It’s hot.

It’s humid.

It rains and then it pours.

The weather is as unpredictable as which country will win the World Cup.

The good new is that we can still look impeccably stylish amidst these harsh summer elements.

These are BALANI’s Summer Must-Haves:

British Blue Suit & Patterned Shirts

Get a case of the Summer blues and embrace your British Blue and sapphire tones. The warmer shades lend themselves nicely for suiting, trousers, and even blazers. Great for summer weddings, outdoor events, or even the office, a British blue garment balances beautifully with pastels and brighter colors.

Pump up your blues by adding a patterned shirt such as a check, stripe, gingham or plaid. These lively patterns are great for a festive summer look. To tone down a brighter blue suit and make it more conservative, simply pair it with a white shirt, darker shoes, and minimal accessories.

Colorful Accessories (Flower Lapel Pins – Socks – Pocket Squares)

This season, accessories are all about color, texture and pattern. One of the easiest ways to incorporate your personality into an outfit is to accessorize it with flower lapel pins, socks, cufflinks, and pocket squares.

Floral prints are a huge trend this summer, but we realize not everyone is ready to sport a bold, floral print shirt. That’s where flower lapel pins comes in handy. A subtle detail for your lapel buttonhole, flower pins will help baby step you into a hot trend and give you that little extra pop of color where you need it the most. Flower pins are made in all colors, so you can match the flower to your suit or spice it up with a bright pattern.

Socks and pocket squares also offer a unique opportunity for adding color and pattern. Whether you prefer stripes, polka-dots or wild patterns, these accessories give you the freedom to showcase your style without going overboard. For those looking to keep it classic and conservative, a white cotton pocket square is best.

1.) We have a suit you can pour a glass of red wine on and it won’t stain the fabric.

What is this miracle fabric you ask? It’s our Aquaplan collection by Dormeuil. For those of you who have a tendency to spill your drink (no judgment), this is the perfect fabric for you.

The Aquaplan collection is made from Super 130’s wool and finished with special Nano Technology treatment making it resistant to stains and also giving it a smooth finish. With this suit, you’ll never have to worry about rain or red wine again.

2.) The Most Expensive Suit BALANI Has Ever Made Cost Approximately $30,000

Yes you read that correctly. Thirty. Thousand. Dollars.

Made from 100% vicuña, this fabric is incredibly expensive because so few vicuñas actually exist.  In the 1960’s vicuñas were hunted to near extinction and today, they are an endangered species exclusive to South America. Incapable of being held captive or farmed, their wool has to be collected the old-fashion way.

Similar to the llama, vicuñas have extremely fine hair which can only be shorn once every three years. Their hair is so fine, that each sheering only produces 17 ounces of fiber, making it incredibly rare and one of the most expensive fabrics in the world.

3.) BALANI has dressed two First Ladies

Back when BALANI was Medos Custom Tailors, founder Peter Balani gained early recognition as as a world-class tailor. Eventually his connections gave him the opportunity to work with Jacqueline Kennedy and Claudia (Lady Bird) Johnson.

4.) The biggest suit BALANI ever made… Took an entire 9 yards of fabric to construct

That’s 1 yard shy of a first down! Just to put this in perspective, the average suit requires 3-3.5 yards of fabric.

Standing tall at 6’8” and weighing over 700lbs, our client was unable to find a suit that fit him off the rack. Knowing his struggles, Peter Balani was determined to make him a suit that fit. After taking his measurements, and evaluating the proper cut for his client’s build, Peter Balani created an incredible fitting suit. To this day, he considers this to be the most challenging suit he has ever made.

5.) BALANI made a red trophy jacket for the winner of a Beer Pong Tournament

We’ve all seen the Masters’ prized green jacket, but did you know there’s also a highly coveted red jacket?

While we don’t get requests like this very often, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to create such an original and valued garment. This fully custom jacket was made for two winners of an extremely competitive beer pong tournament. How competitive you ask? So competitive that the winner of the qualifying rounds play in Ireland.

