Review: SKINNYFATTIES Tie Slimming Service

So, you went out thrifting and found an awesome tie for dirt cheap. Problem is, from the 1980's through the 90's, and even as recently as the 2000's, the widths of neckties have been on the wider side, sometimes tragically so.

While you may have found a great looking tie from Ermenegildo Zegna, Polo Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Ben Silver, GANT, or one of many other fine tiemakers, having a 4" wide tie and an athletic, non-portly frame doesn't look quite right. While I have discussed the ideal width for ties before, I think the best piece of advice I can offer is that ties should be proportional to your frame, and your jackets-- specifically, coordinated with the widths of the lapels.

The Basic Idea:

So, what to do with that awesome repp tie you thrifted, got as a gift, or say inherited, that doesn't quite look right? Well, there's a solution that doesn't involve going out and buying a brand new tie. Skinnyfatties (Pronounced Skinny Fat Ties) is a tie tailoring service that will slim down your neckwear to any specified width (in .25" increments). As a web-based service, you simply mail in your ties, and in a few days receive them back with the requested tailoring.

In this article, I will be writing an in-depth review about my experience with the service as well as providing some photos.

Some of my favorite ties in my collection have always been the vintage Brooks Brothers repp ties. These fit the "Mad Men" look perfectly, because they are quite literally the same ties that the characters in the show would have been wearing in the late 1960's. This is regarded by many, to be the ideal width for a "trad" tie, and in my measurements, they clock in right at about 3-3.25".

A vintage Brooks Brothers tie, thrifted for $1

Here we see two vintage BB ties, with a wider, more recent tie on the right. Notice the difference in width.

This tie, the BB#1 in burgundy/gold/navy, is one of my favorite ties, and one of the most recognizable patterns out there. It's a beautiful tie, however on many occasions I felt awkward wearing it, due to the width being slightly wider than what I normally prefer.

According to the website, this tie is now manufactured at 3.25", however this one, being a couple years old, is 3.625".

While this width works for bigger guys, the college aged guy or young professional looks better with widths around 3" in my opinion. This tie, a wonderful BB#3 stripe in navy and pink, would be my 2nd tie I selected to be tailored by the service.

I got in touch with Joshua Adam Brueckner, the founder and current CEO of Skinnyfatties. One thing I will praise them for right away, is amazing customer service. Every time I visited the site, someone working directly at the company (not some outsourced BS) was able to live-chat and discuss any questions I had on the spot. I just wish more webstores had that level of service. 

Anyways, the first part of the tailoring process is choosing your size. I measured up my beloved vintage BB ties and found them to be right about 3", so I requested one tie to be tailored at 3" and one at 3.25"

My two ties, boxed up and ready to go in a Brooks Brothers tie box.

Skinnyfatties provides a shipping label, using USPS First class mail. Their facilities are based in Brooklyn, NY.

The Price:

The total cost to have two ties altered is $58 + $11 for return 2-day shipping.

I received a discount on the basis of publishing this review, however I won't deny this service is on the pricey side for a college student or young professional. On the other hand however, say rather than altering the ties, I went out and bought two brand new ones at a cost of $70 each, I would have had to spend $140 compared to $69, so depending on how you look at it, it isn't necessarily terrible. 

Lets also keep in mind this is a labor intensive process that has to be done completely by hand. The company quotes that the alteration process requires about 2 hours of work, so I would say considering this, the price is fair. 

The relatively high cost however, means that to me, this service would be limited to "luxury" ties, or those which I feel are fairly valuable, just unwearable due to their current wide width. 

I would not use this service on any tie that was fairly inexpensive new, as it would be cheaper to just go and buy something similar. When you have a $150+ tie however, a $29 alteration doesn't seem like such a bad deal.

The Turnaround:

I mailed my ties in on a Wednesday, and received them back the Friday of the following week, with a total turnaround time of 10 days (7 business days) including transit. This could fluctuate based on how busy they are, but I was very impressed with how quickly I got them back.

Here's the box that arrived yesterday with my ties. I was slightly disappointed I didn't receive back my origional packaging, as I sent these off in a nice Brooks Brothers tie gift box. While it's not really a big loss (I have a few laying around), I suggest they put a disclaimer on their site saying that you will only receive back your ties, and not any packaging material you send them in.

The BB#1 tie, post alteration. 

Both ties after their diet and exercise regimens.

The keeper (the strip of fabric that says "Brooks Brothers Makers and Merchants" is still in place. According to the website, if your tie is to narrow to keep the original labels, they sew a new one in place, and re-sew the original label onto the back-blade of the tie. It seems 3" is about as skinny as you can go while keeping the tags as they are-- Perfect.

Measures to 3.125"

Also measures to 3.125"
I had requested this one at 3", but I actually am quite happy with how it came out.

