By Emily Kopec

Gentlemen! Are you listening? Well, what’s with the two-thousand-and-late faded button down shirts cropping up at local bars and clubs? Sorry, but a bad economy is no excuse to wear that shirt time and time again. We’re all for recycling, but that old thing is looking past its prime and the once strong ions in its inner chick magnet have, well, demagnetized. Let it go.

Enter J. Hilburn, an up-and-coming men’s luxury apparel company now serving the Worcester area. Their budget-friendly prices include personal style advising and custom tailoring at your convenience. Finally, an affordable way to hit the town and look head and shoulders above the rest (aka like you have a clue!).

I sat down with local J. Hilburn Personal Style Advisor Marianna Clark to get the full dish on this exciting company.

Pulse: Tell me about your clientele.

Marianna: My clientele is really every single male who wears a button down shirt, trouser, polo or sweater. J.Hilburn has something for everyone, casual or dressy. I can help them put together a look that they’ll feel comfortable in, look great in, and won’t leave their wallet feeling light.

Pulse: What’s the advantage of wearing a custom fitted shirt verses off the rack?

Marianna: If you’ve ever put on an off the rack shirt and thought, ‘Oh man! The neck fits but it’s huge around my waist!’ Or, ‘The sleeves are too short or too long!’ then you need to experience wearing a shirt that fits right. Have you ever had a shirt that just wouldn’t stay tucked in because it was too short, or a shirt that you loved but couldn’t wear with jeans because it was too long and couldn’t be untucked? What about too tight across your back? Well boys, you would never say that with a custom fit shirt. You would never have to compromise a sleeve length for a comfortable collar fit or feel like you are wearing a parachute around your waist.

Pulse: How does the custom tailoring and personal style advising work?

Marianna: The J. Hilburn luxury tailoring experience is quick and convenient. A client schedules an appointment with me and I go to them! Yes, I go to see my clients. They do not have to make any extra trips. I go see them at their office, Starbucks during their lunch break, their home, really wherever it’s most convenient for them. I take ten simple, painless measurements and we talk about the desired fit and style you’re going for. Are you wearing this shirt to work, out for dinner and drinks, a special occasion? Do you want a more relaxed fit or a trendy European cut? Are you going for a classic look or something more contemporary out of the pages of GQ? Maybe something in between? Once we put together a style we take a look through our fabrics – And we have over 250 shirt fabrics in all sorts of colors and patterns. What about mixing it up…add a different fabric (a print on a solid shirt) to the inside of the cuff or collar for a fun casual look, or maybe a monogram (definitely a statement of exclusivity). Really, we can do almost anything with these shirts.

Pulse: Tell us about the fabrics and materials.

Marianna: We have about 250 fabrics in our collection for you to choose from, and about 60% of our collection consists of conservative colors and fabrics that appeal to the masses. We have more subtle patterns with many whites and blues to choose from, but we also carry plenty of trendy prints like plaids and ginghams. The fabrics are sourced directly from Italy’s Tessitura Monti S.p.A. where state-of-the-art technology is used to ensure a distinguishing level of quality.

Pulse: How did you get involved with J. Hilburn?

Marianna: I was introduced to J. Hilburn at a fashion show. I was intrigued by the shirts the male models were wearing because my husband only wears custom shirts. Really, I was just shopping for him. Once I heard the price points for the J. Hilburn shirts I couldn’t wait to get on the phone and see how I could order some for my husband. The price points are $79, $99 and $149, my husband was paying $200 to $300! So I got in touch with one of the J. Hilburn Style advisers in Boston and began asking her questions about the shirts and the company. As a full-time working wife and mother, how could I not be interested in an opportunity that would give me the freedom to run my own business, have plenty of time to spend with my family and still bring in an income? Plus, I’ve always had an interest in clothing and fashion…I mean, what girl doesn’t like to shop? My next call wasn’t to order shirts for my husband, it was to see how I could become part of this great company. After a few meetings I signed on with J. Hilburn as a Style Advisor and my journey began. I was the 8th Style Advisor to join the company in all of Massachusetts and I was number 398 in the whole world! The company was started in the fall of 2007 and – as you can clearly tell – I’m so excited I got in at ground level! I knew I was going to be part of something big and it keeps getting bigger!

Pulse: Readers may be interested in getting involved with the company…

Marianna: I’m actively looking for new partners to join this amazing opportunity. If you or someone you know is energetic, driven and looking to be part of something truly amazing that requires a 10 to 15 hours a week investment, I would love to share this amazing opportunity with them.

To get started on your own pampered shirt journey or for more information on joining the J. Hilburn team, contact Marianna directly at marianna.clark@jhilburn.com. You can also check out the company at www.jhilburn.com. Get ready to look like the big shot you know you are.

Marianna’s Style Tips for the Young Professional Male

Work
• Wear sport coat or suit as often as possible
• Preferably 2 button high cut coat
• Flat front trousers (wool)
• Cut and sewn shirts (avoid pullovers unless for fall/winter)
• Consult your company dress code or your prospective employer dress code
• Dress better than you have to
• Do not wear anything you wore in college

Dressy casual (casual Friday or an evening out)
• Wear sport coat or sweater coats (unconstructed) as often as possible
• 2 button and 1 button are more contemporary
• Flat front cottons or wools trousers, slim cut if your body can handle it
• Dressy and designer jeans work well
• Fancy shirts with expressive prints are preferred (with or without coat)
• Pullovers (dressier than golf shirts) in solids are great. Long sleeve when possible
• Avoid college themes and collars
• Casual
Keep it young

This is where the designers make their best contribution and you should be willing to take some chances. If you see it in the fashion magazines, then you should be willing to see it in your closet. Start off dark and try it from there.

Avoid
• T-shirts (unless linen or cashmere)
• Golf shirts (unless you are ready to make other compromises)
• Polyester (unless they are twins)
• Baggy is always bad in tops or bottoms