Crafted from Holland and Sherry Super 120’s wool, the prize winning jacket is dark crimson with a white trim around the lapel. In order to guarantee this jacket is one-of-a-kind, an official championship patch was added right below the chest pocket.

Urban Legend #1: It’s Never Acceptable to Wear Black Shoes with a Navy Suit

This particular urban clothing legend is one we’re asked about daily.

Let us start off by saying that the answer isn’t as cut and dry as you’d expect. While many people believe black shoes and a navy suit to be a clothing sin, we don’t necessarily agree.

To get the optimal shoe for your navy suit, it’s best to examine what type of “navy” you have. The color navy varies so drastically that the spectrum ranges from almost black to brighter blue. When trying to match up a pair of shoes with your suit, consider the hue of navy that you’re wearing.

For darker blue tones, such as midnight navy, black shoes are going to be the optimal choice because they are understated, formal and conservative. They will garner less attention and blend seamlessly with the look and feel of a traditional power suit.

When it comes to warmer blue tones, such as cobalt or British blue, lighter shades of brown will look the best. Camel, chestnut and merlot colored shoes will brighten the sapphire tones within the suit and make it feel less formal.

Urban Legend #2: No One Will Notice if You Wear Your Suit Coat as a Blazer

Gentlemen, this is simply not true. A suit jacket and a sport coat are two very different things. You cannot wear a pinstripe suit jacket with a pair of slacks and try to pass it off as a sport coat. People will definitely notice, and you will look ridiculous.

A blazer is not only styled differently from a suit jacket, but the fabrics are different as well. Generally speaking, blazers have a lot of texture. They are often made from a hopsack or bird’s eye fabric, whereas suits are more often made from a simpler gabardine fabric. Blazers also have different  stitching, pockets, and buttons from a suit. These distinguishing factors are extremely telling when wearing a suit jacket versus a blazer.

What about a navy suit jacket, you ask? While we don’t encourage wearing a navy suit jacket as a blazer, we understand that sometimes you have to work with what you’ve got. For example, if you’re traveling and need to pack light, you might have to wear your suit as separate pieces. In this situation, always pack a solid color suit; preferably navy. Avoid packing a suit with a pattern, otherwise it’s a dead giveaway you’re double dipping.

Urban Legend #3: You Should Never Wear 3 Different Patterns at the Same Time.

False. Mixing patterns can be challenging for a lot of guys, but when it’s done right, it looks incredible. Mastering this skill set is simple when following these 2 guidelines.

1.) Color

A monochromatic theme is the easiest place to start when attempting to combine patterns. For example, if you have a navy glen plaid suit, you can easily pull out the blue tones in the fabric by pairing it with a light blue checked shirt. Complete the look by adding a navy striped tie. It’s that simple.

2.) Scale

When matching a patterned suit, shirt, and tie begin with the scale of the suit pattern. For example, a standard pinstripe suit has stripes about 3/8” apart. When trying to match a shirt and tie with the suit, go for different patterns and different scales. We typically recommend a narrow stripe or small checked shirt pattern when matching up a standard pinstripe suit. For the tie, go with either a diagonal wider stripe or small dot pattern to keep the eye drawn inward.

Between Polar vortexes, sub-freezing temperatures, and record high snowfall, it’s safe to say we’re all happy to see winter to come to an end. Now that spring is here, there’s no better way to welcome it than with bright colors, bold patterns and some brand-new outwear. These 5 items will help bring your wardrobe back to life.

Car Coat

Color: Medium Grey

Not nearly as heavy or cumbersome as an overcoat, a car coat was originally designed in the 50’s for men to wear while driving an open-air vehicle. Cut to modern day, this is the quintessential in-betweener jacket due to its lightness of weight and A-line design.

