Dress For Your Role

Casual – A Cornucopia of Choice

How Should Your Clothing Fit? The Jacket

You want a Contemporary, Slim Fit suit but you are unsure of how it’s supposed to look or feel? Here are some clues from our corporate 101 seminar.

Something Cool We Saw Online: Som Sabadell Flashmob

I've been watching this again and again I love it so much. It's a beautiful
antidote to all that's wrong with the world today. The message of the performance is that we are all brothers.

I share you this link. Please watch it. I hope it will fill you with the
same joy that it has filled me.

Leo

How To: Sweatproof Your Clothes

As larger, hairier, more muscular beings than women, men tend to sweat a lot more. While women don’t (usually) have to consider this bodily process in relation to their wardrobe, for many men, sweat and body odor is more than an unpleasant sensation -- it can actually ruin clothes. What’s the point of shelling out big bucks for a dress shirt you love if it’s going to be stained with sweat a month later?

Luckily, we’re here to help you learn how to sweatproof your clothes just as temperatures are starting to rise so that you can go ahead and buy that shirt you had your eye on.

Begin with a good, heavy-duty antiperspirant during the summer months. If you don’t like the idea of a commercial antiperspirant, use a rock crystal, which is available at most health or natural food stores. Rock crystals naturally protect against bacteria and, therefore, neutralize odor from sweat. It is effective for up to 24 hours and the sticks last forever. You can also apply rock crystal sticks to any part of your body that tends to sweat a lot.

For more advice on how to sweatproof your clothes and keep yourself looking (and smelling) clean in the months ahead, read on.

Consider specially formulated products

If you sweat more than most people, consider products designed to combat this problem. These grooming products include sweat block pads, which are cloths that have been presoaked in industrial-strength antiperspirant. Once every seven days, apply these pads to your underarms to help prevent sweating. Alternately, or in case the sweat block pads don’t completely do the trick, get a hold of some underarm sweat pads. These have a sticky side that adheres to your skin, forming a physical barrier between your sweat and clothing.

Choose the right shoes

In attempting to sweatproof your clothes, don’t wear canvas shoes as these will make your feet sweat like crazy and your shoes smell like you live in a swamp. Instead, wear leather shoes or sandals if you can, as they breathe more and, therefore, decrease foot sweat and body odor. Once you’ve purchased appropriate footwear, you’ll also need to treat them properly. Consider slipping a moisture-absorbing insole into your shoes to further reduce bacteria and odor.

Try to rotate your shoes as well so that you’re not wearing the same pair everyday. Doing so gives your shoes a chance to air out, as long as you don’t bury them in the bottom of your gym bag or closet that is. Although you should avoid wearing the same shoes day after day, do change your socks daily to avoid contracting a fungal infection that thrives in moist, sweaty and bacteria-ridden conditions. Lastly, every now and again, give the inside of your shoes a quick spray with a shoe deodorizer or use an OTC foot powder to help absorb sweat.

Soak your clothes

If you sweat a lot during the day, learn how to wash your own shirts. Soak your dress shirt in extremely cold water as soon as you get home, and apply a stain remover to the armpits. One trick to really get stains out is to turn your shirt inside out and apply the stain remover to the inside of your shirt. This works better than applying a stain-removing product to the outside of your shirt because you’re trying to lift the stain out of the fabric, not rub it further into the fibers. Leave the product on for a few minutes and launder your shirt as soon as possible, or at least rinse it in ice cold water again. If your shirt is white, bleach it every now and again or, alternately, throw in a teaspoon of cream of tartar (available in the baking aisle at your grocery store) with your regular laundry detergent to help keep your whites white.

Wear moisture-wicking undershirts

Although it might sound crazy to be layering when it’s hot out, smart layering can actually help sweatproof your clothes and reduce the not-so-fun effects of sweating. Your best bet is to layer a sports undershirt underneath a T-shirt. When you have no option but to wear a dress shirt, choose a sports undershirt in a solid color that won’t be too noticeable. Sports clothes are specifically designed to wick moisture away from your body and they also dry off quickly so you’ll never feel like you’re soaking in sweat. As well, many sports shirts incorporate mesh, meaning that your skin will breathe better, and they’re often treated to be antimicrobial, so it’s harder for odor-forming bacteria to build up on your body.

Remove excess body hair

Think about it: Your antiperspirant needs to come in contact with your skin in order to effectively protect against body odor and control sweating. This is a problem when your armpit hair becomes exceedingly long and, as a consequence, acts as an obstacle between the product and your skin. Take control by maintaining your body hair. We're not suggesting to join your wife at her next bikini wax appointment, but a little trimming goes a long way.

Choose natural-fiber clothing and wear light colors

On particularly hot days, go for fabrics like cotton, silk or linen instead of polyester or other synthetics and blended fabrics. Natural fibers allow your skin to breathe more, meaning you’ll sweat less. When the mercury really rises, even if you plan to wear cotton or linen, pick featherlight pieces and choose shirts that are slightly larger than the size you usually wear to encourage air circulation and sweat evaporation. When it comes to colors, white or pale pastels will deflect more of the sun’s rays, so you’ll feel the heat less in these softer shades.

no sweat!

Sweating is a natural process and it’s hard to stop this bodily function entirely. However, if it bothers you or you feel like perfectly decent clothes are being ruined because of it, implementing a few of these tips should go a long way to helping you keep your cool all summer long.

