We were thrilled to be a part of this year's Triple Annual Polo Fundraiser Match, held by The Health Museum, John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science. Proceeds from this year's event benefited the museum's life science education programming for the Greater Houston community. 

The festivities included grand polo sporting, derby themed cocktails, mingling of Houston area professionals, a traditional stomping of the divots and much more. This event was filled with nothing but Southern Gents & Belles, and we hope everyone had a fabulous time. For those who missed it, we hope to see you next year. View our comprehensive gallery of this year's event here. Until next time.

We continue with our 'How to Tailor' segment, and this week we discuss a very important topic on how to attain a properly fitting blazer. It 's amazing what a well tailored jacket can do for a gent and his wardrobe. Far too often, great looks are often ruined with a poor fit, especially in a suit or dinner jacket. Please also be sure to take a look our shirt & pant tailoring guides, if you haven't already done so. Let's dive into simple & concise blazer tailoring guide, that may help find a fit that will not only stand out, but also last for years to come. 

A - Start at the shoulder. This is simply a must. A jacket that doesn't fit at the shoulder is simply no good, and is the common culprit of a poor fitting jacket. During the development of these segments, we were asked why a looser jacket was not chosen, in place of the jacket pictured above.  And what a great question that was.

Before you decide to buy or tailor any blazer you may already own, make sure it fits snug at the shoulders. To address the question stated above, your jacket should 'already fit' in a sense, specifically at the shoulders. It should provide an illusion of your shoulders being hugged, and perhaps a little 'too small'. If you don't get such a feel, then it's probably too big. Additionally, if the jacket is really too small, it's unlikely that you will be able to fit your arms comfortably through the sleeves, or button across the waist. 

It is important to pay ATTENTION to the fit at the shoulders, as this will make or break the overall fit. Tailoring such a jacket, only highlights the fact that the jacket is indeed 'over-sized', with a slimmed down look everywhere else, and shoulder pads jutting out like a football uniform. An easy test here is to again, pay attention to a hug feel. Second, shrug your left or right shoulder upward. If you notice a sizable fold between the shoulder fabric and shoulder pad, it's simply too big!

B - Request that the sides of the jackets be pulled in. Depending on your physique and preference, you can pull in at the waist as much as you like, as long as you are able to comfortably button and unbutton  up front. Also ensure that sides are taking in all the way down to bottom of the jacket as well. We should aim for a tapered alteration here, with a slight flare. It is not uncommon for a tailor to neglect the lower ends of the jacket, resulting in a jacket with too much flare and a 'dress like' fitment. 

C - Simple step here. Similarly to tailoring a dress shirt, taper down your jacket sleeve as needed, from arms, to elbow, to wrist. The slimmer, the better, but find balance and don't sacrifice comfort. Remember that you are tailoring to your body, and not forcing a fit. What fits 'you' will look best. Give it a try. Ensure that the jacket cuff stops about an inch before your wrist. This provides room to show some shirt cuff. 

D - Lastly, a final touch for the win. Hem your jacket up, for a sporty, modern & chic look. You can either use you wrist ends as a measuring stick, or hem slightly above the crotch. Your physique, height and torso length will help decide which of the two is more appropriate, and works best for you. 

Summary - And there we are once again. A perfectly tailored blazer, good for the office, or a night out . While you should listen to your tailor's advice to some extent, be sure to be persistent with your requests. With great talent and even many years of experience, even the best tailor will be unable to alter garments to your utmost satisfaction, without proper instruction. You may not get things perfectly right the first time, and you shouldn't worry. It is unlikely that anyone ever does. Getting properly tailored is a trial and error process, and a journey to discovering what works best for you.  Study & start with the tips above, and consider starting with an older article of clothing. Please be sure to like us on Facebook and follow at @s_gents to stay informed. Thanks for reading! And oh, that blazer....who says you must only wear it with a dress shirt and tie? Please see below. 

