So gentlemen. Whether you need a gift for Dad, are the Dad that needs to be gifted, or are just in the market for some spring threads for yourself we’ve got a treat for you. Right now, we’re offering 15% OFF all custom shirts and gift cards for Father’s Day on June 20th, 2010. Just use this code in the gift certificate field at checkout to receive an instant 15% off: DADDAY2010.

Father’s Day is only a few weeks away, which means if you want a truly unique gift you better move fast! Not only will you be giving a personalized gift, but your Dad can reorder off of the same pattern as many times as he likes to get the perfect fitting shirt every time. Finally, a gift that really DOES keep on giving…

We’ve designed shirts for almost any Dad, whether he’s practical, proud, majorly hip or utterly clueless. Check out our shirt designs and feel free to drop us a line to design a shirt for you and/or your Dad. Or, simply pick Dad up a gift card.

Most of all, enjoy the savings! Happy Father’s Day from indiTailored. 

Hey fellas. I know you must be filling up your spring wardrobe with the essentials (let’s hope). It’s heating up and you can’t just roll up your pant legs, throw on an undershirt, and call it quits. We know you wouldn’t be reading this if you could.

Well, to make sure that doesn’t happen, let me introduce you to indiTailored’s spring style cycle (say it loud and proud), helping you conquer each part of your day with sartorial might.

So here we go, welcome to indiTailored’s new fabrics!

Get Up

You have brunch with friends and you want to look bright eyed and busy tailed without looking like a schmuck. Say hello to our classy checks:

Get Out

You’re going outdoors to catch some rays and enjoy your weekend. Our larger, stripey checks will give you that trendy check look with an interesting texture unlike most checks out there. Great color combinations in bold, masculine checks.

Get Down

If you can’t during your spring/summer, you may be more in need of social life resuscitation than a new shirt. However, if you’re ready to party in a slim and stylish shirt, choose one of these dark beauties:

And this is only the beginning. There are even more new fabrics on our site, so check them out and start designing your custom shirt.

Don’t forget: subscribe to our mailing list if you want dibs on an upcoming discount on any of the fabrics you see here!

courtesy of Aquascutum

Club collars were first popular in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, which means they’re definitely do for (another) comeback. Club collars have round edges and are pretty hard to find nowadays. Thanks to shows like Mad Men, retro fashion trends like club collars have been reemerging.

And why are we fans of club collars, you ask? One word: versatility.

Club collars look good with a skinny tie or sans tie. When worn without the tie they remind me of someone straight out of a Charles Dickens novel (in the best way, of course). Club collars are also particularly sharp when worn with a bow tie.  In addition, club collars can even be pinned or unpinned with a collar clip, which of course is different from the tie clip (thank you Mad Men for also bringing tie clips back). The collar clip, most popular in the 1950s and 1960s, goes underneath the tie and pins the ends of the collar together, lifting the knot in a most elegant way.

Do you think indiTailored should carry club collars? Do you even like club collars? Vote in the poll below:

The blue shirt has, of course, an association with the term “blue collar”, dating back to the 19th century as a descriptor of the working class. Naturally, at the other end of the spectrum, “white collar” workers wouldn’t be caught dead in a blue shirt (probably not a stretch), terrified of being mistaken as a laborer.

Although white collar shirts still maintain a certain level of respectability and class, the blue shirt today is amazingly versatile and can be worn to adorn some of the most sophisticated looks. Thankfully, even though the term “blue collar” is still used, most people can wear a blue shirt without the same classist connotations.

Why, then, do not more men wear them? Aren’t we bored of always wearing white shirts? If you’re an adult male, chances are high that you have a white dress shirt.

Earth to You: the blue shirt is just as versatile (if not more so) than the white shirt, giving a subtle and masculine hint of color to your outfit. Here are some examples of blue shirts I designed (click on any shirt to see more) with suggested looks:

The Spring Blue Shirt:
Pair your blue shirt with khakis, dark wash jeans, or khaki shorts. Roll up your sleeves and leave your top two buttons undone. Feel free to either tuck the shirt in with a belt or leave it untucked.

