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Wovens That Work
By: Audrey Sellers, Associate Editor
Issue: 2009aug
As dress codes tighten up, wovens present a polished, professional appearance.
You’ve heard of dressing for the job you want and even dressing like the boss. Now more than ever, people are taking this workplace guidance to heart and trading in casual office attire for dressed-up duds. This is a smart move, considering that 93 percent of executives link attire with promotion, according to a survey by staffing firm OfficeTeam.
“The trend now is moving away from casual attire into business attire,” says Brian Thompson, vice president and general manager, corporate, golf, international and domestic licensing divisions, of Seattle, Washington-based supplier Cutter & Buck (UPIC: CUTT0001). “Many companies are moving away from knit shirts as office appropriate and dressing it up a bit with wovens. This gives a professional, dressed-up look.”
Thompson notes that suppliers are introducing more options such as easy-care and wrinkle-resistant fabrics. “People used to think that wovens are hard to care for, but that’s not the case anymore,” he says.
You can’t go wrong with traditional white and French blue wovens, which are top sellers no matter the style. “These are the strongest colors because they’re the most corporate friendly,” Thompson says. But if your clients want to mix it up, there are lots of variations, such as oxford cloths and stripes.
“End users are looking for a professional appearance, durability and easy care when it comes to wovens,” says Thompson. “They want a shirt that will look nice after many washings.”
He encourages promotional consultants to show wovens as an alternative to knit shirts. “If someone has a casual-Friday hangover, if they’re tired of that look and want to dress it up, wovens are a great way to do it and still stay on budget. There are wovens at all price points,” Thompson says.
 | A Sight In Stripes
Sewn from Coolmax® fabric for cool comfort, the NYNE CoolMax® Striped Long Sleeve Button Down Shirt features a vertical stripe pattern, full-button front with cream buttons and a classic spread collar. There are two cream buttons on the cuff and double-needle stitching on the side seams increase its durability. Get it in white or one of three punched-up shades: bud green, deep sea and orange peel (shown). S & S Activewear UPIC: SSAC8463 800-523-2155 |
Twill Do
Made from a wrinkle-free combination of cotton and polyester, the Van Heusen Ladies’ ¾ Sleeve Dress Twill is a versatile and durable baby twill dress shirt. Designed with a contoured fit for ladies, it features a point collar and is offered in black, white or one of three rich colors: cobalt, navy or scarlet (shown). Tip: Are your clients active on the tradeshow circuit? Wrinkle-free shirts like this one travel well, so recipients don’t have to fuss with an iron when they’re on the road. Heritage Sportswear, Inc. UPIC: HERI0002 800-537-2222 |  |
 | A Can-Do Classic
The Canon Shirt, a 100-percent cotton washed oxford, features relaxed classic long sleeves with a button-down collar, a Tommy Hilfiger signature button hole with green thread on the neck and pocket plus an embroidered Tommy Hilfiger flag on the left cuff. Choose from light blue (shown), medium blue and white.
One Stop UPIC: ONES0001 800-968-7550 |
Wear-Anywhere Woven
Finished with Teflon® fabric protector to resist stains, Affinity is an easy-care, cotton/polyester shirt designed to stay fresh in any setting. Princess darts and ¾-length sleeves are flattering to women and an open neck design mirrors retail styles. It’s offered in black or white, or choose from fresh color options such as khaki, lavender (shown) and maize. Tip: Point out how this shirt is stain-resistant—it’s just the ticket for restaurant and coffee house workers to guard against spills and splatters. Tri-Mountain UPIC: TRIM0003 800-824-6464 |  |
 | A New Terrain
The Jonathan Corey Men’s Short Sleeve All-Terrain Shirt is made from a cotton/polyester blend and features a full-button front placket. Style details include two gusseted and grommeted chest pockets with Velcro® brand hook and loop fastener flaps and a hidden, button-down collar. Pick from a palette of five neutral colors. Atlantic Coast Cotton UPIC: VA134351 800-262-5660 |
Clad In Plaid
Designed in a crossover style with clean-finished, single-needle stitching, the Men’s Primalux™ Yarn Dye Plaid Shirt features double, flat-felled side and underarm seams plus reinforced topstitching on the collar, shoulder seams, armholes, cuffs and placket. It’s available in deep blue, evening shade (shown), maize and natural stone, and looks professional with a button-down collar, center back box pleat and an adjustable cuff with buttoned placket. Ash City UPIC: ash0001 866-274-2489 |  |
 | Executive Decision
The Women’s Executive No-Iron Royal Oxford is made from 100-percent cotton, two-ply, no-iron royal oxford cloth and features a spread collar, front and back princess seams and polished pearl buttons. It’s designed with taped seams, single-needle tailoring and a buttoning sleeve placket and cuff. Choose from grey or light blue (shown). Vantage Apparel UPIC: vantage 800-221-0020 |
Pretty Poplin
Outfit lades in the Women’s Stretch Poplin, which is woven from cotton and spandex. Feminine styling includes front darts, a tapered waist and a buttonless, forward-point collar. It’s designed with a French placket, two-button barrel cuffs and single-needle stitching along the armholes and shoulders. Hanes/OuterBanks UPIC: hanesob 800-685-7557 |  |
 | Camp Of Approval
The Cubavera Bedford Cord Camp Shirt and coordinating ladies’ version are made from a blend of rayon and polyester and feature a sand-wash finish, coconut shell buttons and a tonal pineapple logo on the right sleeve. The men’s version is designed with a left chest pocket and the ladies’ shirt features contour darts in front and back. Choose from fresh colors such as Cadillac pink, coral sands and sea spray for the ladies’ shirt, or go with a cool neutral for both. Tip: If your clients are planning an off-site retreat, these coordinating camp shirts create a unified look that’s not overly dressy. Bodek and Rhodes UPIC: ULTRACLB 800-523-2721 |
Easy Does It
The Epic Easy Care Twill and Striped Shirts (shown) feature high-performance, wrinkle-resistant technology, making them a breeze for traveling. Choose from a range of colors such as birch, river blue and sea palm, or select stripes for your client’s apparel program. Cutter & Buck UPIC: CUTT0001 888-338-9944 |  |
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