Courtesy of Tim Moore of After Six

 

I took my own Black Tie poll from the Oscars last night.  I counted only award presenters and award winners on stage in my results.  The bow tie roared back last night along with more peak lapels!!!  I only detected three coats without satin lapels which could have been suits or grosgrain.

 

Here's what I came up with:

 

Tuxedos

 

            27         Notches

            15         Peaks

              4         Peak DBs

              6         Shawl Collars

              3         Suits or non-satin lapel coats

 

Neckwear

 

            28         Neck Ties

            27         Bow Ties

              1         No tie

 

Shirts

 

            49         White Laydown collar

              4         White Wing collar

              2         Black Laydown collar

 

Who looked the best (in my opinion)

 

George Clooney             Black Notch with White Laydown and Bow

Eddie Murphy                Dark Grey Tux with Black Peak Lapels and White Laydown with Black Bow

 

Go to the Oscars red carpet gallery web site to see some of the best dressed men of the evening.  Note that few are wearing neck ties.

 

http://oscar.com/oscarnight/redcarpet/

Welcome to what is already our 4^th edition as new editors of Formal Times.  Diane and I are enjoying putting this together for you and we are very interested in knowing what you would like to read about.  Do you like what you have seen?  We are looking into featuring small companies that service our industry and exploring the Latin market in upcoming weeks.  In this edition we have 2 guest writers, who share their knowledge and enthusiasm for this industry plus an article on rental shirts.   Meet another board member Greg Goodwin of Friar Tux.  We would love to know what you think and what you would like to read about.  Contact us with encouragement, ideas, or even criticism--I think we can take it.  rebeccamc522@aol.com or atuxforu2@hotmail.com  Read on and let us know what you think!

From a division of People magazine online called “Guy Style” these photos and “commentary” give the men’s red carpet choices more press.

We purchase them by the tens of hundreds and thousands many times with little thought but price.  Are we missing something?  Are there differences beyond the price point?  What do you base your buying decisions on for such an important commodity in our industry? The following article poses the same questions to four of our leading rental shirt providers and gives you their thoughts as they sent them.  I hope you can draw buying advice from this information. I hope we can make you think.  After Six, Ascot LLC, Classix, and CSS Chaplin have contributed information and would love to do business with you.

 

Give us some background information about your company.

After Six: After Six Formalwear is a division of Sequa Corporation, a publicly-traded company that reported nearly $2 billion in sales at the end of fiscal 2005.  At the end of third quarter 2006 corporate sales results were up 11% and operating profits up 9%.  Sequa is headquartered in New York City and the After Six division is headquartered in Athens, Georgia.  Shares of Sequa stock improved nearly 48% over the past 12 months from $86.25 to $128.19 a share as of February 15, 2007.  Kathleen Peskens is president of the After Six division.  The company produces tuxedos and accessories under the After Six, John Galante, and Seven Unlimited brands.  They license the After Six name to the Barclay Formal Shoes division of Rocky Brands and to The Dessy Group which sells After Six bridesmaid dresses to over 1,200 bridal retailers in the U.S.  After Six is the only men’s formalwear brand name in the bridal business.

Ascot LLC: Founded in 1997, Ascot LLC has grown to be the number one provider of “Better” formal shirts in the formalwear industry.  In the spring of 1999, Ascot LLC introduced Luxe Microfiber as an alternative and future replacement to poly cotton rental shirts. Testing results have proven that Luxe Microfiber (exclusively distributed by Ascot LLC) is a far superior fabric to poly cotton.  Over five hundred companies representing thousands of doors currently use our Luxe Microfiber rental shirts.

Classix:  Classix was established in 1994.  Over the last thirteen years it has become an important supplier of shirts to the formalwear industry.

CSS Chaplin:  CSS was founded in 1986 by company president and owner Sam Kim.  He began shipping his first shirts during prom season of 1987 from their original location in San Jose, CA.

Sales force?

After Six: We have four domestic representatives: Bobby Lucarelli-Western US & Canada, Tim Moore-Midwest, Ed Murphy-Southeast, Stu Feinberg-Northeast US and Eastern Canada, along with Pedro Bonilla in the Caribbean.  We also have Leonard Bloom who sells retail products to large retail chains and handles our international accounts.

