A gentleman never tells? In this case, we beg to differ. Today we’re opening up the “style section” of our Little Black Book and sharing a glimpse at how the Hudson & Jane man stays so stylish. We chose pictures of American style icons to illustrate each step — bonus points if you can name each one! Answers below.
Step 1: Keep your wardrobe fresh with general maintenance & dry cleaning.
Shirts. Shirts should be laundered and pressed — never dry cleaned, which can actually damage the shirt. Starch in particular breaks down and clogs the shirt’s fibers, causing it to retain body heat when worn. You can do your laundering and pressing yourself (or have someone who loves you do it for you), or you can send them off. Many places will let you launder the shirts yourself and bring them in for pressing. If possible, opt for hand finishing.
Wool coats & suits. A good clothes brush will bring out the lanolins in a wool garment, which helps it naturally resist stains and grime build-up, thus needing fewer cleanings. Lanolin is a sort of naturally occurring wax that makes sheep’s wool waterproof, which professional cleaning actually removes. Clothes brushes available through Hudson & Jane.
Sweaters. Even the highest quality sweaters pill. Shave away pills with a fabric comb or electric sweater shaver. Fabric combs available at Hudson & Jane.
Outerwear. Think coats, jackets and lightly used suits — for items you can’t wash yourself, dry cleaning at least once a year will extend the garment’s life by removing grime that can wear down fibers. Clean garments also stave off moths in the off-season, as moths are attracted not by the fibers but by body oils and dead skin. Storing clean garments in plastic bags should do the trick.
General repairs. Good dry cleaners will reweave marred fabrics and make general repairs, such as hemming or sewing on buttons.
Stains. Stains, discolorations and other fabric foibles got you down? Your dry cleaner should know the answer. If you don’t already have a good relationship with your dry cleaner, get a recommendation — the good ones are great, and the bad ones can be terrible.
Where we take our dry cleaning:
Arrow Dry Cleaning
3838 Troost Ave
Kansas City, MO 64109
Step 2: Get the right fit with alterations.
Good fit, and the altering of your expensive garments, requires trust. Which is why Hudson & Jane is the place to do it. For items purchased at our store or not, we will help you determine your perfect fit and have it sewn up at light-speed. If light-speed were about a week. Visit Hudson & Jane for all your alteration needs.
Step 3: Keep your leather shined and repaired.
When cared for correctly, good quality leather gets better with age, developing a deep patina from years of polish. Use a cream polish instead of wax, to keep leather from drying out, just like skin. (It is skin.) Keep it soft and moist. When you buy a new pair of shoes, have them polished before wearing them to avoid stains right off the bat.
Where we get our shoes shined:
Plaza Shoe Shine
Ask for Tim
306 Nichols Rd
Kansas City, MO 64112
Where we get our shoes and belts repaired:
Overland Park Shoe Repair
Ask for Henry Barbosa
7522 W. 80th St
Overland Park, KS 66204
Step 4: Groom.
I get my hair trimmed every three weeks, though some of you can go a bit longer. Consider keeping regular appointments to keep your shag from getting too shaggy.
Several tips for shaving at home, courtesy of The Art of Shaving: Always shave after or during a hot shower, never before, as warm water helps open pores and cleanse skin. Always shave in the direction your hair grows first, as shaving against the grain first can cause ingrown hairs and razor burn. For an even closer shave, re-lather and shave lightly with or against the grain.
Where we get our hair cut:
Shoshin Salon
Ask for Chelsea
816.221.1833
2603 ½ Holmes Kansas City, MO 64108
Products we use for shaving:
The Art of Shaving
Available at Hudson & Jane
Step 5: Stay in shape.
When your fit stays the same, your classic wardrobe really can last you a lifetime.
(Not to mention other perks.)
Where we get our exercise:
Walking the dog on the Trolley Trail
Step 6: If you don't have any styles worth maintaining...
Come see us. Now. I'm serious.
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Images from top to bottom: Paul Newman, Bobby Kennedy, Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra and Steve McQueen. All images copyright-free.
No, "Hudson" & "Jane" aren't actual, physical people. But yes, they are real people. They are a little bit Rick, a little bit Flo Ann, a little bit sassy and a little bit sweet. They are outgoing yet thoughtful. Dramatic yet down-to-earth. Stylish, but never trendy. They are fully Kansas City. Fully human. Fully . . . YOU.
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