9 Coffee Table Books to
Kick Off Your Collection

Curating your personal space outside of your boyhood home is a rite of passage for all gents. Whether you’re years away for it, or just signed the lease on your first place, here’s a genre to get your decor game started: coffee table books. 

Despite the name, you don’t really need to have a coffee table to own them—any empty surface or bookshelf will do. You just need to have some interests you want to highlight and your collection will come to life from there. 

So here are 9 eye-catching reads to kickstart your personal library.

And remember: It's ok to judge these books by their cover—that’s the point!

 

 

The Incomplete Highsnobiety Guide ...

A visual celebration showcasing how the intersections of hip-hop, punk and skateboarding cultures shaped the way men dress.

The Incomplete Highsnobiety Guide to Street Fashion and Culture, $60, brooklinen.com

 

The Gucci Mane Guide to Greatness

Gucci being Gucci. With pictures. But for real ... beyond being packed with a bunch of stunning personal photographs, this collection offers a ton of real world advice and inspiration from the iconic rapper.

The Gucci Mane Guide to Greatness, $28, urbanoutfitters.com

 

Complex Presents: Sneaker of the Year

 

A must-own for any self-proclaimed #sneakerhead.

Complex Presents: Sneaker of the Year: The Best Since ’85, $21.99, amazon.com

 

Drop

If you're ever tried to cop a limited release or have spent many a minute on grailed.com—then this streetwear deep dive was written for you. 

Drop by Byron Hawes, $26.99, amazon.com

 

Something's Off: ICONS

Fashion visionary Virgil Abloh plus the biggest sportswear brand in the world. Add a pop of neon. And you have collect-worthy gold.

Something’s Off: ICONS, $70, taschen.com

 

Dead Style

Few things are more of the moment (style wise) than the long-beloved art of tie-dye. What better way to celebrate it than showcase it with this colorful page-turner via the lens of street style photographer (and star) Mordechai "Mister Mort" Rubinstein.

Dead Style: A Long Strange Trip Into the Magical World of Tie-Dye, $16.99, urbanoutfitters.com

 

A Man & His Watch

You may not own a Panerai (yet), but that doesn't mean you can't admire them. This one is for you future watch-enthusiasts who appreciate a good story behind a big purchase.

A Man & His Watch, $40, shop.hodinkee.com

 

Stan Smith: Some People Think I'm a Shoe!

A must-have for sports and iconic footwear fans alike. Bonus points if you actually knew who Stan Smith is (hint: tennis).

Stan Smith: Some People Think I’m a Shoe, $65, barnesandnoble.com

 

Pharrell: A Fish Doesn't Know It's Wet

An homage to über-talented Pharrell and his many contributions to music, art, design, fashion, and more.

Pharrell: A Fish Doesn’t Know It’s Wet, $55, barnesandnoble.com