Ascot LLC: Ascot is partnered with FLOW Formal Alliance and shares the same salesmen.  Richard Getty serves the NE and South.  Ian Gibbs serves the Mid-Atlantic and Tom DeYoung travels the Midwest and West coast.  Bob Milam, Vice President for Ascot, travels with the salesmen at different times but also extensively on his own promoting Ascot and its products.

Classix: In addition to marketing via the internet and postcards, we have 3 salespeople.

Chaplin:  Canada, Roger March, 905-812-5500.

                 Eastern US including Texas, Jerry Mashman, 215-369-2875.

                 Western US, Ken Pendley, 303-549-2755.

What about manufacturing? Where? Do you use the same factory for other things? How much of your business is formalwear?

After Six: We prefer to keep our contractors confidential.  However, we produce our tuxedos, pants, cummerbunds, vests and ties in Mexico and the Dominican Republic.  Our shirts are produced in Korea.  95% of our business is formalwear with our newest market segment just revving up into “informalwear” for rental for destination and encore weddings along with informal events.

Ascot LLC: Most of our shirts are made in the Dominican Republic.  We have also imported shirts from Italy and Korea.  Recently, we launched a major new division of Hospitality and Career apparel, making Ascot one of the largest distributors of “Better” Formal and Career Apparel shirts in the United States.

Classix:  80% of our business is formalwear and 20% uniforms.  We have been using the same factory in Korea for the last 13 years.  This is the only way to keep consistent quality.

CSS Chaplin: Most of our shirts are made in China.  Occasionally we may do some production in Korea on a quick turn around basis.  The factory we use has production lines for many different types of products; however the main concentration is shirts. The overwhelming percentage of our business is in formalwear.  But there are many uses for formalwear in the uniform market which makes up the balance of our business.  We have many formalwear specialist and uniform stores that cater to schools, restaurants, hotels, etc.

Tell us about your facilities stateside?

After Six:  We’re headquartered in Athens, Georgia.  The facility encompasses 103,000 square feet of offices, customer service, product design, and warehouse space.  We do little to no manufacturing in this facility today.  Our tuxedos and pants come via truck from Mexico to Athens.  The coats are individually seal-packed, bar-coded and hung in 18-wheelers while pants are boxed.  Our accessory production is split between our Mexico and Dominican Republic facilities.  No After Six products are manufactured outside of North America or the Caribbean other than our shirts which are manufactured in Korea.  Of course, our licensee Barclay Formal Shoes, does manufacture in China.

Ascot LLC: We now operate out of two warehouse facilities located in Baltimore, MD.

Classix:  Our facilities in Lancaster, CA, are a 20,000 sq ft state of the art building built for us in 2006. 

CSS Chaplin: We operate our distribution center out of an 82,000 square foot building in Englewood, Co.

 

Stock on hand?

After Six:  Unfortunately, as one of our major competitors all but abandoned the poly/cotton market, we have been overwhelmed by orders since the start of the year that we didn’t anticipate and are running very tight right now for the peak season.  We have more shirts arriving, but they are being snatched up as quickly as they land in Athens.

Ascot LLC: We enter spring 2007 with the largest on-hand inventory ever in Ascot’s history. 

Classix:  We have over $1,500,000 inventory at all times about 214,000 pieces.

CSS Chaplin: It is generally felt by most of our customers that we carry the largest shirt inventory in the business.

 

How many shirt styles do you stock?

After Six:  Essentially, we produce classic formal shirts in white only.  ¼” pleats in wing and laydown-packaged or bulk, pintuck pleated wings for rental.  ½” pleated French cuff, all cotton wing and laydown plus all of our rental shirts for retail, too.

Ascot LLC: Again, we are the largest provider of “Better” Formal shirts in the US.  We carry an extensive number of styles.  This would include shirts from our solid Luxe Collection, Luxe Micro Pleat Collection, Lyrics Stripe Collection, Shadow Stripe Collection, Lauren Ralph Lauren Retail Collection, and our new Hospitality and Career Apparel Collection. 

Classix: 18 styles for men, 5 styles for women, and 10 styles for boys-- all in numerous colors.

CSS Chaplin: Approximately 50 different styles between strictly formal rental and retail shirts and those that serve both as formal and uniform shirts.

