Fashionable and warm during wintertime

Plenty of people tell me I must be mad, but I really like autumn. I love the turbulent weather, the colors of the falling leaves and the delicious warm sweaters I can crawl into. But beware, as it comes to sweaters a fashion disaster is quickly made. So pay attention to what sweater you choose and especially what you wear underneath.

Business or Casual

If you choose for neat, make sure your shirt fits well, both on your body and on the collar. Choose Slim Fit if it works for you. And always wear your shirt in your pants, so is never pops out under the jersey. You can choose a sweater with a round neck or a V-neck. Always let the collar protrude above your jersey. Also important: the sleeve of your shirt should be 1-2 cm under the sleeve of your sweater. Do you want to make the look more businesslike? Then combine it with a tie, a V-neck suits the best. And if you have a party after your work or you go to the pub with friends, let your shirt pop out, for a preppy look.

Choose the right combination

That the sweater is of a good quality, goes without saying. Furthermore, there are a few things you can do to avoid common mistakes. Make sure your sweater is not too wide. Avoid a sloppy impression. Make sure your sweater fits to perfection. If you choose a shirt under your jersey, make sure it's a slim fit. A shirt that is visible makes a sloppy impression. Do you go for a T-shirt? Then don’t wear a V-neck sweater with a round neck T-shirt, and vice versa. In both cases, your T-shirt is clearly visible.

 

You don’t need more

A friend sent me this article from the Suddeutsche Zeitung: Mann braucht nicht mehr. With the subtitle: Es gibt eine Möglichkeit, auch in diesem Sommer seine Wurde zu wahren. Ein Lob auf das Weiße Hemd. And underneath a picture of a sexy Ryan Gosling in a nonchalant loose-buttoned white shirt. Reading further, I encounter the following phrase: "Men and summer, usually complicated stuff. You just have to look around at weddings, openings or parties to see the men dressed in far too warm, dark outfits, melting under unmerciful temperatures of 32 C. Or worse, totally underdressed looking like a fool in three-quarters trousers, Malibu shirts and sandals, while the dress code clearly indicates 'tuxedo'. While the answer is so simple: the white shirt can always be worn, in every season, but especially in the summer, when the danger of perspiration is lurking and other light colors force the wearer to hold his arms stiff against his body. Especially at times when the heat is no longer bearable and the jacket is taken off, the white shirt proves its benefits to the man. And besides, there is no more stylish and more flattering garment for the masculine torso. The white shirt fits any occasion.

That’s also the opinion of Karl Lagerfeld, from whom these immortal words come: ' If you want to know what I would like to have designed, well that is the white shirt. It is the starting point for everything. Everything else comes next'.

A beautiful conclusion that we, as the designer of the perfect white shirt, wholeheartedly agree with.

 

 

Maximum Blue, très summer chic

Blue is the colour of the summer, the sky and the sea. Blue is a colour that suits almost every man. Blue is also Maximum Blue, the colour of our new shirt. Deep, dark, mysterious indigo blue. That special dark blue that looks great with everything and gives you just that cool, touch of chic you need, for example, when the dress code requires ‘summer chic’.

Elegant look

Do you have a wedding or summer party coming up, that requires the dress code 'summer chic' or ' Ibiza chic '. Then for your shirt do not only think of colours like white or light blue, but also of Maximum Blue. Because 'chic' of course, means a bit dressed, and dark blue has a natural classic, elegant look. But it's nice to combine a dressed shirt with a casual item like a hat or a striking tie with a cheerful print. ‘Ibiza chic’ refers to the bohemian lifestyle in Ibiza. You could then choose a white linen trousers and a loosely worn light blue shirt. A dark blue shirt combines better with a sandy or camel-coloured chino.

 

Two brothers, one favourite shirt

This is a picture I cherish. Summer 1943, two brothers cool and full of zest for life, looking out at the world. The sleeves of their white shirt rolled up, and leaning on the fence they look straight into the lens of my grandfathers Leica. The youngmanleft in the picture is my uncle Cees, the man on the right is Co, my father I have named my company after them. Cees and Co, more Dutch is not possible!

Summer 2019, two brothers Pieter and Daan, spotted at their favourite place. They share their passion and admiration for the beautiful things of life, such as their favourite white shirt by Ceesnco and this Moto Guzzi old-timer.

A man’s favourite shirt, on a man’s favourite spot!

 

Tailor-made shirt

Sleeves too short, too wide at the shoulders, cuffs are too wide or the collar too tight… if this sounds familiar to you, it might be time for a tailor-made cees n co shirt. The perfect solution for every body.

Made to measure

In our studio in the Govert Flinckstraat 357 in Amsterdam we take your measurements and make a test shirt, so we see what adjustments are needed. The test shirt is sent to our workshop in Portugal where our collection is also made. Within 14 days your shirt is ready, and you will have it sent home. We advise you not to order more than one shirt in a time, before we want to be sure that everything is right. So that we have the opportunity to adjust the pattern for future orders. Your pattern is stored in our workshop, so you can easily and quickly order your own custom-made cees n co shirt. This way you are always assured of a perfectly fitting shirt.

A made to measure shirt costs 169 euro. When ordering three shirts or more, the price is 149 euros a piece.

Fair wages, a natural choice

This morning I saw this headline in a big national newspaper: 'Barely proof of good wages in clothing brands'. In the article, which refers to a recent survey of the 'Clean Clothes Campaign', it was further mentioned that the big clothing brands want to pay their factory workers a fair wage, but there is no hard evidence that this is actually happening. According to the survey, many companies lack a good standard for what is a livable wage. For cees n co fair manufacturing and fair wages are a fundamental starting point. Therefore, our shirts are not made in low wage countries in Asia or Africa, but by a reputable company in Portugal, with good and sound working conditions. This way we can be sure that the workers who work for us get paid adequately.

