Spotlight on V and J Menswear in Melbourne

Bespoke, customised tailoring, one on one personal service....... 

These are terms which have historically been reserved for the wealthy, distringuished type. Well times have changed. If you follow any type of menswear on social media, you may see advertisements for bespoke, custom tailor made designers such as V and J Menswear. This personal style suitmaking has made a come back. You won't  find suit makers like V and J Menswear in fashion malls, or on any golden mile. They are usually tucked away and hidden down laneways of Melbourne or modestly set up on a higher level of an old building through out the city. 

V and J menswear are no different. Hidden on level 3 of Carlow House on Flinders Lane  in Melbourne, V and J Menswear rely mainly on word of mouth and repeat business resulting from their very professional and personlised friendly service. And they have been fairly successful with this model.

(Source of image - vandj.com.au)

I first met Carl and Rick - owners and designers of V and J Menswear when I was searching for menswear clothes to pull for a photo shoot. Not only did I find the guys very welcoming and obliging, but watching them work with customers, you get a sense of a love for what they do - particularly the face to face customer side of their jobs. It seemed as though customers did not want to leave the place and could sit there for hours chatting away with the guys. And if you did wish to do that, you would be offered a glass of scotch or a picolo coffee.

Image of Rick and Carl

(Source of Image vandj.com.au)

Whether it's buying clothes off the rack, being measured up for a custom made suit or even finding a suit in their store which they will adjust to fit you perfectly V and J Menswear are, in my opinion, the epitome of service.

V and J Menswear can help you with formal wear for your wedding, Melbourne Spring racing, or if you are just looking for a smart casual but sharp look, V and J Menswear have them. You will definately leave the store feeling very pleased with your experience.

Recent Project VIP Shoot for client www.hectormarcus.com featuring V and J Menswear suits and shirts

(Source of Images www.bodestyling.com)

Check out their website at www.vandj.com.au or better yet, head up to their store at LEVEL 3, 289 (CARLOW HOUSE) FLINDERS LANE MELBOURNE 3000 (03) 9078 5054

If you do wish to head up to their store, be sure to mention BodeStyling.

D.

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week Runway One - Dom Bagnato

Romanticism was the theme for the night and the sharp sophistication of tartan shades of blues, greys and hues of coral and pink were what stood out in the runway collection for Dom Bagnato. It was MSFW Runway 1 on Tuesday and they were 5th on the list of designers appearing on the catwalk, but it's what drew my anticipation the most, and it didn't fail to deliver. 

The style and sophistication of this collection makes me want to buy every single piece on offer.

 

But what really makes this brand great? It would have to be the designers themselves. Dom Bagnato and his son Nunzio bring classic Italian tailoring and style to menswear. The brand has earnt numerous accolades in fashion and going by these looks that went down the runway, you can see why.

They have taken the very on trend blue and grey suit and amped it up with a subtle and softer colour pallette for spring. Of course whilst continuing to bring you black and white formal wear as well.

I'm excited to follow this label and find out where to next.

The Dom Bagnato label is sold through in store boutiques at Myer throughout Australia as well as other boutiques across Australia and New Zealand.

D.

What's hot in 2014

Tartan

Born from UK street fashion, Tartan is the latest trend for men in 2014, not only in street wear but it's making it's prominent appearance in sharply suit wear and high fashion. Tartan or Check, however you may wish to refer to it as - is on trend!

The Under Cut:

The latest trend in men's hairstyle, The Undercut. Evolving from the previous hair trend examples such as the pompadour, or gadsby, the introduction of the undercut adds a slightly more tidier, sophisticated and of course sharp look. Other contributions to this hair trend is the fade and dare I say the Man Bun

Colin Farrell wears the undercut and man bun

Loafers

This trend is no longer reserved for satin robe wearing, cigar smoking rich old dudes. Wearing sockless loafers is the must do in 2014. The loafers can be worn dressed up with a smart sharp suit or dressed down with a pair of chinos or shorts. The brighter the loafer the trendier the look. Get your pair today!