The Executive Blue Shirt:
Perfectly paired with a black or gray flannel suit, I really encourage more guys to do this. It’s a great way to spice up your typical dark suit and white shirt combo while still maintaining a high level of professionalism and style. Made out of blue herringbone fabric, this shirt offers a unique texture.

By the way, you could easily substitute the “Spring blue shirt” in this snazzier ensemble. Ah, the versatility of the blue shirt. And finally what we’ve all been waiting for…

The Hot Date Blue Shirt:
Pair this with a chocolate corduroy blazer (or another blazer with a medium tone), dark wash blue jeans, and brown loafers. Tuck your blue shirt into your jeans for this look, and leave the top two buttons of the shirt (and all the blazer buttons) undone. 

I designed this shirt with a slim fit, fashionable wide spread collar, and some stylish contrast fabric that will attract the eye underneath your clothes…not bad, eh?

I hope this inspires you to start reinterpreting this underutilized basic. Got to, gents.

So let’s face it: who even considers wearing French cuffs? Aren’t those for fancy weddings and crap? Wait, what even is a French cuff? In case you are wondering, here’s what a French cuff looks like:

For most of us the only time we ever saw French cuffs growing up was while shopping for a tux for, let’s say, a winter formal (we all remember how fun those were). French cuffs quickly became synonymous with the feeling we had in a formal shirt: constricted, tight, and limited.

What you may or may not realize now is that French cuffs actually give you more freedom than barrel cuffs, not less. How, you ask?

1. French cuffs are roomier. While barrel cuffs fit closely to your wrist, French cuffs are free and never pinch.
2. French cuffs are more versatile. You can accessorize your French cuffs with knots or cufflinks instead of always being stuck with the same old button.
3. French cuffs are the epitome of class. Sure, you can wear them out to a less formal occasion and look fly. Go nuts. However, if you ever feel that your shirt isn’t formal enough, a French cuff shirt will always do the trick. French cuffs are the most sophisticated cuffs around, so they are great to have on hand when you need to look formal fast.

Whether they are hanging in your closet or in the back of your mind, take those French cuffs out (or design a French cuff shirt yourself) and show them off more frequently. Not only is it stylish to wear them in the US, but French cuff shirts are a quotidian style in other parts of the world. For example, in the UK, French cuffs are called Double cuffs because they are such a familiar, everyday style.

Or, if you need a more domestic example, take it from Joe Biden. Just look at how excited he is about them…

Courtesy of dreamdogsart.typepad.com

Ah, at last. A liberating cuff. In the words of a brave Scottish warrior, “FREEEEDOM!”

So I cheated.

But only a little bit…

In efforts to get some of our indiDenim customers to design custom shirts as a Valentine’s Day gift for their special somebody’s, I told them about this great discount first. Ok, sue me.

So in case you haven’t heard, until February 14th indiTailored is giving you 10% off of all of our custom shirts. In fact, I’ve even included some style advice right here (which can also be found in our design vault) for great evening looks with your Valentine that I designed. Take a look:

                                               
              Let’s Hear It For the Boy 

Here’s a great casual yet trendy look. Made from one of our finest Italian cottons, this shirt will give you subtle style.
                                                                                                         
   
              Oh My Man I Love Him So

If you’re going out for a romantic dinner out, this shirt is for you. With a white executive collar that compliments the colored vertical stripes that elongate your body, you’ll appear distinguished, slim, and stylish.
                                                       
   
                      My Lovely Valentine 

And if you’re more eccentric (or want to be), I would recommend this lavender color. There’s nothing more fashion-forward and masculine than rocking a color like lavender, and with the matching contrast collar and cuffs you’ll definitely get noticed.

So try out one of the shirts I designed or design your own. Either way, you get 10% off by using this code at checkout: indiLove.

Yes, the name is corny. But if I’m afforded one corny moment a year, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time. Keep that in mind for the special day, eh?

Enjoy the savings!

Last Thursday, indiTailored was featured on Kurt the CyberGuy, which means that 15 million people across the country watching Tribune affiliate stations (FOX, CW, ABC, and MyNetworkTV) were enlightened. That’s right. They learned all about indiTailored.