S-Gents 'Tailoring Guide' sponsored and all alterations performed by  Class Tailors Alterations. 5% off  men & women alterations with promotional code 'SG2013' for a limited time only. 

Sometimes, nothing beats dressing down in style. Shown here, is simply a well tailored blazer and plain white hanes t-shirt. Perfect for those days where you feel like losing the shirt and tie, or even escaping the heat, as we often find ourselves doing in these southern regions.

 Spice up your simplicity with accessories that have a voice of their own. The opted for accessories of the day: Feathered Pork pie hat, slim dress watch, brow bar aviators, black monk-straps and floral pocket square. 

Comments & Questions welcome. Thanks for viewing!


Southern Gents

Especially with summer fast approaching, it is no news that a chiseled set of abs, is arguably the most challenging and desired physical attribute when it comes to fitness goals. There are probably a million different ways and forms of exercises to properly sculpt your abs and obliques. However, we'll discuss two for now. But not to worry. More to come later...

Abdominal routines in the segment herein, are both forms of isometrics. Isometrics routines increase muscle tissue size and isometric strength. These forms of exercises also increase muscle stabilization and flexibility mainly through the use of holding & contraction positions, and/or gentle static movements. The most common abdominal isometric exercise is the abdominal plank. On display below is the abdominal plank with a slight twist for a strong core, and also a side plank to target and obtain chiseled obliques.

Assume the traditional plank position with elbows on a mat, and toes on the floor. Lift your waist and lower back until your body is completely parallel to the floor. For starters, you may consider having a friend or associate inspect your form, by ensuring hips are not too low or too high to the floor, and completely parallel. 

Hold this position for 30 seconds. At the 30 second mark, stretch out your left arm and reach for the stars, in a 'Superman' like manner. Also lift and stretch out your right leg simultaneously. Hold for 15 seconds.  You should remain parallel to the ground still, anchored down by your right arm and left leg, with your abdominals contracted and holding you in position. Alternate arm and leg and hold again for 15 seconds. 

It is VERY important to breathe and focus on keeping your body relaxed throughout this 60 second interval. Take a 60 second break and repeat as many times as desired.

This routine targets oblique, which are often neglected, and also improves core flexibility tremendously. Simply place your left elbow on the mat, and raise your body off the mat. You should be in perfectly triangular position to the ground. Reach your left arm upwards. Slowly reach into the inside of your right oblique and return to starting position. Aim to complete 6 repetitions and then alternate arms, and target the opposite oblique. Perform a minimum of two repetitions. Again, highly important to breathe and keep your body relaxed. 

Although they require practice and a little muscle memory, these exercises are pretty simple and offer great results. Additionally they aren't strenous on the back, have low risk of injury, and take little to no time to complete. Combined with some cardio, the results of these short contracting span of isometric routines can be very impressive. 

As always, thanks for reading. Comments & questions welcome. 

And if you happened to miss part I, view it here.

You are by no means a professional athlete, but would like to stay in shape? Look no further, as we have a few workout tips for you. The exercises to be discussed in this weeks segment, are specific to explosion, agility, plyometrics and the use/development of our bodies fast twitch muscle fibers. For those unfamiliar with the term plyometrics, it is an exercise involving repeated rapid stretching and contracting of muscles (as by jumping and rebounding) to increase muscle power. Before you perform these exercises, we recommend you begin with a few of our dynamic stretching routines.

The first exercise for explosion is called Lateral Hurdle Leaps.  

For this exercise set up a hurdle low enough to hop over, and then stand to the side of it.  Hop over the hurdle using both feet. Be careful not to trip over the hurdle at the peak of your jump. Also be sure to pick your knees up while airborne, to achieve adequate clearance.  Hop back over to work the opposite side. Repeat.

The hurdle can be as low as a line marked on the ground, to as high as your jumping abilities will allow.  Try one-legged hops, or hops with a 180 or 360 degree spin for an advanced challenge.

