Midwest to West Coast

For a long time I really thought that I would spend my whole life in Chicago. I love the city, and I feel a deep connection to the area. Recently, though, I took it upon myself to go somewhere new. I am now a resident of Los Angeles, and I am excited to get to know the new city. Things are definitely different here. I find that more of the people I interact with are creative, and a lot more of the men in the area are the athletic build that DEPT728's athletic fit t-shirts are made for! I may not be at home yet, but I think LA will grow on me.

Niche

Just because something is available to buy does not mean that it is in style. Most of the time people justify buying inappropriate clothing with the fact that someone is selling it. Each person has a unique shape. Because not everyone looks the same, not everyone can wear all of the trendy looks. I, for one, cannot do the very billowy tops with shorts. Being curvy means that I can look like I am wearing a tent very quickly. Petite girls, however, will look lovely in that sort of look. It is trendy, but it is not a look for me. Conversely, the 1940's pinup style bathing suits look amazing on me, and the tiny girls will not get the same effect. So when you are shopping, be selective. Choosing the most flattering of the trendy looks for your shape is the best way to go. Just because it's on a rack doesn't mean it is meant for you. Happy summer shopping!

xoxo,

Ruth

Bottoms

With all the varieties of jeans today it is important to make sure that the tailoring is done well. New technology makes the hems of the denim more interesting, and worth preserving. Reattaching the bottom is the way to go when shortening the length. Jeans that are too long MUST be shortened. Denim can go many places, but ripped and shredded bottoms are not the same as "distressed denim" you can buy from the store. Proper length and proper tailoring are important things. The one thing to know about denim is that fit in the waist and hip is important to have from the store. The nature of the seam work on jeans makes them very hard to tailor. Most of the time it is impossible to "take in" a pair of jeans. Be a fit snob and the store and find the pair that works for your body, then have them shortened if necessary. With so many brands out there at least one will lay well on your waist and hips. Remember: There is a fine line between distressed and messy, so find a pair of jeans that fits your style, then fit them to your length.

xoxo,

Ruth

Popping the Cherry

Since the very beginning we have had a following within Chicago. A few of my old contacts and friends became big fans of the clothing Dept 728 has to offer. Thankfully those few people have spread our name by word of mouth over the last year and a half that we have been in business. Since putting up the website we decided to actually incorporate the ability to purchase online. While lots of people have gone to http://www.dept728.com/ they had yet to actually buy something straight from the website. This week was the beginning of our online retail success when we started receiving orders through the website. I am so excited to show people across the country what Dept 728 is all about. I am obsessed with fit and proportion. The lines of the menswear are specifically engineered to work with the body and fit men in a very streamlined kind of way. I believe that we have something very unique to offer the fashion world, and I am so excited to have the opportunity to do so.

xoxo,

Ruth

Drawing the Line

Lines make all the difference. The lines of a garment will either accentuate or detract from the person wearing them. When a garment is striped, there are far more lines to consider. Horizontal stripes are in right now, and only a select few can actually wear them. Slender men without a lot of bulk or muscle can wear them without problems, petite women can also do the same. Chesty women, or very muscled men, however, have quite a lot of dimension to their bodies already, and horizontal stripes will only make their proportions look cartoonish. Even a tiny bit of excess weight will be shown in a striped garment, so anyone not at the gym everyday should be careful. Luckily, stripes can be used in other ways for the rest of us who were not born with exceptional metabolisms. Striped structured sport coats look good on almost anyone since the structure of the garment is very flattering to almost any body type. Nautical striped bags and hats are also a good way to work the trend. So keep your eye on the lines for this season, and remember to use them only to your advantage.

xoxo,

Ruth

Glimmer

Metallics are a big part of spring's look. A little bit of shine goes a long way. Incorporating metallic shoes or belt will add some extra pizazz to your outfits. As for metallic fabrics, less is more. A metallic pant should be paired with a matte top, or visa versa. The other thing to be aware of when wearing metallic fabrics is to make sure that everything underneath is smooth. Lace bras do not pair well under metallic tops, and panty lines or cellulite are much more apparent in metallic pants. Seamless bras and control top pantyhose are a girl's best friend when contemplating metallic clothing. Also, a great metallic bubble skirt or metallic drapey top will be more forgiving for those of us weighing over 110 pounds. Don't be afraid, metallic clothing and accessories are fun to play with. Go ahead and get your shine on!
xoxo,
Ruth

