The Cut is where boys go to become men (No, not the filthy way). If you're a guy with discerning…read moretastes, and the mall shops doesn't represent the real you, this is where you go. Located in a spot on Salcedo Village that is increasingly becoming hipper by the day, The Cut carries a lot of exclusive and limited release stuff, stuff you'd be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. They carry shoes, shirts, bags, wallets, cufflinks, hair care products, socks, tobacco, handkerchiefs, and everything in between.The items have been "curated" to bring out your inner swag and differentiate you from the heathens wearing those China knock-offs they bought from 168. Yes, the prices here are a bit on the high side, but that is a paltry price to pay for being the most well-dressed man in Manila. Man up, man. While you're here, you might as well go up the mezzanine and check out Felipe and Sons, the parent company of The Cut, where you can get a proper shave and cut, and probably get a suit tailored for you as well. Because that's how real men roll.

When Univers Homme et Femme opened a few years ago, many a fashionista squirmed in their skinny…read morejeans anticipating the chance to finally fit Dick Ovens or Kawakubo's Cash Cow (a.k.a. CDG Play). Yet it was only last year that the same company unveiled a retail space dedicated to more conservative (and slightly more affordable) menswear: Hoodwink at SM Aura. Their knack for putting together a stable of brands both compelling and quaint resulted in Manila's best place for menswear's brightest talents: Ami, the eponymous label of Alexandre Mattiusi; Over All Master Cloth, from former Supreme and Carhartt contributors; Folk, British purveyors of easygoing casual wear; and APC, a veritable Kanye favorite. The yellow and white interior offers a playful space to browse their selection of Kitsune sweats, though the store's location on SM Aura's ground floor--notorious for being noisy and crowded--seems rather out of place. On the other hand, anyone with a keen eye will be drawn to this menswear oasis and will shut out everything other than the clothes. The dressing rooms might be a little too dim for a WAYWT-worthy selfie, but if you already know about these brands, you probably don't need to be dressed by the internet.

Another winning design concept store from the Homme et Femme group. Located at SM Aura, this small…read moreshop is a cool place to spot items for the special male or androgynous someone in your life. This fun and playful store offers a well-curated selection of Men's wear from designers and brands like Kitsuné, Lazy Oaf, Comme des Garçons, Bearbrick, Grenson, Oliver Spencer, Men's Society, Les Artists, YMC, Volta, Eytys, and many more. I like going to this store when I'm looking for something unique to buy for my brothers or close male friends. Prices aren't crazy and it sure as hell is worth paying the price for good quality and unique pieces that aren't so commercialized. Men and guys who like to dress up in funkier and cooler clothing are highly encouraged to go here. Packaging is also cool for all the guilty items that you will purchase...but trust me, it is so worth it and he will surely be happy to be sporting anything from the brands that they sell.

Being full-bodied like wine (see what I did there?), I am quite limited with the clothing brands I…read moreget to buy clothes from. Most Asian brands' sizes are too darn small, and more often than not, the foreign brands that do carry my size are either too darn expensive, or have limited styles. Jeans especially are a pain to find, being limited to stretch and slim or skinny cuts. This is why it was such a joy to find Jail Jeans. They have ready-to-wear stocks and can customize jeans as well. They proudly use raw demin, which as I have learned, is way better than buying washed denim. The difference? Washed denim is already pre-stretched, which means that the denim is not it it's natural flow or "bagsak". Also, the process of washing or bleaching is also very harmful to the environment. Whereas raw denim, the more you wear it, will take your body as mold. It sounds odd, but those who have had the luxury of owning a pair swear by it. The quality is just impeccable! The owner, designer Chris Jasler, is usually at the store to recommend what would fit your body shape well, so it also makes it a lot easier for those who can get a bit confused with fitting raw denim for the first time. Plus, it's not just jeans they make. They also have their own line of shirts, jackets, accessories, even shoes! Not yet convinced? Well, stars like Leo Valdes and Martin Nievera swear by it. Heck, even foreign DJ Nic Fanciulli bought a suit from Jail Jeans. Is that enough?

Jail jeans is awesome. After being in the US for years I found it hard to find a brand here in the…read morePhilippines that uses fabulous materials and has perfect fit. Before they sold me my first pieces they asked me to send in pictures of me for sizing I felt surprised because no one ever did this before. Chris even delivered it to me in person and after that he said now that I have seen you , I know your size. I went home and tried my new Jail Jeans shirts and they were perfect. Great material, outstanding design and inter mixable with my existing wardrobe . How fantastic now I can be edgy but still maintain my identity. He promised to send me pictures of new items as soon as they are available what else can I ask for.I really think that this will be a great relationship and a great addition to my clothes collection. I also loved a bracelet I got which is part of their accessory collection .Thanks Chris

What I like about this store is they are organized in taking orders. The staff are also…read moreknowledgeable in their post and can provide you the right information when you asked them. Staffs are so professional and occasionally crack random ice breakers even though there are many customers. There's still needs to improve when it comes to stock inquiries. They sometimes hold you up for a good 5-10 mins just to confirm the stock if available. Can't wait till they migrate to a computerized system for the best turn around time. Overall, I love to do my business here.

