Be Sleek, Suave & Sexy! Tayo Adeyeye of Nigerian Menswear Design Label “Taryor Gabriels” Shares 4 Tips for Buying a Suit

Whether you’re a business man, a sharp guy, or a ‘Mad Men‘ enthusiast, the suit is very essential. It is the basic building block of every man’s wardrobe. Without a suit, you’re missing the first type of formal wear for the modern man and that just wont do.

 Apparently he never even wore suits to his office even though he owns the place (One of the things that come with being a BOSS I guess). So I thought maybe he just didn’t know how to find one.

To help our male figure out what they need to know when it comes to finding the right suit we got in touch with menswear design label Taryor Gabriels. If you don’t know who that is by now then you haven’t seen THIS. We tapped into his knowledge of menswear to give us guides to picking a suit.

Know the Three Basic Colours

As with a lot of things, colors matter a lot. In the nation of suits only a certain number of colors matter. According to Taryor “Blacks, grays (in many different shades) and navies have been around forever. This is because they are classics.
My easy primer: Gray is universal, good for business and pleasure, and conveys that you are an honest & nice person. Blue is sporty and not as somber. Black could be off-limits. If you like a little pattern, you can find interesting variations like Herringbones and Over Checks. A light gray suit is more daring while darker grays are more conservative. Dig around and find something that speaks to you.”
Know What You Want

When shopping for a suit for a particular purpose there are different factors that will come into play. Taryor suggests-  ”To figure out if you need something formal for big-shot meetings and dinners or something more chilled out that says ”I look fly but I don’t work too hard”? The two areas that generally define how dressy a suit is are the lapels and the pockets. Thinner lapels (roughly 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 inches at the widest point) are more elegant, while thicker lapels (3 to 3 1/2) are more executive.
As for pockets, flapped or jetted (tuxedo-style) pockets are the standard, while patch (rounded) pockets give your look a bit more a laid-back vibe. Peaked lapels (with pointed joints) are a bit more rakish, while notched lapels (with round ends) are smoother“.
Know your Fabric:

“You may not know so much but you do know that polyester is for punks, shiny suits are best reserved for “hitmen” and that any label that contains the word lycra or spandex is a lining you don’t want near you.  You can never go wrong with high quality wool.”
Know your Fit:

“Shoulder and jacket length should be as close to perfect as possible, anything else can be fixed.” The shoulders should end where your shoulders end; if they’re hanging off the end, even a smidgen, put the suit back on the rack and find another.

Next, check the length. “You should be able to cup your hand underneath the bottom of the jacket.” If you brought daddy along and he’s telling you to go for the suit that touches the tips of your fingers, ignore him. That was the rule in his day; the new rule, is a more modern look. “It makes everyone look taller if your jacket is a little shorter“

We hope this has helped the guys figure out what they need to do to get that ‘Mr. GQ’ going. Don’t forget to share your tips on buying a suit with us.
Photo Credit: followhorseracing.com | GQ.com | Karachi.olx.com.pk

Men’s Fashion Flash: Victor Cruz’s Barclays Center Givenchy Red and Black Striped Cotton Sweater

Victor Cruz, The New York Giants star wide receiver attended a Jay-Z concert at the Barclays Center over the weekend in a $560 Red and Black Striped Cotton Givenchy Sweater


The Fall/Winter 2012 piece features Givenchy’s signature stars, along with bold black and red stripes.

It should look familiar: Meek Mill wore the same sweater almost the exact same way for a music video back in August.


What do you think?

Snapshot: O’Shea Robertson for Christian Lacroix Fall/Winter 2012

O’Shea Robertson for Christian Lacroix Fall/Winter 2012.

When Did He Wear It Better? Swizz Beatz in Givenchy’s Fall 2012 Angel Crest Print T-Shirt

Swizz Beatz hit the town with friends Carmelo and LaLa Anthony. He uplifted a blazer, fedora, destructed denim, and leather high-top sneakers with the same Givenchy Angel Print T-Shirt he wore to perform at the Made in America festival:





While he initially paired the Fall 2012 piece with matching Givenchy leather shorts, sunglasses, Reebok Kamikaze sneakers, and a backwards baseball cap, he skewed more sophisticated for his night on the town, switching out his baseball hat for a fedora, and leaving the eyewear at home.
The shirt features an angel’s face, along with several signature stars.


