The world may be dressing down, but that doesn’t mean that men are taking a casual approach to all their fashion choices.
And through every style change in the last 64 years, New Providence-based Adams Fine Clothing has been helping men make fashion-forward sartorial selections.
“The suit-and-tie uniform for work doesn’t exist anymore,” says Joe Savino, whose father started the shop in 1958. “Men are branching out; we are done with the age of navy and charcoal. The younger guy doesn’t want to wear his dad’s clothes. He wants sports jackets instead of suits. And he wants a tighter overall fit and shorter pants that show off his fancy-patterned socks and footwear.”
To get that look, Adams Fine Clothing, which sells custom-made clothing at off-the-rack prices plus ready-made garments, tailors each piece to ensure a perfect fit.
“Our employees are fashion consultants,” says Savino, who took over the business in 1989. “They can set out six pairs of pants and six shirts with all the accessories that coordinate with the jacket chosen. We make it easy for you, plus we offer a shop-at-home service where we come to you.”
Adams’ own in-house style guy, David Marzano, gives us some insight into the new fall and winter looks in menswear.
Q. This has become the era of dressing down, thanks to the pandemic. What trends are you seeing?
A. When I think about fall and winter, the word that comes to mind is “maximalism,” which is the practice of using absolutely every piece in your wardrobe no matter how bold. With the changing work environment, we’re seeing lots of guys who are feeling quite liberated that their office dress codes have loosened. This has paved the way for men to really express themselves through pop colors and bold patterns.
Q. Bold patterns and pop colors: How exactly is this playing out in the wardrobe? Is it all about accessories, such as ties?
A. Our styles at Adams Fine Clothing are timeless but at the same time very modern-looking. Ties are rarely sold unless it’s a very formal occasion like a wedding. But when a guy does buy a suit from us, he’s getting a garment that will last him years, and he still looks great whether he’s in the office or out to dinner.
Q. Many of us have been wearing sweatpants for the last two years while working from home. What’s the office dress-for-success “uniform” these days?
A. There’s a particular focus on sports coats and blazers, with some wonderful expressions through beautiful plaids combined with an open-collar shirt and a complementing pocket square.
Q. That sounds chic and wear-everywhere, the equivalent of the quintessential little black dress.
A. Absolutely. For the more casual office or date night, we love taking the sports coats and combining them with a great pair of trim dressier jeans for a nice high/low combo. On the weekend, we’re leaning heavily into rugged, but refined, with an emphasis on heavy, yet soft, fabrics like flannel and corduroy. Whether done up as a shirt or outerwear, these pieces will go effortlessly with your tee and jeans and take you pretty much anywhere your weekend requires.
Q. OK, but what about special occasions, the ones that just scream for a suit?
A. We are still seeing many clients in a classic suit, but with a modern fit: The colors are a little lighter, going away from navy and charcoal to medium blues and grays, even earth tones. In every category, the silhouettes are more tapered but still comfortable—again a point of pride for us because we place great value on timelessness and versatility through a modern lens. People are still buying bespoke suits; our custom and made-to-measure programs are exceptionally popular because of quality, price and the endless customizations.
Browse the latest looks at adamsfineclothing.com.