What is your number one rental shirt seller?

After Six: Today it is a balance of wing and laydown collar ¼” pleated poly/cotton blend shirt .

AscotLLC:  Ascot LLC was the first company to introduce a non-pleated microfiber shirt to the formalwear industry. (shirt style “Bob laydown”)  With over ten colors offered in this style, it has remained our top selling shirt for many years running.

Classix: MOO Wing collar ¼ “ pleat

CSS Chaplin: The "king of the hill" is still the white 1/4" pleat wing collar.  But it has lost a good portion of its market share to pleated down collars and microfibers.

 

Aside from rental shirts what is something you sell we may not be aware of?

After Six:  Our business-to-business website is open 24/7/365.  Many customers don’t realize they can access our inventories, place orders, track a shipment, and order marketing materials whenever they want at www.aftersix.com.  Our customers that use it love it.  When our customer service team leaves at 5pm EST, and your store is still open, you can still place an order online for whatever you need and it’s shipped the next day!  Best of all, it emails you an order confirmation!

Ascot LLC:  Our Lauren Ralph Lauren retail collection.  We hold the exclusive rights to this label for formal shirts. Multiple styles in 100% cotton are in stock and immediately available.

Classix:  Jewelry cufflinks, bow ties and cummerbunds.

CSS Chaplin: We have carried a full line of polyester coats, pants, skirts, and vests for the hospitality industry for many years.  Most recently though we have expanded into 100% wool rental coats, 100% wool rental pants, super 100's rental pants, super 100's retail tuxedos, and a line of polysatin full back rental vests.

Why should we buy your basic white wing shirt?

After Six:  The After Six brand name is the most recognized name in formalwear, which is very important if you’re selling packaged rental shirts.  Our quality is very consistent and our size range covers everybody.  Customers love our bulk prices.

Ascot LLC:  Ascot’s new 1’4” pleat in Luxe Microfiber never shrinks, fades, and is even easier to maintain than basic poly cotton rental shirts.

Classix:  We have the best and consistent quality.  We have all the sizes XS to 6XL in stock all the time.  We have sleeve lengths to 41” and we ship the same day you order.

CSS Chaplin: Because it’s the best shirt for the money out there and it is backed up by superior inventory levels and commitment to quality by all at CSS.

 

How does the white wing shirt you sell today compare with the one you sold 5 years ago?

After Six: We’ve added the comfort collar.  We also make our shirt bodies and pleats longer than most.  This eliminates having to buy tall man shirts.  Our shirt sizes are available to an 8XL-40.   We offer men’s shirts starting with an XS-30/31 to 36/37 instead of starting at S-30/31. 

Ascot LLC:   Poly cotton five years ago versus Luxe Microfiber today - A one round knockout in favor of Luxe Microfiber!  

Classix: It’s exactly the same.  We have only improved the fabric and the sewing.

CSS Chaplin: All of our rental shirts come with our EZ fit collar.  Additionally, we now make our shirts with what we believe to be the longest body and bib length in the industry.

What does the future hold for this same shirt?

After Six:  Classic elegance.  Cost-effective.  Great Value for the Price.  If you’re asking if wing collars are the future, that means are you asking if bow ties will come back?  We’ve seen Hollywood wearing bow ties again, but not necessarily with wing collars.

Ascot LLC:   “The future rental shirt for the formalwear industry is microfiber.”  Saul Offit stated in 1999 after returning from a fabric show in Italy where he found Luxe Microfiber.  When an operator can have a shirt product that will out last and out perform the status quo of poly cotton and also make more money for their company, why anything else?  Fact: hundreds of companies, representing over one thousand doors, have GROWN their bottom line by up-charging for fashion and basic Luxe Microfiber shirts.

Classix:  It is the only definitive tux shirt.  At present we have 10,417 pieces in stock. 

CSS Chaplin:  We believe it will remain the most widely used shirt for some time to come in both the formalwear and uniform markets.

 

What about microfiber?  As a manufacturer, what place do you feel this has in the rental world?

After Six:  We have chosen to not enter that arena at this time.  There are other sources for these and for us to enter this arena today would just mean us having to commodity price to capture sales which doesn’t make sense.