Though neither look is particularly ground breaking, I think the night out look is more my style. He looks dapper yet relaxed.
What do you think?
 *His exact shirt is no longer available as researched, but you can get a similar version for $605 from Luisa Via Roma, plus more options here:

More Givenchy…

Men’s Fashion: Herds of The Fathers

Guys, if you’re looking for an alternative to your run of the mill briefcase or bookbag, take a look at the leather creations offered by Herds of The Fathers.
Created by 24-year-old Jason Akoi and Tobi Babajide, the bags offer effortless cool combined with undeniable quality.



The 100% cowhide accessories range in price from $100 for a laptop sleeve to $275 for a backpack and $325 for a duffel bag.

Guys, would you rock these?
See more and purchase at www.herdsofthefathers.com.

Sneaker News : Reebok x Basquiat’s Fall/Winter 2012 Collection

Everyone’s rocking sneakers right now–why not rest your heels in a pair of hot kicks? *like me :p
Reebok recently released new images from their ongoing Jean-Michel Basquiat inspired collection, curated by Swizz Beatz:

The unisex collection features Jean-Michel Basquiat’s iconic artwork on Reebok Classic sneaker silhouettes:

Pump Omni Lite, $150

SL Berlin, $110

Tennis Vulc Low, $85

All styles are available at FootAction.com.
What do you think?
Would you rock ‘em?

Fashionista Of The Week: Mike

This week’s Fashionista is the colorful Mike from Miami:

 “MY NAME IS YOUNG MIKE.”

“… I’M 24 YEARS OLD.”


” I’M FROM MIAMI FLORIDA.”


” I CONSIDER MY STYLE TO BE VERSATILE,”

” URBAN…”

“…AND GQ.”


” I AM A FASHION GRAD STUDENT.”


” I CURRENTLY WORK AS A PERSONAL STYLIST…”


I like it! Your looks are fun and funky. And I see you getting your Miami Vice on with a few colored suits!
What do you think of Mike from MIA?

Men's Fashion:Nas’s Gold Metallic Leather Sneakers

Nas publicized his (awesome) new album in an all white outfit punctuated by $595 Maison Martin Margiela Gold Metallic Leather Sneakers:

The gilded shoes combine a vintage feel with a futuristic tint. They also come in shiny silver.

If you’re up for the splurge, get ‘em at Mr. Porter or LuisaViaRoma.
Love this look, Nas.




What do you think?
SN Have you heard Nas’s album? Bye Bye has been on permapeat for me! What about you?
Images: BET/LuisaViaRoma

Cool Online Find: BaubleBar x Soludos Beach Sets

Summer is the season for mixed prints, colorblocking, and quirky details and embellishments. Before you go shopping ’til you drop, take a look at BaubleBar’s cute Beach Set collaborations with Soludos:


The two brands pulled inspiration from some of the best vacation destinations in the world including Cape Cod, Hawaii, LA, Miami, and Baja. The sets feature a pair of Soludos flat espadrilles and necklaces, earrings, and bracelets from BaubleBar.





The Hawaii Set is my favorite, boasting pineapple print espadrilles, a sick bib necklace, and textured gold cuffs.




The best part about the sets is that they all retail for $80. A pair of flats and three pieces of jewelry for that price is definitely a steal! I can also attest to BaubleBar’s quality: I have a bracelet from the brand and I wear it religiously.
Get the sets now at www.baublebar.com.
What do you think?

Who Wore it Better? Usher vs. Drake in Jil Sander’s Green and Navy Python Print Cotton Blend T-Shirt

Drake recently partied and performed at the Velvet Room in Atlanta in the same $290 Jil Sander Python Print Cotton Blend T-Shirt Usher wore to take his kiddies to Disneyland last month:

While Usher played up the shirt’s green tones with olive toned G Star khakis and Lanvin sneaks, Drake bet on black, accenting the piece with simple jeans.
The t-shirt features a green and navy blue python print for an exotic take on the classic tee.
Though we can’t see Drake’s ‘footwork’, my guess is he, like Usher, was wearing sneakers. At any rate, I like how Usher added ‘flair’ with the sunnies hooked on the neckline, watch, and ring. He certainly made more of an effort to make his shirt ‘a look’.

More Jil Sander…

Image: Global Grind/ATLPics.net