Short Suits

Although I'm sure Arthur Galan designed a great designer short suit in 2012 ( yes I bought it and worked it out at the 2012 Melbourne cup Spring carnival) this appears to be a new trend for 2014. Who'd a thunk? Sic 

Perhaps Australia or Melbourne was ahead if it's time. Can you be too fashion forward? In any case, I'll be bringing my AG tartan short suit out this summer for sure.

 Proof I wore short suits and tartan in 2012..........wait........AND LOAFERS!!!

D

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Top 10 Rules for being sharply suited

I read an article a few months ago about the unspoken suit rules every man should know. So that they don't remain unspoken, I thought it would be beneficial to bring you my own top 10 of those rules.

Employing these top 10 rules will help you to remain sharp, sophisticated and down right trendy when wearing suits.

10:
When buying a suit off-the-rack, the most important thing is to ensure that the shoulders fit. Ill fitting suit jackets that sag below the top line of the shoulder is not going to look great nor sharp. Shoulders are the hardest to tailor, so mark sure they don't stick out or stick up.

The gap between the collar of your shirt and the jacket's lapels is a giveaway that you have an ill-fitting jacket.



9. Charcoal or Grey suits are more sharp than black. This is because greys and charcoals are more versatile and will look better with more colours. Not all men suit black either.

Source - Stafford Ellison

8. When wearing a 3 piece suit or just the waist coat with trousers, keep the bottom button of your waist coat unbuttoned. This provides a slightly more sharper look and fit and prevents bunching at the bottom.

Source - scopes.co.uk

7. Cuffs should be showing at least half an inch from the jacket sleeve. Not only will this show off your  masculine jewellery you have such as cufflinks and watches, it provides a more balanced look by matching the amount of collar visible at the back of the neck.
  Source - Pinterest.com

6. Make sure your tie is darker than your dress shirt. This allows a balanced contrast and draws the eye in the V shape at the centre of your chest giving a slimmer sharper look.



5. The hem of your trouser should touch right at the top of your shoe. This provides a fashion forward, sharp look. If you are looking for a more conservative look, the trouser hem should cover the top of the shoe and parts of the laces.

 Source - gq.com

4. For a classic or vintage look, wear a matching waist coat and trouser with a slimmer tie. A brown tweet option would provide even more of a vintage look.

Source - Stafford Ellison

3. Always go for a classic windsor knot for your tie. Use the size of your head to determine whether you should go half or full windsor.

Source - feeldesain.com

2. Matching the right coloured shoes with your suit provides a sharp and sophisticated look. This includes being the same colour as your belt. A simple guide for matching shoes and suits is outlined below.

Source - putthison.com

1. For a particularly modern sharp look, choose a slim fit suit. Make sure that the back of the suit jacket has a double vent flap.

  Source - dh.com

To see the full list of the 27 unspoken suit rules every man should know go to http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/unspoken-suit-rules-every-man-should-know.

D.

www.bodestyling.com

Men's Runway at MBFWA - Starring Lupe Fiasco

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia has come to an end and it produced a surprising runway on the final day when Lupe Fiasco modelled for Australian label Song for the Mute. Disappointingly this was the only pure men's runway showing which may explain why it was a full house and loaded with celebrities in the front row including Guy Sebastian.

Local designers Lyna Ty and Melvin Tanaya showcased their street style collection as part of the Harrolds Boutique show with Lupe their star model. Lupe Fiasco closed the show wearing a signature cocoon coat in pressed, waxed mohair.

Lupe has been friends with the designers for a few years now and often wears their designs. It appears he jumped at the chance to head to Australian Fashion week when asked to model in their collection.

Above: US rapper Lupe Fiasco on the runway for Song for the Mute collection. Courtesy of pagesdigital.com.

Above: US rapper Lupe Fiasco with Song for the Mute designers Lyna Ty and Melvin Tanaya. Courtesy of Meninthistown.com.

