From The Courtroom To Ballroom

The STITCHED – From The Courtroom To Ballroom

Fashion Jury Decides On Attire

By: Ricci J. Lopez-Hammargren

The intriguing history of courtroom fashion dates back to the 19th century as it set the stage for grand trial attire. In the 1800s, lawyers and justices were required to wear “morning clothes” when appearing before court, and could be chastised for arriving in less than formal garb. In the United Kingdom it was typical to see lawyers wearing embroidered coats, satin waistcoats, silk stockings, swords, and opera hats. As the years edged toward the 20th century, things became slightly less opulent but still saw an array of velvet, single-breasted coats. In nearby Scotland, tartan plaid waistcoats, kilts and shoulder broaches were the traditional norm.

But what is typical in today’s 21st century U.S. courtroom is a far cry from the brilliant attire we saw more than 200 years ago, and all that seems left from that age of grandeur is the time-tested closet workhorse, the suit. Arguably the dressiest formal item a man can own, today’s contemporary suit is far more conservative than days of old. Standard colors are black, grey and navy; the most popular material is basic wool; and the fit leans toward classic. But with so much of an attorney’s wardrobe dominated by this staple garment, it begs a beguiling question: How can you wear your most work-used courtroom suit for more than just the courtroom?

Answer: It’s all about the fit. And, the color. And the accessories. And, and, and….You see, with some thought, your suits—these articles of seemingly boring clothing—can be smartly repurposed for a date night, an awards banquet, bottle service with friends, a wedding, or any day you’re seeking to look more elegant than by donning chinos and a blazer. It can become your wardrobe’s best friend and will never let your look down, provided you do more than pull something off a sale rack (though there can be a time and a place for that, as well).

Here are the most insightful tips I can offer to keep you looking sharp from morning ‘til night; at work, and each day in between…all in your courtroom suiting.

Let The Buyer Beware: Save fast fashion for college kids by shopping at a reputable men’s shop. At STITCHED, the award-winning retailer and haberdashery inside the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (and, yes, where I happen to work and believe in), consumers can acquire both luxury ready-wear suiting and custom suiting thanks to talented in-house stylists, clothiers and master tailors who insist on clients looking and feeling like proper gentlemen. Buying from a knowledgeable store limits the need for alterations since the assumption is that a STITCHED suit will satisfy from its first wearing. That said….

Patience Is A Virtue, So If At First You Don’t Succeed…. As one of the most important elements of a suit, it is painful to see a successful man wearing one that is ill fitting. Keep in mind that when purchasing a ready-to-wear suit, the fit is not always like a proverbial glove. But that is where your professional stylist comes into educate and suggestively sell what is best for you and your body type. Then, the tailor will alter the items to fit accordingly.

What does that mean, exactly?

The suit jacket should fit your shoulders correctly with little or no puckering.
The jacket should be easy to button with some room for comfort.
Your jacket sleeves should fall where your hand and wrist meet.
The lapels should lay flat against your chest
The length of your suit jacket should allow .you to comfortably grasp the bottom with your hands.

Pants need to be tailored, as well. The most common type is the flat-front. (Though we are seeing pleats again on the runways, but those should be saved the sartorial junkies.) The most flattering pants have no pleats, a standard to shorter rise, on-seam pockets, and narrow legs that are slightly tapered at the bottom with plain bottoms. (Insider Intel: Leave phones and wallets out of your front pockets. Less is more.)

Quality Over Quantity. Always. This is another rule of thumb: It is always best to have five stellar suits versus 15 average ones. My recommendation is and will always be to spend a little more for a quality-made suit, because it will stay in your wardrobe for many years to come. And here’s an excellent tip for how you can help make that happen: You should only be dry cleaning your suits two or three times a year. There is a misconception that it should be done more often, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The chemicals and machines will have a negative effect on the fabric, causing fibers to become shiny, and more likely to break down and tear more frequently.

