Men’s Style Lab helps the average Joe revamp his wardrobe and jumpstart his sense of style. 

After countless friends and family members came to Derian Baugh for fashion advice, he knew he might be on to something. 

And less than a year ago, Men’s Style Lab was born.

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The Des Moines-based startup ships clothing all across the country to men in need of a style upgrade. “It’s cool when you’re in Des Moines and guys are signing up for your service in Miami and San Francisco and Brooklyn,” Baugh told Silicon Prairie News. 

Baugh says he’s always been entrepreneurial, starting his first business—a summer basketball camp—while he was still in high school. His love of business and interest in fashion merged to form Men’s Style Lab, which launched its public beta in June. 

While competitors like Chicago-based Trunk Club offer similar services, Baugh says Men’s Style Lab offers its customers double the merchandise at the same price point. 

“I like to think that we’re Trunk Club for everybody else,” he said. 

The process is simple: users submit their email address, receive a style questionnaire and complete a follow-up phone call with someone from Men’s Style Lab. Then Baugh and his team—which includes his wife, a handful of interns and a few friends—ship the clothing off to the customer.

Users pay a $49 deposit, but the only fee Men’s Style Lab customers pay is for the cost of the clothes they decide to keep. While customers will see variation in color or pattern to reflect their personal style, Baugh (right) says each box—which generally includes between 20 and 25 items—will include the basics.

“There’s certain staples that every guy needs,” he said. “If you’re looking for clothes for a professional setting, basically what you’re saying is that you need some collared button-down shirts.”

Men’s Style Lab also offers a monthly subscription box for users familiar with the system who are looking to grow their wardrobe.

Early on, Baugh partnered with New York-based Third Wave Fashion to help get his “foot in the door to the behind-the-scenes aspect of the fashion world.”

Baugh says the entire process has been a learning experience and that one of the largest lessons has come in the form of determining the startup’s target audience. In reality, the service is not necessarily designed for men who enjoy shopping or already have most of the necessary wardrobe staples. 

“If a guy doesn’t have a clue—which is probably 90 percent of guys—and is ready to hit the reset button on his wardrobe, then we’re probably right for him,” Baugh said. 

Credits: Product photo and Derian Baugh photo courtesy of Men’s Style Lab.