For all you who missed the monumental event, never fear.

You can watch the video again and again and again by pushing that handy little play button below.

The segment might not be *quite* as amusing as Reporter Turns Ghetto in 3 Seconds or Charlie the Unicorn, but few things really are. So let us have our few seconds of fame in peace!

...

Now that we’re done, feel free to go back to Greg Rutter’s List. That should keep you entertained for at least a few more hours.

Okay, when do you end up shopping? Middle of the day Wednesday? Nope, not if you’re employed. (And actually probably not if you’re unemployed - whose spending cash on clothes then, right?) If you’re independently wealthy or a trustafarian, maybe. But if you are, this post is not for you. Frankly, if you are, I hold some resentments toward you that may or may not be justified, nonetheless, they exist, and might alter my judgment as it relates to weekday shopping.)

But, back to the point. When do we shop? We shop on the freaking weekend. The weekend! This is playing, partying,working-out,project-finishing, oil-changing, long-riding, hangover-recovering, lounging, general debauchery, catching up, hiding-out, trekking, angle-working, girl-watching, bird-watching (maybe not), fishing, hunting, surfing, boarding, car-washing, rock-climbing, cow-tipping, snake-catching, river-rafting, bungee-jumping, go hard weekend!! Oh, did I mention the game? What game? Who cares what game, there’s a game. Right now it’s baseball, or Nascar, Wimbledon if you’re into tennis, or the Strongest Man competition, or maybe one of those eating contests, or, yes please, MMA reruns. But who really cares what the game is. There is a game. Or .... you could go shopping. See the point? There’s always something better to do.

What about a custom dress shirt? Talk about a time-muncher! Go to the tailor. Get groped and measured by said tailor, who is probably not Giselle Bundchen’s hotter older sister. Leave with nothing. Come back the next weekend (oh the pain,please make it stop) and pick up your shirt. Hand over some cash. Walk out with one custom dress shirt, and many lost, never-to-be-recovered, weekend hours. (Oh god, my arms are going numb.) Well, how about this: visit indiTailored Custom Dress Shirts, configure your shirt, answer some questions about your body (nothing private, that’s a different web site).Done. Shirt comes to your address a few weeks later. Good to go. Lost weekend hours? Zero. Zero. Zero. Want more? Cool, log in at indiTailored, modify your previous order (don’t go through the whole process again, completely skip the measurement questions), and bammo. Done again! More weekend hours saved. Okay, I’m done shilling. But for the sake of the weekend and all its beauty, think about what you can do to save it for yourself, you never know what you might be missing.

Okay, so where to start. I could go high school report outline here on you and start with roman number I point a, subpoint ii, etc. But I might lose some (all?) of you. I could just go off an a crazy person rant with no regard for clarity, elucidation or persuasiveness. But no, let’s just lay it out.

First, we feel stupid shopping. Yes, stupid. What do most men do for a living? Do they specialize in clothing, style, fashion, color schemes, fabric weight, accessorizing, flattering styles for body shapes? No and no and no. Going shopping means you are expected to know something about all of these things. We know very little about any of them, except perhaps the following, not necessarily in this order: (1)Brett Favre wears Wranglers; (2)MMA fighters wear crazy-looking, pattern-covered Afflication T-shirts; (3)Baggy is a safer choice if all else fails.

Okay, fish out of water, right? So there we are surrounded by thousands of clothing options and clothing experts. Ah, the experts. The sales people. They too, contribute to making men feel like idiots when clothes shopping. It’s not necessarily their fault, though it can be. You have three types here, at least in my narrow-blog view: (1)Attractive, (maybe really, really,really hot attractive), maybe too-much makeup sales girl; (2)Flamingly gay and intimidating because he dresses so well and makes you look like a sloppy schlub, sales guy; (2) Straight, metrosexual guy who’s probably making it with the attractive sales girl, who makes you uncomfortable because you don’t like talking about clothes with straight dudes, sales guy. (Oh that reminds me, men generally never, ever talk about clothes with other men. There are exceptions, in this order: (1)Uniforms (military, sports); (2)Shoes (boots, sports [basketball, football, running, golf]);(3)Hats (baseball, beanie, profane); (4)T-shirts (see hats)); Ever go into an arena where you know nothing, surrounded by people who know more than you and then you’re asked “What can I help you with?” (Don’t answer college, or wedding planning, or your back-packing trip to Hungary) Not fun. You feel stupid. Here’s how it goes:

