Trying to Catch our Breath!

DemyLee cashmere, TWG cashmere, Nightcap Clothing, LA Made and more, oh my!

We have been busy unpacking and steaming!!!

Set to arrive this week: Gemma blouses, Anlo skinnies, James jeans, LnA tees, Parker blouses....

It's all rolling in girlies!! And btw - keep sending your men in for the 60-90% off sale - there's still a bit more to go around!!

SUPA IMPORTANT NEWS

We will be participating in the Decatur Boutique Warehouse Sale this Friday & Saturday 10am to 6pm HERE at the Downtown Decatur Holiday Inn. Your faves up to 90% off!

And as we will no longer be carrying menswear, ALL MEN's CLOTHING will be SEVERELY DISCOUNTED IN STORE today through Sunday. Up to 90% off on all menswear and accessories!

SEE YOU SOON!

We Are Doing Manly Things

Like this:

Get ready Men. We are going to show you everything you need to know about segueing into Fall in the perfect outfit. Hoo-Haw...

Shameless Plug

Our fabulous and infamous Torso Model (who moonlights as a stupendous real estate agent) has interviewed the Jac. shop dog (Albie, above) on his incredible blog A is For Atlanta. This is one you don't want to miss!

When Good Jeans Happen To Good People

It's hard for grown up men to find a pair of good, honest jeans.

Jeans that can be worn out.

Jeans that can be worn to work (for those "modern business casual types").

Jeans that aren't studded with some sort've facackta bedazzler pattern.

Jeans that don't feature gaudy ass-pocket stitchings.

Jeans that fit.

Jeans that don't cost more than a suit.

Recently, boss lady brought home a pair of perfect jeans for me- Kasil's new Davidson Straightlegs. They're in a "gunsmoke" wash, which make me look much, much cooler than I really am.

The jeans make me happy. They'll make you happy. Click here to take a good look at them.

And don't forget to tell your favorite fellas that Jac's men's department is chock full of good stuff...

Atlanta's Next Top Torso Model

Often times, I'm stopped on the street by complete strangers who seem to know me.

They ask me if I'm the one that made the Steven Alan Reverse Seam shirt look classic yet modern.

Sometimes, they want to know how I made the Trovata Josef (in grass green), look so casually cool.I've even had people ask me if I was angry the day that I was modeling the What Comes Around Goes Around Matsue shirt (the answer is no, by the way).

Truly, I am humbled by all of the attention that my torso modelling career has brought me. Its opened up doors that I didn't even know existed, and for that, I can't thank my lovely wife enough. Whenever I'm sucking in my gut to make one of Jac's terrific tops talk, I think about her unforgettable smile.

Did you know that in addition to being the most accomplished torso model in Atlanta, that I'm also a real estate agent? If you're looking for a new home, or thinking about selling your existing home, click here to find out more about what I do, and how I can help you. Or, if you're just looking to add another blog to your list of favorites, click here to read my Atlanta-centric blog, AIsForAtlanta.

PROPERTY OF....BAGS

Property of...is on Jac property!!!

...with ruff-and-tumble-bilty fabric and enough pockets
to fit any complex life into, Property Of...has merged the
essence of a lax lifestyle your everyday 9-5 working self


(my personal fav)... the Mark Tote, an ink colored nylon bag featuring two side-zip pockets, large center pocket that could fit the world plus a bag of chips in. To finish off the "lovely" its' trim and shoulder straps are done in a soft leather.


The Tom Work Bag, honestly, this bag finishes "the look" and I think makes
the man. Its so far from the average structured briefcase and messenger bag...
Its constructed of waxed cotton, with leather trim and woven cotton hand and shoulder straps
Coal color, that brings it home, is all the rage for this upcoming fall.


the Carter Duffel, kind-of makes me want to pack up and go somewhere outdoors-y.
It comes in a washed army green color and trimmed in brown leather and canvas.
Its elongated silhouette leaves enough room for a quick get-away or a day carry-all

man oh man!!!

So, this week is all about the flourishing of our men's sections. Newly added to the stock pile are mustache printed handkerchiefs by Avril Loreti!! And they're not your Grandpa's old ragged plaid one. With styles inspired by Salvador Dali and Tom Selleck, how could you not get a chuckle out of every blow?!


Speaking of other, wickedly amazing men's items, we have received a wonderful flush of Steven Alan. Sailor striped cotton-cashmere blend sweaters, bright plaid coloured ties, that, honestly i wouldn't mind wearing myself and short sleeved white button- down shirts, that of course are perfectly finished with a french seam. Check em out!!

Snow in NY....