Ascot LLC:  Luxe Microfiber is the number 1 rental fabric for the rental industry.

Classix: Microfiber will be 20 to 25% of the market but not more than that.

CSS Chaplin: Between pleatless wing and down collar and 1/4" pleat wing and down we carry 14 different microfibers.  They have captured an increasingly larger share of our overall production, and it appears that they will continue to do so.

What does the future hold for microfiber versus poly cotton rental shirts?

After Six: As far as we are concerned, formalwear is pleated, period.  The more the industry moves to non-pleated shirts, the less consumers see a need for true formal shirts.  We know there is a pleated microfiber, which is on the right path.  For the rental business, maybe microfiber is the easy way to go for some, but it certainly hasn’t been a hot item on the menswear scene.

Ascot LLC: Why anything poly cotton!  We believe that the entire industry should be placing their new orders and fill-ins with Luxe Microfiber from Ascot.  Why?  We now know that our microfiber will out perform and outlast standard poly cotton by more than a two to one ratio.   Luxe Microfiber never shrinks, fades, and is easier to clean and press than poly cotton.  You not only make more money when renting our shirts, but also save money in the backroom.  

Classix:  As stated above it will be 20-25% of the market.

CSS Chaplin: Microfiber has become a very important part of most retailers’ rental lines, but the poly cottons are still at the top of usage.

What mistakes do you see retailers making in rental shirt purchases?

After Six: Like our competitors, we’d like to own everyone’s shirt business.  For us to sit here and tell retailers how to run their businesses and how to buy products doesn’t make sense.  If you can find a better price-value shirt than ours, buy it.  If not, buy ours!

Classix:  They buy 1 and 2 pieces at a time and pay UPS and Fed Ex a lot of money in shipping.  They should order a minimum of 6 per order and the most economical shipping.

CSS Chaplin: Each year it seems that the most commonly used sizes move around, i.e. M5's one year and XL5's the next.  It is very difficult for the specialist to plan season orders without tracking the previous season’s usages by size.

 

Even or odd sleeves--which way should we go?

After Six:  We make ours odd sleeve, so we’ll go with odd.  We produce odds up through 39 but also offer a 40 sleeve in select sizes.  We have customers that use both odd and even sleeves and others that refuse to mix them.

Classix:  All of our shirts are odd sleeves.  We made a decision to go with odd sleeves.  To add even we need two sets of inventory.

CSS Chaplin: We currently make both the even and odd scales in several of our basic rental shirts.  We believe that the odd scale covers a broader range of sizes that the even.

Is the comfort collar feature a selling point for you?

After Six:It’s a benefit expected of every manufacturer.  Not everyone likes it but it does reduce exchanges at the store and at the wholesaler level.  We were one of the last to move to it and most of our customers have appreciated the move.  If a large man likes his collar to fit snug, any comfort collar can gap open a bit, but those customers’ issues are minimal.  We like to believe our comfort collar is the best made.

Ascot LLC:  Every rental shirt produced by Ascot has the Comfort Collar feature.

Classix:  Yes, sometimes.

CSS Chaplin: We first introduced our EZ fit collar in 1994 and it immediately became a large selling point for us.

What life expectancy do you as a manufacturer see your standard rental white wing having?

After Six: Depending on your process and chemicals 30-45 turns.

Ascot LLC:  Remember, test results show that Luxe Microfiber will last longer than poly cotton by more than a two to one ratio.

Classix:  30-40 washing cycles

CSS Chaplin: With normal wear, proper care and laundering procedures a shirt should get 35 to 45 turns.

Any last thoughts on why we should use your company’s shirts?

After Six: Simply stated, we want your basic shirt business, but only if we can do it profitably for both of us.

Ascot LLC: Ascot LLC offers multiple new “Avenues to Revenue” with Luxe Microfiber rental shirts. Change is Inevitable…Growth is Optional.  If you rent Luxe Microfiber, your ROI will be much higher (front room to back room) than if you only offer poly cotton.

Classix:  We have the best shirts and the best service in the industry.  We have all shirts in stock all the time.  We ship the same day you order.

CSS Chaplin: See all of the above!

