Mary Jo Heydt provides some great insight into the changes we have all lived through and some thoughts on trends coming out of the pandemic.
![Photo of Mary Jo Heydt from Savile Row Custom Clothiers](https://i0.wp.com/savilerowstl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/mj.jpg?resize=576%2C768&ssl=1)
When did you start working at Savile Row Custom Clothiers?
I started working for Savile Row in the summer of 1989. I started as the Operations Manager and as the business grew I grew along with it, learning the art of measuring and selling custom clothes.
What changes have you seen take place in the business?
Wow, there have been a lot of changes in the last 30+ years. It all started with the “Casual Friday” trend in the late 90’s early 2000’s with the dot-com era. At that time, we had to teach our clients what “office casual” was all about.
In the last 10 years dressing for business has changed to a more casual dress code across almost all industries. We have seen clients who wore a suit four or five days a week completely change their business wardrobe. In the Pandemic we have seen business styles trending toward very casual dressing. Jeans and sport coats are big sellers now as well as some exciting new stretch fabrics for everything from shirts to pants and jackets. This fabric is made with a combination of wool and elastin fabrics.
I’ve seen the style cycle go from full cut jackets with an extended shoulder and triple pleated pants to the other extreme of very trim-fitting jackets and plain front pants. As we go into the next few years the trends are moving back to pleated pants and I’m seeing jackets with wider lapels and heavier padded shoulders starting to hit the scene in Europe (it will take the American market about 10 years to get there! LOL).
How important is dressing well today?
Dressing well is ALWAYS important. You never have another chance to make a good first impression. I believe it is better to be overdressed than underdressed.
Today we are starting to see a shift back toward pre-pandemic purchase behaviors. To put it bluntly, many clients are simply tired of dressing really casual. Clients are also starting to travel again for important, in-person meetings, and they realize the value of being appropriately dressed for the occasion.
Any secrets to your success?
Being in the right place at the right time and “fake it” until you “make it”!
Favorite restaurant in St. Louis?
That’s a hard one. There are so many good restaurants in town. A couple of my favorites: The Blue Duck in Maplewood or Pan D’Olive. For upscale I go with either Annie Gunn’s or Sydney Street Café.