Recently, we’ve been privileged to have Gentleman’s Gazette review one of our dress shirts. It’s an excellent reflection on some of the options we provide, so you can have the perfect dress shirt. Sven went with a club collar and cocktail cuffs, something we’ve talked about before. Overall, we received a glowing review, so we couldn’t be happier. Read his in depth review to find out why.

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Brand name is a factor, but where and how it’s made is the deal breaker. Quality fabrics with high thread counts, hand sewn vs machine made, shirt construction and design, is just the tip of the iceberg. Up and coming men’s clothing retailer, Fifth and Brannan, provides excellent insight on what separates the player’s from the pretender’s. There really is an important difference in well made dress shirts that validate the high price tags. It will last and fit better than most anything else in our closets.

Understanding the work that goes into a quality dress shirt will help you recognize true craftsmanship. The difference is more than just a collar and cuff, but everything else in between.

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We’re offering our shirts in gray, white and black. Sizes range from Small (14–14 1/2, 32–33), Medium (15–15 1/2, 32–33), Large (16–16 1/2, 34–35), Extra Large (17–17 1/2, 34–35) and Extra Extra Large (18–18 1/2, 35–36).

The fabric is a 2 ply, 80 thread count, wrinkle free Pinpoint weave, so it’s perfect for Spring, Summer and Fall. Made with a slim cut, it fits naturally to your build along with a split yoke for added durability. It also has a shorter, forward point collar and a French placket.

We visited their store recently and took a few photos. And don’t hesitate with any questions.

Akira’s men store in Wicker Park

British label Ben Sherman.

Our Deo Veritas dress shirts, in gray and white.

Downstairs, Akira has their men’s shoe department.

The iconic Wolverine boots.

The coolest fitting room we’ve seen, decorated with photos of their fans.

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We’d suggest a lighter shade fabric, complimented with a nice cigar and a Cucumber Collins, letting him relax while you grill the steaks.

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Unfortunately, none of this matters if it doesn’t fit right. The first step, and probably the most overlooked, is finding a dress shirt that fits you properly. Your actions reflect how you feel, so getting a dress shirt that’s comfortable and fits properly is of the utmost importance. Also, since you’re spending good money, expecting it to last awhile, you definitely want to get the right size.

If you’re browsing at a department store and not sure of your measurements, have one of the store clerks size you up. That’s what they’re there for. They’ll let you know your neck and sleeve measurements. The neck is measured around the neck just below the Adam’s apple but add a 1/2 inch for comfort. Your sleeve length is given from the center back of your neck, over the top of your shoulder and down to your wrist, arm hanging at your side. For the sake of convenience regarding neck size, 14.5″ is a small, 15″ and 15.5″ is a medium and 16″ and 16.5″ considered a large.

Make sure to try on your dress shirt as all designers have different sizing quirks. The neck and the shoulders should be checked first. The seam that connects the shoulder to the sleeve should come close or barely over to the end of your shoulder, allowing it to drape well. The shirt shouldn’t stretch across the chest. Also, the sleeves should end slightly past the break of the wrist so it can be seen beneath a suit coat.

I’d recommend finding a slim fitted shirt because it’s much easier to tuck in and stay tucked, along with giving a slimmer appearance. You don’t want it to billow like a ship’s sail out to sea. This gives a sloppy appearance, losing any dignity the dress shirt can easily provide. One thing to keep in mind, is if the collar and shoulder is fine but the sleeves long, you can get it tailored, along with tapering in the shirt if it puffs out too much.

We talked about dress shirt fabrics already, so I won’t get into that. To spare you the headache, however, of department store browsing and spending extra on tailoring, I’d recommend you try out our online custom dress shirt process. You can use the general measurements suggested above or input exact measurements from a well fitted dress shirt you already own. Your best bet is to start from scratch with a measuring tape. Here’s how you can measure yourself.

Regardless, if you choose online or at the store, make sure you get the fit that makes you look your best. If you don’t wear a dress shirt to work, it will still come in handy on the weekend or any surprise appearances requiring an impression. Make that impression the right one with the right fit.

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He wants to share his journey, giving an inside view on what it takes to craft a hand made shirt by our seasoned experts. Along with some of the spoils Hong Kong has to offer.

Welcome to Hong Kong and its second tallest building, the towering International Finance Center. Nope, our shop isn’t located here — not yet at least!

Meet CEO and founder of Deo Veritas, Vinnie Sikka, observing the many fabrics we offer.

