TK Men

Where Chicago Men Get Styled 

Chicago’s Bucktown/Wicker Park neighborhood is known for its hip boutiques. But aside from a few menswear racks in shops catering mostly to women, there hasn’t been much for fashionable men to choose from.

However, that all changed last year when stylist Lindsay McKay opened up TK Men, a boutique designed for men who want to look stylish and edgy without appearing over-the-top.  

Lindsay is a Chicago native who has loved fashion ever since she helped her father choose his impeccably tailored suits at Ultimo in the Gold Coast. Her father is also the source of the name of her shop – as a trader at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, his badge read “Tkay.”

After her early involvement with fashion and men’s style, Lindsay eventually followed her passion to Milan, where she earned her masters in Fashion Marketing and Communications from the prestigious Instituto Europeo di Design, one of Italy’s leading fashion academies.   

Upon graduation, Lindsay worked for Gloria Nava, a celebrated stylist who has worked for many exclusive labels, including Gianfranco Ferré, Emanuel Ungaro, and Calvin Klein, and who Lindsay still considers an important mentor today.

After a stint at Prada, Lindsay got into costume design and wardrobe styling for Italian commercials, and this experience led her to New York City, where she found her niche styling independent films. There, she created onscreen looks for a number of celebrities, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Wyclef, and Dave Navarro, before moving home to Chicago and opening her boutique.  

When selecting her merchandise, Lindsay draws upon her previous experiences in the fashion industry. Finely crafted dress shirts by Bagutta, an Italian label, share racks with funky tees by Cashlords. “I only buy a few of each piece,” she says, “so shoppers are getting something that’s exclusive as well as high quality.”   

And she makes it easy for her customers to look good. “Many men want a regular salesperson and store they can trust, which we are. We’re always willing to have things altered, and I even pre-wash certain items to save my customers the trouble.”

Indeed, TK Men’s friendly, forthright approach to fashion and shopping has earned them a loyal following after only a year in Chicago’s competitive market.  

Of course, the male-friendly decor and attitude doesn’t hurt. Besides the pool table, big cozy armchairs, and vintage Playboy covers on the walls, the boutique is equipped with a kegerator so that the staff can offer (legal) visitors a beer while they browse. There’s also a big screen TV and an Xbox, making TK Men more of a casually cool hangout than a boutique. Which is perfect for their clients, who value being effortlessly well dressed.  

 

TK Men
1909 W. North Ave.
Chicago, IL
773.342.9800

www.tkmen.com

 

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Photos courtesy of TK Men.

SeeMore Shopping Contributing Writer – J. Zenn.
 
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Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. SeeMoreShopping incurs all expenses associated with reviews. Publ.  08/07.