Mini-Muffins

Who knew there would be such a thing as a bad muffin top? Frankly I feel like the top is the best part of the muffin, and the first thing I eat. In fashion, though, a muffin top is completely unappetizing. Most of the time when I spot a woman walking down the street in jeans that her hips are spilling over the top of my stomach turns. Most of the time the muffin top is a side effect of a size problem. Each woman has a unique curve to her hips. Some companies will fit one woman, yet be completely wrong for the next. When buying lower rise jeans the fit and curve of the hip is essential. The most expensive denim will look cheap when paired with a muffin top. Aside from fit size is also an issue. Some women feel defined by the number on the tag inside their jeans. No woman is the same exact size throughout different lines, and it doesn't mean that she has gained or lost weight just because the tag reads a lower or higher number. Sometimes squeezing into a smaller size only makes a person look larger. Considering that people on the street are not equipped with x-ray vision, the number on the tag is not as obvious as the flesh spilling out above the waistband. I don't care if the size reads 2 or 22 as long as the fit is perfect. If it makes a difference I recommend tearing out the tag once the jeans are purchased. If the jeans fit fantastically then they are the right size. It's that simple.

xoxo,

Ruth

Proportions

There is a golden ratio for bodies. Longer legs and a somewhat shorter torso is ideal. No matter what the actual proportions of the body are it is possible to visually suggest the more ideal scenario. Dropped waist dresses, for example, are a great idea for girls with short torsos and long legs. Empire waist dresses, in contrast, help shorten a longer torso and add visual length to the leg line. For men, shirt length is the most important consideration. Shorter men (or tall men with long torsos) should always make sure to have their shirts end just below the belt line. Long legged men can correct their shorter torsos by extending their shirts to the hip level instead. Ideally, the clothing will make the body actually look as if it is proportioned correctly, and always looking good is golden.

xoxo,

Ruth

P.S. Dept728 will cut extra length or shorten the length on shirts ordered on the website. Just email me to request adjustments.

The Big V

V-necks are not all created equal. Some are up high and straight, some are low and curved, and lots of others are somewhere in between the two. I think that all of the v-neck t-shirts out there have a place in the closet, but there are a few guidelines to follow:

1. Know what is too low: Men don't really need to enlighten the general population as to the landscape of their entire chest (so wear them layered with other knits), and women should follow this same rule (the only exception is when you are in a nightclub and all other body parts are appropriately covered).

2. Landscaping is key: Men should have their chest hair trimmed in order to avoid a tufted look, and women should be sure to conceal any splotchiness or acne on the decolletage for a clean look.

3. Less is more: When in doubt go for a higher v-neck in order to avoid having to consider rules one and two.

xoxo,

Ruth

The Cotton Condom

Somehow I never tire of talking about the cotton condom. Let me explain exactly what this is: Men with truly fantastic physiques who only seem to wear t-shirts that are entirely too small for them. The t-shirt is so tight, in fact, that the fabric is pulling underneath the armpits in an attempt to stretch itself across the buff wearer's chest. So essentially, the garment is no longer considered a t-shirt, it's more like a cotton condom. I used to think it was amusing, but now I just want to shake the guys wearing them and tell them to get a clue. I am sure that with all the hard work that they do at the gym they deserve to show off their physique, but enough is enough. Fit is something that everyone needs to find. Sometimes it's harder to get clothes to fit correctly when you are shaped differently than most of the population, but that is no excuse. Dept728, for one, created an athletic fit specifically for the gym rats so that they can wear something that shows off their v-shaped torsos without pulling too tightly in the chest or being too loose in the waist. Other lines do have some sort of athletic fit shirt as well. So sometimes it takes a little more effort to find something that fits, but wearing a t-shirt that looks like it's from the kids department is not the answer.
xoxo,
Ruth

Small Man, Big Clothing

I receive many questions regarding sizes for men. For those that are big and tall there are many options available (though skinny jeans are not one of them). For smaller men, however, it gets a bit harder to find clothing that fits correctly. Most designers start at a 38 or 40 jacket, and go up from there. For those that are 36 jacket and below it is even more important to find close fitting clothing. Loose clothing on a small frame looks a little like a boy his dad's clothing. Swimming is a great sport, but not something that should be done while a person is dressed. Finding clothes that fit closely to the body make a narrower man look broader. Obviously, tailoring will also be necessary on most clothing in order to really suit the smaller man's build. Darting in woven shirts, hemming on pants, and a little shaping on jackets will make everything look custom made.

xoxo,

Ruth

P.S. For any style questions of to get custom made t-shirts from Dept728 email me at Dept728@gmail.com