Kai Mercer is a men’s fashion writer and stylist based online at @withkai.mercer. He started Better Guy Basics because most menswear content was either aspirational nonsense or buried in affiliate noise. The premise is simple: test the piece, tell the truth, give guys a clear answer.
Every product on this site has been worn, washed, and lived in before it gets a rating. Kai pays for or borrows the pieces he reviews. No brand sends him clothes in exchange for coverage. That’s the whole model.
How Reviews Work
Each review scores the piece across four dimensions: Fit (how it wears on a real body), Build (materials and construction), Value (price-per-wear, not just sticker price), and Style (versatility across occasions). The final score is a weighted average, not a gut feeling.
On Affiliate Links
When you buy through a link on this site, Kai earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. He only links to places he’d actually buy from himself — usually the brand’s own site or a major retailer he trusts. Affiliate income never influences what he recommends or how he rates something.
By the Numbers
200+ products tested across 5 categories. 0 paid placements. Every piece must earn at least a 7 to get a recommendation — if it doesn’t, Kai tells you exactly why he wouldn’t buy it.
Follow along at @withkai.mercer.