SHIRT JOURNEY (IT’S BEEN QUITE A RIDE!)

I started my menswear career in 1965 at The Custom Shop, when custom clothing was the epitome of style. There was a time when my custom shirt orders were so plentiful that it took more than an 8-hour day to write them up and send to the factory. 

As a Master Shirtmaker, I’ve witnessed the change in men’s fashion since the tie, shirt, suit combo was menswear’s go-to uniform. I’ve seen it all, including the shift to casual which decimated the professional dress code, a fashion change I still find hard to accept. Even after all these years, I’m honored to be offering this specialized service, and doing so with the support of Individualized Shirts, a 64-year-old union shop manufacturer of custom shirts. Buying and selling American goods has been a badge of honor for me since opening my own company in 1978.  

A brief history: In the late 1960s and early 1970s, shirt colors were either white or light blue. When a darker blue was added, it became a fashion statement. At the time, shirts and ties were the only way a man could express personality. Silk ties and 2-ply high count cotton shirts made the wearer look and feel successful. The 1980s brought the fitted shirt as worn in movies like Wall Street with Michael Douglas. The 1990s reflected a more buttoned up look, including tab and round pin collars. The 2000s introduced many more colors like French blue, lavender and greys. Patterned shirts in bold stripes, checks and plaids made a more laid-back statement.  

And then casual took over until the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020 brought everything to a screeching halt. By the time we emerged from this seasonal sleep, casual shirt options had become a designer’s most exciting option.  

Today’s fabrics and details have changed the direction of men’s fashion. New tech fabrics feel great on the body and launder beautifully. Fabrics now include cashmere/cotton blends, washable wools, colorful and patterned linens. Custom designers now offer matching buttons, colored buttonholes and button stems, and a choice of hundreds of fabrics, some used to trim inside collars, cuffs, and shirt fronts. In other words, custom is now an opportunity to design a shirt that’s truly one of a kind.  

I write this as an old broad (now 84) still running a successful company by doing something I love. I’ve witnessed an epic change in fashion over these many years, but with each shift comes new opportunity.  A new year is starting, and no one knows what it will hold. Tariffs could be challenging; a slow start and rising costs might cause alarm.  

Don’t go there. If you’re a company with a good track record, your clients won’t abandon you if you stay service-oriented and approachable. From my own experience, my clients are now the children of clients I’ve served in the past. There’s no better business protection than offering killer services and creating that welcoming space where clients know they’ll be well served. 

My long-term plan is to retire at 87. (Maybe?) Only those in this industry understand how hard it can be to remain relevant, and kudos to all who continue to make a difference in this field.  

So Happy New Year to my menswear industry colleagues!  Let’s make fashion magic in 2025.