It's official... sweater season has arrived! I've recently been asked a few questions regarding sweaters so I thought I'd share a couple with the class.

The problem: Pills - those nasty little balls that form on some sweaters as a result of friction. You'll most often see them under the arms where the sleeves rub against the body, across the body from the seatbelt, at the wrists where you move them on the desk... you get the picture.

Two solutions:

Pumice Stone - easy to use and gives you full control over the amount of pressure you apply.

Shaver - battery operated and removes pills in a jiffy.

The problem: Fold vs. hang - if you fold your sweaters in a drawer you can't see everything you have and if you hang them they stretch out and lose their shape.

Two solutions:

Hanging Sweater Storage - you're able to see everything you own without risking the shape of the garment. Added bonus * the cubby holes keep the stacks from toppling over!

Sweater Hangers - for lightweight knits ONLY! Gravity is the arch enemy of sweaters (and mine) so hanging them is always risky. However if you have a very lightweight fine gauge knit you might be able to get away with it. To avoid damaging the delicate knit and getting those funny little shoulder bumps, try padded satin hangers.

No matter what, not even if the product claims amazing results, never, ever, hang a sweater to dry! It will completely lose it's shape and ultimately ruin the quality and look of the sweater. Always lay it flat or send it for dry cleaning.

Do you have other questions or conundrums regarding your sweaters? All you have to do is ask and I'm happy to answer! Post your question in the comments box and I'll respond. And for goodness sake, bundle up... it's getting cold out there!

Are you thinking "Didn't she use that same title last week?" Yes, I did. But I lest anyone think that style belongs only to women, or accuse me of sexism, I don't want to leave the guys out. This week's blog is what men should buy (or what their ladies should buy for them) this fall if they only buy one thing. And the answer, again... I don't have amnesia... is the classic white shirt. For men it's the Oxford cloth button-down-collar dress shirt. A classic piece that never goes out of style and, more to the point, is always IN STYLE. Don't believe me? Twenty two out of the "50 Most Stylish Men of the Past 50 Years" article in GQ (from whence I lifted the picture of Paul Newman) are wearing white dress shirts. Albeit not all of them are button-down-collar, and one of them has ruffles down the front, but you get my point.

Button-down-collars on dress shirts normally bring shirts to a more casual level and in the case of this shirt, that is exactly what makes it so versatile. You can wear it with a:

-blazer - leather jacket - vest - hoodie - cardigan - and on, and on, and on....

and some

- jeans - corduroys - tweed trousers - khakis - and on, and on, and on....

Or dress it up with a suit and a tie. Wanna try something new for the fall and winter? Try a knit tie. The texture and style match nicely with the elegant yet casual style of the shirt.

You can find these shirts just about anywhere. The point is to get the right size. The shirt should FIT. That means the shoulder seams should be at your shoulders, the sleeve ends 1/2 an inch from your wrist bone and the body of the shirt is fairly close to your torso. No balloon effect, you should not be able to fit another person in the shirt with you! For this reason it's better to get a shirt that is sized by neck size and sleeve length (for example: 16 x 32/33) as opposed to XS - XL. For more on proper fit check my past blog: Sharp Dressed Man: The Basics of a Man’s Suit Ensemble

Go forth and be handsome!

Want help figuring out the size or style that's best for you? Just ask me!

http://www.stylesuccess.net

Tuesday Tips & Tricks: Sweater CPR

Tuesday Tips & Tricks: If you only buy one thing...