Man: “Uh, I was looking for dress shirt.”
Sales Person: “Okay, what style”
Man: Staring blankly at the racks and racks of clothes, feeling the sweat glands open up, preparing to unload, speech complicated by a large cotton-gum ball in mouth area, looking like a bull-moose carefully navigating its way out of a cat show, “Maybe something like this” pointing to the nearest thing that looks reasonable, just to give an answer and the end gut-wrenching awkwardness of the moment.
Sales Person: “Great. Do you know your dress shirt size”
Man: “Uh, I think a medium?”
Sales Person: (thinking that you are probably mentally disabled or under the influence, but hoping maybe you have lots of money, will explain dress shirt sizing [neck and sleeve] and if you’re lucky, gently guide you into a reasonable purchase that won’t embarrass you later in life (like the next day).

To be continued…

Cotton.  It’s the fabric of our lives.  Right? 

But type “men’s cotton dress shirts” into Google (the search engine of our lives) and you’ll get everything from Gap to Kohl’s to Men’s Wearhouse.  Where does a guy begin to define his personal style with a classic shirt staple like cotton?  Well, we stress three key areas to focus on: the best fabric, the best fit, and, of course, the ease of buying experience….Yep.  You guessed it.  indiTailored custom dress shirts has got all of your bases covered.

Our superior twill, dobby, textured, pinpoint and herringbone cotton shirts are all hand selected by our custom shirt designers for their outstanding performance in comfort and quality.  On top of it all, being 100% cotton makes our dress shirts machine-washable,  meaning that they are not only perfectly tailored to your body, but are also durable enough to withstand trip after trip to the hamper, wash, and back again. 

Whether you’re retiring an old cotton dress shirt model that has worn and torn its way through the last ten years or your most recent cotton dress shirt purchase is just not cutting it in terms of style, keep reading. Your cotton dress shirt from indiTailored is sure to outshine all the other cotton dress shirts that came before it.

At indi, you don’t have to wade through piles and piles of merchandise before you find something that fits, or something you like, or something your girlfriend won’t “mistakenly” throw out.  Just enter your measurements along with your preferences for style and fit, and then let us take care of the rest!  Finding a great shirt at indiTailored is so easy.  It’s almost too easy…  See for yourself!

Well, you knew this was coming. No more sleeveless tees in the office. Same for the old reliable college sweatshirt with the weird bleach spots near the neck. Fleece pullover? Nope. (Fleece pullover, really?) Vest?  Well, no one wears vests at work, forget that one. Anyway, in the well-entrenched tradition of media overreacting to a single story to draw wildly unjustified conclusions, we say here right now, that there is a vast flood of dress code enforcement under way in this great country of ours. You will soon be forced to have a closet stocked up with a least two weeks’ worth of clean, crisp, well-fitted dress shirts, or risk the wrath of the ever-vigilant Eye in the Sky. No, it’s true. In a school district in Texas (the Lone-Star State of all places):

“A letter was sent out enforcing the dress code, which became effective immediately a few weeks ago. All Ysleta district teachers and staff are required to dress professionally.”
Dress Shirts Dress Code

So, unless you choose a suicidal frontal assault against the unyielding power of Big Brother, we would recommend that you turn this oncoming crackdown into something positive. In other words, make it look goodI Check out indi Tailored’s new gallery for some ideas. Go casual, luxury, black, white, pastel, whatever. It’s all there. Buttondown collars and barrel cuffs. French cuffs and spread collars. White French cuffs and white spread collars. Executive collars and mitered cuffs. One, two, three button collars. Buttondown collars, not buttondown collars. Solids, checks (large and small), stripes. My brain is starting to hurt! It’s endless I tell you, endless!  You can run circles around The Man with your creativity and inventiveness. You will foil Big Brother’s attempts to control you by flexing your dress shirt muscles, until perhaps, one day, he gives up, and you can pull out that old sweatshirt again. (Wow, that was liberating.) Now go out and do what you have to do! Word.

