Spring is always, well, spring like, but if you’re lucky each year brings something new and unexpected into your life. That certainly goes for us, as each spring season we get equally excited about putting fresh twists on old classics as well as unveiling new surprises. Here are some highlights of the Paul Fredrick Spring 2012 Collection.

Details continue to be a big focus for us, and perhaps nowhere is this more apparent than in our latest crop of dress shirts. For starters, we were dazzled on a buying trip to London by pleat detailing down the front of dress shirts, which we thought made the shirts look terrific with a tie or without. You’ll find distinctive details such as bias cutting and contrast detail on our Contrast Interior Fabric European Style Collar & Cuff Dress Shirt (what a mouthful!), and for other subtle and innovative touches, check out the collar and cuff detailing on our Twin Stripe Pinpoint Oxford Dress Shirt.

It’s fun to surprise our customers, but it’s also satisfying to bring back greatest hits. That’s why “back by popular demand” has become one of our favorite product categories. This season’s curtain calls, which you can snatch up if you missed them the first time around, or add more colors if an item is already an old favorite, include our Cotton Field Jacket, which you guys loved as an alternative to a sportcoat great for casual evenings out. For suits, making a return — in tandem with the Madonna-directed film about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, which will surely have some great style in it — is our rakish Houndstooth Double Breasted Suit with a 6 x 2 button stance. This is as confident and elegant as you can get with a suit (pair with suede lace-up shoes for the full Windsor). In the trouser department, back for another go ’round are our Linen Trousers in flat, pleated or casual drawstring front with colors like dusty orange and French blue. Pair them with our Spun Silk knit shirts that are back in a bevy of new colors.

The season’s standouts in the dapper department include a Linen Waistcoat in glen plaid and solid choices with notch lapels and flap pockets. The Italian Silk-Wool Two-Button Sportcoat comes in an ultra-sophisticated blue and cream plaid that practically channels Cary Grant on the French Riviera in “To Catch A Thief.” Our navy blazer in brushed cotton comes with suede finish elbow patches for originality and distinction, while our Herringbone Texture Linen Two-Button Soft Coat comes with three patch pockets. Pair it with a bold pant such as our Wool Windowpane Pleated Trousers. After all, why should jackets have all the fun?

Business casual gets all kinds of options with standouts like our Gingham Linen Short Sleeve Sport Shirt with button-down collar and four color choices. Our Wool/Linen Blend Herringbone Trousers pair great with all your solid shirts and come with classic details like a button-flap coin pocket in front.

Each season has its own sartorial appeal, but spring has something extra-special about it. After a long gray winter color comes bursting out in nature — and in wardrobes. You find the sunshine, we’ll provide the clothes.

There’s an old song lyric that goes “You couldn’t be keener/You look so fresh from the cleaner.”

In fact, looking fresh from the dry cleaner is not a good thing, since it probably means your jacket looks stiff, the lapel roll has been pressed flat, and you smell like chemicals.

Eco types often point out how environmentally unfriendly dry cleaning is, and we’re here to say it’s not exactly gentle on your favorite suits, blazers and sportcoats either. The truth is if you want to clothing to last, you should adopt a home maintenance regimen and dry clean your clothing as infrequently as possible. Here are some reasons why.

The chemicals used in dry cleaning are harsh on clothing fabrics. The more you clean a garment, the more you shorten its life. Dry cleaning can also leave an unpleasant sheen on suits, leave them stiff, rather than molded to your body, and can flatten out a rakish lapel roll.

Unless a jacket has become soiled or stained, you probably only need to clean it once a year, and can keep it fresh with a few simple things you can do at home.

If you have a back yard (or penthouse balcony, for that matter), hang your clothing periodically outside. Fresh air does wonders. If you’re an urban apartment dweller, you can hang your jacket in the bathroom while you take a hot shower and the steam will remove odors and freshen the fabric. A clothes brush is another inexpensive way to remove dirt and contaminants from your jackets.

If you’re a major league clotheshorse, you can invest in a clothing steamer and hardly ever have to visit the dry cleaner again. Figure $50-$250, depending on how serious you want to get.

