LocoStyle Guayabera Blog

If you remember that perfect shirt, how comfortable it was and how it felt, you might find yourself asking why some clothing feels better than others. The reason, is the fabric first and then the design.

When looking for that perfect shirt, remember that natural fibers are often the best, especially linens and cottons for summer.

Pure linen is ideal for summer clothing. This comes in different weights from very ultra thin to heavy. While the lighter ones are preferred for blouses and dresses, the latter are suitable for summer jackets and slacks. Pure linen tends to wrinkle easily, and will need pressing. To minimize this, consider a luxurious blend of linen and cotton. The blend is especially good for jackets and slacks.

What is linen? The term “linen” refers to yarn and fabric made from flax fibers; however, today it is often used as a generic term to describe a class of woven bed, bath, table and kitchen textiles because traditionally linen was so widely used for towels, sheets, etc. In the past, the word also referred to lightweight undergarments such as shirts, chemises, waistshirts, lingerie, and detachable shirt collars and cuffs. Linens were manufactured almost exclusively of fibers from the flax plant Linum usitatissimum. But textiles made of cotton, hemp, and other plant fibers have also been referred to as ‘linen’, which can make the exact referent of the term somewhat unclear and confusing to the buyer.

Linen textiles may be the oldest in the world. Their history goes back many thousands of years. Fragments of straw, seeds, fibers, yarns and various types of fabrics which date back to about 8000 B.C. have been found in Swiss lake dwellings. Linen was used in the Mediterranean in the pre-Christian age. Linen was sometimes used as currency in ancient Egypt. Egyptian mummies were wrapped in linen because it was seen as a symbol of light and purity, and as a display of wealth. Some of these fabrics, woven from hand spun yarns, were extremely fine and cannot be matched by modern spinning techniques.

So why is Linen so comfortable? Linen fabric breathes, much like human skin, it can absorb up 20% or more of its own weight in moisture, while still feeling dry to the touch. Linen also absorbs the moisture rapidly which makes it wonderful for bath and kitchen towels. You and your dishes will dry quickly. Even better, your drinking glasses will be lint free.

Linen is also truly healthy. Linen cannot provoke allergies, it is anti-static and can even help soften and preserve the skin due to its natural pH balance. The non-allergic, antibacterial, and antimycotic (Suppressing thegrowth of fungi) properties of linen are emphasized more and more often and is something the buyer should seriously consider.

Thanks to linen’s temperature-regulating properties. In hot weather, linen absorbs moisture and excess heat, while in cool weather it retains body heat. Highly absorbent and a good conductor of heat, linen fabric feels cool to the touch.

Over time linen becomes softer and even more comfortable.

Cotton is also a versatile material. There are many types of cotton available and cotton too is especially suitable for summer attire.

Crinkle cottons are ideal for casual shirts, pull on pants, and skirts. Cotton shirting is perfect for casual summer dresses and blouses. This has a soft, luxurious feel. Though it will require pressing, it is well worth the effort. Cotton pique feels rough to the touch because of the slightly raised weave. This is available in a wide range of coordinating seasonal summer prints as well as solid colors. It is most frequently used for blouses, unlined jackets, and vests. This fabric is easy to work with.

Cotton damask is ideal for dressy summer clothing and is versatile enough to use for all sorts of attire from slacks and dresses to jackets and blouses. Cotton batiste is an elegant fabric that is in great demand for blouses. This comes in various weights from lightweight to heavy. The Swiss cotton batiste is by no means cheap. French seams are preferred since they’ll be visible.

Between the many choices of cottons and linens, choosing your next shirt should be a breeze and keep you comfortable and cool throughout the summer.

Cory Davis is the President of LocoStyle, Inc., a leading provider of high quality men’s, women’s and children’s guayabera shirts, also known as Mexican wedding shirts. For more information and to browse a wide selection of guayaberas, please visit http://www.locostyle.com.

Contrary to popular belief, Father’s Day was not started by the greeting card company but by a woman. Which of two women officially came up with the idea is still disputed, but here are their stories.

The first woman thought to have brought up the idea of Father’s Day was named Sonora Smart Dodd. It is said that Ms. Dodd thought of the idea while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909.

Having been raised by her father, William Jackson Smart, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. Mr. Smart who was a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife died while giving birth to their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington State. Ms. Dodd felt that it was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Legend goes that Sonora’s father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.

The other woman believed to have conceived the idea of Father’s Day was Grace Golden Clayton. Her story goes like this.

Ms. Clayton was inspired to celebrate fathers after a deadly mine explosion in a nearby town called Monongah, West Virginia the prior December. This explosion killed more than 360 men, 210 of whom were fathers. Many of the fathers killed were recent immigrants to the United States from Italy. Ms. Clayton suggested the service to the pastor.

This Father’s Day observance was held on July 5, 1908, at Fairmont, West Virginia.

Even though we don’t know which woman came up with the idea first, what we do know is that in 1926, a National Father’s Day Committee was formed in New York City and Father’s Day was recognized by a Joint Resolution of Congress in 1956. In 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father’s Day to be held on the third Sunday of June.