Here’s a view of the shop floor. One thing that separates us from the rest is that our facility is not a “sweat shop” or a factory. Our shop is located within a brand new office building in central Hong Kong. Our equipment is modern and our people all have 10+ years of experience.

Another view, our tailor laying out fabric for a new shirt.

This is an image of the fabric pieces in Autocad. After they are printed, they are cut and then fitted over the fabric, sized as needed, and stitched together to make the final product.

Aligning the Autocad shirt patterns with the fabric.

Here the finished collar is being pressed through the fusing machine. The high quality fusing process ensures a long life for all our collars and cuffs.

Here’s a nearly finished shirt collar. You can see the slot for the collar stays.

Putting it together…

And your final product!

Vinnie putting the final touches on an order.

After all that hard work, the team got together for dinner.

Vinnie loved the shrimp on a stick — even the brain! “Tasted like chicken.”

What a feast!

For more specific details on the entire dress shirt design process, please visit this link on our Facebook page.

Well, we hope you enjoyed that tour from all of us at Deo Veritas! An insider’s view of what goes into making our dress shirts, personally crafted from our artisan tailors. We definitely try to give you the best!

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]]> http://www.deoveritas.com/blog/deo-veritas-shirt-design-process/feed/ 1 http://www.deoveritas.com/blog/happy-holidays-from-deo-veritas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=happy-holidays-from-deo-veritas http://www.deoveritas.com/blog/happy-holidays-from-deo-veritas/#comments Thu, 24 Dec 2009 22:32:57 +0000 AR http://www.deoveritas.com/blog/?p=634 Read More »]]> Deo Veritas wants to wish our readers a Merry Christmas. We hope you’re enjoying the holidays with family, loved ones and friends. Thank you for your support and we hope to continue to provide you with helpful content on men’s fashion and lifestyle.

And remember, lay off the Eggnog. Have an Old Fashioned instead, slip on a crisp dress shirt and then position yourself beneath the Mistletoe. Good things will happen, promise.

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For colors, go for neutral or dark shades, such as grey, brown, olive, navy or black. Personally, I like grey alot because it goes with everything. Fabrics should be light so you can wear other items, layering for warmth but also giving you flexibility. Also, choosing lighter fabrics allow you to wear these items year round.

Now add a few key pieces that will complete your look. These items are the foundation for fall, a long term investment for your wardrobe and not a short term trend.

Blazer/Sports Jacket - A solid blazer will make you look good and keep you warm. They can be worn to a bar or a formal dinner with the lady, the versatility left to your imagination. They come in so many styles and fabrics, it’s really up to you and what you’re looking for. You can go with a heavier tweed to a light cotton or a cozy corduroy or wool. Even velvet or cashmere. All blazers are a revival of a retro look, so keep that in mind. One rule to follow, is make sure the color is warm and dark so they can easily go with jeans, a T shirt or even sneakers.

Pants — Jeans are a staple in any man’s wardrobe so I won’t get into that. Corduroy and twill, though, may have missed your closet. I’m a big fan of both. Again, choose darker, neutral colors so they go with anything. Try to avoid corduroy with the wide “wale” (width of the chord) and go for something narrow or medium, which looks modern. Cotton twill is less common but goes great with anything and very comfortable and warm. Go for a straight leg, flat front pair which come in a variety of colors. Also, they don’t stain easily.

Cardigans - I’m not recommending the typical Mr. Rogers cardigan, but light weight sweaters that are button down, zippered or a pull over. They look sharp and are durable; styled around the office or a night out with the crew. Wearing it over a striped dress shirt adds style and over a T shirt, a casual chic. Beneath a jacket and you’re nice and toasty. A definite must have. Try one made of a light merino wool or even cashmere.

Scarves — A warm scarf can help not only on chilly autumn nights but also on those frozen winter walks. The longer the scarf, the less boldness you want.  Go for solid stripes, neutral colors or simple patterns. Merino wool is durable, affordable and warm but you can always splurge for cashmere. Scarves are a great accessory with anything and will make you look good.

Gloves — Leather gloves made with lambskin lining or something similar are comfortable and warm. They aren’t thick and chunky so your fingers are still useful, behind the wheel or somewhere else. They look stylish, good for every day wear or more dressy occasions. Go for either black or dark brown.

Vests — A down vest jacket is another versatile item that can be worn over a long sleeved shirt, tee or anything else you can think of. It’s also great over a jacket during winter, adding another layer of warmth, making this a great item for fall and winter. It’s also worth mentioning that dress vests, the kind found with a 3 piece suit, can also be used during the fall, making a unique fashion statement.