If you live in a climate that requires a seasonal wardrobe, then you’ll need to store your clothing somewhere cool and dry to protect it from hungry moths and dust mites. This is a good time to do your annual cleaning, since you don’t want to put them in storage for six months with stains and odors that can set in. Store your clothing in garment bags, with experts advising muslin or canvas bags rather than plastic for their superior breathing properties.

Finally, lest the dry cleaning industry cry foul, some cleaners are better than others. With a little research, you can probably find one in your area that specializes in chemical-free, environmentally friendly cleaning, and provides a gentle cleaning that goes easy on delicate fabrics.

Finally, trousers are a different story, and you will probably need to have them cleaned throughout the season. They’re less prone to having their construction botched (like a jacket’s lapel roll) and they pick up more dirt since you’re sitting on them. And when trousers come back from the cleaners, they’ve got a tight crease that, like a fresh haircut, makes you look and feel great. Better to be sharp as a tack than fresh from the cleaner.

Getting the right fit is always important.  Fortunately, trousers aren’t as complicated as jackets where you have to worry about making sure the sleeves fall straight from the shoulders.  Or, making sure the collar rests snugly against the back of the neck.  Still, we like to point out four common misconceptions when it comes to being the one who “wears the pants in the family.”

#1 – Flat front pants are only for the young and skinny.

This simply isn’t true. If you don’t have a 32-inch waist, baggy pleated pants can often make you look even heavier. Flat versus pleated really comes down to personal preference, not body type. And there’s no need to take sides. For example, you can have pleats on your suit pants but wear plain-front chinos on the weekend. Works for us.

 #2 – Flat front pants, no cuff. Pleated pants, cuff optional.

You hear this old canard all the time, and it just isn’t necessarily so. The traditional American preppy pant has always been plain front with cuffs (even on khakis). Flat front or pleated, all our trousers come unhemmed, so you can get exactly what you want.

 #3 – Short men should wear their pants longer.

Actually, the opposite is true: A full break will actually make a short man look even shorter. We find a slight to moderate break on trouser hems — regardless of a man’s height —to be more sophisticated anyway, as extra fabric flapping around the ankles simply looks sloppy. 

 #4 – Wear your trousers on your waist.

The increasing prevalence of jeans over the past few decades has confused many men about how their trousers are supposed to hang. While jeans are worn on the hips, dress pants should be worn above the hipbone on the waist. The short man looking to lengthen his leg line should look at where his pants begin, not where they end. Wear them a bit higher, but with a shorter break.

Lastly, a measuring tip. Get your inseam from your closet. Use a pair of trousers that breaks exactly where you like it, laid flat, and measure inches from the crotch seam to the bottom of one leg. Much better results than the awkwardness of measuring yourself.

Shakespeare once wrote that “fashion wears out more apparel than the man,” meaning, of course, that clothing is more likely to become outmoded than worn out.

But clothing does wear out, especially the workhorses of your business wardrobe. Sportcoats and blazers can last you for years, and good shoes can almost always be resoled and conditioned. But there are three items you should expect to wear out faster than others, and budget accordingly. In fact, it might be time to stop procrastinating, make a wardrobe inspection, and donate a bag of old clothes to your local thrift shop.

Here are the three items most likely to wear out:

Shirts: Dress shirts are primarily vulnerable to two things: sweat and laundering. Sweat creates unsightly ring around the collar, and once it’s there it’s not coming out. If your office dress code is business casual and you don’t wear a tie, check to make sure ring around the collar isn’t visible. And if your cuffs are starting to fray, no need to toss the shirt, just downgrade it to weekend wear.

To help extend the life of your shirts, wash them right away, before perspiration stains set in. Your drug store should also have stain-treatment sticks and gels to apply to your shirt collars BEFORE ring around the collar sets in. Hand washing, or machine washing but line drying, will also extend the life of your shirts. And if you send them to the cleaners, keep in mind that heavy starch weakens the fabric.