Signature Styles - thug

Signature Styles - thug by bodestyling on Polyvore

21 MENS Skinny Fit- Dark Night Wash
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21 MENS Heck Yea High Tops
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21 MENS Favorite Puffer Vest
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21 MENS Yeah Yeah Yeah Sweatshirt
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21 MENS Harlem Law Tee
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21 MENS Word Snapback Hat
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21 MENS Fresh Tribal Print Scarf
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Where in Melbourne

Happy New Year to you all.

I thought I would start 2014 by sharing with you my top list of great places to shop for men's fashion in Melbourne.

Chadstone Shopping Mall.

Probably one of the most well known shopping malls in the Melbourne area. Chadstone is considered a super regional shopping centre located in the inner suburbs of Melbourne (Melvin). It is just a mall, however if you like variety then this place has it. It boasts 2 levels of over 530 stores including menswear stores such as Arthur Galan AG, Aramani Exchange, Bossini, Tarot Cash and much more. There are no outlet stores situated here so this means that standard retail prices will apply. Be prepared to pay up to $60 for a belt or $299 for a jacket or coat.

http://www.chadstoneshopping.com.au/home/

Bourke Street Mall. 

A vibrant busy part of Melbourne, Bourke Street Mall or Bourke Mall as the locals like to call it is situated in the heart of Melbournes CBD. Think town square but with trams passing through, Bourke Mall consists of many retail outlets that line the "walk and tram only zone" including Myer, David Jones, Zara, Steve Madden, Roger David and many more. You can often find a bargain during Myers mid year sales.

http://www.bourkestreet.com.au

GPO Melbourne.

GPO stands for General Post Office. Located on the corner of Bourke Street and Elizabeth Street, GPO consists of some high end boutique stores catering for both women and men including Ben Sherman, Arthur Galan AG and Rhodes & Beckett. H&M will soon be opening here so it's definitely worth a look.

http://www.melbournesgpo.com

Chapel Street Precinct.

Chapel St is located in South Yarra, on the city fringe of Melbourne. It's a long street bustling with Restarurants, cafés and of course clothing stores. It's has both high and mid range priced stores including Jack London, Men's Outfitter and Saba to name a few. You won't really find bargains here, what you will find are stores full of trends style and sophistication.

http://www.chapelstreet.com.au

Bridge Road.

One of my favourite areas to shop, Bridge Road is also located on the city fringe, in Richmond. It's an historical part of Melbourne with some old buildings. It's one of my favourite areas because not only does it cater very well for men, it consists of many outlet stores that you will be sure to find a bargain at. The long double sided street is lined with stores, cafés and bars that will have you pacing up one side and down the other for hours. Some of my favourite stores include Men's Club Australia, Batsanis,  ID Men and CFM. If you're looking for a tailored suit or shirt, or some Italian shoes, you will definitely find one here at a great price.

http://www.bridgerd.com.au

Melbourne Central.

In the heart of the CBD is Melbourne Central which is linked to an actual train station, and has been transformed into a beautiful 3/4 level brick and glass building. Here you will find great stores such as Saba, Oxford and Marc's. Be sure to take your credit card with you as these stores aren't cheap.

http://www.melbournecentral.com.au

DFO Southwharf.

My final recommendation is DFO Southwharf. It stands for Direct Factory Outlet and is located along the Yarra River in the southern part of the city. This is where you will find the best bargains and will likely want to spend most of your shopping time and money. You will find stores with discounts up to 70%. As well sports stores such as Adidas, Fila and Nike, there are stores such as Aramani Exchange, Clavin Klein, Factory, Industry, Marc's and many more that cater well for men at factory prices.

http://www.dfo.com.au/southwharf/

So that concludes some of my favourite places to shop around Melbourne. There are some places that I haven't mentioned that are still good, and it just goes to show what a fantastic place Melbourne is from a fashion perspective.

I hope you found the list above helpful.

D.