Henley Shirt — Henley shirts are nice because they look more dressed up than a plain tee, giving a nice casual look paired with a v neck sweater or blazer. They’re a good shirt as a first layer, the long sleeves adding more warmth than a tee. Also, you can never go wrong with a flannel, that American classic.

So there you have it. Adding any of these items won’t break the bank, but will definitely make you look good and keep you warm. You’ll make an impression with the ladies, which never hurts. Also, these aren’t trendy items but something that can be used again and again each season, never going out of style. We hope we’ve given you a jump start on your fall wardrobe. If you think we’ve left anything off that should be included or want to give us your thoughts, please feel free and let us know! And stay warm!

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What I find striking about the show, however, is the cinematic look and feel of it. Everything looks clean, shiny and new, which it was at that time. The actors and actresses look terrific, reflecting the period’s economic boom. Their style and fashion adds to their glamour of casual smoking, sex and booze, specifically for Don and Betty Draper. It’s not that they are wearing anything trendsetting or fashion forward for that era, but wearing something that is iconic and timeless for everyday use. The men are usually wearing dark colored, slim fitting, two button suits with skinny ties, complimented with a white dress shirt. It’s a sleek, simple look that defines that era and attitude, which looks fresh and modern today.

There’s been a growing interest with the Mad Men 1960’s style with the show’s audience, but also on the runways with fashion designers such as Michael Kors. Banana Republic had a splashy campaign tied in with this season’s premiere, hoping to cash in on the Mad Men frenzy and their own classic look. Personally, I like the custom tailored, slim fitting suits and skinny ties with a clean white shirt and French cuffs. There’s a simple elegance I find refreshing. It’s a look that can be a foundation for any man’s wardrobe, never going out of style like a fad, but proven to be a long term, quality investment.

So for those of you out there familiar with the Mad Men series and style, what are your thoughts? Do you feel like getting a skinny tie or a fedora and think “What would Don Draper do?” Do you like that classic look or go for something else?

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I’ve learned the hard way that no two designers measure the same, each with their own sizing quirks. The Calvin Klein felt baggy but it was supposed to be fitted and the Hugo Boss was long on the sleeves, reaching my thumbs. I tried on a shorter sleeved Boss and it still was a little long but the only size they had left. After spending almost two hours looking for one shirt, I was pressed for time and compromised, going with the Boss.

I think the ordeal I’ve just described has probably happened to you as well. We’ve all spent time at a store looking for dress shirts and took the time to make sure it’s the right one, which can become a lengthy process. You may even skip trying it on and just find the size, only to find out later at home it needs to be returned or your stuck with an ill fitted shirt. It’s common for ready made shirts not to fit correctly, each with a unique flaw. Getting shirts tailored is great but that extra cost and time cause a lot of us to think twice.

I want my dress shirt to be unique, expressing my personality. Most importantly, I want it to fit right. A well fitted shirt makes anyone look better, complimenting their features, making a strong impression but also making you feel comfortable and confident as well. There’s nothing wrong with an edge in the office or the nightclub.

Well, I think it’s time we stopped compromising. It’s time to get the dress shirt we want, from the exact fit and finish, to the fabric, the cuff design and whatever else we can think of. Why? Because now we can.

We at Deo Veritas have come up with the ultimate solution. You can now design your own dress shirt online. The fabric we use is high end without the high end prices: Italian spun cotton from Tessitura Monti. We also offer a wide array of colors and patterns. The key to all of this is while you design your shirt, from the collar to the cuff, you will be able to see the changes during the shirt creation. Our rendering software shows you the exact image of your future shirt. What you see, is what you get. Another great feature is the sizing. You can go with the standard sizing offered by ready made shirts or you can take the extra step and use a tape measure. We offer direction on how to measure yourself, which takes about 10 minutes. We also recommend you include your height and weight, so we can get it sized perfectly. You can then save this feature into your profile so it’s a one step exercise.  Patrick Tuttle, a men’s style and fashion writer at Gearpatrol, posted this  review on our process and shirts.

What we want to provide you is an online, custom tailored experience in our dress shirts, providing the old world tradition of a tailor’s cut, but from your own home at your own leisure. We are empowering our customers to get what they want, when they want it, without any compromise on quality. It’s a place where technology meets tradition and we want you to be a part of it.

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