Custom-made shirts offers many options for fabric, fit, and styles

Some things just make sense. So it makes complete sense that Tina Adams and Rebecca Thompson are offering custom made shirts for their male and female customers.  For those of you that have used the Closet Girls, as we fondly call Tina and Rebecca, their message is consistent: 1) Invest your dollars wisely in the basics. 2) Purchase clothes that fit properly.  3) Avoid empty trends which can be costly.   In many ways, they are telling woman to shop more like a man.  If you think about it, most men purchase only the best shoes, have their shirts custom tailored and limit the fads to a minimum.  I can’t think of the last time my husband showed up in say, a pair of cropped pants. Have I mentioned before I hate cropped pants?  Men usually do purchase classic, timeless clothing.  Yes, they do spend more, but in the long run they actually get more for their investment.

Tina and Rebecca now offer custom classic button down shirts with over 30 collar choices, 10 cuff styles and hundred of fabrics (over 300 selections from European Mills).  This is a nice addition to the services they are currently providing.

I booked my fitting a couple of weeks ago as I needed a classic white shirt to compliment my wardrobe. What interested me in their shirts is the versatility and quality of the shirt.  Sometimes I want to wear a white shirt out with jeans or in a more formal way with a skirt  Once you are measured for a shirt, they have the template so it is easy to re-order.   The woman who measured me is from Custom Shirtmakers  LTD. During my session, she took about 20 measurements.  Every decision you make regarding length of shirt, type of collar, style of placket and back allow you to factor in your body type along the way. For the difficult to fit, i.e. long arms,  short torso, wide girth, large chest etc, custom-made shirts allow you a tailored look with no additional snaps, buttons or accouterments.

With precision measurements, each shirt fits perfectly

One of the things I love most about the company they have selected to work with, Custom Shirtmakers, is that they are based in Lafayette, Tennessee. Having spent some time in Lafayette in a past life, they need the work!  The more I read about our trade imbalance with China, the more I am all for the concept of buy American.  Custom Shirtmakers is the largest employer in Lafayette, TN and takes pride in the work they produce.   The factory touts high standards, happy employees and top-notch quality standards.  After seeing the selection and quality of their shirts, I can vouch for their workmanship.

Tina and Rebecca have made arrangements with the Custom Shirtmakers to allow customers to choose from different fabrics, not being limited to what Custom Shirtmakers has in stock. With the assistance of Textile fabrics, they have found gorgeous silks, taffeta, and other fabrics to add to the company’s already HUGE selections of fabrics.   Find a great fabric and try the ladies western wear shirt.  Believe it or not, the western motif offers sophistication with a casual look at the same time.

Tina Adams in denim western style shirt

The shirt cost vary based on your specific order, but Tina and Rebecca are offering the following savings:

Men.  They are so hard to shop for. You can’t just pick up some jewelry or lip gloss.  On top of that, when most men see something they really want, they just BUY it.  We women sometimes do, but we are far savvier about playing the gift card.  Liza: Hmmmm, I’ll pass on that today, but I’ll be sure to tell Jay that I would love that under the tree….  Jay: That is too cool.  It’s a gadget.  I think I’ll buy it. I’d ask if you pitied me trying to find a gift each year except I know most of you are in the same boat.  So, here’s my list.  Consider it good for fathers, boyfriends and brothers as well.  I included all prices ranges.

BTW- that’s our theme this week: Lists of Gifts. Look for our Mother in Law top 10 and then Top 5’s on Wednesday for Girlfriends, Teachers, and Hostess gifts.

1) Patagonia Cashmere Hoody.  Decadent, soft, warm.  Perfect to wear to work, for drinks, or on the weekend.  Never pretentious and always dead-on perfect. He won’t buy this for himself, but he’ll wonder what he ever did without it.  $300.  Available in dark and light grey.  Buy a sweater fuzz razor to go with it to always keep it looking sharp.  Patagonia has great jackets and sweaters in the $100 range as well.