Do other countries celebrate Father’s Day? Indeed, but some may not call it ‘Father’s Day’ and others celebrate it on different days. In Germany, Father’s Day is called Männertag and is always celebrated on Ascension Day (the Thursday forty days after Easter), which is a federal holiday. Regionally, it is also called men’s day, Männertag, or gentlemen’s day, Herrentag. It is tradition for the men to take a males-only hiking tour with one or more smaller wagons, Bollerwagen, pulled by manpower. In the wagons are wine or beer (according to region) and traditional regional food, Hausmannskost, which could be Saumagen, Liverwurst, Blutwurst (Blood Sausage), vegetables, eggs, etc.

Männertag and Herrentag are not quite like an American Father’s Day in that the day is centered around either becoming inebriated and/or passing the tradition of extreme alcohol consumption onto young men.

In Taiwan, Father’s Day is not an official holiday but is widely observed on August 8, which is the eighth day of the eighth month of the year. In Mandarin Chinese, the pronunciation of the number 8 is bā. This pronunciation is very similar to the character “爸” “bà”, which means “Papa” or “father”. Taiwanese, therefore, usually call August 8 in its nick name as “Bābā Day” (八八節).

In Thailand, Father Day is set as the birthday of the king. December 5 is the birthday of current king, Bhumibol Adulyadej.

So now you have the true information behind the ever popular and celebrated Father’s Day. The next time somebody asks, how old is Father’s Day and who started it, you can give them the correct answer.

Cory Davis is the President of LocoStyle, Inc., a leading provider of high quality men’s, women’s and children’s guayabera shirts, also known as Mexican wedding shirts. For more information and to browse a wide selection of guayaberas, please visit http://www.locostyle.com.

If you have never heard of the guayabera, it most likely you have probably seen one and didn’t know what it was. The reason, because they are everywhere and on every type of person, young hipters to businessmen.

The ornate, four-pocket shirts are the standard outfit for business, social and formal occasions through-out tropical America, but no one is quite sure where the guayabera (gwai-a-BER-a) comes from. Some claim a Mexican origin, saying that the name is derived from the Mayan guayabana, meaning “throw over.” Some say they came out in Cuba first, more than 200 years ago, and later spread through the Caribbean and on to the Philippines. And the name? Cuban slang for a guava (guayaba) picker.

For Cubans, the shirt is ubiquitous in tropical Latin American countries, and they argue it originated on their island. The loose-fitting shirts are as Cuban as rum and cigars: Fidel Castro’s bodyguards often sport guayaberas, most Cuban men own at least one and the shirts remain the dress of choice for any formal occasion.

Whatever the origin, the guayabera is without question the hot shirt of the moment.

The guayabera is defined by its pockets and its pleats. Two pockets instead of four, and you’re probably wearing a Mexican chazarilla. Long sleeves and no pockets at all or pleats, sorry, that’s just a shirt.

The most sought-after guayaberas are vintage shirts from the ’50s and ’60s, valued for their intricate stitching and all-cotton construction.

The true charm of a guayabera lies not in innovative designs but in the classic comfort and versatility. Depending on the material and the embroidery, a guayabera can be as casual as a bowling shirt or as stated previously, as proper as a business suit. The most prevalent color of the guayabera is the traditional white, but the shirts come in almost any color.

Their guayaberas range in price from $22 to $300, depending on the fabric. The most common is made of linen. The most expensive guayaberas are made of 100% Italian linen, but the typically mid-ranged shirt is made of a rayon/linen blend, polyester and cotton or 100% cotton.

Generations young and old are wearing guayaberas. The shirts are so comfortable and versatile that it is said that in Florida, county authorities, as well as many municipal governments, have deemed the guayabera as an “official” garment that may be worn by government representatives while on duty.

So have you seen a guayabera in your neighborhood?

Cory Davis is the President of LocoStyle, Inc., a leading provider of high quality men’s, women’s and children’s guayabera shirts, also known as Mexican wedding shirts. For more information and to browse a wide selection of guayaberas, please visit http://www.locostyle.com.

Your wedding is around the corner and dreams of faraway romantic places or quaint hideaways come to mind when trying to decide where you would like your wedding.

If this is you, there are two ways to go when planning a destination wedding. The first is to hire a professional and the second is to do your homework.

For those of you who are planning your own, here are a few things to consider.

First of all there is location. When trying to determine where you want to go, let your mind think outside of the box. Beaches are wonderful but there are hundreds of other places that are just as romantic and fascinating. How about a country inn, lakefront resort, or a wintry mountainside lodge that can be rented for the weekend? If nothing comes to mind, ask your family and friends about some of their favorite getaways.

Speaking of family, inviting everyone you love to one place for several days of fun in the sun can be a good thing, but before you plan a faraway affair, ask yourself if your essential friends and family will be up for the trip. Grandma may not want to fly to Italy for the week and some cannot plainly afford it.

