I’ve been looking around for some insight on the best answer to this for some time but haven’t been able to come up with much of anything … probably because it’s a pretty trivial question related to men’s suits. It’s not about sizes, colors, styles, or buttons; I just wanted to know whether or not it’s a no-no to remove the designer tag on the cuff of the sleeve. I figure the only reason it’s there is to brand the garment and in all honesty, I deplore such ostentatiousness (is that actually a word?)
The suits I own aren’t totally cheap or ridiculously expensive, but I’m curious whether or not I’d be committing some unwritten fashion faux pas by removing the tag, since I’m not really interested in advertising how much I paid for a suit. I only have a few nice ones but I’m not looking to rub people’s noses in it.
I’d just as soon assume this is up to one’s own personal discretion, but … any thoughts?
On the cuff of a suit? Ditch it. I think the only reason they would be be there in the first place is to make it easier to pick out on a long rack of unsold merchandise.
Micro-fashion rant #3
If a designer needs to scrawl their names on the outside of a garment, isn’t that admission of defeat? If the designer is capable of clothing that is genuinely distinctive, then there’s no need for a big fat logo.
It’s not a “designer label” but rather, it’s just a tag. Leaving it on is terribly, terribly tacky. In fact, most “quality” menswear shops will remove it for you.
Its primary purpose in life is to prevent some schlub from buying a suit, wearing it once for an interview or wedding, then returning it for a refund.
I love it when I see people leave that on and I can see that their coat is “100% Wool”.
CUT IT OFF!
Now me question.
Those little plastic things in the collar of men’s dress shirts. Do you pull those or leave them? There are pockets made for them so maybe keep them. But then agian they could be sewn completly in so they wouldn’t fall out so maybe ditch them.
Leave it on? Why not wear the plastic bag it came in as a hat?
Zebra: They’re called “collar stays.” You’re supposed to have them in while you’re wearing the shirt, and then take them out when the shirt is laundered and pressed. They’re not sewn in because you can’t press the collar properly with them in.
One of my first interviews for a job, and I’d just gotten myself a new suit. The interviewer (a really sweet lady) told me that you’re supposed to cut them off.
So there you go.
As for where to put them–my dad had a box on his dresser. I think it was actually a cigar humidor. It’s where he put all sorts of odds and ends, like pocketknives and things. On the inside of the lid was a kind of a metal piece. I don’t know what it was really supposed to be for, but pop stuck his collar stays behind that metal piece. He always seemed to have spares. I guess he kept some when he got rid of old shirts.
But pop was about as meticulous and neat as a person could be without having full-fledged OCD or something. How normal people manage their collar stays I have no idea.
The sort of nice shirt that you should be worrying about the collar stays, you really ought to get laundered anyway. You can’t do it as well as they can, with the clamshell presses and all.
But then you gotta take out the little paper tag that declares your shirt to be number 86342. Caught that bad boy on some guy a few weeks ago. Didn’t say anything to him and then felt guilty the rest of the day. Surely you notice when you’re buttoning your shirt that there’s a paper tag through the buttonhole?
The tag on the suit is just tacked on…one stitch at each corner. Not Machine stitched in place permanently. So yes, remove it. I have to keep from laughing when women come into my store in good wool coats with that label still tacked on…smart, professional women who should know better.
And if you don’t want to buy replacement collar stays at menswear stores, they are available at fabric stores on the notions wall. Look near the collar extenders.
I think what’s been happening is that certain high-profile rappers have taken to leaving cuff tags on – I’ve noticed this on occasional awards shows, particularly – and that’s started a bit of a trend.
But there was a time when to leave a cuff tag on your suit jacket would have been just as embarrassing as walking around with your underwear showing.
