543 Magazine

Category: Style and Beauty

  • How to sew on a button

    How to sew on a button

    button

    If you were to look at an American household in the nineteenth century —- let’s say, 1850 — and compare it with the same household of today, there would be many similarities. Oh sure, you’d have to first take out all the electronic gadgets — remove the TV’s, the microwaves, all the handheld gizmos that we walk around with — until you have the base.

    So you here you have two families. A modern one and one from 1850. In both you have beds to sleep on. You have a place to cook, a place to get warm and a place to wash ourselves and wash clothing. There is a method to light the home, a manner to get water, a table to eat on and there are modes of transportation.

    And now that you have the base, there will be one thing missing.

    The modern home will have garbage cans — many garbage cans in various rooms and outside — along with a method to have these cans emptied weekly. The 1850 home will not.

    So what did the people of 1850 do with their garbage?

    Simple. Nothing. Because there was no garbage.

    Food scraps were fed to animals or placed in a compose pile. And there were no milk cartons or takeout containers to get rid of because they didn’t exist. If there were the occasional tin cans of food items they were often reused or repurposed and clothes were simply recycled. When a shirt was outgrown it was handed down, used as a rag, or stripped for quilting.

    Today, each person in the US creates 1,500 pounds of municipal waste a year that will go to a landfill — that’s all our soda cups, plastic bags and takeout containers — and clothing.

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    Yup clothing. Today, only 15% of all clothing goes to thrift stores, used clothing outlets or are recycled. 85% ends up in landfills.

    As a country, we no longer reuse or hand down clothing as we did only a generation before. We throw it away. And one of the most common reasons to throw an article of clothing away, is because of a missing button.

    In our throw-it-away-and-buy-a-new-one culture we will actually throw away a shirt if there is one missing button on it — even though the shirt will have three spare buttons sewn in the tail only a few inches away.

    As a man, something as seemingly unimportant as sewing on a button is kind of a big deal. It’s one of the seemingly insignificant events that add a little bit of control back into our lives.

    Sewing a button is extremely easy and small sewing kits can be found in any Dollar Tree in the country — so you don’t need to worry about buying your mother’s flowery sewing box.

    SEWING A BUTTON:

    1. Choose the button and choose the color thread that matches.

    2. Thread the needle. This will take a steady hand, but push the end of the thread through the eye of the needle.

    3. For a button, take out about 16 inches of thread — I know it seems like a lot, but you’ll want that extra length to work with — cut the thread and tie a knot in the end. So now you have a threaded needle.

    4. Place the button where you want it

    5. From the back of the cloth, press the needle through the cloth and the first hole of the button. Pull the thread all the way through tightly.

    6. Now place the needle through the button on the outside of the cloth and back down in. You are now creating your stitch.

    7. Repeat in an X pattern. So the thread is crossing the holes of the button and back on to the cloth.

    8. On the final stitch, push the needle through the button and material and make several small knots on the back of the cloth.

    9. Cut the excess thread.

     

    Done.

  • How to tie a bow tie

    How to tie a bow tie

    tie

    Somewhere during the 1990’s a change occurred on the landscape of American business. For hundreds of years, business men — doctors, salesmen, accountants, hotel clerks — all woke up in the morning and put on a dress shirt, jacket, tie and headed out for the day. The business suit — or at least the dress shirt and tie — were the staple of American business and had been for two hundred years.

    Then the hi-tech world exploded. With software companies, engineering firms and hardware designers starting up, many of these had extremely loose dress codes. In fact, the recruiting pitch was often, good salary, stock options and you can wear jeans and a t-shirt to work.

    In order to attract the same technical talent, larger firms began to relax their dress requirements in specific departments, allowing their engineering, IT and technical people to wear chinos and golf shirts. But now a paradox was forming. Because the salesmen of these companies were wearing the traditional shirt and tie, but their customers — the engineers, the software designers, the technical supervisors — were all wearing polo shirts, there was a rift. Before this, the salesman was always seen as a problem solver, a team mate, one of us. But now, just from the act of wearing a shirt and tie, he stuck out. He was an outsider. So sales departments began to match their dress codes to their customers.