Trousers. There’s one thing that causes clothing to wear out: friction. And friction is especially tough on pants. The crotch area is the most vulnerable. Your legs rub together when you walk, weakening the fabric between your thighs. Eventually you’ll actually wear a hole through. So inspect your trousers here to see if they’ve run out of life.

Another place where men wear out their trousers is just above the knee. How do they do it? By leaning back in their reclining desk chair and holding themselves in place with their knees under the desk. “You’ll actually see guys in striped suits where the stripe above their knees has been completely worn away,” says New York-based tailor Paul Winston. Finally there’s the seat of the pants, which gets rubbed from sitting in a chair all day. This kind of friction gives wool an unsightly shiny appearance that tells you it’s time for new pants.

Because suit pants wear out much faster than suit jackets, in the old days suits were commonly sold with two pairs of pants to extend their life. This is something you can still do today at Paul Fredrick thanks to our suit separates.

Neckties. The sad part here is that the more you love a tie the more you wear it, and the more you wear it the faster you hasten its end. Ties get beaten out of shape from excessive knotting and will eventually have permanent creases and ripples. They also get pick up oils from your hands by being knotted and pulled into place over and over, and will eventually look soiled. Dry cleaning can help.

And if it doesn’t, well ties just happen to be one of our specialties.

When it comes to business dress, suits are supposed to be your big investment (not with us, of course, since we’re direct merchants) and ties are your “personal statement.” That leaves dress shirts one of the things boring dressers pay little attention to, never venturing beyond the safe boundary of blue and white, while stylish dressers relish choosing shirts with the same care as a handmade silk tie or rakish double-breasted suits in a Prince of Wales plaid.

And with dozens of colors and patterns to choose from, there’s no reason why selecting your shirts can’t be the most fun you get out of procuring your clothing from Paul Fredrick.

After color and pattern, a shirt’s most distinguishing mark is its collar. Here’s where the fun of dressing really kicks in: Straight, buttondown, spread, club, tab, eyelet — we’ve got ‘em all. Different collar styles add more variety to dressing than you might think, and offer all sorts of mixing options on the formality scale. Why not wear a formal spread collar with jeans and a blazer, or an eyelet shirt with collar pin under a v-neck sweater? After all, this is what guys with a signature style do all the time.

When it comes to cuffs, just as everyone should know a little bit of French (and visit Paris), every guy should own at least one French-cuffed dress shirt, if only to wear your dad’s or grandpa’s cufflinks you’ve got stashed in a box somewhere.

And while all our shirts are 100 percent cotton, all cotton is not the same. We’ve got hardier fabrics like perennially preppy Pinpoint Oxford, and Imperial 100′s Broadcloth to pair with your sleekest suits. And for those who want the look and feel of a richly silken fabric, we offer connoisseurs our superfine Luxury 140′s and Luxury 200′s.

And the choices don’t stop there. We’ve got a non-iron finish for those who prize convenience and a spic-and-span appearance all day. Edge stitching for European flair? We’ve got that, too. And when it comes to cut, choose from regular or trim fit, plus big and tall sizes with a fuller body and longer tails. And if you think you need to be rock-star skinny for the trim fit shirts, give one a try and you may be surprised. The contoured fit lets you move your arms freely without pulling your shirt untucked.

After all, tough workdays require removing your jacket and rolling up your sleeves to get the job done — and let everyone see your well-chosen shirt.

It’s a well-known fact that there is no one harder to buy for than a man. Reluctant to give suggestions unless it pertains to the unknown world of tools and gadgets, it is often very difficult and time consuming. But, fear not. We are here to make gifting painless with some great ideas for every guy on your list.

The Traditional Guy…

For the man who believes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, classics are best. For him, too many white dress shirts are a virtual impossibility. But not all white shirts are created equal. If you want to wow him this season, gift him a super luxurious 200’s cotton dress shirt. He’ll never guess that it was less than $100 – and we won’t tell. If you are lucky enough to be buying for a French cuff wearer, cufflinks, and in particular a pair of engraveable cufflinks, is personal, but also appeals to his practical side. And, for a less “buttoned-up” idea, a silk/cotton blend sweater with a touch of luxurious cashmere is always well received – S-4XLT makes getting the right size easy.