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How To: Pack For A Business Trip

Unlike personal travel when you can pack haphazardly at the last minute if need be, business travel involves more consideration -- after all, your aim is to look as polished and presentable as possible while keeping your luggage light. Here we discuss what to pack for a three-day business trip, beginning with the key wardrobe pieces every man needs to be prepared for any event and always look great.

Each piece represents a modern classic, meaning it will look just as good five years from now as it does today, provided you purchase it in a neutral color. Once you've learned how to make one look work in a multitude of ways, review our pro packing tips to find out how you can fit everything into one carry-on and avoid checking your baggage. Finally, print out our handy packing checklist or bookmark this page so that you'll never be at a loss for what to bring on a business trip again.

Day 1

The first day of a business trip normally entails hitting the ground running with meetings to attend and colleagues and clients to impress. Particularly if you're meeting a client (or prospective client) for the first time, this day is the most crucial in terms of how you dress. For a day that starts with a morning flight and progresses to an afternoon presentation, don a slim-cut, neutral-hued, two-button suit with a crisp blue button-down and a pair of dress shoes, accessorized with a classic watch. At this point, forgo the tie as you may feel uncomfortable if your skin tends to swell on planes. Once you get to your hotel, however, add your tie and you're ready for action.

Day 2

With first impressions and deal-making presentations out of the way, you can concentrate more on relaxing on day two of your trip. For a casual business day, go for a contemporary look by pairing your pla blue dress shirt with ultra-dark rinse, trouser-cut jeans and some sleek running shoes. Alternatively, swap your dress shirt for a polo in the summer or layer over a V-neck sweater or cardigan during colder months. For an evening networking cocktail event, head back to your hotel and switch your jeans for your suit pants and your sneakers for dress shoes, throwing on your dress shirt, too, if you're not already wearing it. Finally, cap off the evening with a dip in the hotel pool, being sure to rinse off your swimming trunks when you're done as they can double as workout clothes in the morning.

Day 3

By morning your swimsuit should be dry, so put it on to go work up a sweat in the hotel gym. When packing your suitcase for your homeward journey, use one of the extra plastic bags you should have on hand to store your dirty gym clothes. If your flight is later in the day, you'll probably spend a half day at the office before being dropped off at the airport, so you need to dress in a way that's office-appropriate but also comfortable enough for the plane. A smart, casual ensemble consisting of your jeans, blue dress shirt, suit jacket, and dress shoes or sneakers is the perfect combo for the day. Consider adding a tie to your outfit if your office dress code tends toward the formal side.

Travel Tips

Packing everything into one bag and getting it there wrinkle-free is the business traveler's greatest challenge. Before you begin packing, assess what you plan to wear when you fly. Chances are it will be your suit as you'll likely have a meeting to attend once you land. Aside from being convenient, wearing your suit on the plane is also a good idea because, along with your dress shoes, it's relatively bulky and heavy, which means that wearing it will clear up valuable space in your carry-on. To make further room in your carry-on, place any other shoes you're taking as well as belts along the outer edge of your suitcase. Place your underwear and tie in a plastic bag then stuff them into your shoes along with your socks, small electronic devices, and a few additional plastic bags.

Your shoes should also be in a resealable bag to ensure they don't transfer dirt to your clothing. Next, the bottom of your bag should be lined with your softest garments or those that don't wrinkle easily, such as T-shirts and jeans. Roll these garments rather than folding them to minimize wrinkling. Any items that need to be hung should be protected in garment or dry-cleaner bags and placed near the top of your suitcase. When it comes to your grooming kit, remember that all liquids and gels must be in small bottles to comply with airline rules. Store grooming products in a bag with a capacity of no more than one liter and place them in an easy-access zip pocket. Finally, infuse your bag with a freshly laundered scent and keep it odor-free by interspersing a few sheets of fabric softener here and there throughout your luggage.

pack for a business trip like a pro

To take the hassle out of what to bring on a business trip, refer to this final checklist for exactly what to pack:

-Two-button suit in navy or gray
-Pale Blue dress shirt
-Silk tie
-Dress shoes: black or brown oxfords
-Dark jeans
-Watch
-Swimsuit
-Carryall
-Casual top: polo in summer, sweater in winter
-Sleek sneakers
-T-shirt for gym
-Exercise shoes
-Leather belt
-Underwear: three pairs
-Socks: three pairs
-Grooming kit containing toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hairstyling products, shampoo, deodorant, cologne, razor, shaving cream, comb or brush, condoms
-Electronics: MP3 player/iPod, cell phone and charger, laptop, camera, adapter for international travel
-Other: pens, business cards

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Hot-weather clothing priorities: Deliberate Style

The trouble with most summer outfits is that they are products of necessity, not style. You throw on shorts and a T-shirt so that you don't overheat, not because they look good.

Looking stylish in the summer is as much about small, deliberate gestures as it is anything else. Khakis and a white shirt are comfortable, but you might look like a low-level IT staffer.
When you make a summer outfit you need to be thinking about the colors, patterns, textures, and accessories all together. The difference between stylish and just functional could be as small as a different belt or the right pocket square. But if you don't take the time to make that small difference you just look like one more overheated office guy.

JACK VICTOR Navy Blazer