Clothing 37
Tell everyone you found it in B’nai Mitzvah & Jewish Weddings™
Photo By: Jody Garland Design & Photography
Your Son’s Bar Mitzvah Suit Can Help Him Showcase his Personal Style By Bonnie Brickman, Guys & Co. Deerfield, IL • 847-940-GUYS (4897) • www.guysandco.com
According to Jewish law, a Bar Mitzvah marks the occasion when a Jewish boy comes of age. It’s a wonderful celebration, of course – and for virtually every young man nowadays, it’s also the first time he’s taken to a clothing store to buy a suit. Unlike girls, most boys seem not to care about the clothes they wear, especially for such special, once-in-a-lifetime dress-up events. By shopping together, you can help make your son’s Bar Mitzvah and all the special activities leading up to it a wonderful memory he will cherish forever. It’s important for your son to be a part of the process. As his parent, you have an idea of style and fabrics that are most appropriate, but engage your son in the process of selecting his tie and tallit. This is where he can showcase his personal style. Start shopping for his suit six to eight weeks before his Bar Mitzvah. This gives you ample to time to make a selection, to get the suit altered so it fits properly – and to allow for a growth spurt. Boys sometimes seem to grow an inch or two almost overnight! For that reason, you don’t want to alter his new suit until at least two weeks before his Bar Mitzvah. You want the suit to be a little oversized, but not sloppy. The fit of the coat is most important; the bottom of the jacket should extend about an inch or so below his palm when his arms are at his side and his fingers extended toward the floor. The coat should button comfortably, with little overlap from side to side. But it should not be snug that a “V” forms across his mid-section when the coat is buttoned. It’s possible to alter the coat, of course, but do as little as possible – it’s more complicated, takes more time and usually cannot be altered again when he grows. When you son tries on the suit coat, have him wear a dress shirt. Trying on a jacket with a t-shirt will change the fit. And when it’s time to make alternations in the suit you’ve selected, he should wear a dress shirt again. The suit pants, in contrast, can be altered relatively easily. Boys usually wear casual pants
lower than their dress pants, which should be worn at the waist. You will want him to wear the shoes he will wear at his Bar Mitzvah so the tailor can make the pants “break” just over the shoe tops. And if you’re getting new shoes, make sure your son breaks them in so he is comfortable on the day of his Bar Mitzvah. Alter the length of the pants, making sure the tailor leaves as much material as possible. This extends the life of the suit, because your son will get taller as he grows. You can alter the waist, too – but not more than an inch or two. Don’t let the back pockets get pulled together when the waist is taken in; this will “pull”the front pockets toward the back of the pants and change the alignment of the crease. When you return to the store to pick up his altered suit, it’s best to try on the suit while he’s there – and while he’s wearing his dress shirt and dress shoes. It’s best to give the tailor the opportunity to make minor alterations or corrections when your son is there. Your son’s sense of personal style can be expressed in many ways…so let him choose his tie or you select three or four you like. Give him the final choice. You and your son never will forget his Bar Mitzvah, and helping him make sure he’s comfortable and looks his best will enhance the day -- and your memories. Photo by: Jody Garland Design and Photography