 

Contact information by region if necessary

After Six                                                               www.aftersix.com

West                      Bobby Lucarelli                    blafter6@charter.net

Midwest                Tim Moore                            aftersix@sbcglobal.net

Southeast              Ed Murphy                           edmurphy@cctsi.net

Northeast              Stu Feinberg                         stuartifeinberg@aol.com   

International         Leonard Bloom                     tux2222@yahoo.com          

_______________________________________________________________________   

Ascot LLC            Bob Milam

                        Vice President, Ascot LLC

                        888-574-7577

 _______________________________________________________________________ 

Classix                  Vahe Khachooni

                                Vice President

                                42450 12th street West

                                Lancaster, CA  93534

                                800-934-3290

________________________________________________________________________

CSS Chaplin

Canada                                                   Roger March                         905-812-5500.

Eastern US including Texas               Jerry Mashman                     215-369-2875.

Western US                                          Ken Pendley                         303-549-2755.
________________________________________________________________________

Any questions or input on Rental shirts please send to rebeccamc522@aol.com

The Men’s Wearhouse/After Hours merger investigation continues.  Industry manufacturers have received phone calls from FTC investigators. One industry supplier has been contacted twice on the impact of the merger on the industry as a whole. Questions on the cost to enter this market and purchase goods in comparison to what is available to a competitor of this magnitude were the main focus.

 

On a sad note we extend our condolences to Tom DeYoung of FLOW Formal Alliance whose father passed away last week after battling Lou Gehrig's disease.

Link to Tom's dad's obituary:

http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/?a=284741&z=5

 

After 20 years, Lisa Perez with FWI/Elite has chosen to leave the industry.  We will miss her and wish her well.

New Stamp: The US Postal Service will introduce the next stamp in its “Wedding Series” very soon.  These are great for mailing wedding invitations or placing on response card envelopes with the wedding invitations.  Here’s what it looks like:

  © 2006 USPS. All Rights Reserved.

We Need YOU!!  We would like to feature pictures of stores all across the country.  I am also looking for stores willing to answer a few questions to have an article done about them. Are you game? PLEASE send pictures to rebeccamc522@aol.com.

Do you have industry news? Promotions, mergers, Change of ownerships or management?  Let us know, send all noteworthy happenings to rebeccamc522@aol.com.

We also feel we need more global input.  If our Canadian, European etc; formalwear specialists read this we need your ideas and concerns. Contact Diane at atuxforu2@hotmail.com.

 

The New Interview –

Nancy Haboush of Mister Neat’s Formalwear contributes the first of a three part informational series on interviewing new employees, read on and learn from her experience in this area. 

 

Nancy Haboush, President, Mister Neat’s Formalwear, Colorado

 

– Asking Behavioral Questions – Part One

Have you ever had the most amazing interview with a candidate and then they show up for their first day and they’re nothing like what they said they were?

 

Those individuals are professional interviewers! They’ve been trained how and what to say during an interview to get the job. To avoid a “rehearsed” interview, it’s very important to ask situational questions rather than the standard questions.

 

Don’t ask:              “What are your strengths?”

Instead ask:           “Tell me about a time when you used your greatest strength

on the job.”

 

Don’t ask:              “What are your weaknesses?”

Instead ask:           “Tell me about a time when you failed at work due to having to do something that might not be your greatest strength.”

 

These types of questions focus on the candidate having to give you an example through a story rather than a standard answer that they think you want to hear.

Meet Greg Goodwin!  Continuing in our series we would like to introduce Greg Goodwin of Friar Tux in Southern California.  Read on and get to know another IFA board member.

 

 

Name and family information

Greg Goodwin.  Married for 27 years with 3 offspring.  Offspring as they are no longer “children”.

 

Background years in the industry company etc?

I have worked in the industry since 1984.  Friar Tux Shop is a family business.  I am a partner with my two brother in laws, Mike and Steve Meskell.  Mike started Friar Tux Shop in 1974.

 

What part of the business is your favorite?

Seeing successes on projects that you have worked on.  Prom Season…..always a nice time of year.

Getting positive feedback from happy customers.

 

What part is your least favorite?

Our company has over 250 employees.  Since we are a family business, we try and maintain a culture of family and caring for each other. Despite this, on some rare occasions we encounter a disreputable employee.  It is a low point and not fun, but deal with it we must.