The Sports Guy….

We all know him. He’s the one talking smack on Mondays about his favorite (or least favorite) team. What could be better than applauding his “world’s biggest fan” status with an ultra-comfortable French Terry lounge set for kicking back and watching the game? Or, to maintain some semblance of decorum while yelling irrationally at the ref on TV, gift him a plush pair of velvet slippers. But why stop at home? A wide range of licensed MLB & NFL team accessories (cufflinks, money clips, etc.) allows him to sport his passion in the world of business as well. Who says sports can’t be elegant?

The Style Guy…

It’s true. There are lots of men out there who really do like clothes. For them style is personal, and fortunately, one of our specialties. If you want to splurge, our Italian merino wool sportcoat with suede-trimmed pockets (including dapper ticket pocket) is super luxurious, uncommon and a remarkable value. Less pricey, a navy stripe European style dress shirt with contrast fabric trim and split mitered yoke will complement his individual style. Or, if casual is his preferred mode, a zip cable vest. This one is not for outdoor work, though; it’s sporty, sophisticated and right up his alley.

The Savvy Tech Guy…

Typically this is not a man concerned with the latest fashion. Nor is he rooted in tradition. So, what to do? Impress him with function and high performance good looks that appeal to his intellectual side. An Ivy League pinpoint oxford dress shirt specially treated to prevent wrinkles equals all day good looks and easy, machine wash non-iron care. (You can insert an equation there if you want.) If you really want to score some major points though, there is nothing more versatile in a man’s wardrobe than the classic blazer. Featuring wrinkle and stain resistance and priced at just $199.50, it’s truly an A+.

Contrast collar shirts are a throwback to a century ago, when men’s dress shirts came with detachable collars. Since men were usually squeezed into a vest and high-buttoning jacket for propriety’s sake, the collar was the most visible part of the shirt. With a detachable collar, the young man climbing the ladder could get by with one or two shirts a week, but still have a fresh and clean collar visible.

While certain old-fashioned gentlemen continued to wear detachable collars into the 1930s, in their place at that point were what we now call contrast collar shirts. As was the case 100 years before, the collar (and almost always the cuff) is white, while the shirt can be colored or patterned.

While contrast-collar shirts never went away, they made a brief comeback in the late ‘80s thanks to the movie “Wall Street,” where Gordon Gekko wears them as part of his power look. They’re definitely more formal and elegant, and should be accessorized accordingly: suit instead of sportcoat, lace-ups instead of loafers, and if you really want to go all the way, braces instead of a belt. These shirts also look best with matching white French cuffs.

You’ll be amazed how these shirts — especially if you find one with a rounded club collar, or add a collar pin — completely change the look of even your oldest and simplest suit. Suddenly you’re somewhere between an Old Hollywood screen idol and Master of the Universe.

Forego the tie, however, and the look is rather louche. The image of a contrast collar shirt and no tie conjures up chest hair, a gold necklace, and Hef partying with bunnies in a ‘70s nightclub. On the other hand, a contrast collar in black or blue, worn with a tie, is classic style with a twist, our favorite combination.

When your suit is on, your shirt buttoned and your tie knotted and you’re ready for the finishing touch of a pocket square, you may feel a little confused about how to coordinate.

First off, congratulations for choosing to wear a pocket square at all. Many men — the kind who wear suits every night on television in front of millions of viewers, for example — usually forego this distinguishing detail.

But those who do often seem confused about the difference between complementing and matching. Thedifference here is the difference between how men and women dress. While women look great when everything is coordinated, men look contrived if too “matchy-matchy,” and this occurs most often when pairing ties and pocket squares.

It is tempting to repeat the tie color in your pocket square. This works best when there are contrasting patterns. For example, if your tie is an ivory and gold paisley, consider a pocket square of blue and gold plaid. In both cases there is more going on than just the color gold. In general, it is best not to repeat your sportcoat pattern in a pocket square.

