First, thanks to all of you who've dropped us feedback in our first month of launch. As we promised, we were going to be committed to improving your experience at Blank Label everyday. From your feedback, we've done a couple of redesigns for our homepage. Now these are not final by any means, but we're trying to decide which direction to go in so we thought we'd ask you, our innovators. Please drop a comment ...

Numero Uno

Numero Dos

Thoughts on these designs? Which would compell you to purchase custom men's dress shirts online? Let us know your thoughts on these homepage designs on our Co-creation Blog.

Sometimes I can't believe how lucky I've been. Just over a year ago, I followed my passion, quit my job, and decided that the vision of empowering guys to express individuality through clothing (starting with custom men's dress shirts online) would be something worthwhile pursuing. It sounded great in my head, power terms like 'empowerment', 'vision', 'individuality', 'expression'. But it was just me and an idea.

After months of exploring, researching, talking, debating, this past summer, I came across three other guys who shared that vision. That's the first thing I want to say thanks for. I feel like the luckies guy in the world to work with these three guys. Zee is our Chief Interweb Builder. He's the main man behind the awesome custom men's dress shirt design app we've built. He works tirelessly, listening to me, listening to the other guys, but mostly importantly listening to the users of our site and our customers. On this day, I also want to thank his wife and baby daughter for putting up with me nagging Zee in the early AM to push through, and he does it because he's passionate about creating something really remarkable.

The first to come on over the summer was Danny Wong. Back then, we really had no idea what was going on. I hadn't advanced too much past the idea stage. Danny believed in the vision, in me. He came on as the Lead Traffic Controller. If you've read about us somewhere online, it's probably because of him. If you've engaged with us on twitter or facebook, he's the voice behind it. Quite a few people have commented on the look and feel of our site, they've really liked the edge we've tried to push. We'd like to think it's even somewhat individual ;) That's really because of Alec. He's our Lead Visual Artist. He loves to sketch new looks, play around with new colors in photoshop. In fact you can expect to see something new coming really soon. 

The team is so fundamental to a startup, but what's a startup without it's earliest customers, the ones innovating along side with us. So the second thing I want to say thanks for is all of you who've supported us, who believe in our vision, and who we really look to as true innovators. We're creative, hard-working, and ambitious here at Blank Label, and we hope to be really successful one day (obviously), but we'll always looks most fondly to our earliest customers. You are the Trend Setters, the Influencers. You take risks on the newest things, and you hold those titles because of that. You're the ones giving us a chance, and for that we'll always be grateful.

There's definitely a lot to be thankful for this year. Please Enjoy the holidays and Best be Well.

Fan

Founder and Chief Shirt Maker

Blank Label | Co-Creation Blog

fbi@blank-label.com

Ever wonder why your gifts suck? That’s because you take too much time thinking about buying your friends and family that expensive cruise to the Bahamas, that new iPod that everyone else already has, that $450 watch he’s only going to wear once in his life.

This year, your gift giving will be at its peak!

Why?

   1. Because the economy’s in a downturn so now, instead of thinking about a higher price tag for a luxury product, you’re going to think more about something really meaningful, not just something that costs a lot of money.
   2. Because it’s the Holiday season! And you’re going to do anything to top last year’s gift-giving efforts.
   3. Because you absolutely love your friends and family and want to give them the sweetest and nicest gift you can think about.
   4. Because Blank Label launched its men's dress shirt customizer on Halloween day, which allows you to create a one-of-a-kind gift (a custom men's dress shirt you designed).
   5. Because “money’s not an issue” but oh, it really is, so we’re giving you $10 off your next purchase (valid until 12/31/09) with this special promocode (10disc).

Now go ahead and start creating your custom dress shirt gift for that friend that you really love. Don’t forget to monogram his name on the dress shirt. That way he’ll know it was specially made for him.

Happy Dress Shirt Designing.

-the Blank Label team

This post was written by Danny Wong, the Lead Web Strategist for Blank Label and a guest blogger for our Co-Creation Blog.

What's the real lowdown in a startup, what do we do to procrastinate, what do we argue about, what causes us to give hi 5's?