We've been in New York buying for Men's Fall! Can you believe??? Well, we are getting our fill of snow - hasn't stopped since we got here! Be back tomorrow.....xxoxoxJac.

The Notorious B.I.G. and My New C.O.A.T.

For the entire first year that Jac was open, my dear wife hemmed and hawed over exactly what items she should "take home" (I think the word she used most often was"adopt"), and what should be left on the racks to be sold. There were always many good of reasons to adopt, say, a dress ("I love, love, love it!", "This would look great with...", "I really do need..."), always countered with the one good reason not to adopt said dress ("That dress needs to be sold."). It was never an easy decision.

To fully comprehend the situation, you need to understand the depths of Jaci's obsession for everything in the store. To say that she's "selected" our clothing, gifts and "stuff" would be a severe understatement. She lusts over every single item that you see in Jac, for hours on end. And that's before she even places her orders. Seriously. The woman is absolutely smitten with everything that you see at 245 N. Highland Avenue, Suite 120. This isn't just blog propaganda (is blogropoganda a word?) either. M'lady loves everything in the store, and if she had her druthers, everything in the store would also be in our house.

Alas, everything in the store cannot be in our house. We have to sell some of it. Actually, most of it. This leaves us with many difficult decisions, and leads me to one of Brooklyn's Finest (shout out to anyone that got the reference without clicking on the link), The Notorious B.I.G., who succinctly summed up our dilemma in his posthumously released "Ten Crack Commandments":

Number four: know you heard this before

Never get high, on your own supply.

You'd almost think that he too had owned and operated a small, independent mom 'n pop boutique. He nailed it. Never get high on your own supply. Biggie never would have helped himself to his favorite Steven Alan shirts before they went on the floor, nor would he have treated his (numerous) girlfriends the latest and greatest Toki jewelry soon after the UPS guy dropped them off. He would have known better.

Now how does this apply to my new c.o.a.t, and why I have taken so long to get to the point? Soon after we started carrying men's clothing, I found myself staring at the same conundrum that Jaci had been dealing with for some time. A new coat arrived from NSF, a label that personifies California cool.

I longed for the coat for months, admiring the bomber styling and classic front detailing. It spoke to me, and it also spoke to my several-years-old, seen-better-days Club Monaco black hoodie jacket ("Your days are done old hoodie jacket... I'm the new jacket in town... he wants me... he needs me... he doesn't love you anymore.).

After months of listening to the Notorious B.I.G.'s cautionary words over and over in my head, I finally broke down and "adopted" the jacket from the store. I have no regrets, and I can now fully appreciate what Jaci goes through every day as she obsesses over a store full of fantastic finds.

Postscript: There are still two of the NSF Dean Jackets remaining, and they're marked wayyy down. Click here to buy one for yourself!

Public Service Announcement: Beware Of Supersized Shirts

So first of all, I'd like to apologize for my extended leave of absence from blogging. It wasn't my intention to take so much time off- it just kinda' happened. It's sort of like when you miss a day or two at the gym, and that "day or two" ends up turning into a month. And then you cancel your gym membership.

Well, this blogger is back, and he's out to prove that he's more than just a one trick pony that can only post wry little witticisms concerning political candidates and their (lack of) fashion sense. So here I am folks, back and badder than before.

In honor of my blogging "comeback" (not really a comeback... I've just been blogging over here), I've decided to make a confession: I have, in the not so distant past, been guilty of wearing shirts that didn't fit me so well. It wasn't due to a trend gone stale or a body gone svelte either- it just happened.

Perhaps an explanation is in order.

I'm over 6 feet tall. I'm the guy that sits in front of you at the movie theater (the theater that you didn't want to go to in the first place, because you can't figure out why they haven't gotten around to putting in stadium seating) and blocks your view. The guy that looks like he was an athlete in high school, or at the very least, a tall nerd. And at some point, I just figured that given the choice of small, medium or large, that I was a large. And in some unfortunate cases (I'm talking about you, grey, cable-knit turtleneck sweater from Brooks Brothers), extra-large. And for years, and years and years... I let this awful fashion crime continue, unabated.

I looked something like post-Britney K-Fed, save for the fact that I never wore a cape (or a large medallion with an owl on it), flapped my arms like they were wings or scowled like three year old who'd just eaten dirt. You know, that K-Fed. I miss the guy. Just a little bit.

So one morning I realized that the shirt that I was wearing was all wrong. I looked in the mirror and saw a little kid playing dress up in his father's shirt. It was baggy, the shoulder stitch was almost on my arm, and the sleeve broke well past the point of no return, practically in the middle of my palm. And it was then that it finally occurred to me: this wasn't the only shirt that fit me this way! For years, I had purchased shirts that looked like this. Oy vey!

