Tom Marchitelli (R) with Dak Prescott at the NFL Awards. Tom Marchitelli (R) with Dak Prescott at the NFL Awards. (Gentlemen’s Playbook on X.)

It started with a Tumblr page—a microblog of men’s fashion.

Tom Marchitelli began writing articles critiquing what athletes wore outside their uniforms. Red carpet events and award shows were a runway.

Naturally, Tumblr turned into Instagram where hashtags were introduced to Marchitelli’s own suits. #menstyle #mensuits #menswear were attached to photos on an account that would eventually turn into a business. That was a business that would have the biggest names in the game asking him to dress them, and Gentleman’s Playbook was born.

I just got this huge following. I mean, within a year, I had a hundred thousand followers as pretty much a style blog,” Marchitelli told Awful Announcing. “Wow,” he added.

The creations began, and the suits were shown off with familiar faces. Travis Kelce, Dak Prescott, Josh Hader and Ezekiel Elliott — to name a few.

 

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There were steps to get it truly going, however.

“I know all the fabric, I just need to be taught how to measure, and so they sent someone out to New York to meet with me and in a day or two, taught me how to measure,” Marchitelli said.

The fabric and design aspect was natural for him. He didn’t need help with that. The experience also, he didn’t need any formal training.

After a request, he could turn a suit around in 24 hours.

Marchitelli started getting direct messages from football players asking to “look like that guy in the pictures.” They wanted to dress like him.

“Well, actually, I’m the guy in the pictures,” he would respond.

But before that, the former hedge fund accountant would do this on the side. For a year and a half, the amount of clients he had started at 25. It’s now at 500 … and counting.

A long talk with his wife, Ally, a bottle of something nice and the constant thoughts of leaving his cushy job, he went full time. It was a decision that was more than just the business side.

Ally said she could see the passion in her husband’s eyes doing this. She looked at him square in the face and said that she’s never had more faith in anything, or anyone, than him. It’s what he was supposed to do, she said.

 

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Combining with living in Hoboken, N.J., and attending Boston College, hockey was well on his radar. A lot of New Jersey Devils’ players lived around him.

The starting goalie at the time, Cory Schneider, also attended BC. They linked up and the word of his suits spread like wildfire through the locker room. About eight of Schneider’s teammates were now clients of Marchitelli.

“It kept snowballing from there,” he said.

Measuring is difficult itself, but athletes have a certain … physique, if you will. This was on a different level.

“When you’re fitting an offensive or defensive lineman in the NFL that weighs 300 to 350 pounds … I’m measuring a guy’s thigh that’s the size of my waist sometimes,” he laughed.

But there’s not a lot of belly fat.

“These guys are genetic freaks.”

Some extra material is needed.

Then it was the NFL. A small circle of trust, Marchitelli said. Well, trust, and a word of mouth.

“If you need a watch, you’re going to go to this guy. If you need sneakers, you go to that guy. The financial guys are going to go to this guy.”

When you need a suit, you go to Marchitelli.

The clientele’s names got bigger and bigger.

It was one particular tight end that Marchitelli admittedly got a little excited for, but he was a total pro about it.

Being a lifelong New England Patriots’ fan, meeting Rob Gronkowski for the first time was special.

“With Gronk, he was just so cool and chill and I didn’t have to hold back as much,” Marchitelli said. At least not compared to when he met Tom Brady, but that’s another story. (TB, if you’re reading this, Tom would LOVE to dress you)

Back to Gronk. Part of a dynasty that brough 20 years of joy to Marchitelli along with friends and family.

“And you know, here he is. I’m measuring him for a suit right now, and he’s going to wear it into the Super Bowl and his last game as a New England Patriot … and I’m going to make it in 48 hours.”

Gronk was a little unsure he could get it done. As a matter of fact, he was very sure he wasn’t going to see Marchitelli ever again. They shook hands. It was supposed to be a goodbye.

“I said, I’m going to see you at your hotel in two days with the suit to try on.”

Sure enough.

Tom Marchitelli

 

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“For NFL guys who wear those on a regular weekly basis, because there’s only 17 regular season NFL games, they treat each one as an event,” he said.

That time frame is one thing, but if you follow sports, especially MLB, an All-Star event could have an agent calling Marchitelli, saying, “Tanner Scott just got added as an All-Star, could you come fit him?'”

No problem.

That helps when constructing the timeless pieces. Some leave it to Marchitelli after mentioning a color, or how it’s styled. Should it be untucked, how should the jacket lay on your shoulders. He takes care of all of it.

“It’s one of the most exciting parts,” Marchitelli said. And he said that’s true whether it’s an existing client like Tyler O’Neill or one like 2024 All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran.

For Duran, he needed something to walk the red carpet ahead of the Midsummer Classic.

“He kind of sat back in his chair and said, ‘So, what are we doing?'”

 

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Marchitelli is known for personalization as well. Some are planned, some are surprises. On the inside of Duran’s jacket were the quotes:  “Still Alive” and “F–k ‘Em.” Short words, but big meaning after Duran said it was in reference to mental health struggles of his in 2021.

“He’s like, ‘Can we put it in there?’ And I said, ‘Oh, I’m not saying no to that.'”

Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. also walked the red carpet after earning his second All-Star selection this season. And he had his nickname, El Niño, and uniform number stitched inside his jacket.

Fernando Tatis Jr./credit: Tom Marchitelli

 

Native flags, mantras, and photos of loved ones or from little league days are also popular requests. Detroit Lions’ cornerback Terrion Arnold was dressed by Marchitelli and he wanted a particular photo of him playing youth football.

Marchitelli also embroiders wedding dates on the inside of the jacket for the big day. A wedding logo if one’s available. It just takes a quick chat with the significant other.

You might have guessed Gronk as being the personalization Marchitelli was the most excited for. After pieces he’s made for his wife, Ally, and children, of course.

“When my tailors came in the next morning, everything was there for them to start cutting the fabric, so I said, ‘What am I putting on the inside of Rob’s jacket? Because it has to be special.”

A Gronk spike logo, of course. It was the perfect idea that took four hours to create — just for that particular embroidery. Between the right colors, and Marchitelli’s precise quality, it was worth it. Especially for Gronk’s reaction.

 

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Sometimes he’s just told, “Let Tom cook.”

There is one rule, however. These suits are one-of-one. That means, not repeating fabrics with teammates.

The service he provides is exceptional too. The quick turn around is only part of that. He’s a people person too.

“Whether I got that from my upbringing, from, from my dad, a little bit most likely, but, I mean, I’m high on life all the time,” Marchitelli said.

“I really think I pushed it to the next level because the guys can tell their teammates, ‘You know, Tom came to my house 24 hours after we messaged.’ Whether it was a DM or someone gave me the number or vice versa. I’m coming out with no hesitation because I want to strike while the iron is hot.”

Kelce is known for having swagger. The Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end immediately gushed when he opened his hotel room door and saw Marchetti dressed to the nines. Kelce looked him up and down.

“Look at this guy,” Kelce said.

Eight suits later with colors of lavender, yellow, off white and plaids. A big style inspiration, Marchetti said.

“He does stuff no one else can pull off,” he added.

 

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Tom Marchitteli

But it’s the personalization he does for Ally and his three kids, Jordan, Bianca, and Roman, that he loves the most.

“I actually have a huge Christmas party with some friends and family and clients, where I make myself a Christmas suit, and I put all pictures from the previous Christmas season with my family and my wife and everybody inside that jacket,” he said.

Tom Marchitteli

We’ll see what Marchitelli makes next. But it will be worth keeping an eye on.

About Jessica Kleinschmidt

Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.