Procrastination is a terrible beast, and yes it happens in a startup the same it does anywhere else in life. Procrastination is like masturbation. It's great whilst you're doing it, but in the end, you're just f*^#ing yourself. For us procrastination isn't so much about playing Halo (most often Rockband), but it's a lack of focus. We've got an ideas bucket that is growing faster than we can implement, and that's what causes the real distraction. What do we do today, and what can we put off till tomorrow. We love ideas, comments, feedback, and please feel free to continue dropping them at either sayhi@blank-label.com or in the 'provide feedback' button on our homepage. 

We've definitely had a couple of interesting debates internally this week. An interesting one was about our foxy ladies on our 'online men's dress shirt design store', my favorite one is the first one on the initial load. We've had female friends, users and customers comment, most often negatively about them. We were concerned, because although we're perfectly okay with offending people who we disagree with, we didn't want to be over-the-top chauvinistic a-holes. We finally decided to leave them, because although women have bought custom men's dress shirts for their boyfriends and husbands, we know ultimately we're serving guys, and not that all guys are sex crazed or somewhat turned on by sketches of lewd women, it just feels right to have provocative looks pulling at you.

So what gets us excited enough to generate mountain-shattering hi-5's? We're still early stage enough to get really excited about individual sales. I love speaking to customers. People say you never forget your first time. I'm sure I won't forget our first hundred. People who believe in startups are freaking crazy, and at the same time, their our heroes. It's scary to think that we're getting better at what we do everyday, so practically, we'll never be this bad if we always continue getting better, yet on a daily basis, people are still ordering from us. These people are our true innovators, they know what it's like to be different, to be individual, and for that, we love them for it.

Thanks for the support.

-Fan Bi | Blank Label | Co-Creation Blog

The saying goes, “Live life to the fullest”. Nice. Cute. High school cheerleading quotes make me happy too. But let’s get technical. First, what is ‘fullest’? What is cool and what defines “living life”? Second, what if you really are trying to truly relish your youth and you’re just not reaching that premier level? It’s tough scoring VIP at the hottest clubs and keeping up with the underground hipster scene. Perhaps you are currently residing in an area where the nearest club is the YMCA and the people think that Lady Gaga is royalty of Kenya. Perhaps, you neither have the time nor funds for such reckless and uninhibited behavior. Well, no need to break out of your present lifestyle! There are ways to live chicly through small little changes that anyone can apply. Go to it:

1.       Read literature

Listen, I know this can be painful, but rich literature can change your view on everything from politics to morality, and God forbid, it can make you smarter. Being able to recommend and discuss books is not only interesting and impressive, but it’s also sexy.

2.       Sign up for Netflix

This little service is so convenient and they have a section of recommended award winning or obscure, foreign films that blow your mind. Besides, you can never go wrong in being able to reference a few underground films here and there.

3.       Google Like Crazy

If there’s something that interests you, learn more about it. If you are watching TV or reading a magazine article and something catches your eye, type it into Google and see if you can educate yourself about it. You can find yourself a new hobby or just gain some fun facts for ice breakers.

4.       Rearrange Your Room

Change it up, shift the scenery. Try moving the sofa by the window or throwing a couple vibrant lamps or rugs into the mix. Buy plants and add a little green into your room for liveliness. A comfortable, yet stylish living space will definitely get you in the mood to make more changes.

5.       Enhance Your Taste in Gourmet

Scope out restaurants in your area through websites like Yelp or Urbanspoon, and see what’s gaining hype. Honing your taste buds will definitely give you kudos for dates and business lunches. Also find new recipes and cook it yourself. In this day and age, you can whip up almost anything at home and become your very own sous-chef!

6.       Have a Theme Party

You don't realize how much fun these things can be. Gather a group of your friends (and maybe more) and decide on a theme you like. You can start with simple themes like Black and White or 60’s. However, you can eventually get more creative like Anything But Clothes or Jungle theme!

7.       Stay-cations!

Be a tourist in your own town. You can often find awesome tours that explore local warehouses or historical sites that you never knew about. Some of them can be bizarre too: Ex. There’s a tour by the East Village Visitors Center called Gangsters, Murders, and Weirdos! Sweet.

8.       Plan An Actual Vacation

Even if you can’t make it on one right now, think of places you’d like to go someday. Setting up that dream place will keep you motivated and goal-oriented.