Or, if your coat and tie is based on a color like wine, choose a pocket square with a complementary hue like silver for POP appeal. 

This is the way the most sophisticated dressers combine items, and I once new a dapper gent whose pocket square seemed to have a random color that had nothing to do with his jacket, shirt or tie — until you noticed his socks.

During Hollywood’s Golden Age, fashion plates like Cary Grant and Clark Gable went to the Oscars dressed to an accepted standard of elegance. But today’s Tinseltown stars show up at the Academy Awards in a dizzying range of looks from classic to crazy.

Today it’s anything goes when it comes to black tie. That’s either terrific or tragedy depending on your point of view, and here are some tips for finding what approach works best for you.

Classic Black Tie

If you’re a traditional kind of guy who thinks if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, you’ll feel best keeping the options fairly narrow. That means a matching dinner jacket and trousers, a.k.a. a tuxedo (in black of course, nothing offbeat like midnight blue), a peak lapel and either a single or double-breasted button stance. Personally, I like double-breasted models as they eliminate having to choose between a vest and a cummerbund. The shirt choice is simple: a formal shirt either a standard turndown collar or a wing collar, depending on your preference. Individual style comes from the little things like your stud set, pocket square, and optional dashing accessories like boutonniere, pocket watch, silk socks and patent leather shoes (always black). 

Creative Black Tie

Some events encourage gentlemen to come attired in “creative black tie.” This is the anything goes category, and can actually be a lot of fun.

I once attended an Edwardian-themed ball in black tailcoat, charcoal worsted trousers, waistcoat, blue striped dress shirt with contrast spread collar, black polka dot four-in-hand necktie, black tassel loafers, and boutonniere, pocket square and tie bar. It was a lot of fun mixing formal and daywear elements into a look I thought vaguely retro-English but also personal and idiosyncratic.

So you might try wearing tuxedo trousers but substituting a velvet sportcoat. For shirts and neckwear, add a standard tie (instead of a bow tie) to your formal shirt, a look that’s been very trendy in Hollywood the past few years. Or wear a basic white dress shirt with French cuffs instead of a formal shirt, and drape a silk scarf around your neck in lieu of a tie.

If you really want to make a statement, try a thin wool or silk blend turtleneck or pink oxford buttondown under your dinner jacket instead of a formal shirt.

Semi-Formal

For events specifying cocktail or semi-formal attire, choose a dark suit and a white dress shirt, but add a touch of elegance suitable to evening hours, such as a silver necktie.

Whatever you choose, make sure you’re comfortable in it. They say the secret to Fred Astaire’s nonchalant elegance on screen was that he wore his white tie and tails as if they were as comfortable and casual as his beloved tweed jackets and flannel trousers.

If the mere sound of the word velvet makes you squeamish, it shouldn’t. The fabric has been worn by kings and rock stars alike, and since your style probably lies somewhere between those extremes, there’s definitely a place in your wardrobe for velvet.

Velvet is like a spice and is best when used sparingly (we wouldn’t advocate a velvet suit any more than a bowl of horseradish). Lately it’s become trendy to wear velvet slippers with casual outfits in place of, say, a driving moccasin. Our version, complete with golden crest, pairs with denim, flannel grey trousers or your most elegant evening ensembles, not to mention a robe and pajamas.

For a step up, consider a velvet vest under your favorite sportcoat — or even alone with a crisp white shirt. Our houndstooth velvet vest with shawl collar takes a traditional pattern and renders it in an unexpected fabric, a perfect addition for your wintertime festivities. 

For an even bolder statement, nothing beats a velvet sportcoat. Don’t be surprised if women stroke your arm during conversation when you’re wearing something like our ultraluxe double-breasted burgundy velvet blazer, all but guaranteed to make you the most rakish guest at the party. We’ve also done a single-breasted dinner jacket in cream, a velvet twist on Bogart’s iconic look in “Casablanca.”

But a fabric this plush shouldn’t be just for mixing and mingling, which is why you should feel comfortable wearing it for quiet evenings at home by the fireside as well. For kings, rock stars and even you share one thing in common: a man’s home is his castle.