for work.

The Band Collar

The band collar, sometimes referred to as a Mandarin Collar, is worn almost exclusively for casual purposes. If it is ever worn with a suit or sport jacket, it is to convey a style of trying without trying.

shirt collar types - 5ieme — *Band Collar*

Shirts with this type of collar are great to pair with a casual, everyday look. They are usually made of cotton or other light fabric to help achieve this look.

The Button Down Collar

Dress shirts are sometimes referred to as button down shirts. After reading this article, you will know that this term may not be properly identifying the shirt you are looking for.

A button down collar sports button holes on the collar points to keep the collar down. Historically, this type of collar was meant to be worn casually; however, in formalwear culture it has become more dressy when paired with a tie.

shirt collar types — *Button Down Collar*

Button down collars may also come with an additional flap under the collar point that is meant to hide the buttons. This feature is meant for men who enjoy the concept of button down, but want a more formal look.

The Point Collar

The Point Collar is the universal collar style for dress shirts. Like the spread collar there are different types in which it can be categorized. The differences lie in the collar length, so for simplicity’s sake we will cover the general point collar on its own.

Point collars are generally spread very narrow and look great with slim cut suits and for business occasions. A point collar tie is also worn very well with a slim tie and a simple knot.

solid white dress shirt - types of shirt collar — *Point Collar with a narrow spread.*

The different types of shirt collars covered in this article are what you are most likely to encounter. However, the menswear world is vast and there are many more variations. We hope this guide helped you out!

Posted on 12 July 201718 May 2020 by 5ième Avenue — Leave a comment

Two Must Know Knots

Before tying a tie

To many men, tying a tie seems to be something complex usually left to mom or wifey (is there even a difference between the two?).

For even more men, tying a tie can be such a chore that once it has been tied, they will simply leave it so. Unfortunately, there is no scientific research to explicitly prove that keeping a tie knotted is bad. However, there is general consensus among tie aficionados that doing so can ruin the tie’s shape. As well, leaving a tie knotted can shorten its lifespan, especially if it is made of silk. By keeping a tie knotted, you are increasing amount of wrinkles in the tie each time you loosen and tighten it, making it look worn out, like yesterday’s boxers.

Like a well made suit, a tie is meant to be hanged so the material can rest. Here you will find simple steps and videos to tying the most basic knots that every man should know.

Tying a tie :The Simple Knot

We’ll start things off easy with what is known as the simple knot, or the four-in-hand, as you can see here:

Four in Hand Knot, or the “simple knot”

The first step is to put the tie around your neck (duh!).

For demonstrative purposes, make sure the thicker part of the tie hangs over your left side, and the thinner side on the right.

The wider side should be hanging lower than the narrow side. A difference of about twelve inches is common.

Take the thicker side and cross it over the thinner side towards the right and loop it behind and around the thinner side. The larger part should cross over the smaller tongue like when you first crossed it over before the loop.

simpleknothowto

After, slide the thicker part of the tie up into the space of the loop between your neck and barely-shaped knot. You can see this process in the third illustration from the left.

You have correctly completed the last step if the thick part of the tie can hang just above your belt. In other words, the thicker side of your tie should be able to completely cover the knot and your shirt buttons.

Hold the front end of the knot a bit so it is somewhat loose. From there, carefully slide in the thicker part of the tie into the hole at the top. Finally, gently pull tie through to tighten it and close the knot.

If that was too complicated, you can check out this easy video by YouTube user tiehole.

Why tie a simple knot?

The simple knot is only looped around once and only from one side. This is what gives it its asymmetrical look. This kind of knot is ideal for skinny ties and small collared shirts. Paired with a slim suit, a simple knot is ideal for any business or professional wear.

Although it is very stylish, we do not recommend using this kind of knot for a formal event. The exception would be if you wore it with a spread collar dress shirt.

Tying a tie: The Windsor

Begin the process of tying this tie knot by placing the wider end of the tie over your left side and the narrow end of the right. Because this kind of knot is meant to be large, you need to make sure the wider end hangs significantly lower than the narrow end. If you do not get the proper distancing, the narrow part of your tie will be too long.

Cross the thicker end of the tie over the narrow end towards the right.

Pull the wider end up through the loop between your tie and neck and hang it over towards the right, as you can see in step 2 in the image above. Make sure the back of the tie is facing away from you when you are putting it through the loop.

Place the wide end behind the narrow end, pulling it towards your left side.

Pull the tie back up into the loop and pull it around as you just did in the step before the last, as seen in steps 5 and 6. As a result, the back of the tie should be facing away from you by the end of this step.

In the next step, you will wrap the wider part of the tie over the narrow part towards the right.

Slide it up through the neck loop one more time, repeating step 2 on the opposite side. With the back of the tie facing away from you, gently bring the thick end of the tie through the knot.

Pull at the knot carefully to tighten it, and there you have a Full Windsor!

The finished product should look like this:

windsor-knot

**Pro-tip: The Full Windsor knot has what it takes to be considered a power tie.

Here you can see a video by YouTube user tiehole on how to tie a full windsor knot:

Why tie a Windsor knot?

The Windsor knot is the daddy of tie knots.

Also known as a Double Windsor or Full Windsor, its kind of like the bigger brother of the Half-Windsor.

Both the full and half Windsor are meant to appear symmetrical in relation to your collar. The only main difference between the two types of knots is that the Half-Windsor looks better with skinnier ties and slimmer men because the knot will end up smaller. The Full Windsor knot is larger and is better suited for ties that have a thicker material, spread collared shirts and larger men. Both knots are essentially tied the same way, with some small differences in the process.