So now that I've seen the light, I've begun buying shirts that actually fit me. I feel younger, look snazzier and people seem to like me even more than they did when I was wearing those ginormous smocks of yesteryear. Let me tell you... I look grrrrrrrreat (cue Tony The Tiger picture, pour yourself a bowl of flakes, rejoice, and get ready to read my final plea)...

Gentlemen: It's time to update your look and buy yourself a shirt that fits. I know that you're committing the same fashion crime that I was guilty of, because I see you doing it every day. It'll change the way you see yourself. More importantly, your friends and co-workers will stop asking you if you're modelling for the "after" picture for some sort of weight loss advertisement.

Ladies: Holiday shopping needn't be so difficult. Your man needs to get with the program. It's 2008, and your man's big-arse shirt is about as uncool as a pair of Z Cavariccis. Help him help himself and buy him a new shirt!

And to all of you: you can either buy these shirts online at DearJac.com, or you can come in and get them at the store (where you can ask Jaci in person just how dreadful some of my old shirts were!).

It is officially December, and the temperatures are dropping and the reality of winter is setting in. Along with winter comes my favorite holiday of the year- Christmas. I don't know if it's the tradition of the whole holiday season or the childhood memories of the family festivities that bring a smile to my face. Maybe it's both but regardless I am full of anticipation to get together with family and friends and celebrate in the only fashion I know how: tons of laughter and cheer, a grand spread of desserts and finger foods, and my favorite part is celebrating the arrival of Santa Claus with my young nieces.

With all that said, it's not all sugar plums and fairies in my head. I do have a least favorite aspect of the holiday season: fighting the crowds shopping for that perfect gift for crazy Aunt Sue. So instead of joining the rat race this year come see what we have to offer at Jac. where it's a one stop shop for just about everyone on your list.

Here are just a few great holiday gift ideas I wanted to share with you here at Jac.

1. Stocking stuffers for men: Pocket knife, incense, jfold wallets, wooden animal bottle openers, and shaving cream by Ritual.

2. Stocking stuffers for women: scarves, solid perfumes, travel soaps and lotions, Anne Taintor compact mirror.
3. Gifts for a travel savvy mom, mother'n law, or aunt: jewelry roll, and Anne Taintor luggage tag.4. Gift for the quirky sister'n law: Anne Taintor apron and pot holder.5. Gift for the stylish businessman in your life: J.Fold laptop bag.

Happy Holidays to everyone, and I invite you to stop in and take advantage of our holiday, one stop shop sale.

Cheers,

Candice

Express Shopping!!

Hi all! As the holiday season gets underway we want you to remember Jac has it all. We're somewhat of a one stop shop, boutique, mini emporium. Come and you'll find goodies for all your love ones and your love nots. An added incentive for ya 30% off denim! Below are some of our favorites .

Anlo Kate skinny


Yarborough Cashmere Bangles


Woo Stassia coat


Dolce Vita Bogota dress





Kasil Victory Slim boot cut

Smafolk

Livin la Dolce Vita!

Come by and say hello to our new little pretties by Dolce Vita! Just uploaded them to the site here. YUM-YUM.

Also added some new amazing classics by Falls here.
And thank you to Daily Candy for the shout-out! The Edie France things are here, though we have more styles in the store.
Also recently added are keyfobs by Hayden-Harnett, found in our new Travel category here; and men's Steven Alan button-ups here.

Happy Shopping! xxjac

Jac. Presidential Fashion Primer: John McCain

Now that we're almost at the finish line of what seems like an endless Presidential election cycle, it's time for our blog to weigh in on the candidates. While we have no intention of providing our coveted endorsement (you'll have to come into the store for that), we thought that we'd provide a little bit of commentary on both candidates, as well as their running mates. Starting with John McCain, we're going to offer three items that we carry at Jac. that we think each candidate would benefit from.

Relwen Commando Cargo Pants

My friends, not only would these cargo pants flatter Johnny Mac's somewhat squat silhouette, but they'd also help reinforce his public service/military credentials. The large pockets would give him ample space to store the red pen that he promises to use when reviewing pork-laden legislation, and he could hitch the hatchet he plans on using on the federal budget to the rugged belt loops. As a bonus, these pants were seen recently on the character Vincent Chase in HBO's Entourage. Talk about crossing across party lines to reach out to the Hollywood Elite!

J. Fold Leather Brief Bag

The J. Fold leather brief bag works on two levels for McCain. For starters, the contemporary (dare we say modern) design will give the Senator from Arizona a younger look, which may help him counter some of the inevitable ageism that he'll encounter in the voting booths. The idea that he may be carrying a laptop inside will also help him convince voters that he knows how to use the world wide webs, the email and the facebook.