    And from this, business casual was born.

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    Now there are very few industries — outside of banking, law and politics — where the entire industry is required to wear a shirt and tie. There are a small number of individual companies that still do, but not many. Which means that men who would have normally had a closet full of dress shirts and neckties, now have a closet full of golf pants and dress shirts. Which also means that when the occasional wedding, Christmas party, Easter service or graduation comes up, there is less formal wear to quickly choose from.

    Many men purchase what they call their wedding and funeral suit. Often a dark blue suit — black suits are too formal for anything other than a funeral —  white shirt and a few ties. This is pulled out when needed and then placed back in the closet until the next time.

    Which brings us to the bow tie.

    The aspect of the bow tie is that on those formal occasions when you need to wear a tie, you don’t need to wear a bow tie. You choose to wear a bow tie. Sometimes a tie is required but a bow tie — with the exception of it being part of a tuxedo — is always a choice.

    A bow tie is that classic, standout, in your face formal attire that will always atract attention. Which is why it is only for those men who have the sand to wear one. You will be noticed and you will be seen.

    And don’t think that the clip-on or a wrap around bow tie counts. It doesn’t. If you’re going to wear a clip on bow tie then just wear a traditional tie instead. Because you’ve just taken all the class out of it. The only reason to wear a clip on bow tie is because you don’t know how to tie one.

    But now you will.

    HOW TO TIE A BOW TIE.

    The first thing you’ll need is the tie itself. Bow ties are pretty rare at department store men’s departments anymore, but you can find them at specialized men’s formal shops and they are all over the internet.

    The top of the line for high quality bowties is The Brooks Brothers website — although these are very pricey, with each tie being just over $50.00 each. A much more reasonable selection can be found on a website called the-perfect-necktie.com. They have a great selection and each bow tie is around $12.00.

    So tying the bowtie is not a complicated thing and is one of those skills where a diagram makes it easier than a video. I’ve looked at many videos and diagrams for tying a bow tie and by far the best one that I’ve seen is from Jasper at folds.net who gave me permission to use it here. What’s great about this one is that not only is it very easy to follow, but it is designed to be taped to a mirror so you can practice.

    Using this diagram you’ll be able to tie a bowtie in minutes. Then keep the diagram. Because like any other skill, you’ll only be as good as how often you use it.

    http://www.folds.net/bowtie/

     

  • The return of business non-casual

    The return of business non-casual

    casual

    In the 1990’s, the stodgy American business world created a weekly event called Casual Friday.

    Casual Friday began on the West Coast and was an  innovative idea that was pretty simple; one day a week — a Friday — employees could leave their business attire at home and come to work casually. Now, casual in some offices meant khaki’s and a polo shirt where in another office this would include jeans and t-shirts.

    When Casual Friday first began, it was an instant hit. Employers noticed there was higher productivity, more comradery and a general lifting of office morale — and employees actually seemed more comfortable.

    As the same time that this trend began to gain popularity, the landscape of American business began to change. Certain hi-tech companies began to adapt business casual as there everyday dress code. And as these hi-tech companies began to dominate the economic stage, spin offs and start ups began — all with this new business casual approach to their dress code. The idea of wearing jeans and sneakers was now the sign that a company was edgy and creative.

    So in order to attract the same technical talent, larger hi-tech firms began to relax their dress requirements, allowing their engineering, IT and other technical people to wear chinos and golf shirts. But now a paradox was forming.

    Because the salesmen to these companies were wearing the traditional shirt and tie, but their customers — the engineers, the software designers, the technical supervisors — were all wearing polo shirts and jeans, there was a gap. Before this, the salesman was always seen as a problem solver; one of us. But now, just from the act of wearing a shirt and tie, he stuck out. He was an outsider. So sales departments began to match their dress codes to their customers.

    And from this, business casual was born.

    Because before this, business men — doctors, salesmen, accountants, hotel clerks — all woke up in the morning and put on a dress shirt, jacket, tie. The business suit — or at least the dress shirt and tie — had been the staple of American business since the 1800’s. But then the business dress code changed.