The alterations process involved re-creating the look of the tie, and I think they did a good job of keeping it proportional and symmetrical.

Comparison of tailored, recent BB#1 tie left, with classic vintage BB#1 tie, right. The widths are now identical. One thing I did notice was the placement of the bar-tack (the stitch that keeps the back of the tie together, was considerably lower on the tailored tie. This isn't a bad thing necessarily, but a higher placement would be more true to the original build of the tie,

Skinny-model glamour shot

Overall, I was quite impressed with the final product. The ties look as if they came that way right from the store, in a more perfect width matching the classic variety loved by so many. There is no obvious signs they had been altered, and all the needlework was cleaned up perfectly (no loose threads or sloppyness).

Pros:

• Quality of the tailoring was quite good
• Very fast service clock in at 10 days, including shipping both ways.
• Amazing customer service, live chat was a great feature.
• Wide variety of widths, pick anything from 2" to 3.5" (I reccomend 3")
• Discounts when sending in multiple ties. 

Cons:

• Fairly expensive, however still cheaper than many brand new ties.
• Their shipping kind of annoyed me. They use a USPS First Class label (provided) to get the ties there, but then only offer expensive shipping for returning them to you. $10+ for return shipping is simply too much for a service like this, where the goal is to save money.
• Original packaging was not returned, no warning on website regarding this but a small caveat. 

My Suggestions: 

• The return shipping should be free, and be based on USPS first class which is the most economical way to ship anything under 1lbs in most cases. I know for a fact I can mail a package to NYC (where Skinnyfatties is based) for under $3. Priority 2-day mail would be a meager $5.05, so charging $11 for return shipping seems to be unreasonable.  Change your platform to support USPS first class mail, absorb the cost, and offer 2-day rush shipping for $5-$7 per order extra.  For customers in a real hurry, also offer USPS Priority 2-day for the initial shipping label too. 

• Insurance. Lets say I sent off 10 ties each valued at $200 new. The package gets run over on the tarmac at Newark airport, or one of my ties gets accidentally damaged or destroyed during the alterations process. While these scenarios are unlikely, they are very much possible, and the current site has no real section that covers liability or insurance for a loss. The provided shipping label should have insurance on it for the value of the package, and the company should assume some liability for if a tie gets irreversibly damaged during the alterations process. While this isn't a huge deal when sending one or two ties, say a customer was going to send you $2,000+ worth of neckwear, it becomes kind of a big deal. 

Otherwise, I think Skinnyfatties offers a great service, that could really come in handy, especially those who thrift ties, or say, were gifted many from a father or grandfather that just seem a little out-of-proportion with your younger body type. 

They aren't alone in the tie altering business, and TieCrafters offers a similar service, which can also include a professional cleaning. Their costs are very similar to Skinnyfatties.

So, if you have a little extra money, and a few ties that have been sitting in your closet, I recommend sending them off to Skinnyfatties for alteration to achieve that perfect width. While it may seem ridiculous to care so much about less than an inch difference, in practice, this small variation in width makes a HUGE difference in the overall look of an outfit: and makes the difference between looking like you raided your dads closet, to having custom-designed ties made especially for you.

Check out Skinnyfatties for yourself, and get $10 off if you use my special link!

http://skinnyfatties.refr.cc/N5567NZ

A trip to J.Press, Cambridge

J.Press - Little known outside of devotees to traditional style, J.Press has been a foundation of "Ivy Style" since before the inception of the term. While Brooks Brothers, while deemed venerable and influential has hundreds of stores across the counry, J.Press only opperates 4 locations nationwide, in addition to online sales. Despite their relatively small physical footprint, the influence of J.Press style runs quite deep-- and this particular store in Cambridge remains a important part of the culture of the city. 

One of my favorite anecdotes regarding the brand is a story about former president George Bush Sr. while giving a speech at his alma mater, Yale University, during his presidential campaign.

All politics aside, I do believe the man has always been a sharp dresser, even into his 90's. As the story goes, some students in the crowd began to heckle, calling out that he was just another "Brooks Brothers Republican". To answer this, he simply opened his suit jacket, revealing the iconic J.Press label inside. Before you get the idea that J.Press is entierly for old, white conservitaves, I'll also share that former owner of the brand, Paul Press, once gifted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr a J.Press tie after a visit to his New Haven store, which King wore on many occasions.

To me, walking through this door is almost a religious experience. To adhorts of the trad style, this isn't just a store, it's a national monument; A place where a certain look is preserved and kept alive. While clothing retail has made major changes over the past 100+ years, here we see an example of a store that is true to it's name. While Macy's and JC Penny hawk piles of inexpensively produced garbage in identical stores in identical malls across the country, here before us we have something very unique, and true to the traditions and heritage that predates our modern era.