I think in terms of men's fashion, there is a shift from the casual and the indifferent, to the…read morestructured and refined. The idea that men can also be fussy and sartorial about their fashion choices says a lot about how our attitude towards dressing up has changed, with many of the boys having a renewed interest in classic and timeless pieces that just set one apart from the crowd. It doesn't have to be anything striking - the fact that you are dressed in quality clothes that fit well already make you a standout in a city where people go for functionality over aesthetics. Boys can be "maarte" too, and in a good way. That just goes to show that we value self-branding and presentation now as much as the girls do. Shops like Signet in Legazpi Village will pave the way to a more fashion forward Manila. This multi-brand store carries a number of different brands and styles for the modern gentleman. If you like to splurge a little on a few basics, such as a pair of body-hugging Selvedge jeans, or really cool socks to match your power suit, or even fun every day footwear that highlight both comfort and looks, Signet has imported brands that must be in every man's closet. Looking for that Picasso-esque Breton tee for an effortlessly fashionable look? Signet has different brands that have a great fit for every body type. The overall aesthetic is gunning for a strong homage to vintage and classic styles that give the modern gentleman such a polished, refined and nonchalantly classy look. Savoir faire at quite a price, but it's all worth it. I chanced upon this store because I was intrigued by the really classy facade. I love the window display - simple yet elegant. I was waiting for a meeting so I went inside and had a chat with Kevin, one of the shopkeepers. He is very well-versed about his brands and he also gave me a few recommendations as to what brands will suit my lifestyle better. Their store is all about investment pieces that will age well, and though I'm not in a hurry to part with my hard-earned cash even for really nice clothes, it's nice to know that I now know where to shop.

I'm a basics type of person when it comes to clothes. So when Straightforward came around, I got…read morecurious with the array of plain, classic baseball shirts they had. It's just your basic white 3/4 sleeve shirt, with solid colors for the sleeves, and that was it! The fabric's quite thin and the fit could improve (especially in the sleeve part for women), but you can't deny it's a basic you'd want to have in your closet. It was really kind of a stroke of genius to market the shirts as that thing you can just wear when you don't want to think about being fashionable anymore but still want a sure thing that looks good. (Does that make sense? Haha) Because that's exactly what the brand was about! It was no surprise that it started getting popular with people at school because who has the time to always think of an outfit?? Good job to Jerald, the guy who started this all back in college. And now he's got a whole brand! He's developed it into an online store and come up with other items like hoodies, v-neck shirts, shorts, tank tops, even some bamboo sunglasses and shoes! All are locally made as well, so you're supporting local workers. I think, generally, Straightforward's line for men has better look and fit so guys would do well to stock up. The fleece hoodies and the baseball shirts are still the best.

We put these tailors in a tough spot. Carlo and I set an appointment just 4 weeks before our…read morewedding (not enough time by Philippine Wedding standards). Also, Carlo will not wear the traditional Barong; he wants to wear a European style suit. The tailors (they were a team of 3 measuring him) had such a can do approach and said they will have his suit ready in time! Also, they said there was enough fabric to make Carlo 2 tailored pants. They were even able to accommodate his request for a vest to be made. Plus, they offered a great price too (even with the short period of time)! I can't post the photos of the suit yet but, I will once the wedding is done! :)

Felipe & Sons is mostly known by some of Metro Manila's peeps as that fancy place to get a haircut…read moreor a shave. It's the sort of place for a manly man with a certain gentlemanly uppercrust sort of vibe. The difference between their barbershop and a regular barbershop is the difference between a typical Pinoy inuman place and the type of English pub were a man and his mates would go down for a pint of best with all the mud twigs and leaves. Anyway, what most people don't talk about is their haberdashery. It's a really sweet place. They take your measurements, make recommendations based on your builds and needs. They also have their own stock of cloth. Price really depends on the fabric that you want to use for your shirt. They'll offer you a wide variety of different designs to choose from, show you swatches of different fabrics, offer you cool ice tea while a pretty assistant discusses and elaborates on the finer details of making fine clothes.

They sold me too much fabric for a dress. They could have recommended less. Ended up paying for an…read moreextra yard.

We went to the SM Southmall branch to buy fabrics, and this guy with a beard (who looked bored with…read morehis job) 'assisted' us. We were having second thoughts about the color he gave us--it was way different from the sample we had. When we asked if there was any other fabric that matched the sample, he just shrugged us off and went to assist another customer. He was rude and definitely not helpful. When we finally chose the fabric, he charged us for both fabrics.