H&M Blazer | Ann Taylor Blouse | The Limited Pants | Target Belt | DSW Heels
Author: Dagny Zenovia
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Mensmerize: Houston Custom Clothier
As long as you have your suit and tie, you can show many people a few things. A tailored suit sharpens anyone’s persona, but do you know what goes into finding a custom suit that fits you? I had the pleasure of going behind-the-scenes with Mensmerize to bring you details about the process and tips for your style.
Mensmerize, founded by Alex Dawotola, is a new men’s custom clothier in Houston near Highway 6. As you step into Mensmerize, you are met with the soulful sounds of Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and Otis Redding. A chill and sophisticated clothier set up to provide quality collaboration and style. I met with David Rochez, Mensmerize image consultant. He showed me the many customization options a potential client has from buttons to collars to fabrics.
“The thing that people sometimes don’t understand about bespoke is that it’s all for you, your body frame, your body structure. With bespoke it’s all customization. Whatever you want to do we can do it.” – David Rochez
Bespoke means “custom-made” or “made to order.” (Learn something new everyday) Regardless of what stye you are looking for, the options they offer can fit your needs and inspire new looks. Now, let’s get into the process of custom suiting.
First, the measurements: depending on what you are ordering, David will have you try on a button down shirt, jacket, and pants to determine the fit you are looking for. He then uses a tape measure to get your exact measurements. A conversation results discussing the length of the shirt, fit of the jacket, and other things depending on what you are looking for.
“It all depends on the fit. If it’s a business suit, you want it to be not too tight and not too loose. If you are more fashionable, you want the crop legs, show more cuff of the shirt, and be a little more fitted. We know fashion, that’s what we do. So there are always two different kinds of customers.” – David Rochez
Second, the fabric: there is no limit on color, feel, and weight plus endless combinations to make.
“Since I’m the image consultant I can narrow their choices to what would work for them. I can show them the main colors for fall or cuts for suits as a starting point.” – David Rochez
Third, customization: from stitching to inner lining to felt accents, this probably would be my favorite part of the process. You can add so much personality to a suit.
The whole process takes about an hour to an hour and a half, which can be done at Mensmerize or David can travel to your office or home. It really adds a more intimate and wholesome side to shopping for your wardrobe.
To add to this exclusive behind-the-scenes scoop, David also shared some tips for fall men’s fashion. Since we do not usually have a cold fall season in Houston, pay attention to the weight of the fabric you choose to wear to avoid sweating. If you don’t want to wear a jacket, you can wear a vest or waist coat to accessorize your outfit.
Mensmerize is currently offering a 20% discount for all clients during October. Check out their work, make an appointment, and sharpen your wardrobe.
Have you ever ordered a bespoke or custom suit? What are you planning to add to your closet this fall?
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Why My Glasses Have A Purple Glare
I was practically born with glasses on. Thus, lens technology is my kind of party. The red frames I am wearing now were a gift from my brother and father, who also have a healthy sense of style. Friends noted my glasses had a purple reflection, which I did not notice. It was only after editing my LookBook images that I saw what they were talking about. Out of all the glasses I have worn over the years, this is the first time my lenses have looked like this. Since I did not order purple-rain-lenses, I slightly panicked thinking the lab might have done something wrong. So, of course, I did some research and felt the need to share my discovery with the world.
My lenses have an anti-reflective coating. Even though I have had this on my previous glasses for the past 10 years, there has been a new development recently that causes this colored glare. The purpose of anti-reflective coating is to remove reflections from the lenses to improve the quality of vision and look of the lenses. It removes the “back-glare” that is caused by light hitting the back of the lens and bouncing into the eyes. This can cause eye fatigue and blurry vision while viewing a screen or driving at night. This coating is installed as layers on both sides of the lens to cancel out the intensity of the light reflected from the inner surface and outer surface.
Now, I always understood anti-reflective coating to remove all reflection from the lenses. At least, I figured that is why it was called “anti-reflective.” All advertisements and demonstrations show clear lenses.
So, why do my glasses have a glare…a purple glare? It turns out the color of the light reflection is determined by the quality of the anti-reflective coating. A blue or purple coating has 6 layers and a green coating has 9 layers. The heavier coating is prescribed for those who drive more at night and use the computer a lot. These colors are known as a “residual glare.”
My frames also have aspheric lenses. This is also a recent development in lens technology where the concave of the lens is reduced to minimize the magnified appearance of the eyes. My prescription is pretty strong and not the same for both eyes. For a long time my eyes have looked very big with one noticeably bigger than the other. These lenses do not completely cancel the magnification, but I do notice a change in size. Note aspheric lenses do not alter the quality of vision, but rather are a cosmetic adjustment.
Now, are these new developments worth it? To some, the purple residual glare looks cool. I do not see purple while wearing the glasses, so the glare does not distract me. However, looking back at the demo images, I was expecting my lenses to look clear. It might be that the combination of the aspheric lenses and the anti-reflective coating causes a bigger glare. Compared to my previous glasses, these seem to pick up more reflections. This is why I feel that stores and labs that specialize in lenses should make an extra effort to explain their products. There are so many options now to add to your lenses that the lack of a comprehensive menu of choices can lead to pleasant surprises or disappointments.
Do you have experience with different glasses? What is your opinion on the new anti-reflective coating?
Dagny Zenovia 