If you like J.Crew, Vineyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren, then you ought to pay attention to Press as well, because this is where these modern brands took their influence from.

In a past article, I have shown you the J.Press York Street shop in NYC, but here are some photos from J.Press Cambridge.

Fun fact: This store features a Harvard-friendly crimson color scheme, while the New Haven location is decked out in blue.

Two long "islands" in the center of the store feature hundreds and hundreds of ties, ranging from emblematics to repps, foulards, raw silk, knits, and everything in between.

A wall of shirts, featuring the iconic J.Press oxford with a button-flap pocket.

Repp ties galore. 

...and let's not forget about bow ties either!

Plenty of summer offerings, including gingham, seersucker, madras, and raw-silk ties. Shorts can be seen below.

An iconic 3/2 roll blazer with elbow patches, a signature casual jacket of the trad-elite. To me, the store projects an aura of authenticity not found in any Brooks Brothers or similar retailers. It's not about glitzy and glamourous merchandise displays, it's about the product. 

Rowing ties are among the many emblematics offered. J.Press neckwear (Made in England) is actually offered at lower prices than Brooks Brother (or many other preppy retailers) at around $69 a tie, or $55 on sale.

Here we see the (in)famous "Harvard Sports" tie. Don't worry, Yale has one too, but you won't find it here in Cambridge.

Simple cuff-links, and sets of blazer buttons behind.

The store features hundreds of suits, sport coats, tweed jackets, and of course, navy blazers. 

Belts of leather ($100) and ribbon ($50) in many patterns and colors.

Some books on display- no doubt featuring apparel by the brand from its 113 year history.

Unboxed: A Brooks Brothers Shirt

So, you've saved your pennies and splurged for a Brooks Brothers shirt from their website. In this post, I'll walk through some of the finer details of just what makes a Brooks Brother shirt, a Brooks Brothers Shirt, and what you can expect when ordering one. 

With the semi-annual sale right around the corner, now might be a good time to pick one (or three) up!

I've said it many times before, but the oxford shirt is perhaps the most versatile item in your wardrobe: perfect for occasions both casual and formal, while being both comfortable and durable.

BB merchandise arrives in an inconspicuous cardboard box. I take advantage of the free 2-day shipping offered by ShopRunner, which makes ordering online a whole lot more affordable and convenient. 

Here we see the packing invoice, nothing too exciting, but keep this portion if you plan on returning or exchanging the item in a store

This is the included return shipping label. If you use ShopRunner, they provide free shipping back. If you use the one above, they deduct ~$7 from your return.

Another nice feature of BB shopping, is the complimentary gift boxes. I usually request them as they make great storage/mailing boxes even if I'm keeping the item for myself. These beautiful boxes are hard to turn down!

Inside, you will find your merchandise carefully wrapped in signature tissue paper

Warning: Do not put plastic bag over head.

The goods: This is the sport-shirt version of the classic Oxford Shirt, this one woven-up in breathable "Brookscool" supima cotton, making it a more ideal shirt for summer. I will praise the original oxfords (also known as the must-iron) indefinitely, however they are only offered in a limited number of colors, and are a heavier, thicker fabric. As I just stocked up on one of each of the originals, I decided to branch out into some more fun colors, such as the Coral oxford you see above.

Merchandise tag attached with price removed, as standard with the "gift" option.
It may be hard to see from the image, but the sport shirt buttons are also different as well. The sport shirt version is equipped with flatter, laser-etched buttons featuring the Brooks Brothers name engraved on their surface. The dress shirt buttons are plain plastic (with the exception of the mother-of-pearl buttons found on the high-end Golden Fleece or Black Fleece shirts).

The sport shirt version of the oxford has buttons on the sleeve gauntlet, the part of the cuff you see below. There are also two buttons on the cuff itself. The dress shirt version lacks a button on the gauntlets, and has only one button on the cuff.

In comparison, we have three other shirts from BB here.
Far Left: French Cuffs
Center: Brooks Brothers Black Fleece Oxford
Right: Brooks Brothers Original Oxford shirt

As with most BB shirts, we have a single box-pleat on the back of the shirt.

Fabric care tag located on the inside of the bottom of the placket. Note the RN 93986, the FTC Code for Brooks Brothers merchandise.

Here we can see 6 different BB oxfords. The far left is the one featured above. Then, an aqua, followed by a pink, white, white, and blue.

Tags for the Original oxford. The three things to look for are

• Numeric size (eg 15 1/2 - 34)
• 100% American Supima Cotton
• Made in USA

The blue color of the text indicates slim fit. 

The sport shirt version is sized with letters, from S through XL. The sport shirt version, is also differentiated by the presence of an embroidered logo. The "dress shirt" variety do not have logos.