MC STYLE TIP #11 | Mix

MC STYLE TIP #11: Tired of wearing the same old things in the same old ways? Invite your stylish friends over to drum up new combinations of things already in your closet. What you wear is only part of the deal. How you wear it is just as important.

MC STYLE TIP #10 | Cologne

MC STYLE TIP #10: Wear cologne like a modernist decorates his home: less is more. No body sprays, please! Wear just a drop or 2 on your neck/chest as a subtle accent to your look.

MC STYLE TIP #9 | Sloppy Shirts

MC STYLE TIP #9: Dress shirts too big and not fitted enough for your liking? A simple alteration by your local tailor can trim and shape them for little $$$, and make your 20 dollar shirt look like a $120 dollar shirt!

MC STYLE TIP #8 | Launder

MC STYLE TIP #8: Don't over-launder your clothes. Excessive washing and drying is damaging to duds and will ruin them fast. Just hang in open air for a while to clean most garments. This is especially true with jackets, vests and dress trousers.

Once upon a time, when people were much more caring and efficient with how the cared for their things, one one use a clothes brush on their garments after each wear to brush off any dust and dirt. The garment would then be hung in a closet until its next wearing. A simple airing-out is more than adequate for most garments. Undies and such become an exception, of course. But remember, one primary purpose of your underwear is to protect your outer clothes from internal soil. Other purposes include securing and shaping your body, offering additional warmth, and looking damn sexy when the outer layers come off!

MC STYLE TIP#7 | Decoration

MC STYLE TIP#7: Not into jewelry? Consider a tie-tack or handsome brooch/pin to decorate a lapel or necktie. One small detail shows the world that you care.

MC STYLE TIP #6 | Polish

MC STYLE TIP #6: Shine your own shoes at home before heading out the door. Opt for a tinted leather creme instead of a wax polish to add years to the life of your shoes and really spiff up a look.

For shoes with decorative cut-work or wingtip holes as embellishment, finish every polish with a soft shoe brush. This will increase the finish of the shine and remove any extra creme or polish that may have settled into all those attractive nooks and crannies.

Taking good are of your clothes and shoes has somehow become an old-fashioned idea, but MC thinks its one worth re-living. Quality is always affordable when you know it will last a lifetime.

MC Profile | 1920 Koy

In looking through the treasures of my grandmother's home, I've been blessed to come across a small pile of antique rice bags...likely my great grandmother's from the 1920s. Marie Koy, the fantastic, hardworking and thrifty woman who was smart enough - and resourceful enough - to save these bags probably had no idea that almost 90 years later they would be used to construct garments in this new collection.

This is quite possibly my favorite piece in the collection, so I wanted to start this new series of profiles with it. And I also wanted to name it accordingly: 1920 Koy. Thanks Great Grandma Koy...your stories of living without electricity, of Wausau Wisconsin's first car, and of carefully folded and saved rice sacks will always be fondly remembered.

Heili

Tomorrow evening MC will be celebrating the graduation and runway event of our very own Heili Aun Nalla. Just finishing her BFA in Fibers from the University of Washington, Heili has been on board with MC as a pattern maker and design assistant for nearly a year now, and we're delighted to see all of her hard work, amazing hand-skill and focus come to a celebratory culmination with her runway event that will showcase the fruits of her efforts.

We're so very proud of you, Heili! May this be the mere beginning of a long and loving career in the arts!

Come see Heili's show with us all!

MC STYLE TIP #5 | MC Collar Press

MC STYLE TIP #5: Press shirt collars from behind (the underside of the collar) to get the best shape and finish to frame your handsome face!

MC STYLE TIP #4 | Square

MC STYLE TIP #4: When summer is too warm or casual for a necktie, keep some life in your look with a colorful pocket square or handkerchief. And it doesnt have to be all fancy-folded in a suit welt; simply tuck it in a back pants pocket or front welt pocket of a vest. A little pattern and color can go a long way, boys!

MC STYLE TIP #3 | Knots

MC STYLE TIP #3: Learn many different knots for your neckties. Each collar and tie calls for a different look and can add great new options to how you dress. Variety is a gentleman's gift to the world.

The Merovingian Knot

MC STYLE TIP #2 | Release those vents!

MC STYLE TIP #2: Gentleman, please take care in removing every thread and temporary baste on new clothes. Don't live with your vents and pockets stitched closed!

TWIT

And follow MC on TWITTER! I'm suddenly a happy slave to the many ways we can all chat chat chat all day long and stay in touch even when we're miles apart! Follow me!

MC ON TWITTER!

MC STYLE TIP #1 | Gig Line

MC STYLE TIP #1: Remember your "gig line"- your shirt front, belt buckle and pants fly should form a straight line down the front of every outfit.

Heroic | Talese on Tailoring | Fashion Fantasties

Thanks to Mr. C for this one. I love it!

Sent June 9, 2009 | Letter

Inside MC | Trim

With the new collection ready to go on the rack, we've trimmed out the storefront a little bit more for summer. Come visit! Lots of new things to show!



And what is left from fall is on SALE! SALE! SALE!

SAINT

We had a fabulous time during my Sunday evening showcase at the SAINT. The time had come for another event, and it was great fun inviting my clients and supporters of MC down for an evening of cocktails and fashion amidst such an attractive and comfortable space. As always, my handsome crew of models went above and beyond the call in making the clothes look their very best and showing this new work to our guests.
Lesley Lancaster with Suresh Beauty offered her deft hand and subtle touch with the guy's makeup, and Nick Palacios tackled the clothes and styling for the evening. My hair guy of choice, Henry Graham, delivered once again with the model's hair - a cut and full styling happening mere hours before the show!

For the sake of some show and tell, here are some candid shots from that night.

The signature cocktail of the evening was designed to coordinate with the collection.