First Jantzen order...please advise on style?

[CarllraC]

I know very little about style at this point. I am reading this forum to get more knowledgeable. I am about to order my first two Jantzen shirts, I am getting MTM because I have a very difficult body type to fit off the rack. If I had a perfect shirt it would be something like a medium-tall, if you get the picture.

I'm looking for 2 shirts I can wear casually (untucked) with jeans, to go out to dinner or clubbing or something. I'm going to get one in a black fabric with white stripes, and one in a white fabric with blue stripes.

Here's what I'm thinking, please advise. I don't even know what most of these mean, so I just picked things that I hope will look good.

Collar: A4 (New Classic Spread)
Collar Stay: none
Interlining: no idea what this is
Collar Tie Space: 0" (not going to wear ties with these)
Collar Height: standard
Collar Stitching: edge
Collar Point: same as standard
Cuff Style: 2S (Triangle with extra side button)
Cuff and Collar Contrast: none, same as shirt
Cuff Height: 3" (long)
Pockets: none
Front: plain front
Sleeves: long
Shirt Tail: regular
Shoulder Pleat: box pleat
Fitting: medium

Also, Jantzen's online order form is not secure (https) - how did you send them your order?

 

[chorse123]

Get a removable collar stay - it's removable, so if you don't want to wear it, you don't have to. But without one, the collar may be too soft.

You might want a slimmer fit if you're going to be wearing the shirt untucked/casually.

Do not get cuff 2S. There's no reason to get that kind of cuff on a custom shirt. Get 9S if you want a the trimmed edge.

3" is rather wide for the cuffs, especially with a single button.

You can fax your card information, or call it in, if you are uncomfortable with sending it through via the form.

 

[DocHolliday]

Some thoughts:

If you choose removable collar stays, you get a more versatile collar. If you don't want the stays, you can just take them out. If you decide you want a stiffer collar, then you can put them in.

Box pleats are pretty much useless. Shoulder pleats are a more practical choice, unless you just like the look of box pleats. (Box pleats are the American fashion, located in the center of the back, if you're not familiar with the terminology.)

As for security, you can fax your order if you don't want to take the risk online. Or, if your credit card offers the feature, you could get a "one-time use" card number for the purpose.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by CarllraC

I know very little about style at this point. I am reading this forum to get more knowledgeable. I am about to order my first two Jantzen shirts, I am getting MTM because I have a very difficult body type to fit off the rack. If I had a perfect shirt it would be something like a medium-tall, if you get the picture.

I'm looking for 2 shirts I can wear casually (untucked) with jeans, to go out to dinner or clubbing or something. I'm going to get one in a black fabric with white stripes, and one in a white fabric with blue stripes.

Here's what I'm thinking, please advise. I don't even know what most of these mean, so I just picked things that I hope will look good.

Collar: A4 (New Classic Spread)
Collar Stay: none
Interlining: no idea what this is
Collar Tie Space: 0" (not going to wear ties with these)
Collar Height: standard
Collar Stitching: edge
Collar Point: same as standard
Cuff Style: 2S (Triangle with extra side button)
Cuff and Collar Contrast: none, same as shirt
Cuff Height: 3" (long)
Pockets: none
Front: plain front
Sleeves: long
Shirt Tail: regular
Shoulder Pleat: box pleat
Fitting: medium

Also, Jantzen's online order form is not secure (https) - how did you send them your order?
I've ordered online and had no problems. You can also fax the order to them. Interlining is the material in the collar stay (the little thing that goes inside each collar point to keep the tips from curling or bending up). If I were you, I'd go with removable collar stays. You can always take it out if you want, but it's nice to have the option of ensuring your collar won't be bending up. My understanding is that Ricky at Jantzen has expressed the view that box pleats basically do bupkis to increase freedom of movement, so unless you have a strong stylistic preference you might want to go side pleats or pleatless.
If you're planning to wear the shirt exclusively untucked, you might want to specify an overall length for the shirt that's less than what they normally would do (I think this is one of the measurements they ask for, but I'm not certain).

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

I agree with the recommendations that the shirt be slimmer and shorter than the normal dress shirts you wear. Also request the square tail with vent -- untucked, looks much better than the regular tail.

 

[CarllraC]

This is good advice, thanks. Do you agree with pocketless, or would you put one pocket? I will get the removable stays, and fix the pleat and tail.

I don't know what the various 'fits' are - I picked medium as kind of an average. Would form fit be a better one for casual dinner/club/hanging out wear?

Also, one thing I neglected to mention, I want this shirt to stand out. Not in a "what the heck is that fool wearing" sense, but in a "mmm, something about that is intriguing" sense. I was hoping to do this with details such as collar, cuffs, etc. The fabric I will pick as best I can, I assume I can't screw that up too badly. If you have suggestions on how to achieve this effect...

 

[Get Smart]

Changing the body fit to "form" or even "tight" will make it stand out from the hordes of tent shirts that most guys wear.

I havent tried "form" but all my Jantzen's are "tight" which isnt *that* tight, plenty of room to move but nicely fitted and conforms to body

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by CarllraC

This is good advice, thanks. Do you agree with pocketless, or would you put one pocket? I will get the removable stays, and fix the pleat and tail.

I don't know what the various 'fits' are - I picked medium as kind of an average. Would form fit be a better one for casual dinner/club/hanging out wear?

Also, one thing I neglected to mention, I want this shirt to stand out. Not in a "what the heck is that fool wearing" sense, but in a "mmm, something about that is intriguing" sense. I was hoping to do this with details such as collar, cuffs, etc. The fabric I will pick as best I can, I assume I can't screw that up too badly. If you have suggestions on how to achieve this effect...

No pockets is the way to go, unless you use the breast pocket regularly. It makes for a sleeker look. I prefer the "form fitting" shirt - which still is less tight than, say, a fitted t-shirt, but it's largely a matter of preference. Mabye you should do one "medium" and one "form" to see which you like better? IF you do contrast stitching on the buttonholes, that might help it stand out. I think using a french placket for the front buttons looks more elegant, but that's another one of those purely personal preference things. The "nature made" or "nature style" buttons definitely are a touch that stands out. I happen to like them, but a number of people don't (and they're big, so they can be kind of a hassle to button/unbutton).
You might also consider getting different collars on the two shirts - maybe go with one of the more extreme cut-away collars on one. Since this is your first effort, I think it really would be a waste to order two in the same style. First, you can learn a lot more about what you like in a shirt by ordering different features on each. Plus, if you want your shirts to "stand out", you really don't want people who see you repeatedly to think they look like two copies of the same shirt but just in different colors. Make each a unique personal statement.

 

[Mute]

I've ordered all my Jantzen shirts with the tightest fit on their order form. Be aware that if you do so, it will be very snug against the body. Following their measurement recommendations, I've had to let out 1/2" in the chest and waist and 3/4" in the hip from my first order. They make the hip especially tight. Just an fyi to help you in your order. I have my sizing down to my preference by the third order.

 

[Toiletduck]

I'd do, for casual

Italian high dual button spread collar
French Front
Thick MOP buttons
Tight fit
any type of cuff really,
the double stitching for collar+cuff
no pocket
square tails
at least 3" docked off length
no pleats

dark color fabric (since all my work shirts are very light colored)
black buttons

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Get the square, double button cuff (click on New Shirt Styles for example).

See if Jantzen can place the second button 2" below the top button (a la Helmut Lang shirts) so that both can be left unbuttoned.

I think contrast stitching on the button holes is bordering on over the top, but YMMV.