Thanks are also due to our photographer par excellence, Mr. Steven Ritchie, and Mrs. OTC for her invaluable guidance when it comes to ties and choice of image entries (and, frankly, everything else).

Brooks Brothers is an American institution when it comes to classic Ivy League and American preppy styles, but it also leads the way in connecting with a new generation of customers fluent in Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and mobile e-commerce.  While we celebrate and promote the many outstanding start-up and boutique brands helping to redefine the best in menswear and American style, historic and invaluable brands like Brooks Brothers continue to set important benchmarks towards which we all race.

Last year, OTC ran a series of in-depth articles on the history and importance of Brooks Brothers.  Please take a moment and have a read:

Brooks Brothers: American Icon (Part I)
Brooks Brothers: American Icon (Part II)
Brooks Brothers: American Icon (Part III)
Brooks Brothers: American Icon (Part IV)

Mark your menswear calendar for this Saturday, April 28.  Confirmed Stock is hosting it’s debut pop-up retail event at the 2640 Space in Baltimore, Maryland’s Charles Village neighborhood.

OTC is proud to support and promote this outstanding event, conceived, created, and brought to life by Charm City locals.  Chock full of creative and innovative menswear clothing, accessories, and dry goods brands, Confirmed Stock is set to become the Mid-Atlantic’s keystone menswear event.

The mission of Confirmed Stock is to present a well-curated selection of high quality and mostly American-made goods from some of the best brands around.  For more information on this exciting event, including hours and directions, please click here.

The products on offer at Confirmed Stock are things you can feel good about, from businesses and people you’ll feel good about supporting.  In many cases you’ll be able to shake the hand of the person who made your item.

Some outstanding brands are set to be part of this pop-up, (including a few you have seen profiled on OTC): Almanac Industries, Ball and Buck, Blue Claw Co., Cause and Effect, Corter Leather, CXXVI, Federal, Fischer Clothing, Greenwich Vintage Co., Hellbrand Leatherworks, Jack Robie, Lumina Clothing, Mister Crow, Randolph Engineering, Ruell and Ray, Sandtown Millworks, Sixteen Tons, and Two Inch Cuffs.

To learn more about the brands participating in Confirmed Stock, click here.

Founded by former White House press officer Peter Watkins, the idea for Sette (the number seven in Italian) came when he had the chance to spend some time with the Italian prime minister’s personal tie maker.  Seeing the opportunity to create equally elegant neckwear for American dignitaries, luminaries, social and media leaders, and business executives, Watkins outlined his somewhat audacious plan and went looking for a craftsman capable of bringing it to life.  Enter designer Robert Jensen.

Bob Jensen has been at the forefront of high-end neckwear for more than 30 years.  Apprenticed to legendary American neckwear icon Robert Talbott in 1979, he quickly became a leading force behind Robert Talbott’s global presence and the designs of its iconic neckties.

By the mid-1980s, Jensen was lead designer at Robert Talbott and was the first to bring back to the fashion world the traditional method of creating a seven-fold necktie.  A complex and exacting task, only a very few artisans have perfected the skill, and even fewer the level of Bob Jensen.

Now Sette’s lead designer, Jensen has elevated the seven-fold necktie to yet another level, one that makes it an heirloom; something to be cherished and passed down father to son.  Crafted in limited editions, each tie is designed, cut, folded, stitched, and finished by hand to exacting standards.  Every element of the design is thought through – even to the point of printing the Sette label into the tie’s design.  The tie’s keeper is the only separate element that breaks the continuous flow silk.  Even the bar tacks are shaped into a number “7″.

Even the tie’s packaging is carefully considered.  Hand-folded and hand-placed into a beautiful presentation box, your Sette tie is less a purchase than it is an investment in the art of dressing well for life.

We encourage you to see for yourself the design, quality, and elegance which are the hallmarks of Sette neckties.  Tomorrow – Saturday, April 21, 2012, from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., the Sette trunk show will ensconce itself at the legendary Washington, D.C., Mayflower Hotel, in the Delaware Board Room.