 

The art of rolling up

A classic men’s shirt, also your cees n co shirt, always has long sleeves, but sometimes long sleeves are not convenient at all. It’s hot, you have to fix a dirty job, or you just want that nonchalant look. No worries, there is a solution: rol them up! There are three styles that you can master quickly, with a little practice: roll up in a classic way, casual with the cuff on the forearm or stylish with the cuff on the elbow.

Classic Roll Up

Rolling this way is called the Basic Sleeve Fold. Loosen the buttons at your cuff. Fold the sleeve, starting at the cuff’s seam, fold it two or three times and finish just above the elbow. This way the sleeve is getting tighter and tighter, so hide the excess fabric so that the sleeve remains well rolled.

Casually

Your working day is done, it’s time for Happy Hour! The Master Sleeve Roll is a somewhat looser way of rolling up, with the cuff on the forearm. Loosen the buttons, turn the sleeve inside out at the cuff, and then fold double at the cuff’s seam. Two times folding is enough. Finish just below the elbow for a refined look.

Stylish

It’s pretty hot and you want to stay cool, but you don’t want to ruine your stylish look. With the AIFA Roll the cuff stays stylish on the elbow. Loosen the buttons, fold the cuff once, so that the sleeve is turned inside out, all the way up just below the elbow. Fold it again, starting at the bottom. Practice a few times and you can tackle this somewhat advanced manner. It is a tighter, more symmetrical way, where you get almost no wrinkles.

How to wear a shirt with a tuxedo?

Nothing as attractive as a man in a tightly cut tuxedo. ‘Nice and easy, when you’re George Clooney, Ryan Gosling or Roger Federer’, I can hear your thinking, but believe me, almost every man looks good in a tuxedo. So, if you have an invitation with the dress code Black Tie, here are some golden rules for the perfect look.

When do you wear a tuxedo?

You wear a tuxedo in the evenings and never during the day. It is intended for festive occasions as galas, diners, receptions and weddings. Of course, you wear your tuxedo during at day time when the invitation requires Black Tie. This occurs regularly at weddings.

How to wear a tuxedo

About the color we can be short; a tuxedo is always black. No discussion. The tuxedo jacket – usually single breasted – has a classic lapel or a scarf collar made of black satin. The tuxedo pants have a high waist and side, lengthwise, a black satin edge. You wear a white tuxedo shirt with a blind button closure and double cuffs. You wear a cumber band or waistcoat to cover the waistband of the trousers. A waistcoat looks more formal. The outfit is finished with a black butterfly bow, white pocket square, black patent leather shoes and black socks. No belt, that’s really a no go, just like a watch.

The tuxedo shirt

A tuxedo shirt is always white. Traditionally it had an upstanding collar (the wingtip), but that is certainly no longer obligatory. The choice of the collar is a bit freer nowadays. We therefore also see many cutaway or haifisch collars. Sometimes even a tie is worn. Traditional is also the starched and pleated front, but modern dress shirts don’t have this anymore. An important detail is the blind button closure, so the knots are not visible. Furthermore, a tuxedo shirt often has double cuffs, so you can wear some nice cufflinks. Cees n co does not provide a tuxedo shirt, but of course we have the most beautiful shirts for days without Black Tie.

Creative

The desire to vary can sometimes be strong, but if the dress code is Black Tie, this is really no option. If, however, your invitation mentions optional Black Tie, you may be more creative.

 

 

 

Wearing a shirt with a sweater

A popular combination is wearing a shirt with a sweater. A great way to look 'casual chic'. But what is the best way to combine a shirt with sweater? Although the look in itself is quite safe, it is not completely risk-free. The difference between casual and dressed can be small and it is easy to make mistakes. Here are some golden tips to avoid common failures.

Round neckline or V-neck

First, choose a plain shirt with a collar that is not too big, and make sure it protrudes above the sweater. It is also important that the shirt fits well. If possible, choose slim fit. A visible shirt under your sweater makes a sloppy impression. If you want a more formal look, you can wear a tie, but only with a sweater with a small V-neck. A round neckline does not combine well with a tie. And if you want a more casual style, let your shirt hang outside your pants. Also important: the sleeve of your shirt must be 1-2 cm under the sleeve of your sweater.

Avoid intense color combinations

It is nice that you can vary with colors, but at the same time it is also a trap. Avoid intense color combinations and apply subtle color differences, for example a light-colored shirt with a blue jersey. A white shirt fits perfectly with almost every plain colored sweater, and black combines very nicely with camel or beige. A lot is possible, be aware that the colors relate to each other.

 

 

Beyond fashion

White shirt worn by a woman

"... a return to the basic principles of fashion with its noble interest in fabric and cut .... Therefore, I will no longer talk about fashion – a concept that has no more reason to exist – but about garment."

One of the most important trend watchers of our time, Lidewij Edelkoort, predicted a few years ago a return to simplicity, style and craftsmanship. According to Edelkoort, the era of seasonal fashion is over. Instead, the essential a basic garment that is not sensitive to fashion and trends is replacing it, because it can be worn always and is not seasonal. It is beautiful to see how the philosophy of cees n co - back to simplicity, made with craftsmanship - fits perfectly with this changing trend of ‘fashion’ to the concept ‘garment’. Our shirts are all time classics that not only wear comfortably, but also available in 2020 or 2025, in exactly the same way. A shirt of cees n co is therefore a garment, and beyond fashion.