2) Shaving Set. Sometimes our modernization of a routine actually is for the worse.  Point in case: a man’s shave.  Once upon a time, men took the time to lather up with a badger bristle brush, some good shaving cream and then shave with a great blade.  If your man takes the time to try this old fashioned way of shaving again, I’ve been told he will be hooked– especially in the low humidity winter months when men are often plagued with dry chapped facial skin.  What better company to fit this need than Truefitt and Hill, est in 1805. So, tell you guy he needs some badger on his face and present him with this gift: the 1805 set for $130.  Other starter kits start as low as $69.  The samples for $9 on the website make great stocking stuffers.  For personal help and testimony to the power of the great shave, go buy yours at J Michaels 2525 West End Ave, 2nd floor.

3) Potato Cannon. What’s that you say?  Don’t know of the mighty potato cannon?  Neither did I until I married my man from Alabama and ever since, I have had a spectator seat watching all sorts of grown men turn into little boys when given the opportunity to launch a potato a couple hundred yards with the aid of some engineered PVC pipe.  To make your own basic model, the materials will cost you about $35 and much grief will follow.  You can surprise your guy with a classic standard potato cannon for just $55.  Clark Shell, owner of NeoSpud and recent graduate from Wake Forest has become a potato cannon guru.  I know he must be on some FBI watch list as his creations are oddly like the gadgets of the main bad dude from No Country for Old Men.  Seriously, you might get scared when you look at his website.  But all these “weapons” are for spuds and paintballs, nothing else.  His cannons make my husband belly laugh like nothing else.  Did I mention that some of his creations can be hooked up to propane tanks to get a huge launch?  I really feel like “You are so Nashville if you….have a farm to invite your friends to.”  If that is you, or you have a big back yard, get your guy a potato cannon and watch his face light up wondering if Santa Claus really does exist.  Basic Potato Cannons can be ordered by Dec 20th for Christmas.  More involved and pricey cannons- you know the really cool ones- need to be ordered by Dec 13th.  Contact Clark through his NeoSpud website or email him at sales@neospud.com

4) Hatch Show Print:  Known for hand-carved letter press posters, Hatch also has original pieces of art know as Mono-Prints.  I love these.  Guys seems to react even stronger to Hatch than women do.  I’m not sure why, but I think it’s all the hand carved bits to the letter press that intrigues them so much.  These mono-prints start at $110 and go as high as $1650.  You can get a good idea of what these look like online, but a trip down to Hatch, on lower Broad, will really show you their glory.

26"x40" $650.

5) Vinturi Wine Aerator: $39.95.  Never time to decant your wine? “Vinturi’s patent pending design speeds up this process with ease and convenience. Perfect aeration in the time it takes to pour a glass.  Pour your just opened bottle of wine through this into your glass and it will automatically decant the wine.”  Pretty cool, huh?  Adding a nifty patent pending gadget to wine drinking; what’s not to love?  Available online or at both Bed, Bath and Beyond and at J Michaels Clothiers.

6) Orvis double old fashioned crystal rocks glasses.  A great glass with substance.  I bet most of your plates and glasses are in your home because you love them.  Give him something that is inspired by him, but that you will also love $69.

7) Gift certificate to REI (Brentwood) or Abernathy Road (2nd Avenue).  Money to spend at these two stores will have your guy happy as can be.  Trust us.  $50, $150 $250.  He will be happy and it will get used before the New Year is upon us! www.rei.com

Stock Car racing. Not just a spectator sport.  How about giving him the gift of being able to DRIVE a real stock car for 8 laps at Atlanta Motor Speedway?  Just $355.  If that is too much, he can go shotgun for 3 laps at 150 miles per hour for just $135.   Click here to find out more.

9) Dots gloves: women can be fashionably chic with fingerless gloves, but that look doesn’t do so well for most guys.  Let your guy enjoy a Titans game in Jan while still being able to stay connected to his iphone: dots gloves.  Cool Technology for a low price.  $25.  A great stocking stuffer at least. They are almost all sold out, but if your guy can wear a Medium, order today as I’m not sure if they will be around tomorrow!

