With a Luxurious Shirt from Thomas Pink of London, You Can Stay in the Pink

I recently visited a dear friend from high school who had struck it rich, so to speak, in the internet dating world. This fabulous Englishman, both a top executive and a very sweet man (what a combo!) had come into her life and now they were creating a beautiful home together. One of the priorities in remodeling their new home was finding space for the multiple racks of his exquisite English haberdashery. As I admired the two six-foot rows are color-arranged crisply ironed shirts, she mentioned that many were from Thomas Pink. I said, "Of course!" But had not the least idea what she was talking about.

When I got home I immediately went online and discovered the Thomas Pink website. it's one of those sites where you explore every page because of the wealth of information and the inside scoop on what makes a shirt a Thomas Pink shirt. As a single lady, I hope to find a gentleman of my own someday who fits inside one of those fabulous shirts. Here is what I learned about Thomas Pink from their very interesting website.

There are certain things that the British excel in, for example top Savile Row suits and Jermyn Street shirts and benchmade shoes. Travelers to London report that it is well worth paying top dollar for the quality and durability of these products. But a trip to one of the most famous of the shirt makers, Thomas Pink, doesn't require airfare to London. It's as close as the internet at www.thomaspink.co.uk/us. Or visit one of over a dozen stores in the US from San Francisco to Dallas, to King of Prussia, to the flagship store in New York on Madison Avenue which proudly proclaims itself the largest shirt store in the world at 4,300 square feet.

The first Thomas PInk store opened in 1984 in Chelsea's Drayton Gardens and was just 230 square feet in size. The company outgrew that site and eventually moved up to the Jermyn Street flagship store with a sales area of 3,500 square feet.

A shirt's a shirt, you say? Ask any woman whether she prefers Mr. Average Joe American in his sloppy, half tucked in, half hanging out, easily wrinkled shirt purchased at the local outlet store or Hugh Grant, a Thomas Pink customer, in his tailored Pink classic. Gwyneth Paltrow is also a customer and even Bill Clinton. You have to admit he is a classy dresser even if you don't agree with his politics of his ethics.

An amazing fact: In the eighteenth century Thomas Pink made the best hunting coats money could buy. The expression "In the Pink" originates from the pride that English gentlemen took from wearing one of Pink's coats.

The brand was revived in the 1980s by 3 pioneering brothers with a simple yet unique formula: to sell the essentially classic product of luxury Jermyn Street shirts to a new generation of consumers, providing innovative designs with excellent service in a modern, relaxed environment.

Another amazing fact: The typical high-end shirt from London's famous Jermyn Street is constructed with 29 pieces. Thomas Pink shirts are comprised of 38 individual pieces, using the very finest cotton. You've lost me after about five! Front, back, sleeve, cuff, and collar. Think of the craftsmanship. But that is what quality is all about.

So whether it is a special occasion like a wedding or just wanting to experience the feel of luxury, a Thomas Pink shirt or blouse or any of their many other clothing products and accessories is a great choice. And go ahead and take that trip to London anyway. A Thomas Pink shirt comes in their famous pink box but doesn't include Big Ben or the Tower of London.

And don't overlook the fact, you single ladies out there, that if you frequent a Thomas Pink store in a city near you, that you may also find the quintessential Englishman to fill up your closet with his classic shirts.