Dress For Success: Best Places In Detroit For Office Wear
They say that clothes make the man; well, luckily, that's not entirely true, but it sure doesn't hurt to dress your best these days. Whether you're looking to find a new career or want to impress the "big wigs" in your current office setting (perhaps for that big promotion you've been aching for), dressing like you've already got the job can really make a big impression on those that matter.
Detroit is one of the country's oldest "big cities." In the days of burgeoning industry, when skyscrapers filled with offices dotted the downtown landscape, many fine clothiers opened their doors to fill the growing need for professional attire in the modern workforce.
Since the sharp decline of business in Detroit over the last few decades, many of these establishments have closed their doors forever. But with the economy on the upswing and many new companies opening their doors downtown, the need for fine business clothing has returned to the Motor City once more. Here are a few retailers that stand out among some of the best in Metro Detroit.
J. Barbaro Clothiers
17370 Hall Road, Suite 111
Clinton Township, MI 48038
(586) 286-7400
www.jasonbarbaro.com
Founded in 1998 by Jason Barbaro, J. Barbaro Clothiers has striven to produce and offer the finest quality business attire made available exclusively to Metro Detroit. With luxury and class at the forefront of its business model, Barbaro and his associates have created one of the area's finest establishments for modern work clothing. Custom fitting is a specialty for men's clothing at J. Barbaro and you can be sure the staff will find the best suit to fit your needs. With three locations throughout the Motor City, odds are you're not far from any one of these amazing gems.
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Henry The Hatter
1307 Broadway St.
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 962-0970
www.henrythehatterdetroit.com
Since before the turn of the 20th century, Henry The Hatter, located in downtown Detroit for over 100 years, has supplied anyone and everyone in the Motor City with the finest in formal headwear. In 1893, Henry Komrofsky opened up his little hat shop along the bustling Broadway Street and since then, Henry The Hatter has been the top destination in the Midwest for fine business apparel for your head. The inside of the shop hearkens back to the days when nearly every head on the street was topped by a sharp-looking fedora or bowler cap. In this tradition, Henry The Hatter looks to keep the style alive and kicking.
Mr. Alan's Shoes & Sportswear
15231 Michigan Ave.
Dearborn, MI 48126
(313) 584-3820
www.mralans.com
Specializing in urban clothing for those in the Metro Detroit area, Mr. Alan's has been a local favorite since 1974, when "Mr. Alan" opened up shop as a small boutique offering personalized, one-on-one service. Since then, Mr. Alan's has expanded to more than eight locations across the Motor City and now includes accessories from hats to watches on its shelves as well. Home of the "$29 or Two for $50" deal, you can bet Mr. Alan's will be able to help you dress in the most stylish urban wear available in Motown.
Detroit City Ballas Best Wear-N-Apparel
615 Griswold St., Suite 1715
Detroit, MI 48226
(800) 461-3020
www.dcbwearnapparel.com
Detroit City Ballas was originally conceived in 2000 as a rap group and independant music label in Detroit by Taurus Wilson. Later, in 2006, Wilson decided to venture out into the fashion industry and opened up the Detroit City Ballas Best Wear-N-Apparel store. Specializing in professional attire with a Western flair, Detroit City Ballas can custom create anything from boots, to hats, to vests to any number of stylish accessories. With a new location soon to open within the Ford Building in downtown Detroit, you'll be able to find whatever it is you're looking for, otherwise the staff will tailor make it. Detroit City Ballas currently offers online and catalog shopping only.
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Cicchini Custom Clothier
180 S. Old Woodward Ave.
Birmingham, MI 48009
(248) 646-0535
Perhaps saving the best for last, Cicchini Custom Clothier is not just well known throughout the Southeast Michigan area for its incredible selection of fine business attire, but rather, one of the premier luxury clothing outlets in the world. Located in the posh and upper-class Birmingham shopping district outside of Detroit, Cicchini offers its customers a wardrobe that is completely custom-made and created from scratch and swatch. Cicchini says that "once you've tried on Cicchini's, you'll not try on anything else." With over 10,000 choices of available materials, it's almost inconceivable that these talented tailors (a team with a combined 400 years of clothing-making experience) would be unable to create the best of the best, and personalized just for you.
Michael Ferro is freelance writer and a graduate of Michigan State University where he majored in Creative Writing and received the Jim Cash Creative Writing Award. Born and bred in Detroit, he currently resides in Ypsilanti Township. Additional writing can be found at Examiner.com.