You’re ready to buy your fitted dress shirt and you made it to inditailored.com.  Now what?  Start, first, with a good idea of what you want to DO in the shirt.  Once you’ve determined the function, then fit is the next most obvious step, and the finishing touches are all style.

So, just add the three F’s to your little black book of letters along with T and A:
1.  Function
2.  Fit
3.  Fashion

If you need a fitted dress shirt that still allows you to flow freely through your day (golf course, work, golf course, dinner, golf course), go with the Classic cut.  This will allow for a little more room through the arms, shoulders, and waist for that sweeping swing of yours (don’t forget to keep your head down and watch out for sweat stains). 

If you want a fitted dress shirt that is just for the office, travel, court, a night out with the ladies, etc.  The perfect business affairs shirt for the hot bod has got to be Tailored.  indi Tailored shirts still allow for movement, but also give you some shrug room in the shoulders for when the boss asks “Does my wife look fat in those jeans?” 

Alright, on to fit…
We know that your girlfriend and your mom are both experts in what looks good on you…  wink wink.  But we’ve been doing this for a long time.  The wonderful thing about shopping for a fitted dress shirt at indi is that our custom design allows you to just leave this to the experts.  Tell us about your build and we’ll build you the best fitting dress shirt available for your body type.

When choosing the fashion statement that you want to make with your fitted dress shirt, we’re here to help, but you’re going to be in the driver seat for this segment.  The fashion of your fitted dress shirt depends on the details.  At indi you choose your fabric, cuff, collar, pocket, and placket styles.  If you need a little direction, check out our favorite styles. 

The glory of indi is that you can do all this for a great price.  You can personalize the function, fit and fashion of your fitted dress shirt all starting at around 80 bucks.

French cuff shirts with contrast collars ooze power and precision.  As symbols of the straight-talking no-nonsense casino owners and big business tycoons of the old school business world, French cuff shirts have taken on a reputation over the years for the stuffy, uptight type.

The old rule goes, if the occasion is formal enough to wear a suit (vs. just a jacket) then it is also formal enough to wear French cuffs.  However, men everywhere are doing their part to downplay the uptown elegance of the contrast collar and cuff look by following these simple style suggestions.

1.  For casual Friday, pair a blue and white vertical striped French cuff shirt with a deep v-neck cardigan (watch out because this one is a babe magnet for end-of-the-work-week drinks).

2.  One word: denim.  Take your best pair of dark denim jeans (like your custom jeans from indiDenim.com), and instead of putting on some dank t-shirt to match, top em’ off with your pimpest French cuff contrast collar shirt. A dark color for the body of the shirt is the key to achieving the proper contrast with the white collar. The whole ensemble will frame your face even in the dimmest lit of all after hour hangouts.  This combination is a must have for the shy-guy come hither act in clubs across the country.

3.  For a casual day outing, a regular old run of the mill pair of khakis can go a long way with a contrast collar shirt.  Wear flip flops. Pack a picnic.  Unbutton that top button and leave the rest for someone else to do.

Don’t take our word for it.  Investigate what your own French cuff shirt will do for you by flipping through our shirt designer. 

Do you have military-like line of white dress shirts in your closet? All lined up in formation ready for battle, unwavering in their dedication, and reliability? Of course. These are the tools of the trade, your base armor for the workday challenges.  The weekend comes, or the night out after work and you discharge that white dress shirt like an infected blanket. Understandably. Let’s resurrect the dress shirt in a new form: casual-cool. Give it some color, some alternative collars, loosen up the buttons, have a good time. Think a monogram is the ultimate party-killer, representing corporate formality? Well, think again, those initials could help you to remember who you are if things get a little out of hand later.

So can you do this by schlepping around your favorite department store? Maybe, if you’re up for buying 5 different shirts, taking them home, and mixing their various parts together like Dr. Frankenstein with a sewing machine. Up for that? Naw, didn’t think so. This is why custom dress shirts are logical, right, and, well, just.