Kasil Cohen Bootcut Jeans

Nothing makes a candidate look more like "one of us", than a good pair of jeans. I mean, have you ever seen George Bush clearing brush in a pair of chinos? Of course not. So for Maverick McMaverick, we recommend Kasil's Cohen boot cut jeans, in either the Triumph Baltic or Triumph Atlantic wash. He's probably never tried on boot cut jeans (he seems like more of a straight-leg kinda' fella'), and I think he'll really like how the Kasil's fit him.

My friends, be on the look out for our next Presidential Fashion Primer, when we'll offer suggestions for Joe "not the plumber" Biden. Get excited!

The only thing we like more than a big sale is cheesy stock photography!

The one year anniversary has been celebrated- now we're ready to celebrate our new men's department. From Thursday through Sunday, we're offering 30% off ALL ITEMS in the men's department.

Everything Men's. 30% Off. Four days only.

Jeans, khakis, a laptop bag or the perfect button-up shirt. You too can look like the guy in the cheesy stock photo above (except instead of carrying around that horrendous "sale" bag, we'll outfit you with one of Jac's signature recycled shopping bags).

There's no better time to support your favorite neighborhood shop, so go ahead, cut and paste the link above and send it on to every guy you know. They'll thank you for it. We'll thank you for it. Our friend in the picture, he'll thank you for it too!

Also, starting this weekend we're changing to special holiday season hours, and due to overwhelming request, opening on Mondays!

New hours:
Monday-Friday 12-7
Saturday 11-8
Sunday 11-5

The Best Men's Shirt Ever*

Back in the day, when I was just a mere twenty-something, I happened upon a Giorgio Armani sample sale. I felt like quite the insider- it was in an unmarked suite in the middle of a New York office building, and it seemed as though only those in the know knew (this was before the Facebook/Twitter/Texting revolution). There were no dressing rooms, so like everyone else, I just bought everything that I could carry (this was after the eBay/Craigslist revolution).

One of my finds- or at least I thought, at the time- was a crisp, blue fitted shirt. When I got home and tried it on, I realized that the shirt was tailored to be a little bit more than "fitted". It was tight. And when I say tight, I mean tight like the shirt worn by Bruno:

I wasn't really sure what to do. I mean, on one hand, it was a beautiful shirt. A beautiful Armani shirt. It was supposed to look good. But every time I looked at myself in the mirror, all I saw was a painfully tight shirt, and a really awkward looking dude who didn't look thrilled to be wearing a painfully tight shirt.

So I gave the shirt away. I had to.

Now, on the other hand, I'm a veteran of notoriously baggy shirts. I came of age in the '90s, when guys wore everything really baggy. These were our heroes, after all:

So here we are, late in 2008. What's a guy to wear? We don't want to be poured into our shirts, but we also don't want to swim in them either. Thankfully, Jac's got the answer: Steven Alan's men's shirting.

These shirts are tailored just right- they're slim without being too skinny. What I love about them the most is that while they've got traditional roots, they look very much a shirt of "today". It's hard to find shirts that can walk this line, and Steven Alan's nailed it with this line. Check out some of the shirts below:

Jac. is the only place in Atlanta to pick up Steven Alan, so stop by asap to grab yours asap!

* We carry men's and women's Steven Alan!

They Call Alabama The Crimson Tide...They Call Me Deacon Blues *

I'm a big college football fan, but I had no idea what I was getting into when I moved down South. People down here are crazy about their teams to the point of obsession. For those of you that live down here, you know what I'm talking about. You probably know who I'm talking about as well. It's interesting.

This weekend features a major border battle- the Georgia Bulldogs are taking on the Alabama Crimson Tide. UGA I vs. Bear Bryant. Newt Gingrinch vs. Richard Shelby. "Crimson" Red vs. "Georgia" Red. For die-hard fans, it's a can't miss.

Whether you're a 'Bama fan or a Dawg, make sure you watch the game in style. My pick (and I'm biased because I too bleed red- On Wisconsin!) is Relwen's Two Ply Thermal Crew. It's soft, fitted and perfect for the non-fan, the casual fan, and the super fan.

* FYI, click here for the meaning of the post title.

Built By Wendy for the BOYS!

We LOVE these wool sweaters by Built by Wendy that we just got in with suede elbow pads. Who doesn't love elbow pads??? We also have it in black with brown stripes:
And we got this fabulous plaid flannel in too. It's more light cotton-y feeling than flannel: