THE MEN'S FASHION GUIDE: FABRICS

SILK

E.J. Topper's Fabric Tips:

“The idea of the chrysalis has long inspired me,” Topper noted during a recent conversation. “The idea that a caterpillar spends a short period of time binging before building a cocoon and transforming itself into a moth or a butterfly is a beautiful picture of the potential we have within us.”

“While transformation is a beautiful idea, I’ve lived long enough to know that sometimes the greatest successes and the most interesting tales of beauty come as a result of heartache and failure. Thousands of butterflies emerge every day, but millions of caterpillars enter into to cocoons to give their lives in creating the world’s most beautiful thread--silk.”

Spun from the cocoons of deceased silk worms, silk is the emblem of luxury. Wearing silk is a testament to your refined taste, but it can also signal that you do not know how to wear it. Busting out your printed silk shirts from the 1980s is not going to win you many style points these days, so knowing when to wear silk is key.

These days, silk is best worn as a blend, especially in suiting, but is also tastefully available in other garments. Blending in silk fibers provides a soft, refined feel that tells the world you know how to dress, and provides a high level of comfort along with a feeling of class and sophistication. Avoid 100% silk shirts and focus on the thread’s value as a luxury upgrade in your more refined articles, and, of course, your tie collection.