The resulting knots are both perfect for professional or formal occasions. If you are wearing a tie on your wedding day, or for a big presentation at work, the Windsor or Half-Windsor should be your knot of choice.

As well, not many knots can brag about having an origin story. The Full Windsor is believed to have been invented by King Edward VIII, a.k.a the Duke of Windsor. In another version, the Windsor is a copy of the way King Edward’s dad used to knot his ties. You can read about the mysterious history of this knot and the men believed to have created it here.

But wait! There’s more!

We hope this guide was able to help you. However, when it comes to tying a tie, there are endless options and things to take into consideration.

Vizoni Uomo offers a great guide on how to make sure you’re wearing your tie properly! As well, they have an amazing guide on tie care.

If these universal-must-know-knots are too basic for you, click here to learn some more complex knots.

Posted on 12 July 201720 May 2020 by 5ième Avenue — Leave a comment

What Tie to Wear for a Job Interview

How to dress for a job interview: Your tie

In this article we are going to focus on the importance of ties in job interviews. When considering how to dress for a job interview, your tie can have a big impact on the overall interaction.

One of the most stressful things about a job interview is thinking about what to wear. More specifically, which of your many ties is the most appropriate?

Of course, there are job interviews that would never require you to wear a tie, but then you wouldn’t be here in the first place. If the job you are interviewing for requires any degree of professionalism, then wearing a tie should come as completely obvious to you; even if you wouldn’t actually be required to wear one on the job.

Why you should wear a tie to an interview

Sometimes when figuring out how to dress for a job interview, the importance of wearing a tie can be overlooked. The reason you should wear a tie to a job interview is because it conveys a certain sense of professionalism. This is a particularly excellent attribute to portray when making a first impression.

Now you may be thinking, “But, a tie is for a paper pushers, I need to stand out.”

Going to an interview with a naked neck signals to the interviewer one of two things:

You didn’t care enough to get properly dressed, which shows you may not care about actually getting the job.
That you didn’t take the time to find a suitable tie, which can be seen as lazy or related to a poor work ethic.

Open Door Seinfeld GIF by HULU - Find & Share on GIPHY — Another way you may appear to an interviewer.

As mentioned earlier, some jobs may not actually require you to wear a tie while at the office or on site. However, it is still very important that you make a good first impression.

Now lets get into the details.

Size of the tie

Slimmer ties are what is in style today. A slim tie matches well with a slim cut suit and can really compliment your overall look. There is a difference, however, between a slim tie, and a skinny tie. A slim tie refers to any tie with a maximum width of 2 to 3 inches. A skinny tie refers to a tie with a width of about 1 to 2 inches.

Whichever style you choose, the total width (the largest point of the tie) should range between 1.5 to 3 inches.

Although vintage is always in, please resist to grab one of your dad’s older ties if its width is larger than 3 inches. A larger tie is highly unlikely to properly match your suit. Even if it has a very nice pattern. If you are wearing a modern cut suit, the proportions will be all wrong.

Briefly put, your tie width should match the width of you lapel. You can read more about tie proportions in this informative article.

If your prospective work environment is more laid back, you may want to consider wearing a skinny tie. A skinny tie can show that you don’t take yourself too seriously, but that you still handle yourself professionally. However, it must be said that skinny ties are typically better suited on men with a slimmer frame.

If you’re still not sure about which type of tie to choose: Wear a what we’ve described as a slim tie. Something between 2 to 3 inches.

Colour

We’ll give you the tldr here: stick with anything blue or red to be on the safe side. Read on to learn what these and other colours convey!

Whether you believe it or not, there are many studies that support the fact that the colour of your tie. These studies examine the effects on how you are perceived by those around you based on the colour of your tie. Some studies even suggest that your tie’s colour can actually subconsciously influence people.

One of the main reasons you should wear a blue tie is because it conveys intelligence and trustworthiness. Essentially, a blue tie makes people feel like they can connect and depend on you.

Red, on the other hand, does not convey trustworthiness. However, people will instead perceive you as ambitious, passionate and strong. Red ties can also symbolize power. You should be aware that a red tie may subliminally intimidate people. So when figuring out how to dress for a job interview, you may want to consider toning it down. This can easily be achieved by going with a darker shade of, or even burgundy.

Burgundy is a magnificent colour that you can wear year round and is very easy to match. A solid burgundy tie can match very well with a charcoal grey or dark blue suit. Your red tie can also be toned down with a pattern.

Purple represents wealth and royalty, as well as teal. So unless you are related to the Queen of England, avoid these colors for an interview if you can. That is not to say it cannot be done. It is just harder to find the right match tone for one of these colours.

A yellow tie will tell your interviewer that you are creative and very happy. These are pretty good qualities to communicate during an interview, but a solid yellow tie will not provide you with an aura of professionalism. Try instead to have a yellow tie with blue or red patterns, or vice versa.

In Conclusion

We hope this article was of help to you. If there are any other colours that you would like some a second opinion on, don’t hesitate to reach out!

You can also come visit us in store should you ever need more in depth assistance. We are always happy to answer any questions and give you a hand!

P.S. We didn’t mention black ties for a reason. If you’re thinking about a black tie, just don’t. You’re not going to a wedding, the Oscars or a funeral. You’re going to get a job, don’t look weird.