How do you make classic American style that’s been around since 1947 modern and relevant?
The answer from GANT is redesign the fit, interpreted in luxurious fabrics and clever stylistic details.
Tag: Princeton
Langrock – Princeton: Case Study in Retail Darwinism
We think of ourselves as a kind of successor store to the legendary Langrock, especially with fall – and the feeling for tweed, and football games in the crisp cool air, and Nassau Street with the huge oaks turning to russet – coming on. So the question comes to mind: What happened to them, anyway?
They had a larger-than-life, country-spanning reputation for quality and style, even as their take on tailored clothing became more and more anachronistic. They specialized in heavy tweeds and Saxony suits in the Ivy League, three-button sack-coat model. The pant style was ankle-high and narrow at the cuff. They defined themselves as much by what they did not carry as what they did. (Believe it or not, some traditional shops like this are still in business today – albeit in pretty remote locations. Buffalo, New York, comes to mind.) They thought that men who still wanted to dress in that peculiar style that would have nowhere else to go. Even if that were true, it was a shrinking numbers game.
I tried to sell Langrock our new (1971) “West End,” model. Named for the upscale, fashionable end of London, it was a shapely, two-button, darted front jacket. I thought I could convince Allen Frank, the owner, that “updated” traditional was tasteful and right. He wasn’t buying, but with a vengeance. Mr. Frank wasn’t insensitive to my pitch; he was downright insulted. True Natural Shoulder style was his Religion; the three-button, undarted coat style, the flannelly finish, and skinny pants were the sacred icons of the faith. Anyone who proposed a change was the Infidel.
“Never!” He practically shouted. “I could never put that kind of stuff in this store! Never! My customers would be insulted.” You’d think I’d been proposing human sacrifice. “This store stands for timeless good taste. We have no use for your fads and gimmicks. Our customers know what they want, and they don’t want shape!” It never occurred to him that Ivy League itself was just a longish-lasting fad.
I left the store that day and walked around town in a daze, trying to figure out what was going on. Here was a respected, successful shopkeeper telling me that it was his customers who decided what his store carried. As if a single one of them even knew what the hell a dart was. If that was true, what did they need him for? Was I wrong to embrace change, to believe in progress? Looking back, I think Allen Frank had a terrifying premonition that the formula that had worked for Langrock to that point was not going to last. He knew what I knew. But he was saying, without being able to really admit it, that he couldn’t change. He knew what he knew and nothing else. Change threatened him.
The next time I saw him he was standing in a dark corner of the Princeton University store, in the “Langrock Shop.” It had not gone so well. The sign that had been outside his wonderful Nassau Street store was hanging above him on the wall. “This is a lot easier than paying all that rent,” he said. Two years later he was gone altogether; no more than a memory.
Let the dead bury the dead, as I always (well, not always) say. But there is a cautionary tale here. Forget about the fact that there was a certain arrogance and snobbishness to the way Langrock treated the customer; forget about the fact that they let some ideological bias take the place of creative merchandising; forget even that they ignored the Darwinian nature of retail. Remember this: good taste and good style are fluid. Doctrinaire, stubborn attachment to one type of style is to attempt to deny human nature. At least one Princeton gentleman, unable to find anything like anything new at Langrock, found his way to 45th and Madison, into the waiting arms of Paul Stuart.
FYI A dart is a seam that makes shape in a garment. Rather than joining two separate pieces, the dart, in the case of the tailored jacket, allows the front to be gathered together and then sewn so that the waist line can conform to the natural lines of the waist.
The Trophy Jacket
Spring Essentials
I always like to start my spring shopping with one “go to” essential like this lightweight, black crepe jacket from Moschino cheap and chic. This designer’s deft, almost whimsical touch is evident in the white piping and the big pearl button. Reminiscent of the iconic Coco Chanel, this jacket is both versatile and chic. Wear it with a pant or over a dress for a professional and polished look, or with skinny leather pants or printed jeans and a soft blouse left untucked for a more updated statement. Both looks are great! With this one essential piece to your wardrobe, you will get great mileage for many seasons to come.
Gatsby’s Ghost – A History of Modern Style – II
What’s a Norman Hilton?
He first learned “St. Grottlesex” style from his New England pals at Princeton in the late 30s. Then, after the Navy in WWII and earning a Harvard MBA, he started Norman Hilton Country Jackets, using his grandfather’s New Jersey clothing factory, and pretty quickly became the leader in off-the-rack Ivy League tweeds. Suits came along in the early 50s, the Country Jackets name went away, and the Norman Hilton label was legendary.