Now, no one’s telling you to hop on these right away. These are just several of a multiplicity of things you can do to jumpstart your lifestyle into something that is active and productive. Think of them more as guidelines. The most important thing to remember is that knowledge is sexy as hell and excitement is generated by you. If you’re unwilling to do anything, don't expect anything to happen. However, if you’re willing to open up, grow, and take yourself more seriously in believing you deserve more, and then something is bound to transpire. No one’s stopping you and the world is your playground. So go play. 

This post was by Youmi Park, Blank Label's crazy vixen of a Fashion Muse and custom men's dress shirts co-creator, for our Co-creation Blog. 

One of the most important, and yet surprisingly overlooked, things in a startup is morale. We’ve got a small team of four, so we're pretty clued-in on know how everyone’s doing work-wise, but also how everyone’s feeling emotionally and motivationally. All four of us are dedicating our lives to this, whilst still doing ‘the day job’ to feed the family, pay the bills, buy the food, etc. Living two lives is tough. Special kudos should be given to Zee, our Chief Interweb Builder, he’s just crazy, hundred hour work weeks are the lighter weeks. And he's got the fam too. As I said, crazy. But it's one of situations where I'm glad he's on our side to help us provide amazing men's dress shirts online. 

Getting the support from friends and family always makes this a little special. I want to take this opportunity for the kind words from our loved ones and those of us who've seen us toil behind the scenes and cheer us on from the proverbial sidelines. But let's be honest, we're decent people, and family and friends kind of have to give you a bit of encouragement every now and again. What's made this week really great is ... you.

It's kind of all worth it when people visit what you've built and buy what you believe in. We invest a lot of time trying to understand users (people who browse the site) and even more time speaking to customers (at least those who reply back to my emails thanking them with a caveat of looking for feedback). We're racking our brains trying to figure out how to enhance the experience for you, so I can say we totally, totally appreciate the people who do go to that extra effort of dropping a few words of commentary. I also want to say a special thanks for those who’ve taken the extra step of sharing us and our launch with their spheres of influence by blogging about us;

Johnathan Bell  from Guy Style Guide – Definitely one of our favorite male fashion bloggers threw us a plug in A FAQ for Finding the Perfect Dress Shirt

Michael  Tornato from the Trendy Dwarf – A true lover of fashion who has supported us for a while wrote this really in depth piece about us Blank Label … Do YOU like the Creative Types?

You can also find us in District Cut, DC’s Premier Men’s Fashion Blog who titled an article Exclusive Report | Blank Label

A post with an interesting twist comes from The Momentum of Failure on Creativity is a privilege, not a right. Blank Label isn’t here to judge. That’s my job

Brandon Crittle from Metro Style Men gave us a good plug on Express Your Individuality with Blank Label and he followed up suit by creating and purchasing a really cool shirt of his own

Serious kudos goes out to Dave Baldwin of men’s fashion and lifestyle megablog Thrillist, who reached out to us well before we were anything really and was in addition was one of the very first to post about us. Can’t wait to give you a hi 5 when we see you wearing your Blank Label custom dress shirt around Boston. 

Stay posted on more updates on Blank Label from Fan Bi and Danny Wong, on our Co-Creation Blog, as we journey beyond our first week and onto a crusade to change the way men shop through mass-customization and co-creation, starting with custom men's dress shirts.

If you’ve ever been gone into Sak’s Fifth Ave or Brioni or any of the high-end couturiers, you’ll notice that the attendants who “assist” you in the store are hot shit (or so they believe). They want to feel the opulence from your stride, smell the Acqua Di Parma linger from your collar, and see the money pour like from your pockets. If you hesitate for even a moment while in conversation with them, they will most likely deem you unworthy of the products that line the store shelves.

This sort of demanding attitude blows and makes you feel like a fat five-year old, but it happens. The best defense against this sort of approach is to be knowledgeable and dignified. Do you know what kind of shirt you’re wearing? The fabric? What tie goes best with which collar? Well, gentlemen, those obnoxious auxiliaries do, and in a lot of ways they’re one step ahead. So here are simplified fundamentals to your men's dress shirt, and you’re Excalibur in the couture duel: 

Fabrics

·   Oxford cloth: Industrial, but in a sporty, preppy schoolboy way. You can count on this shirt to last you a lifetime.