    But now the landscape is changing once again. After almost two decades of business casual, there is a trend now to bump that up a notch. The idea of a dress shirt with a jacket, a shirt with a tie, a pair of suit pants instead of chinos, is rising fast with many American men: opting to dress a little higher than mere business casual.

    And the Men’s apparel industry has noticed and have catered to this trend with what is called Business Separates. Now khakis and a button down shirt can be highlighted with a separate colored blazer. A tie and a vest will be worn or dress pants and dress shoes will be worn instead of chinos and penny loafers.

    The full blown grey suit and tie are no longer the norm in American business. But the bar is now being raised from the dark days of the ’90’s to something — different.

  • How to smoke a cigar

    How to smoke a cigar

    cigar

    In 1492, during the famed Christopher Columbus expedition, there was a young crewman on board by the name of Rodrigo de Jerez. Now, Rodrigo sailed on The Santa Maria and is not a well known historical figure — not nearly as famous as Columbus — but it was actually Jerez who was not only responsible for discovering tobacco but was also it’s first documented addict.

    Take that, Columbus.

    In October of 1492, Jerez and his crew landed in what is now the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas and when they arrived the natives of the island brought the explorers gifts — pottery, fish, berries as well as bundles of a dried leaf that the natives burned for fragrance. The crew took the gifts, but quickly discarded the leaves as they saw no use for them.

    A month later — November of that same year — Jerez noticed the natives were smoking these very leaves. They would take the leaves and pack them tightly inside of palms, light the ends and suck in the smoke. Jerez was amazed at this and later described the act as; drinking in the smoke.

    Jerez tried smoking. He liked it.

    When Rodrigo de Jerez returned to Spain — this time on The Nina — he brought his new habit and a large supply of tobacco with him. This supply was soon in huge demand as Jerez introduced many of his friends and neighbors to smoking tobacco.

    Everything went well for Jerez — for a while — until many of his neighbors became concerned. After all, everyone knew that only The Devil could breath smoke. This opinion was also shared by members of The Spanish Inquisition — who were very active at the time and were not known for their tolerance of new things.

    Rodrigo de Jerez was arrested and held in prison for questioning.

    His questioning lasted seven years.

    HOW TO SMOKE A CIGAR:

    Smoking a cigar is a very social act — much different then smoking a cigarette. One of the main reason  for this is that a cigar is so tightly packed that it takes much longer to smoke then a cigarette — in fact, depending on the size, a cigar can take anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour to smoke. Which is plenty of time to golf nine holes, catch a few fish, play several hands of cards or simply sit around the fire and trade some lies. A cigar is something to be savored. Enjoyed.

    Cut the cigar. A cigar comes with an open end — to light — and a closed end — to draw in. The closed end will need to be cut in order to smoke the cigar and, yes, in desperate situations we have all simply bit the end of the cigar off. It works. But you will be spitting bits of cigar paper and tobacco out all night. A cigar cutter is a little guillotine- like device that’s sold in cigar stores — for usually less then a dollar. It creates a smooth straight line at the end of the cigar.

    Light the cigar. A true cigar aficionado will tell you that a cigar will need to be lit by a match — preferably a wooden one — and never lit by a lighter. The reason is that it’s believed the butane smell can transfer through to the cigar — think of the difference between cooking a steak over charcoal as apposed to cooking it on a gas grill.  Also, as you are lighting it, rotate the cigar so the end is lit evenly.

    Hold the cigar. The say — you know, them, the experts — that the right way to hold a cigar is between your index finger and thumb. But that way always felt strange to me. I always hold them between the pointer and the ring finger — just like you would a cigarette.

    Don’t inhale. Now, you’re not supposed to inhale the smoke from your cigar and you’ll know it when you do. Cigar tobacco is pretty tough stuff and your throat will scream if you pull it in. Simply draw into your mouth, enjoy the flavor and draw out.

    When to quit. There is no set place when to put the cigar out — no filter like on a cigarette. But you will know. Either when the flame is too hot against your hand or when the taste becomes too strong — usually down to the last third of the cigar — it’s time to put that baby out. When putting out a cigar don’t crush it on an ashtray like a cigarette. Just place it in an on the rim of the ashtray and allow it to go out on it’ s own.