 

Where would you like to see yourself in five years?

My job at Friar Tux Shop has evolved and will continue to evolve.  I don’t have the same day to day responsibilities now as I did in the past and very likely won’t have the same in 5 years.  In 5 years I would like to oversee our successful operation and be taking a bit more time for other activities away from work.

 

How long have you been on the IFA board?

3 years.

 

What are your main focuses or committees you serve on?

I have been assigned to membership and this year on the convention committee.

 

What has been the biggest surprise in being a board member?

The IFA exists for the betterment of the industry.  I have sat on the board at a time when the industry has gone though its toughest challenges.  Despite the continuing consolidation in the industry, a fight has been waged to keep our membership high enough to sustain our organization.  People on the board and the administrative staff have given freely of their time and fought through this.  I believe that 2007 is going to be a stronger year for the association.

 

In a perfect world what would you like to see change with the IFA?

It is a nominal investment to be part of the IFA.  There are definitely enough specialists to join that would give the IFA the base they need to really get down to promoting the use of formalwear.  This is the perfect scenario.

 

Who have you met through the board that you did not know before being a member?

A whole new group of individuals.  Fine people from both the retail side and the supplier side who care about our industry.

 

How can members of the board become more accessible to people in the industry?

We have always been open to meeting and sharing with others in the industry. I believe that most on the board are the same way.  The board only meets together a couple of times a year.  The rest of the time we are just carrying on in our individual work roles.  People can pick up the phone or e-mail. 

 

?? Can you tie a bowtie??

Yes……slowly….very slowly.

 

What are your thoughts on what we can do to remain competitive as small operators?

Take care of your customers!  Keep styles fresh and interesting.  Be active in your community.

 

What does your company do better than your competition?

Well……that is hard to say……maybe see the answer to the previous question.

 

Give me a favorite quote or motto you live by.

I am a golden rule guy!  Do unto others as you would like done to you.  This is easy to apply to almost anything in life, business, family etc.  Also….being an old 70’s music junkie I recently dusted off some old tunes and was re-amazed at the simplicity of this statement from David Crosby:

 

“If you smile at me I will understand, because that is something everybody everywhere does in the same language”

 

Favorite things to do outside of formalwear?

My hobby is cycling.  I enjoy the exhilaration of riding the trails and roads.  Always have and hopefully will continue.

 

Mentor or source of greatest support?

My wife Karen, of course.  The rest of my family, both my side and Karen’s.  I have a great team to work with here at Friar Tux Shop also. Because of our team, we’ve been able to do what we’ve done so far.

 

Thoughts or ending remarks to get to know you and remember you by?

Make it a great 2007.  See you in Nashville.  If you are in So Cal…..give us a call.

By Tim Moore, Regional Representative, After Six Formalwear for Men

 

During my travels I have plenty of “windshield time” and find myself giving the tuxedo rental business a great deal of thought.  Why are some independent retailers very successful while others are not?  I have my own set of beliefs, right or wrong, as to why this disparity exists.  I’ve seen local independents who are very successful despite their national competitors.  I’ve also seen independents that are the only local supplier or who compete only with other local competitors and they fall short of what they could be accomplishing.  Included in this story are my observations and some suggestions on how to reposition yourself as THE formalwear store in your market.

 

Outdated fixtures, poorly dressed torso forms, and an overabundance of behind-the-counter unfriendly “rules and regulations” signage tend to give your customers a very bad first impression.  Whether or not you’re competing with a national competitor, your customer’s first impression is critical.  Burned out lights, dusty products, old signage, dated materials, tattered furniture, worn or dirty carpet, scotch tape residue on the windows, mirrors and countertops don’t do you any favors, either.  If I am a customer and see enough of these red flags, should a consumer believe that his tuxedo will look perfect?  I’ve seen torso forms lined up like soldiers with their arms straight at their sides on more than enough occasions.  I’ve never seen five men standing together looking this way outside of a military drill line!  Give your forms  some life like they’re having fun!  Look in some of the hippest apparel store windows for ideas.  Show some optional accessories at the base of the torso.  Make sure your showroom shoe samples look impeccable and are laced like display shoes should be.  In fact, insert some attractive wooden shoe keepers in them to make them look worth every profitable dollar you charge for them!  Make sure the laces are not discolored and all scuffs are gone.  Better than that, make sure your display shoes are new and never worn by customers.

