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A Guide to French Cuffs and Cufflinks

A Guide to French Cuffs and Cufflinks

For some guys, it was fumbling through a sweaty, anxious prom night. Some late bloomers even wait until their wedding day. Whenever you had your first experience, you probably cherish the memory as a meaningful step towards becoming a man. We’re talking, of course, about the first time you put...
How to Build Your Dress Shoe Wardrobe

How to Build Your Dress Shoe Wardrobe

Ever seen a well-dressed man wearing some tired old kicks? Nope? Us either. As designer Hardy Amies said, “It is totally impossible to be well-dressed in cheap shoes.” We agree. So do the ladies. Many women consider a man’s shoes the most important thing he wears. (Did you hear that,...
What to Wear to a Summer Wedding

What to Wear to a Summer Wedding

We’re entering June, which means wedding season is in full swing. And even if you’re not the lucky groom, a wedding is one of those rare opportunities to drink on the house, show off those questionable dancing skills, and more importantly, dress up to the nines. So leave the office...
Father's Day Gift Guide

Father’s Day Gift Guide

He taught you how to ride a two-wheeler, played catch with you out in the yard on countless summer evenings and cooked up plenty of lip-smacking BBQs for you and the fam’. But more than anything else, he taught you to be the man you are today. So, on Father’s...
Black Lapel Custom Suits vs. Designer Off-The-Rack Suits

Black Lapel Custom Suits vs. Designer Off-The-Rack Suits

A Case for Custom We’ve all felt it before – the anxiety of spending a bit more money than we’d like on article of designer-branded clothing. And it often goes against our natural instincts to pull the trigger…an internal conflict often arises in this familiar form: “I don’t really want...
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Hanging Out with Black Lapel: The Dapper Man Shop

Hanging Out with Black Lapel: The Dapper Man Shop

A dapper man puts his whole look together with style. For five days, five online menswear brands came together to form The Dapper Man Shop, a popup shop in New York’s SoHo neighborhood. With everything from essentials, like slim fit boxers by Pengallan, to foundation pieces like suits and shirts by Black Lapel, to finishing...
Ask a Black Lapel Stylist: Are $300 dress shoes worth the investment?

Ask a Black Lapel Stylist: Are $300 dress shoes worth the investment?

Q: “I recently read The Compass post, “How to a Build Your Dress Shoe Wardrobe”, and noticed that some of the dress shoes featured were over $300. That seems like a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a pair of shoes. Is it really worth spending that much on a pair of dress shoes?”...
Ask a Black Lapel Stylist: Tie Width - How Slim or Wide Should You Go?

Ask a Black Lapel Stylist: Tie Width – How Slim or Wide Should You Go?

Q: “I just bought my first slim-fit suit from Black Lapel. Do I need to slim down my ties to match my slimmer suit? What’s a simple way to determine the width of my tie to match the rest of my suit?” – Mike E.  A: This is a common question, often framed the wrong...
Choosing the Right Suit Lapel

Choosing the Right Suit Lapel

So you saw you the latest Baz Luhrmann joint, read our post, and now all you can think of is decking out your closet with peak lapel suits like Jay Gatsby. But should you? What exactly is the difference between notch, peak and shawl lapels? What separates the three besides the obvious visual differences of...
Ask a Black Lapel Stylist: How to Match Socks

Ask a Black Lapel Stylist: How to Match Socks

Q: “When suiting up, should I match the color of my socks to my suit pants or shoes?” – Ken J.  A: As you can see from the picture above, we’re not all too serious about matching your socks to either your pants or your shoes. If we really had to choose, we’d say match...
How to Suit Up Like Gatsby

How to Suit Up Like Gatsby

While you’re reading this post, we suggest you open up Spotify and listen to the newly-released soundtrack to The Great Gatsby (2013). If you’re not already, it will get you pumped about the film’s release on May 10th. We’re definitely excited. And not just because of the killer threads all of the Gatsby boys will...
It's Your Mother's Day Gift Guide

It’s Your Mother’s Day Gift Guide

She’s the person responsible for bringing you into this world. She raised you to become the custom suit-wearing gent that you are today. There’s one day a year dedicated to celebrating this fact…and on this one day, you best be showing ma dukes some love. So lets begin with a little test to see where...
Ask a Black Lapel Stylist: Difference Between a Blazer and a Suit Jacket

Ask a Black Lapel Stylist: Difference Between a Blazer and a Suit Jacket

Q: “What’s the difference between a Black Lapel blazer and a suit jacket?” – James D.  A: Not all things in menswear are clean-cut, and the difference between a suit jacket and a blazer is a prime example of this. Traditionally, a blazer meant a jacket of a solid color (usually navy or black) with...
Guide to Colognes

Guide to Colognes

We’ve all experienced it before: walking down the street and catching the brief intoxicating scent of a beautiful woman passing by. The scent reminds you of your ex. Or perhaps of a missed connection. Of a chance encounter on a cobble stone street. And if you really dwell on it, it’ll even take you back...