If you are having your wedding in a faraway place, consider hiring a local who can help you take care of the details. An on-location wedding coordinator (many resorts include a coordinator in their wedding packages) can shoulder the burden of researching and securing vendors, arranging airport transportation, and locating all those last-minute things, from dry cleaners to hiking tours, that may come up. Depending on your temperament, this can be a welcome reprieve or a scary proposition.

When it comes to cost, keep in mind you can spend as much or as little as you want on a destination wedding, just as you can at home—there are no steadfast rules about which is less expensive. But don’t forget to factor in at least a couple of pre-wedding research trips into your budget, even if the coordinator is doing the bulk of the work for you.
You may be surprised to find out that destination weddings are often less expensive than traditional weddings. This is because they generally involve fewer guests, and resorts and hotels offer all-inclusive deals.

In watching your pocketbook, you can also opt for less expensive destinations or destinations that offer a wide range of dining and lodging options. If you wed in at a top travel spot, consider choosing an off-season date, and explore local neighborhoods with less touristy price tags for other aspects of your event, like your rehearsal dinner.

If you are getting married in another state or country, you will need a local marriage license, and possibly a passport. The passport is simple; just be sure to apply well in advance of your wedding date. Getting the marriage license can be slightly trickier, especially in a foreign country. Contact the local city hall (if you don’t speak their language, get an interpreter!) and get permission to be married in the location. Some places require blood tests, immunization certificates, or doctor’s certificates in order for you to legally marry. No matter where you are getting married, it is best to find out as much as possible in advance. There may be unexpected requirements, such as an established residency, a waiting period, or a certain number of witnesses.

For couples looking to create a really memorable occasion without breaking the bank, destination weddings are a perfect option – as long as you do your homework.

Cory Davis is the President of LocoStyle, Inc., a leading provider of high quality men’s, women’s and children’s guayabera shirts, also known as Mexican wedding shirts. For more information and to browse a wide selection of guayaberas, please visit http://www.locostyle.com.

Every country or ethnicity has its own traditions. Traditions are especially important when it comes to life events such as weddings.

In Mexico, wedding traditions can include many things. In some cities of northern Mexico, there is the tradition of giving a ring called “of promise” that occurs before the ring of commitment. The ring is generally for long engagements, which are common in this area.

As for the music, mariachis may replace organ music but the brides’ march is usually played on the organ.

Mexican weddings tend to be large with many attendants. The attendants are called madrinas and padrinos and they have special roles in the wedding.

The flower girl and ring bearer are dressed as miniature versions of the bride and groom. The madrina de ramo carries flowers for the Virgin Mary. The madrina de laso carries a jeweled or beaded rope that is placed around the couple as they say their vows, to symbolize their union.

The bridegroom often offers the bride thirteen coins. The madrina de arras holds the thirteen coins that the bridegroom presents to the bride. The coins, or arrhea, was a Roman custom of breaking gold or silver, one half to be kept by the woman and the other half by the man, as a pledge of marriage.

The groom gives the coins to the bride as a symbol of his unquestionable trust and confidence. He pledges that he places all of his goods into her care for safekeeping. Acceptance by the bride means taking that trust and confidence unconditionally with total dedication and prudence.

Aside from the church preparations, the whole family becomes involved in planning the wedding. The six-month period before the wedding allows the couple time to reserve the location for their reception or dance. Inn ancient times, weddings were held in the bride’s yard or house. The groom traveled by horse to the bride’s house and after the wedding ceremony took his wife in a palanquin (cart) to his parents’ house to live. The bride and groom wore formal court costumes for the wedding ceremony. Ordinary people were permitted to wear the luxurious clothes only on their wedding day.

Today, the bride can purchase a dress or arrange with a seamstress or bridal specialist for a custom-made dress. Brides in times past designed their wedding dress with their mothers, who would then do the sewing.

For men, the Guayabera shirt is often worn. This shirt, often called a Mexican wedding shirt and has been around for the past 200 years. This shirt has a loose style, and, as a result, can be worn by all shapes and sizes. These crisp, cool shirts are light, and flattering to any body shape. Traditional linen guayaberas are still the most popular beach wedding shirts because of their comfort, style, and freshness.

Other wedding traditions include hand lanterns, which are used for lighting the way from the groom’s home to the bride’s home on the night before the wedding. Traditionally, the groom’s family would carry a wedding chest filled with gifts for the bride’s family.

Wedding ducks are a symbol for a long and happy marriage. Cranes are a symbol of long life and may be represented on the woman’s sash.

Traditional foods are used for weddings that include spicy rice, beans, tortilla dishes, using chicken and beef. Sangria is served. It is a cold drink made from red or white wine mixed with brandy, sugar, fruit juice and soda water.

To top it all off, the wedding cake is usually a fruitcake soaked in rum.

Traditions are important and certainly don’t have to be recognized just for weddings. But should you want a traditional Mexican wedding, now you know what types of activities to integrate into your special day.

About the Author: Cory Davis is the President of LocoStyle, Inc., a leading provider of high quality men’s, women’s and children’s guayaberas, also known as Mexican wedding shirts. For more information and to browse a wide selection of guayaberas, please visit http://www.locostyle.com.