· Royal Oxford: The rich uncle of the former. It’s woven a little finer, and has more of a flowing line to it.

·   Chevron: Classic, timeless herringbone pattern (the one that looks like a bunch of V’s are lined up in alternating colors). This is for the more formal events when you want to show off your sophisticated side.

·   End-on-End: The mixed weave of white thread and colored thread gives the shirt a pinpoint look. A nice impression for interviews and moms.

·   Broadcloth: Comfortable, and it breathes with you; yet remains extremely professional. Perfect for the workplace

Collar + Tie = Style

·      Button down + Medium-width + Standard Gray/Navy Blazer = All-American

·      Spread + Medium to Wide in a four-in-hand knot + Two-button suit = Confident and Debonair

·      Long point + Skinny to skinnier + Three-button suits = Modern and Chic

·     Semi-spread + Medium to skinny + Any suit = Conservative, yet Classic 

Cuffs

·   Convertible: Adjustable buttons! Can be narrower or wider so try throwing in a larger watch

-  French: A little on the dressier try, but can be used for business or date settings. Try putting on some flashier cufflinks or opening the cuff.

·   Two-button barrel: Super dressier and super fly.

·   Single-button standard: Simple, handsome. Make sure they reach the hinge of your wrist!

Alright, men. I’ve laid out your shit, so learn it and use it! These details impress attendants, women, men, and everyone else, but most of all, they are helpful to you and can allow to make your clothes work for you. Get your money’s worth out of every dress shirt, and really see what looks best on you. I can’t wait to watch you spit fire and then watch those snooty bitches cower away. Make me proud. 

This post was by Youmi Park, Blank Label's fashionista custom men's dress shirts co-creator and writer for our Co-Creation Blog. 

A few days ago I wrote an article on my personal blog giving the perspective of how important the day was to me personally, but here I wanted to give some insight on what the time was like for us as a company. 

For the startup junkies, we believe in a lean startup philosophy. It basically means that we shoot for a deadline, and instead of extending that when we think we're not going to make it, we just start cutting things out that are non-essential. The point is that we think it's important to deliver something to our users, even if it is missing a couple of features, than not provide anything at all. You'll notice that we've still got our 'beta' tag next to our logo in the Blank Label website. We're basically trying to make it obviously clear that we're still figuring things out, working out the kinks, and taking onboard feedback to make everything better for you.

As we rolled into the final week pre-launch, we started to get concerned that we weren't going to be able to get everything up we thought we wanted to by October 31, Halloween, launch day. There were a couple of hundred people who'd come to our previously pretty crappy site, but liked us enough to drop their email, we had got bloggers and journalists excited about launching, so the pressure was on that we had to launch that day. On the 29th, we'd decided to publicly tweet that we were going to officially launch at noon on the 31st. The pressure was now on.

The burden was really on our Chief Interweb Builder and Lead Design Dude, Zee and Alec. At this stage, we'd already heard from so may doubters that there was no way that we were going to be able to launch on time. 'Web development is always months late, what makes you think you can beat the system.' We hate the system. We break rules. Zee and Alec were up from 48 hours before launch and 24 hours after it to make sure we delivered our promise. That's really important to us. I can honestly say that I slacked off, and actually sneaked a few hours of sleep in there, and I took a break around 11pm on the evening of Halloween to hang out with some friends for the holiday. Not Zee and Alec. To them it was so much more than just getting our website up. When users come to our site, and we hope that they like it and become customers, we promise them that they're going to get a product that they love in 21 days. Getting our site up on time was our first opportunity to build that trust, to deliver what we actually said. This milestone really belongs to them.

Well done guys. And what a kickass men's dress shirt design application.

Fan Bi

Chief Shirt Maker | www.twitter.com/lifeoffbi

Blank Label | Co-Creation Blog

P.S. Leading up to Halloween and launch we tweeted that we were going to give away a free custom men's dress shirt for someone tweeting their coolest Halloween pic. This is who we chose, in honor of Zee, who also has a baby daughter. Congrats Rodney!