 

Torso forms dressed in tuxedos without pocket squares…how can these happen?  I actually have heard retailers tell me you shouldn’t wear a boutonnière and a handkerchief.  Who comes up with this nonsense…the floral shops?  And don’t believe for one minute that the pocket square has to exactly match the tie or vest but rather should compliment it.  When in doubt, go with a white handkerchief.  According to Alan Flusser, author of the best selling Style and The Man and Clothes and The Man, “Overtly coordinating, or even worse, matching the tie and handkerchief, is a sure sign of an unsure dresser.”

 

On many occasions I find the tuxedos displayed are not identified with any tasteful sleeve, lapel, or front-button hangtag or descriptive information on a nearby placard.  I’m not necessarily talking about brand names, but truly valuable information.  I’m talking about identification with your style name and style number for the product, fabric content and three key selling features/benefits that help sell the product to your customers.  We all have computers today and can make these in-house with very inexpensive software like Microsoft Publisher.  Without identification, the torso form is saying… “I’m another tuxedo…nothing special about me…you can find me anywhere.” 

 

The tuxedo identification serves a multitude of purposes.  They dress up your product presentation.  They help your new sales associates familiarize themselves with your tuxedos.  Most importantly, the identifications become your silent salesmen.  If you’re busy with another customer, wouldn’t it be great to welcome the new customer to the store and explain that you are assisting someone right now and give him or her a little bit of guidance on how your products are identified and that you will be with them shortly.  All of a sudden, your torso forms take on a life of their own, telling your customers a little bit about themselves and saying to your customer, “You could look this good for your special event and I’m ready to make that happen!”  Imagine your products being live people competing for the attention and affection of your customers…kind of like puppies in the pet store window!

 

One of my favorite ideas is to take as many as three nice rolling torso forms and dress them with a professionally pinned pleated front formal shirt and pair of formal pants.  These forms become your models, or in bride speak, paper dolls for custom dressing so the bride and groom can see exactly what the groom and groomsmen will look like.  Dress them with a classic bow tie and cummerbund and, of course, jewelry.  If you want to add a real WOW factor to these, put self-tie bow ties on them.  Then, if the couple chooses a different tie to see, you pull the bow, and it comes untied, just like on George Clooney or Brad Pitt!  The next words from the customer are, “Wow, I always wondered how to tie a bow tie!”  Instant credibility for you!  Do you think they know how to do that at the national chain?  Want to be the hip place this prom season and some prom guys want to look like a Hollywood star with a self-tie black satin bow.  Of course, those are a premium option!  Try that little trick and offer to teach them how to tie one.  Starting to feel like THE formalwear store yet? 

 

I scratch my head at times and I say to myself, “Wait a minute; this business is about the most important times in a man’s life…it’s not just about selling him a suit for another day at the office.  This is really something special!  This store is a formalwear professional and his entire livelihood is derived from tuxedos.  It’s not a sideline to him!  Why would a customer go anywhere else? 

 

I believe the formalwear industry has been surprised by the tuxedo rental success Men’s Wearhouse has had in a relatively short period of time.  I believe part of the reason consumers have embraced Men’s Wearhouse is due to their sales associates coat and tie appearance and that every customer is greeted upon entering the door.  In the consumer’s eyes, they look like professionals although they most likely know less about formalwear than the independently-owned formalwear retailers.  Your customer deserves an experience like he’s never experienced before.  Your professionals should be enthusiastic and congratulatory and eager to go out to the customer, offering a welcoming handshake and introduction, making the customer feel special.  Do your professionals reflect a high level of success and a respect for the product and service you offer?  Are they in coat and tie?  Are they, at least, in a tie?  I know of no successful men’s clothiers that have taken the “casual” approach on their selling floor and increased their suit sales.  Why have some of the most formal of clothiers, formalwear stores, gone the complete opposite direction of the product they rent and sell?  I’ve been told, “we do that so the prom kids can better relate to us”.  If you want to have a special event for prom kids and you’re going to dress down for the event, at least be wearing a polo shirt with your store’s logo and name.   

