A Conversation with The Next Gentleman’s Anthony Mastracci

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com

It is a pleasure to welcome one of my favorite men’s bloggers, The Next Gentleman’s Anthony Mastracci, to Jake’s Take.

Anthony Mastracci began his journey after constantly reading GQ Magazine. However, he decided to start his own magazine once the editorial team decided to feature items that he could not afford. However, once he launched the Next Gentleman blog in 2015, Anthony began building a massive social media and web presence.

In this edition of A Conversation, Anthony revealed his favorite menswear brands, why he prefers Facebook and Instagram as his top social media channels, and overcoming the challenges he faces as a men’s fashion blogger.

Jacob Elyachar: When did you get interested in men’s fashion? How did that passion evolve into the desire to pursue a career in the lifestyle industry?

Anthony Mastracci: My sense of personal style started to evolve back in 2010 when I began working at a suburban Nordstrom in Massachusetts, my home state. There, we were regularly educated about new and classic styles, trends, and fit. This ignited a fire in me to study menswear and the style icons of the past and present. 

Jacob Elyachar: Could you please describe “The Next Gentleman” to my readers?

Anthony Mastracci: While working at Nordstrom, I became a subscriber to GQ Magazine. Although I loved reading the editorial pieces and the styles within the pages, I couldn’t afford about 90 percent of the pieces they pulled for their stories. Being the entrepreneur I am, I figured I’d do something about it. Knowing I couldn’t start a magazine, I began blogging, and that’s where The Next Gentleman began — my way of educating men of all ages about how to develop a personal style, open their minds, and be their best selves. 

Jacob Elyachar: What are some of your favorite male fashion brands? Why do they stand out?

Anthony Mastracci: A few menswear brands I’m really into right now are Indochino, Greats, and Mugsy Jeans. Indochino, a made-to-measure suiting company out of Canada, is making personally tailored suiting a very affordable option for anybody who buys suits. Greats is completely disrupting the classic sneaker game right now. With a product lineup of beautifully crafted and comfortable Italian-made sneakers, they’re selling their shoes at a fraction of the cost of their designer competitors like Common Projects or Saint Laurent. Mugsy, out of Chicago, is probably the most comfortable pair of jeans I own and are incredibly stretchy. Perfect for someone on the go all the time. 

Jacob Elyachar: What have been some of the challenges that you faced breaking into the fashion influencers world? How have you overcome those obstacles?

Anthony Mastracci: I think the hardest thing is just being able to find other male fashion influencers. Here in LA, they are more common, but back in Boston there were very few to meet and bounce ideas off of. Luckily, the female fashion influencers of Boston were very inclusive and were happy to share knowledge, tips, and help produce content for each other. 

Jacob Elyachar: What is your favorite social media platform to use? How does the platform help you build your brand and your fanbase?    

Anthony Mastracci: Right now, I am primarily found on Instagram and Facebook. Social has been a wonderful way to grow a community of people interested in menswear and lifestyle topics. I have made great friends from both platforms who I regularly chat with about the industry. 

Jacob Elyachar: If you had the opportunity to meet with aspiring influencers looking to grow their fanbase and presence in the fashion industry, what advice would you share with them?

Anthony Mastracci: This is a great question and one that I get asked a lot. The best things you can do to start building a human interest persona on social are staying true to your passions, always posting, and asking your network for support. If you are creating content that you are passionate about, whether it’s food, style, or parenting, for example, you will not have a situation that won’t be sharable. That’s the trick, right there. When you’re creating content in the midst of your passion, always be posting. Regular posting yields the best results. And to get started, follow your entire existing network. If they’re true friends or colleagues, they’ll support you in your new venture. 

For more information about Anthony and the Next Gentleman, visit his website. You can also connect with him on social media. Visit his Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube channels.