Email concierge (at) setteneckwear (dot) com, or tweet Sette at @SetteNeckwear and they will set you up.

Joining us at the private club-like Clyde’s at Gallery Place, in the heart of Washington, DC, were Hugh & Crye shirt makers, Proper Suit, Lotuff Leather, and Image Granted style consultants.  Guests were able to meet with the owners of these outstanding companies, chat about their brands, learn about the beautiful products and, in some case, put in orders right on the spot!

The crowd arrived early and stayed throughout the night.  Manhattans and martinis were mixed at the bar and the constant din of conversation and story-telling filled the room.

Thanks to all who joined us and made the night a huge success; and keep an eye for future events and collaborations.

Below are a selection of images from the evening – enjoy!  All photos by Joy Asico.

Alan and his crew will be in town Tuesday, February 21, through Thursday, February 23, to meet with new clients and check in with old friends.  If you have ever wanted to learn more about the exceptional custom tailoring offered through Alan’s renowned Custom Shop, this is a wonderful opportunity to do so.

Ensconced in the luxurious Hotel Sofitel adjacent to historic Lafayette Square and down the street from the White House, you can see mannequined examples of classic Flusser style.  You’ll also find samples of luxurious accessories, including crocodile belts, hand-rolled pocket squares, and bench made footwear.

Appointment times begin at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday and conclude 9:00 a.m. on Thursday.  Hotel Sofitel is located at 806 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005.

To make an appointment, please contact Peter, at The Custom Shop.  He can be reached at: peter (at) alanflusser (dot) net or 212-888-4500.

3.1.12: Join Off the Cuff and One Medical for a relaxed, elegant evening of great style.

Meet the people behind some of the outstanding brands you’ve read about on OTC, enjoy classic cocktails, learn more about DC’s newest innovative doctor’s office, and receive a complimentary first-year membership to One Medical.

Over drinks and hors devours, chat with the founders of custom tailor Proper Suit and DC-based shirt maker Hugh & Crye.  Learn about refining your own personal style with Grant Harris of Image Granted and meet the man behind luxury leather goods brand Lotuff Leather.

Click on the invitation above to learn more and register or just click on this link: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2848851993

Here is what you have a chance to win: All American accessory brand Kiel James Patrick is offering up a belt and bracelet of your choice and British maker Smart Turnout is giving away one of their signature cricket sweaters (size L).

How to win? It’s easy (…if you follow OTC on Twitter @OffTheCuffDC, you already heard about this yesterday).  And, because Smart Turnout has joined in the fun, you now have until next Tuesday, November 30, to join in!

1. Friend us on Facebook (facebook.com/OffTheCuffStyle)

2. Leave a quick comment on the stocking stuffer giveaway post.  Tell OTC why you should win either the KJP or Smart Turnout swag!

Vineyard Vines hosted Ms. Birnbach at their Georgetown outlet for an evening of preppy bonding, book signings and  roll-out of a capsule collection dedicated to TRUE PREP.  The TP line, at least what they had on hand, is a fun collection of clothing and accessories that touches on the book’s name and dog logo, but will remain perfectly usable and stylish once the book’s furor settles down.

And on that note, let me just say that if you are looking for some seriously sharp seaside, New England inspired classics this fall, take a good look at Vineyard Vines.  While the past few years have been, style-wise,  on the bland side, this season Shep and Ian hit a store full of home runs.

The Murray brothers were kind enough to send OTC a box of  Fall 2010 product to check out and we’ll be posting a review shortly. As a preview though, without question, my go-to sweatshirt/rugby is now the Raft Up Rugby.

Back to The TRUE PREP event, here are a few pictures from the evening.  It was a big crowd and we were treated to a nice spread of hot and cold hors doeuvres and full octane Arnold Palmers.  Apologies in advance fro some of the fuzzy iPhone shots.