He was, he would say, an overnight success, but it was his love of the craft that made the time seem to fly, because in fact it took years. Always, always, he insisted on three things: 1) nothing but the best – fabric, tailoring, finishing; 2) the silhouette of the jacket should comfortably follow body lines; and 3) the most elegant possible image in marketing.
Today, a Norman Hilton garment, available only through Nick Hilton Princeton, represents the same great taste in cloth, excellence in fit, and quality of workmanship as the original. There is no other American-made product that is tailored with the same care and expertise. The typical custom-made garment in this collection takes six weeks to produce and costs $2000 and up.
The Norman Hilton Country Jacket line has been revived recently, offering our ready-made and on-line customers the authentic quality of Made in America, fine quality tweeds and comfortable fit as what made Norman Hilton that legendary name in quality men’s clothing. Norman Hilton ready-to-wear jackets retail for $700.
Gatsby’s Ghost – A History of Modern Style
Gant didn’t invent the oxford button down, but they popularized it, the way Norman Hilton did for natural shoulder sport jackets. My father shared a showroom with Marty Gant at 200 Fifth Avenue in the early days of Ivy-League. They were pals. They had the same stores as customers and they traveled around selling together, played golf, and hung out. I remember boxes of Gant button-down oxford shirts arriving at the holidays. Yellow, pink, blue and white. I remember the label, even; with the big, red G. They had a little belt loop kind of a deal in the middle of the back my Mom used to hang them on hooks in my closet. That was what my brothers and I wore to church, with skinny little clip-on ties.
Button-down collar oxford shirts started out as dress-up clothes and wound up being sportswear. A guy can wear a button-down oxford with jeans, khakis, linens, or fine dress trousers; even Carolina-style, with shorts. He can wear it untucked, with the sleeves rolled up, or spiff it — hard finish worsted slacks and a sport jacket, grey flannels, a blazer, even a tie.
People should try occasionally to be creative, to carry off things that are unusual and innovative and personally expressive. So if someone says Thou Shalt or Shalt Not Wear This or That they thwart the creative drive that can make someone able to dress really well. But I will say for the record that it is a mistake to wear a button-down collar shirt with a tie and a suit. Like wearing boat shoes with the suit; not much better than a pocket protector. Button-down, no tie with suit?
Cognoscenti’s Note A Scottish textile company once named their four basic weaves after four institutions of higher learning; so once upon a time there was “Cambridge,” weave, and “Harvard” and even “Yale,” in addition to “Oxford.” (Princeton apparently was left out.) There is also a basic style of shoes called “Oxfords.” Interesting, right? Perhaps the name itself leads to persistent popularity. I can’t think of anything we wear now referred to as a “Yale.” In any case “Oxford” is a type of weave. It is a one-over-one construction, the most basic weave there is. Regular, traditional oxford is kind of heavy, and has a richly firm drape. Pinpoint oxford is the same construction, but done with much smaller yarns, so that the cloth is lighter and has more flexibility. Both should feel soft and comfortable; both should wear well. Regular, heavy oxford, though, looks like nothing else. The real thing. Pinpoint is more comfortable around your neck, especially with a tie. The colors, especially blue, are soft and versatile because the vertical or warp yarns alternate color-white-color, and so the overall look of a colored oxford shirt is softer than strictly solid cloth.
Weekly Wardrobe Tip
Hardly a day goes by that we’re not asked, “What should I do? Cuffs or plain bottoms?”
We kind of think that a man can choose these details himself, based on his own personal preferences and tastes. But when someone asks, we have to answer; and when we answer, we want our answer to be helpful, well thought-out, and practical. We do not know who made up the pseudo-rule that says “Cuffs With Pleats, Plain Bottoms With Plain Fronts,” but like so many old saws we hear in the retail world, it’s just stupid. What relationship is there between pleats and cuffs? Why the rule is relevant today, when pleats are going the way of the 4-inch lapel is anybody’s guess.
So we answer with a question: “Will you be wearing these trousers with a sport jacket or a blazer?” That is, are they meant for dress-wear, or for more casual occasions? If they are meant to be part of a tailored outfit, we think they should look tailored, with cuffed bottoms. If they are for more casual occasions, and never to be worn with blazers and so on, then go cuffless by all means.
Or (and here’s the real news) decide for yourself. Sometimes the fabric, the cut, the color, or simply the mood you happen to be in can determine it. Just remember that cuffs are a more traditional touch, and make up your own mind.
