No one has ever accused me of being a clotheshorse. Frankly, having three other fashion-conscious people in our house is plenty. But I do need to look presentable when I go to pitch new business, or speak in public, and there are times when I think my wife, Elizabeth, started Yellow Jacket just for those occasions.

We’ve lived in Alexandria for 24 years and for most of that time, there hasn’t been a good place to buy men’s clothing, unless you were willing to fight the traffic to Neiman’s and then navigate the mall. As a result, I bought clothes from boutiques I’d see while I was traveling for work, or had my favorite men’s store in my native Tennessee ship me a box of stuff and hope it was right. Neither was optimal and I ended up wearing what I could tolerate, and not choosing what I actually wanted. This has all improved with the launch of Yellow Jacket, and its signature clothing line, Sid Mashburn.

The custom shirts I have from Sid are my favorite dress shirts – and it’s not even close. And the custom sport coat I bought (somewhat skeptically) fits better than any jacket I’ve ever worn. It’s such a better fit that I am contemplating having some of my other sport coats altered to the measurements Sid’s folks took. As someone who’s never been too high or too low on anything I wear, I find it surprising that I’m this impressed with Sid’s stuff, and I bet you will be, too.

Twice a year, you have the opportunity to purchase exactly what you want from Sid Mashburn at Yellow Jacket’s Trunk Show on September 14 and 15. His expert tailors will be on-site to measure and advise. Sid himself will be in town, too, so you can join him for a cocktail on Thursday evening from 5pm to 8pm, or for coffee on Friday from 9am to 12pm.

Sid’s a true southern gentleman whose humility and sense of humor belie the fact that he’s one of most relevant people in men’s apparel in the country. He’s a big believer in the future of Yellow Jacket and that’s why he makes it a point to come to the store in person every year. In addition to his custom clothing, there are plenty of ready-to-wear options from his line and many others, like Johnnie-O, Paige, AG, Vince, and more.

Even if you just need a new pair of jeans or pullover for the fall, stop by Sept 14-17. This is Yellow Jacket’s biggest weekend of the year and if you’ve been meaning to come check out the store, now’s the time. If you’re like me and clothing is not a high priority, but you still want to put your best foot forward, I think you’ll love what you find at Yellow Jacket – it’s truly the “easy button” to solve your wardrobe needs. And you can sip a bourbon while you’re there. How much better can it get?

Sign up for a Made to Measure appointment or just stop in to say hello. We would love to see you.