If you have multiple hurdles, you can set them up in a row in order to challenge your endurance hopping multiple times in one direction.  You can also hop laterally forwards or backwards over multiple hurdles to trace a diagonal line or zig zag pattern.

The second exercise is called Frog Leaps.

Begin this exercise by bending your knees and lowering your body into a deep squat (thighs parallel to the ground). Bring your arms to your sides and allow your pelvis and buttocks to hang between your legs; this position should look similar to you sitting on a stool. Once you are ready, explode off the ground as you leap forward as far as possible. As you land, return immediately to the starting stance. Once ready, leap forward again, maintaining the correct posture. Leaping as far as possible is more important than speed in this plyometrics exercise. Continue leaping until your legs can no longer handle the exercise.

The third exercise is Bleacher Runs.

Running is an exercise that is very traditional that is great for cardiovascular health as well total body wellness. However, running can get a bit monotonous. We suggest that you go to your local stadium and run up and down bleachers for a minimum duration of 8 minutes. The main benefits from performing bleacher runs are an increased heart rate (which in turn leads to greater success of training in your target training zone), burning body fat (which also results in burning calories) and increasing leg power through leg explosion.

While these exercises may seem odd or a bit intimidating, the best way to getting your body to achieve maximum success is by pushing it to its limits. We recommend to start light at 50% effort level and increase depending on comfortability and success. Remember to perform a good stretch after you complete your workouts.

Previewing the Ackerman Double Monkstraps this week. Authentic hand made calf skin leather. MSRP $250.  Apply  20% off with promo code 'SG2013. Limited time only.

We continue our 'Anywhere Fitness' series with Squat Dips.  Squat Dips are  an intermediate exercise that requires flexibility and helps build lower body strength, with little to no risk of injury. Squats help tone and strengthen various muscles of your lower body, including but not limited to in your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. There are many different methods of squats one can use to achieve his desired results.

The most commonly used method of squats are body weight squats. Body weight squats require no additional equipment and are highly effective, especially for beginners. Performing this Squat Dip exercise will build strength and flexibility as well .  To perform Squat Dips effectively, you may consider finding an apparatus under which you can maneuver  safely.  Such apparatus helps ensure you achieve adequate hip depth (if an apparatus is not available, follow the same motion as if you are dipping under a hurdle). Next, position yourself parallel to the apparatus and lower yourself to a starting squat position.

Lastly, squat and step with your inside foot under the apparatus , keeping your shoulders square, while dipping and stepping through. Note that this step involves a continuous & fluid range of motion. Repeat going left, right, back to left, and right again. Aim to complete a minimum of 8 repetitions, and as many sets as  you desire. 

Whats the big deal with stretching? Stretching when done correctly is beneficial to overall good health. However, many of us often neglect this essential practice. 


Benefits of Stretching

• Helps improve flexibility and ROM (Range of Motion)
• Increases blood and nutrient supply to muscles which can result in reduced muscle soreness
• Soothing and therapeutic for your mind
• Assist in decreased muscle tension and incidence of all types of injures from muscle strains, joint discomfort, and muscle spasms
• Reduces the risk of injury by gradually elongating the muscle
• Improves posture

Depending who you ask, some say stretching before warming your muscles is not a good practice. I recommend that you should perform a warm-up prior to stretching therefore your muscles are able to be better stretched and are less prone to an injury such as muscle tearing. On the contrary, there are those who argue that stretching without a warm-up can be done as long as you are careful to start gently and move gradually into the stretch.

Testimony:
I have experienced great benefits from stretching. It wasn't long ago I was experiencing moderate joint discomfort; the pain at times unbearable. I decided to visit with a chiropractor and to my surprise I was very stiff all over and was advised to perform an array of stretches to help offset the stiffness and to relieve tension from my muscles. I can gladly report that since I began stretching, the discomfort from my joint pain has dissipated.   

While it will take time for your body to increase in overall flexibility due to stretching, I am confident the more you stretch, the better your muscles and body will adapt. The next time you conduct a workout or run, remember to set aside a couple minutes to stretch afterwards.

Many of us often find it difficult to be motivated or inspired. Often times motivation comes from a spouse, significant other, sibling, friend or some external energy that drives us to be the best we can be.  However, as individuals sometimes we still have to look inward and be self -motivated , self inspired and driven. This is not always easy so here are some building blocks to consider.

First and foremost we all need to have a plan. As the saying goes "to fail to plan is to plan to fail." So how do we come up with a plan? The easiest way is to come up with a 10 to 20 year plan or a long term plan and then scale it down.  Your 5 year plan will consist of goals needed to get to your long term plan and your 1 year plan consists of goals to get to the 5 year plan etc.  By separating our goals into these various buckets, we end up with a daily/ weekly/ monthly/ yearly plan that then ties back to our 5 year and inevitably our long term goal.

Another great tool for self motivation is organization and introspective thinking. Often times we have a thousand things to do and a  million things going on in our minds. It can be very hard organizing these thoughts and prioritizing what needs to be done. 
It is always good to write things down especially when we are feeling overwhelmed. Creating a to do list or just writing down our thoughts help to clarify things in our minds. It also helps to prioritize our thoughts and make informed decisions.  Too often we spend time worrying about things we have no control over; in essence we should only worry about things we can affect.

Another important part of growth and self motivation is challenge. We should always seek out challenges and strive to be better than we already are. This could be in form of seeking challenges at work or setting personal goals (fitness, financial etc). Setting personal goals and achieving those goals goes a long way in building self confidence. It is also a great recipe for continuous growth and a cure for complacency.

We are all shaped in varying degrees by our experiences. Growth is a constant part of human evolution, therefore, we cannot rely on experiences from our upbringing alone. Rather, we should strive to seek out new experiences  and expand our horizons.  Travelling is one way to accomplish that. Everyone should try to visit somewhere new (international or domestic) every single year. While it is important to learn and see the history and sights of your chosen destination, we should also try as much as possible to meet new people and engage in interesting conversations to see "how the other half lives"

A friend once told me in order to maximize my potential for success, I needed to cutoff everyone that I felt was not as successful as I was. While this is rather extreme there is some truth to that. Surrounding ourselves with mediocrity breeds complacency and we develop the "big fish in small pond syndrome." There is an African proverb that says, "..in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king". Many of us tend to be influenced by people around us and gravitate to like minded individuals.  It is no coincidence that birds of the same feather flock together.  Although it is important to remain loyal and true to our friends, we should also constantly evaluate the company we keep and the environment we live in. We should place ourselves in environments that challenge us and surround ourselves with motivated individuals or people we aspire to be like. This way we feed off of the positive energy and in turn radiate some positivity of our own back into the universe. 

via ourMode

Not to long ago, we were out doing some shopping at Forever21 (well, Katherine was shopping, CJ was looking for the boyfriend chairs). We picked up some floral hair accessories and wondered if with a bit of work, they could double as some lapel pins.

CJ is always on the lookout for unique lapel pins, but finds that original pieces are pretty pricey. These floral accessories were under $4.00 for a pack of three, and you can even pick up pieces from a dollar store. As promised in our “Camo on Campus” post, our DIY will show you how to turn these inexpensive trinkets into talking points of your outfit!

1. Remove the backings from your floral accessories.
2. Make a strip of hot glue on the back.
3. Place the safety pin in the glue with the head side down, and seal in with more glue.
4. Fin! Add any buttons or details if you’d like!

Many thanks to CJ & Katherine for providing this wonderful write up! Please be sure to visit the 'ourMode' site for some GREAT his & her's fashion tips. 


Southern Gents

Moving along from our first 'How to Tailor' segment. Next up is the dress pant. This guide should hold true for dressy slacks, chinos, and even your favorite jeans. A pair of baggy frumpy pants can really ruin a sharp look, especially when unironed. Let's dive into a guide to getting a pair of trousers that perfectly suits you. 

A - Similarly to tailoring a dress shirt, be sure to start at the top. If the waist doesn't fit, put the pants where they belong. Anywhere but your closet. Before altering or purchasing any pants, make sure that the fit is snug to your waist. These days, you really shouldn't 'need' a belt. Sure a belt can always compliment the look, but if your belt is needed to keep your pants around your waist , you probably shouldn't alter them. 

B - After ensuring proper waist fitment, start at the thighs. As always, your physique will determine how your pants can and should be altered. A little room should be left in thigh area. Ask your tailor to pin closely, but make sure you do not feel your movement restricted. Also ensure that crotch length of your pants is not elongated, a common design found in non-modern dress pants. We advise staying away from purchasing such pants, as alteration here can be labor intensive and costly. However, if it happens to be a fabric or pattern you are in love with, for example, vintage 70's style  pants, by all means go for it as it is well worth it here. Just ask your tailor to pick the crotch up a little. 

C -  The lower leg. This is probably the most critical part of pant alterations, and there also lies large gray area.  Part B & C are very closely related, and it is of best interest to pay very close attention. It is no news that many crave the slim or skinny look. However, this is not necessarily the right fit for every one.  A skinny look is truly a look that flatters men who are unbelievably slim. Even with such a fit and when properly executed, men of this mold still have breathing room in their skinny jean or pants. 

When tailoring the lower leg, a slim upper & lower leg is very appealing. Alter close but not too close. The test here: if you can see any imprint of a calf muscle, it's definitely too slim. With that said, how slim you should alter the lower leg, is ruled in entirety by part B above. Aim for a straight leg look beginning from the upper thigh in B,  and a slight taper at the lower leg is permissible. More emphasis could not be placed on the term 'slight taper'. The more drastic the taper the more feminine the appearance becomes. A straight leg look will always be more universally flattering  on different body types and sizes, as opposed to a 'skinny leg' attempt. Be sure to keep your taper subtle.

Again, alterations should make your clothes flatter 'your' body and nothing else. Sometimes it's our bodies that need altering and not our clothes. Remember that you do possess the power to change your physical appearance via exercise and healthier eating habits, in the event that there is a desired look you are going for, and is currently not suitable.  A personal confession of mine is that I opted to decrease intensity of lower body weight training and increase cardiovascular training, to address disproportion of bulky legs, resulting from heavy lower body lifting during athletic years. This allowed me to better tailor to my preference and take more advantage of the straight leg/slight taper rule from an overall stand point, and also avoid temptations of a drastic taper or wider straight leg. 

D - Finally, the pant hem. There are different ways to hem at the bottom. You can either opt for a turn-up hem or the traditional hem. Just be sure to ask that hem threading matches the stitching on the rest of the pants. Hem the pants close to the top of your shoes, such that the pants breaks just once, to avoid bunching up of fabric at the leg. It might feel short at first glance, but not to worry. It will actually flow down nicely, as long as steps A, B, and C are followed accordingly.

Summary  - And there we are again. Well tailored pants, comfortable, perfect for business, running around town and even a little leisure. Once again, be sure to listen to your tailor's advice, but also be sure to be persistent with your requests. With great talent and even many years of experience, even the best tailor will be unable to alter garments to your utmost satisfaction, without proper instruction. We recommend starting off with an older pair of pants that fit properly at the waist, for practice. Good luck. Please be sure to like us on Facebook and follow at @s_gents to stay informed. Thanks for reading! 2 more to go...

S-Gents 'Tailoring Guide' sponsored and all alterations performed by Class Tailors Alterations. 5% off  men & women alterations with promotional code 'SG2013' for a limited time only. 

Nick Wooster -