10) Gift Certificate for Tina Adams and Rebecca Thompson to come clean out his side of the closet and pare it down.  Include money for 2 or 4 custom shirts and he will be set.  I know– closets……will he be happy to get this?  I bought this for my husband for Father’s Day and he was like “Um, OK.”  But, when they left he was thrilled and thankful.  With the exception of the Big Green Egg (ok, the only reason the BGE did not make this list is because I was trying to keep costs down and those are pricey!) the closet clean out was probably top dog in past gifts.  See this older post of ours for details about the service.  Custom shirts start at $150 + fabric but when bought in packs of 4, you get a $15 discount per shirt.

Sometimes the dress code on an invitation does give you pause.

For example, the first time I saw the phrase “snappy casual” on an invite, I thought, “OK, when did Ken and Barbie take over the party circuit?”  Another somewhat perplexing invitation arrived with this challenge: Garden Cocktail in early Fall.

WHAT does one wear to a Fall (but it still feels like summer) garden cocktail party?

The party I’m referring to is the Whitland Home Tour’s Patron Party.  In fact, one of the organizers of this party emailed me saying, “Lots of folks are asking me what to we wear.  What would you tell them because I’m not sure?”  My friend Leigh always says, “Don’t make me think about it; just tell me what to wear.“   There’s an ounce of wisdom in that thought as no one likes to arrive at a party too over-the-top or worse, way too under-dressed.

Since StyleBlueprint has never met a dress challenge we didn’t love, but also know to call when we need some assistance, we decided to enlist our friends, the Closet Gals (as Liza and I affectionately refer to them).  The Closet Gals are the dynamic duo wardrobe stylists Tina Adams and Rebecca Thompson.

Here are the stats on the party:

What:  Whitland Home Tour Patron’s Garden Party

Where:  The Caplenor Residence, 219 Bowling Avenue

When:  Friday, September 25th at 6:30PM

Chair: Doug Lesky

Attire:  Garden Cocktail

We decided it would make sense to go to United Apparel Liquidators, or UAL,  since it is a couple of blocks from the neighborhood and the manager, Holly, is incredible.  She’s friendly, resourceful and loves fashion. I first met Holly when I brought in my daughter to look for a dress to wear to a bar mitzvah.  About 10 dresses later, we found a fantastic, age appropriate, purple and fuchsia silk dress.

Tina and Rebecca met me at the store and we began pulling possible outfits out in a flurry.  Each one of their outfit choices addresses many of their tried and true cardinal rules for the perfect outfit.  I even pulled out a pair of ankle strap shoes and they both shook their heads “NO!”  Ankle strap shoes cut off the legs leaving you with the oh-so terrible stumpy look.  Yikes!  I had on a pair of ankle strap sandals at the time, but they graciously said the sandals passed the meddle because the straps were low on my ankle. Whew….

Take a look… Here are the outfits:

Tina especially loves this look because the satin allows a dressy look but one that is still light. And, let’s face it, ruffles are fun and feminine.  The blouse is by Sophia Eugene for $49.99 and the pants by Ms. Davenport for $62.99. Paired with incredible chandelier earrings and a this pair of dreamy brown velvet pumps (Jacqueline Schanabel, $113.99) the outfit allows for a sophistication and subtlety that meets the challenge.

Knowing UAL store manager Holly had great taste, I asked her to put together an outfit of her own for a fictional FALL garden party.  She went right to a gorgeous purple cocktail dress by Michael Kors at $328.99 reduced from $1095.99.  Together with the 3 metal bangle bracelets for $9.99 each and a fab cocktail ring by Kendra Scott for $36.99, you’re off to the races, er, I mean gardens!  This outfit may entice one of you to throw a last minute garden gala considering none of us have ever seen our gardens and grass looking so lush in Fall.

The details on the back makes the vest

Mark your calendars this weekend:

The Whitland Avenue Home Tour

September 26-27th

Saturday 1-4PM

Sunday 1-4PM

Tickets available for purchase at any of the featured homes.

www.whitland.org

And, my home, Elizabeth’s, is on the tour!

Fashions provided by:

United Apparel Liquidators

2918 West End Avenue

Nashville, TN

340-9999