Typically cut to the mid-thigh, a car coat is both stylish and functional. Often made from wool, tweed, leather or cotton, this jacket is perfect to toss over a suit, slacks, or even jeans.

The Plaid Suit

Color Range: Solid Color Plaids To Bolder Colorful Plaids

This season the bolder the plaid, the better it is. A vintage pattern with a modern twist, the plaid we’re talking about is less Catholic schoolgirl and more Mad Men. Great for adding color and pattern into an otherwise understated wardrobe, plaids vary from hardly visible to overwhelmingly bold.

With that said, many guys aren’t totally comfortable diving head first into a loud plaid suit. The best way to ease into the plaid-o-sphere (not a real word) is by going with a darker glen plaid fabric. This way you can stay in your style comfort zone while keeping on trend.

For those of you, who aren’t afraid to stand out, a bolder plaid is likely your cup of tea. The key to pulling it off is to pair it with a solid color shirt and subtle tie pattern.

Bright Colored Sport Coat

Color: brighter blue tones

Say goodbye to the dark blues and get blinded by the light. Light blues that is. With winter behind us, now’s the time to bench your midnight navy and charcoal jackets in exchange for warmer shades of blue. By brightening up the color of your sport coat, your whole outfit will awaken and come to life.

Keep it simple and go for the nautical look by pairing a bright blue jacket with light gray slacks and a white shirt. For the peacocks out there, wear your blue jacket with a pair of brightly colored cotton pants and a bold gingham plaid shirt.

Colorful Cottons

Color: Consider the full color spectrum

Color is the new black, and there’s no better time to play with color than during spring. Whether you’re going to the Kentucky Derby or brunch on Easter, colorful cotton slacks are the perfect clothing companions for your everyday staples.

Want to awaken a boring navy blazer? Simple, all you need to do is toss on a pair of berry colored slacks and a simple checked pattern shirt. From neutrals to neons, cotton slacks let you incorporate color in a fun and comfortable way.

Linen Tie

While we know that linen is great for suiting, what many people didn’t realize is that it’s also an amazing fabric for neckwear. Today you’ll find many linen and silk blend ties.

They are lightweight, colorful and unlike any tie in your closet. Linen’s texture gives the tie a unique and casual feel while still maintaining an elegance and formality. Make it versatile by wearing it with a button down shirt and cardigan or keep it classic with a suit and tie.

Now that you know the 5 essentials for spring, treat yourself.  You’ve earned it.

We’re all guilty of making New Year resolutions we never keep. From hitting the gym to eating more vegetables, many of our resolutions are as faint of a memory as our champagne toasts on New Years Eve.
Even though our intentions are coming from a good place, our execution is off. The bottom line is that we’re all trying to be a better version of our 2013 selves.

Rather than falling off the all vegan, gluten-free, wheat grass wagon, use this year’s resolution as a commitment to put your best foot forward and invest in yourself. One of the best places to start is with an updated wardrobe. Considering there’s a direct correlation between your wardrobe and your level of personal and professional success, it makes sense to keep it up to date and current.

With that being said, these 3 items will help elevate your wardrobe to the next level.

The Replacement Suit

We all have that one old suit where the jacket doesn’t drape the way it used to, and the slacks look like they’ve been through hell and back. Yet for whatever reason, you still haven’t retired it from your weekly rotation. Enough is enough. Donate it to Goodwill and begin the wardrobe rebuilding process.

The best place to start is with a navy suit. Being one of the first suits you probably purchased; it should be the first one you replace. The best quality of a navy suit is that it’s appropriate for almost all professional situations. Whether you have an important meeting, a job interview, or a deal to close, your navy suit will be the perfect option because it is a classic.

Also, if you want your suits to last longer, stop wearing your suit pants as separates and invest in some new workhorse slacks.

