top to bottom: sky poplin, blue quattro, black calfskin
“Lately, I've been putting holes in the elbows of my sport jackets after owning them for not particularly long. I think I've diagnosed that it's from resting my elbows on the arms of my office chair while I work. It happens more with linen and hopsack, which makes sense, but I have a relatively new tweed jacket that is also wearing thin in the elbow. I just noticed an elbow hole in my favorite jacket and it put me over the edge! Am I doing something wrong? Do I have particularly bony elbows? Should I be taking my jacket off when I sit down to work? Should I have more jackets in my closet and wear them less frequently? I want to wear my favorites all the time! Thanks, Sam”
Sounds like you're working hard! Seriously, though, you're not doing anything wrong. Historically this was a thing for guys who spend a lot of time talking on the phone, as in an office phone with a cord — I've heard it called "broker's elbow." To me, it's a bit of a badge of honor.
To mitigate this for the future, you're on the right track… I'd take your jacket off when you're sitting in your office chair. Keep a wooden hanger nearby so you can hang it up vs. just draping it over your chair. I wouldn't go straight to buying more jackets, although you don't want to wear any one jacket more than two times a week. Maybe three if it's a really heavy-duty basic. (I get it, though, I wanna wear my favorites all the time, too.)
Elbow patches are gonna be your answer for the jackets that have already crossed to the other side. Any tailor can put these on for you. I particularly like suede for elbow patches but that tends towards fallishness, so I'd save this for your colder-weather jackets. For dressier coats, you want the patches to be super discreet, either a self patch (meaning the same fabric of the jacket itself) or something in a complementing color. If you feel like sending me some pictures, I can make some recommendations. Good luck.
“Sid, I went to Ole Miss with you. I noticed that when you wear a tie, you never tuck the short end into the loop on the back. (You always leave the short end hanging free.) I am sure you have a good reason for this but what is it? Thanks! Jim”
Jim, if you remember me from school, I never was all that put together anyway. I haven't changed. You are right that I usually skip the keeper loop. It just feels better to me. I don't look at myself in the mirror when I tie my tie, so it's a little imperfect.
If I were in a more buttoned-up office, or somewhere super formal, I might approach it differently and tuck it in. Because all our ties have the loops… that should tell you something. There's a reason it's there. I just choose not to use it most of the time. I wear a tie 6.5 days a week and I like the way it feels hanging loose.
“I dress formally (suits/blazer + slacks) at least 5 days a week. I generally buy off the rack but always rip the crotch after a year or so of use. The result of a decade of this has resulted in many suit jackets without pants. I can't get myself to throw them out. I have a strong/thick frame. Generally I buy size 38 or 40 pants and have the waist taken in. Is there a cut of slacks that I need to focus on? Such as pleated or double pleated. Any other advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks, JP”
JP, what you're doing already (sizing up and taking in the waist) is a pretty good plan.
The cut of the pants shouldn't matter here. Get pleats if you like them, flat-front if you don't. What you do want to be focusing on is the material: concentrate on places that sell clothes in high-quality fabrics. (I know a place.) High-quality doesn't necessarily mean expensive, by the way… ask your sales associate what the fabric construction is. You'll want 2ply/2ply (2 plies twisted together in both the warp and the weft) which gives a stronger, more durable, and longer-lasting material. High-twist wool would be great as it's particularly resilient.
Also, next time you get a suit, I'd buy a spare pair of pants from the get-go. We often recommend this for guys with MTM — the pants take the brunt of your wear, so it's smart to get a backup. We sell a lot of dress trousers in the same material as our basic suiting for this reason. The idea is to rotate them out from the start to give them a break between wears, not to keep the second pair waiting in the wings until the first ones wear through. You can wear the same suit two or even three times a week this way. Let me know how it goes.
“My eldest son, Jack, is getting married this November. The event is black-tie. My question is specifically about the tuxedo cummerbund. From my observation, it seems cummerbunds have been 'phased out'! I always thought a tuxedo was derived from military dress and that included a cummerbund (or vest). Is wearing one today 'dating' my look? - Brock”
No, it's not dating you, but it is adding girth to your midsection that you may not need. No shade to the cummerbund, but I prefer to go without. That's why we don't sell them. It's just one less piece to worry about. But for black-tie, and especially this occasion, you should wear whatever makes you feel elegant and celebratory. Congratulations to Jack (and to you!)
“Hey Sid. Just bought a beautiful little colonial in Garden City, New York. As charming as it is, my closet space is minimal. Any advice? All the best, John”
Congratulations, man. My wife has cousins in Garden City and it is a beautiful place. There are lots of people on the internet who can give you clever space-saving hacks, but I'll tell you what I've done over the years… I've had a lot of tight closets. Double-hang your jackets and suits in the off season (two to a hanger), but make sure they're on wide-bodied hangers so they don't get too squashed. This makes an especially big difference with fall pieces, which are bulkier. You can trade them out when the season turns and make an afternoon of it. Same idea with sweaters, which you can store way up high in months when you don't need access to them (maybe you've got some room in those cabinets above the oven, or under the bed?)
If hanging space is very limited, you can store your shirts folded and stack them up. Your local dry cleaner can do a great job of this. When I take my shirts to the cleaners, I ask for half folded and half hanging (and light starch on all) because it splits the spaces I need (my closet space isn't huge, either). They're totally wearable when you unfold them. This is also great for traveling because they fit nicely in a suitcase.
Lastly… this sounds like a great excuse to keep a tight edit. Give away the things you're not wearing frequently, or just loan them out to a friend for a season or two. Someone in your life will be very happy with a hand-me-down.
“What is your routine for maintaining your beard? Do you go to a beard trimmer salon (if such is the case, and how often) or do you trim your beard yourself and how often? What process do you follow or any recommendations you can provide so it looks natural and at the same time business casual? Many thanks! - Jorge”
I wish I had a better answer for you. No special salon; I just get it trimmed by the same guy who cuts my hair — which isn't that often, every few months or so — and then Ann trims it at home with scissors as needed. She's not a professional, but she's the one who looks at it the most. The scissors aren't fancy, it's just whatever's handy. As far as styling goes… I don't like it when it looks super sculpted, with sharp edges, but that's just me. Some guys look good like that. I like it to look natural, as you said, but neat. Not too wild. When it starts to get in the way of your mouth when you're talking, or when it starts to impede with eating or drinking… that's when it's time to cut it back. But I've only kept a beard for the last ten-ish years, so I'm not an expert by any means. Thank you for asking and good luck.
