BY MARY BLAKE MULLINS

 

Nestled in the heart of downtown behind an easily overlooked, decaying home sits one of the city’s best kept secrets—a charming two-story carriage house that doubles as a home and studio to menswear designer, etiquette guru and founder of SocialPrimer.com, K. Cooper Ray.            

      At first glance, it seems a peculiar place to find the man that GQ magazine anointed “Bow Tie King.” But with a resume that boasts jobs with Dries Van Noten, Gianni Versace, Isaac Mizrahi, three years as global vice president of public relations for Bottega Veneta and two years as brand ambassador of Dom Perignon, Ray has become so fluent in the art of creating a life that is cohesive with a brand that he can do it anywhere.

      Walking inside the carriage house feels like stepping into a Wes Anderson film, where the colorful characters, always impeccably dressed, blend delightfully among whatever scenic background or setting they find themselves in. With Ray, though, it feels natural and unintentional. 

      “This is where the magic happens,” he says, gesturing to the rooms filled with clothing racks, vibrant rolls of fabric, and desks occupied by preppy interns. The tour moves to his office, a separate room that also contains a mounted deer bust with some of Ray’s Social Primer bowties hanging from its antlers. “Oh, that’s Bossman,” he says before sitting down to discuss wardrobe essentials and style secrets.

      “No one believes this, but I never think about what I’m wearing,” he says. “I just grab it and go. But I shop in a color palette, and sometimes when I put it together, it’s so damned matchy, but that’s what I invested in and it just kind of happens,” he continues, referring to his iconic, influential style.

      “Cooper's sense of Southern style is infectious to all that is around him,” confirms Ayoka Lucas, the founder of Charleston Fashion Week and one of Ray’s closest friends. “The men in his circle immediately start upgrading their attire through his guidance and appeal.”

      Here’s what Ray says men need to dress for the good life:

 

1. One excellent pair of shoes: “Shoes definitely set the tone for your impression,” Ray intones. “Once you’re clear of the cobwebs of college, you should invest in at least one very good pair of shoes. Keep it simple, keep everything simple, but if you’re going to spend money, it should be an investment piece, and it should be basic—the best basic you can afford is a good rule to go by.”

Ray’s Favorite: Gucci horse-bit loafers

 

2. Jackets

• “A year-round navy blazer will take you everywhere. Try to buy a light, tropical wool—something that breathes.”

• “A gray flannel blazer is always great for the winter months. Gray and navy are the menswear essentials.”

• A nice lightweight blazer for spring and summer. “If it’s your first one, keep it basic. Try navy linen or navy cotton. You can wear it every day, and no one’s going to notice.”

Style secret: “Don’t be too flashy. You can hide behind your limitations if you keep it simple.”

 

3. A great suit: “You always need a great suit,” says Ray. “That’s something that generally has to be an investment and new. Again, keep it basic, but you can go a little bit more … I just bought this dark navy with a light blue kind of window-pane plaid, but it’s very faint, so from afar, it looks like a navy suit, but up close it has a little pattern. If I needed to wear that suit once a week, I could and just change up the shirt and tie.”

Style Secret: “Buy basics, and you’ll keep them forever, unless you gain weight or it wears out, which has never happened to me.”

 

4. Shirts that fit: “I always say a telltale sign of a poor dresser is a gaping neck on a shirt, which should fit snug but not too tight. So get measured at the men’s store; every man should know his shirt size. Also, try to buy slim fit. There’s nothing worse than a big balloon shirt tucked into pants. It’s not comfortable, it doesn’t look good—and I’m not saying go and wear baby tees and sausage shirts; it should just fit—that’s crucial.”

• “Buy as many white shirts as you can afford.”

• “Oxford blue is just gorgeous.”

• Any kind of pinstripe.

• Gingham—either small checks or bigger checks. “A navy gingham shirt is no longer for summer—it’s appropriate throughout the year and adds a nice dash of dandy in a man’s wardrobe.”

Style Secret: “When you find a shirt that you like, looks good, fits good and has good color, buy it in every color, especially if it’s a good price.”

 

5. A good belt: “Belts you can get away with buying cheaper because nobody really sees it,” he explains. “The best belt that I hope to design would be a reversible, really high-grade leather, brown on one side, black on the other, with a silver buckle [that] you could just twist. That’s all you need.”

 

6. Ties: Bow or long. “You have a little more play with your ties, but always collect the basics of good quality first. Also, they need to be new because the style of shape changes a lot.”

Style Secret: Know how to tie your tie.

 

7. Pants: “Same as blazers—Once you get sturdy, high-quality pants you’re going to wear, then you branch off into seasonal.”

• Khakis are seasonal. Buy dark, heavier weight for winter/summer and lighter color and weight for spring/summer.

• A nice pair of jeans— preferably in a dark wash.

• “Linen for summer months, whether its shirt, pant, shorts or a jacket, is a man’s best friend.”

• “I’m obsessed with white Levis right now,” Ray exclaims. “I just think the chicest thing you can wear in the spring and summer is a navy blazer, a gingham shirt, a great tie, white Levis with Gucci loafers—is CHI-IC, with or without tie.”

Style Secret: “Have your pants tailored, they shouldn’t be rolled-up cuffs; you’re not a Brooklyn hipster.”

 

8. A tuxedo: “Lastly, every man should own a tuxedo. Don’t you want to aspire to that life? If you want to live that life, then you need to be ready. I mean I was invited to two black-tie events this past weekend on the spur of the moment.”

• “Stick with the classic— black, a good pique lapel, single or two button and stay away from double-breasted or any crazy fabric. It should last you forever, depending on your care.”