For a good overview of this subject, you might want to visit a great blog: http://www.hisstylediary.com/2012/03/29/anatomy-of-the-trousers/ There you’ll find some handy tips and guides like this:
Local passion? Just the coffee?
“Joe to go” you can get anywhere in Princeton. But Small World Coffee has a line out the door, even at night. Hard to get a table in the hustle-bustle back room amid amped chatters. I don’t think it’s just because of its local ownership or its central Witherspoon Street visibility. They have the same parking headaches as everybody else, but the place is packed. Consistent product, consistent results.
For me, it’s all about the caffeine buzz, probably a function of the taste. Or vice-versa. Great rich taste = strong brew. Everything else is secondary. This is not a review; I’m just sayin’. The coffee’s just better, man. We even get it at home, by mail order. Junkies.
Just goes to show you… Better coffee or better clothing, it’s not magic that keeps folks coming back. Just find out what the customers want and give it to ’em. Caffeine or khakis, lattes or schmattes, just make sure it’s the best they can get anywhere. We’re grateful for the example. And the coffee.
Stay Preppy in Princeton with Better Mens Sportswear
Tired of that sloppy, cargo-shorts-and-a-tee-shirt look — but you don’t want to wear something as formal as a sport jacket or blazer out to dinner at Mediterra, or 
hanging out around the house? When you want to relax and look relaxed, but while still keeping that polished air about you, you need better mens sportswear such as Cooper Jones, and Gant – just two of the designer names we carry that will provide you that preppy Princeton style you’re looking for.
Check out Cooper Jones for classic sports shirts especially great for wearing to events in warmer weather. The checked patterns the brand is known for are hugely on trend today, and make these shirts great for office wear, too. When you’re feeling a little bolder, take advantage of Jones’ vintage dyes, fresh colors, and the fine attention to detail that goes into every piece.
If your day is going to include a bit more rough-and-tumble play than that, Gant may instead be your style of choice. These rugby shirts are a classic, with the style being just as on fashion point today as it was twenty years ago. Bright and bold horizontal shirts are prominently featured across each piece, and can be found in traditional blues and greens; or you can go really bold with oranges, yellows, and even pinks. It’s every man’s style, you just have to choose your right hue.
When you’re tired of looking like an eight-year old baggy shorts and oversized tees, come see us at Nick Hilton. We have expert fitting brands and styles, and we can show you that look you’ve been searching for all along.
Gimo’s Women’s – Fashionable in Princeton This Spring
You’ve gone to a lot of time and trouble trying to get your wardrobe just perfect, and to find only the best designer names to wear while out and about. And when you’re facing the inclement weather that spring in Princeton is bound to bring, you also need to make sure you have the right outerwear to protect that fine fashion. You need to make sure you have Gimo’s.
Gimo’s has women’s outerwear that will protect you and your luxury fine clothing, whether you’re heading out to a cocktail party or will be running around doing errands in the rain. When you’re going to be battling the elements, Gimo’s lightweight raincoats will offer you full coverage and protection. Made from twills, canvas, leathers, and even faux furs, these waterproof jackets will keep you dry and toasty; yet are light enough that they won’t drag you down on warmer days. And, if you need something a little warmer, Gimo’s also offers down coats that are a perfect match for spring’s cooler weather.
Available in both waist and three-quarter lengths, Gimo’s down coats come quilted, and with all the trimmings. Furs often decorate the lining of the hood, and can even sometimes be seen on the cuffs for extra flair, too. With styles that are reversible, you can also change your style and mix it up whenever the mood strikes.
When you’re looking for the best outerwear in Princeton come see us at Nick Hilton. We have all the big names you’re looking for, and tons of fresh spring styles to back them up!
Looking for Comfortable Designer Office Fashion in Princeton? Max Mara Has it!
Summer in Princeton always brings with it tons of fresh new fashion. But when it comes to looking good, and keeping cool, at the office and at the same time, it can often seem nearly impossible. Max Mara Studio understands that, and that’s why they’ve created softly tailored clothing for women that is comfortable on even the hottest days, and will keep you looking sharp.
It’s the oh-so-breathable fabric that will keep you feeling breezy from the beginning of your work day until it’s time to punch out; and no lining to bunch up or make you too warm. The relaxed fit from waist to bottom hem also helps keep you feeling cooler. The V-neck in the blazer jackets provides more ventilation, and can look especially sharp with a simple solid tee or tank worn underneath.
You can find Max Mara in a variety of colors, from neutral to the boldest and brightest, as well as in different patterns and prints. And when you need to find that one that’s just right for you, you need to come see us at Nick Hilton so we can help!
Nick Hilton - Reflections 