Ike Behar, Hickey Freeman, Robert Graham, Report Collection, Corneliani, Harris Tweed, Saks 5th Ave/Black, Etro, Zegna, Piombo, Missoni, Samuelsohn, Carr, Reda, Cole Haan, Bugatchi, Neiman Marcus, Prell, XMI, Sand, Lang, Campbell, English Laundry, Jos A Bank, Brooks Bros, Lands End, London Fog.

Over the last few years, i have been steadily acquiring a collection of dress clothes that fits my preferences for quality, color, refinement, style and taste. The labels above represent the heart of my ‘collection’, which is now comprised of 7 suits, 1 tux, 7 sport jackets, 17 dress jackets, 5 tweeds, two rain coats, two overcoats, 63 ties, 6 leather shoes, 8 summer-weight jackets, two camel-hair jackets, 1 down-filled leather jacket, three cotton summer slacks and 9 wool slacks, 6 belts and a variety of dress socks

The list-retail price of my collection was $35k, i spent $11k. I purchased almost all items online. My top brand choices are:

jackets and coats = Hickey Freeman, Ike Behar, Saks 5th Ave Black, Corneliani, Zegna

shirts = Ike Behar 120’s, Robert Graham, Saks 5th Ave, Neiman Marcus

shoes = Cole Haan, Saks 5th Ave Black (made in Italy)

Suits = Hickey Freeman, Saks 5th Ave. Black (made in Italy), Ike Behar

ties = Saks 5th Ave Black, Missoni, Jos A Bank

materials = Corneliani, Zegna, Piombo, Missoni (the Italians)

top choices = Ike Behar (shirts), Hickey Freeman (jackets), Saks 5th Ave Black/Italy (suits), Cole Haan (casual shoes), Saks 5th Ave Black/Italy (dress shoes).

Over the course of 2+ years (ordering, trying on, returning, keeping), i have evaluated many brands and styles (and product lines within brands). For my sense of style (refined colors and patterns, sport-casual and business dress), i have settled on these labels. Ike Behar has consistently fine shirts and sportcoats, Hickey Freeman has great dress jackets (fit, style, color, material, pattern), Jos A Bank’s premium tie collection is exceptional (patterns, colors, styles), and the Saks 5th Ave suits (made in Italy) are impressive.

in future blog posts i will explore further each brand and category in-depth, as well as other facts and details that will help you build a collection that reflects your personal sense of taste and style. You can have top quality products, without breaking the bank. Stop wearing the cheap crap from local retailers, when for only a few dollars more you can have top quality products for a fraction of list price.

Ike Behar.

In 2014-15, after having spent many years running my own small business, i decided that my piecemeal wardrobe needed a long-overdue upgrade. It had been assembled piecemeal over the last several years, but was not presenting well in the rarefied circles in which i was now associating. I started shopping carefully, learning and educating myself along the way. it was a gradual process, and took about 18 months. Living in Boston (USA), I needed an assortment of clothes for the different temperatures of the four seasons. I went thru three different wardrobe sets before I finally found the variety I wanted. I discovered what good quality was, what presented well, and what fit well. I learned how to buy top-quality product at competitive prices. Mistakes were made, and MANY items were returned. Product quality kept improving. I returned over 30% of the items i purchased (mostly from premium-brand websites). I actually had to learn how to dress, how to assemble outfits correctly and how to present for different occasions. Not only am I now consistently one of the best-dressed guys in the room, but my personal tastes and sensibilities make a refined statement. First impressions are now more positive (who knew), and people actually comment on the quality or attractiveness of my jacket, tie, shirt etc. I upgraded to look better, to be more effective and to feel more confident about what i was wearing. In the process, I found that it creates new ground rules. People seem more interested in what I have to say. The effort and expense I put into my new wardrobe shows purpose and intent. I now communicate with more confidence. I look better than my competition (i am a management consultant who talks to many people in the course of a week), and I no longer dress tech-geek casual. All in all, well worth the expense (and more importantly the effort) to dress with the same commitment with which i automate companies.

Hickey-Freeman.