 

While you’re on your mission to become THE formalwear store in your market by dressing up your showroom presentation, consider creating an in-store library of great books about dressing up, proposing a toast, how to be a gentleman, and so on.  Add a subscription of the best men’s magazines for reference or casual reading by you, your associates, and your customers.   Consider GQ and Esquire but be leery of some of the more edgy ones that can take a less than serious approach to formalwear, and never any trade publications.  So many young prom goers have missed out on some of the “manners” our parents insisted we practice.  Some of these books I suggest give young people some great direction in basic rules of etiquette.  If space permits, create a warm reading space in your store for a nice chair, a side table with lamp, a small bookcase with some masculine items displayed (hand carved duck decoys, sailboats, clocks, etc) and some books I’m recommending at the end of this article. Why let Starbucks have the corner on this…offer a fresh cup of coffee or hot tea while they are either waiting for you or just want to read some of your books.   You can buy many of these books online or at bookstores.  They’re all good reading and a great tool to have at your and your customer’s disposal.  Hmmh, you’re starting to feel like THE formalwear store in your market.    By the way, don’t think you can get away with just referring to or promoting yourself as THE formalwear store in your market.  It doesn’t work that way.  You have to earn that position.

 

By taking the time to read these wonderful books and referring to the men’s fashion magazines, you expand your knowledge of the entire men’s fashion industry, too!  It’s also a great time to contact your local newspaper about becoming your newspaper’s columnist on formalwear protocol.  Most newspapers would love to have a guest columnist that can answer brides and grooms questions.  You can also write editorial on the formalwear fashion scene.  You have to be careful to not make your writings into “advotorials” about your store as the newspaper and readers won’t like that.  The key to your effort is to get the byline/credit line every week in the fashion section or fashion tabloid of your newspaper  “Bob Smith is owner of Hometown Formalwear in Anytown, USA.  He has consulted tens of thousands of gentlemen on proper formal etiquette for weddings, proms and black tie events in the area.”  Hopefully, you’re starting to sound like THE formalwear store(s) in your market.  By the way, you do this for the newspaper for free!

 

Take the formalwear expert idea to the local television stations.  Put your biography together so they can read what an expert you are on formalwear.  Let them know you’re available for any stories they do regarding weddings, proms, and major black tie events in the area.  Before you know it you’re there for a fashion segment on the local noontime news show giving descriptive commentary on formalwear.  Make sure you’re impeccably dressed in a tuxedo! Now you’re starting to look like THE formalwear store in your market.

 

Another suggestion I have is to obtain your Certified Formalwear Specialist from the International Formalwear Association.  Like a Certified Life Underwriter, Certified Public Accountant, Realtor, to be able to put CFS designation behind your name, and on your business cards, adds even more credibility to you and your business.  Visit the IFA website at www.formalwear.org for information about the program.  Most importantly, join the IFA. 

 

Am I getting my point across about becoming THE formalwear store in your market?  In summary, make sure your showroom presentation is in place with product presentation and a professional personnel appearance, and learn all you can and become known as the information source for everything about formalwear.  This isn’t rocket science but, like most major efforts, it’s not easy.  It takes a dedication and willingness to succeed.  It takes a commitment to get started.  It takes a written implementation plan.  It takes a commitment to follow through.  It takes establishing a new appearance standard for yourself and all of your showroom associates.  It takes giving up some of your free time to expand your circle of friends, to expand your sphere of influence, to find new rivers of cash to grow your business.  Remember your goal and you will become THE formalwear store in your market.  Good luck!

Peter Sarsgaard gives fiancée Maggie Gyllenhaal a supportive squeeze as the pair make their way down the red carpet.

Kelly Preston shows off her wild side in a leopard-print Dolce & Gabbana gown; husband John Travolta goes traditional in Armani and youthful new do.

Best Actor nominee Will Smith shares some quality red-carpet time with his son Jaden, 8, who costarred with him in The Pursuit of Happiness, and wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

The actor-producer of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan was handsome in a classic tuxedo accented with an elegant black tie.

Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese his best director Oscar, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.

Blood Diamond costars Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou, both up for awards, make a supportive duo on and off the red carpet – they were spotted hitting the late-night pre-Oscar parties together.

Al Gore and Tipper Gore arrive at the 79th Annual Academy Awards