Workhorse Slacks

What’s a workhorse slack? It’s the slacks you go to for day-to-day use. They get the most wear and tear, and you’ve probably worn them more times than you’d like to admit. When picking out new fabrics for slacks, stick with the basics. Grays, navy, and earth tones are best for maximizing versatility and matching a variety of shirt patterns. With an approximate lifespan of about 2 years, it’s likely that you will need to replace them every so often.

The Default Sport Coat

Need to amplify your workhorse slacks? Easy, toss on a “default sport coat“ and, voilà; your outfit is instantly elevated to the next level.

To be clear, a default sport coat is not a blazer, nor is it a suit jacket. It’s a sport coat consisting of a tight pattern, and it should match at least 2-3 pairs of your workhorse slacks. The subtlety of a tight pattern is ideal for creating various slack and shirt combinations while simultaneously showcasing your creativity and confidence. The greatest advantage of a default sport coat is it lets you achieve very different looks simply by what you pair it with. For a casual look, dress it down with some earth tone slacks and a patterned shirt. For a dressier feel, wear it with navy slacks and a white or blue button down shirt. Perfect for traveling, this jacket can easily be worn twice a week without anyone noticing.

Say goodbye to last year’s sub-par version of yourself and embrace the newer, better dressed you in 2014.

From the heartland of Texas all the way to the coast of New England, winter has arrived in the form of drastically low temperatures and aggressive snowstorms. Thankfully, there are 5 clothing essentials for winter that ensure you’ll look great throughout the cold months ahead.

Cashmere Overcoat

Need to make a good first impression? Your overcoat is the best way to do it.

Whether you’re walking to work, or headed to an important business meeting, your overcoat is the first thing that your client’s will notice. Typically we rely on an impactful suit, shirt or tie to make a statement, but during winter they are hidden under an overcoat. That’s why it’s important your coat exemplifies sophistication, style, and elegance. Hence, why cashmere is the perfect fabric.

A cashmere overcoat is one of the best investments you can make, because it is lightweight, exceptionally warm, drapes smoothly, and looks incredible.  Aside from being ascetically pleasing, cashmere is also practical. It weighs less than wool, meaning your coat will keep you equally as warm, but only weigh half a much. Let’s face it, no one wants to lug around a 10lb coat in the snow.

Three-Piece Flannel Suit

The British are invading America once again – only this time it’s in the form of flannel. From windowpanes to pinstripes, the three-piece flannel suit is both warm and incredibly stylish.

Made from brushed wool, flannel retains heat exceptionally well and is less prone to wrinkling. Making it the perfect suit for traveling or visiting multiple offices in one day.

By adding a vest to your suit you’ll gain versatility, style and the warmth you’ll need in the middle of winter. Once spring hits, feel free to ditch the vest and wear the suit as a two-piece.

Corduroy Pants

The best way to wear cotton in winter is with corduroy. A stylish alternative to jeans or wool slacks, corduroy is the ultimate transitional fabric. Its versatility and chameleon-like abilities allow corduroy to work for various style combinations.

For a casual look, wear your cords with a button-down shirt and a lightweight sweater overtop. For a night on the town, dress them up by pairing them with a sport coat and patterned shirt. We guarantee this will be your go-to slack this season.

Flannel – Glen Plaid Sport Coat

A glen plaid sport coat is great for incorporating color and pattern into your wardrobe. Due to the brushed look of flannel, the glen plaid pattern in the jacket appears muted and less bold. This softened effect is great for conservative men, who are looking to branch out, but don’t want to go too far down the fashion rabbit hole. The colorful glen plaid pattern will give them the ability to incorporate various colors that they otherwise wouldn’t gravitate towards.

Bright Socks

Instead of getting lost in a sea of black and grey, stand out with color. Brighten up an otherwise dark and dreary winter outfit with a pair of colorful socks. Pair them with a matching scarf, and your everyday charcoal suit will instantly come to life.

With these 5 Winter Essentials, your wardrobe will undoubtedly stand out in all the right ways.