Canvassed or Fused? What Is It? What’s The Difference? Back in the day, suits were made with a full canvas. The suit jacket was constructed with a layer of horsehair underneath the wool that is between the lining and the fabric. The canvassed garment kept its shape, and therefore looked better and lasted longer. Nowadays, designers use the more cost-effective way of constructing a suit by fusing the garment. Fusing means there is an inner lining that is glued to the shell of the wool. The fused garment is known to have a bubbling effect, and over time can be ruined because of the glue spoiling due to improper care (re-read that tip about not going overboard with dry cleaning). Most reputable and luxury fashion designers will design their garments fully canvassed. Although technology has allowed for better fusing, a canvassed garment is the preferred choice. Before buying, you should know what you’re looking at.

Don’t Ignore Your Inner Layer. Word to the wise: Clothing is supposed to fit you, and one of the biggest fashion faux pas for men is the oversize dress shirt. You can easily avoid this by asking your stylist to measure your neck, sleeves and chest. Your dress shirt should fit your neck correctly (and I recommend going up a half-inch to an inch from your skin measurement to allow for comfort and shrinkage). The body of the shirt and the sleeves should fit just right, with a little room for comfort. There is nothing worse than a dress shirt that is too tight.

As for style, opt for shirts that are not just solid. One of the best ways to reinvent a suit is to add a brilliant dress shirt with subtle patterns with color. Don’t be afraid of purple and pink.

Total-Package Takeaway. Accessories are crucial to your suit ensemble. In my book, your suit must always—I repeat: always—have a pocket square. Your pocket square doesn’t always have to make sense, either…meaning, go out on a limb and throw on some paisley, or get wild with polka dots. Whatever you pick, your pocket square shows that you thought about your ensemble and that you pay attention to details. Same goes for lapel pins, lapel flowers, silk knots in your lapel buttonholes, and one or two bracelets…they’re all icing on the cake.

Your shoes and belt should be in the same color spectrum (no brown shoes with a black belt, please and thank you). And, you cannot neglect adding splashy socks to your ensemble that are colorful and boldly patterned. Neckties and bowties are also great additions, too. And during the fall/winter months, add a scarf for warmth and for fashion’s sake. Even in the desert that is Las Vegas.

Back To Basics…Or Not. I haven’t discussed the colors of your suits, but they are in fact of the utmost importance. If you are just building your wardrobe, then navy, black, grey, and chocolate brown are musts. If you are trying to stay more conservative, look for fabrics that have subtle patterns (tonal stripes or microdots are a great start; as are a shadowed windowpane). My overall advice? Keep solid colors to a minimum, because if you want to stand out from the crowd, you cannot do that in a solid black suit. If you insist on solids, reference the accessories section above.

Materials matter, as well: For everyday suits, stick to wools that are in the super 100 to 140 range for optimal use, and save the cashmere for special occasions. (If all of this is new to you, ask your professional stylist to educate you on the different weaves and grades of fabric.) Finally, you cannot forget to own at least one tuxedo in the navy or black family.

Final Thoughts are Made For You I have saved the best advice for last, which is that every man, at least once in his life, has to own a custom suit. The custom suit is a cut above the rest because as the name infers, it is made specifically for your measurements. At STITCHED, up to35 different measurements are taken by a highly skilled and highly educated custom clothier who will also take pictures of you so the tailors can see for whom they are sewing. Your custom-suiting appointment includes a consultation, and an experience in our lounge that was designed specifically for custom appointments (think tufted leather furniture, 72 scotch lockers; million-dollar views of the Las Vegas Strip; limited-edition photography and art) not to mention the thousands of fabrics at your disposal. You become, in essence, your own designer. You choose fabrics, lapel width, thread color, pockets, lining, buttons, and buttonhole color, all with as much or as little help as you’d like. It is a singularly special process.

And when your fully canvassed bespoke garment arrives (typically 4-6 weeks later, with rush options available) not only will you have the best-fitting suit you have ever worn, but you will have made a little history for yourself as you align your modern tastes with the detail that paved the way for the Golden Age of Courtroom Attire. Cheers to that.

Ricci J. Lopez-Hammargren is the general manager at STITCHED at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.