Loyal readers all over the country -- and by that, I mean, my mom -- frantically alerted me to the fact that Obama had something to do with a fly. Immediately, I thought it could only be one of four things:

• He planned a "shopping" date night with Michelle;
• He promised to give a major address from our flagship store (which happens to hosting a Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Tasting tonight!);
  
• He refuted the rumor that On The Fly was in need of a multi-billion dollar bailout package (we don't need one, but we'd find ways to spend the extra cash);
  
• Or the always-maligned "Mens Clothing-Accessories Complex" was going to experience greater regulation.
  

No, he just killed a fly. 

But when Obama does something, it sells, so this latest "buzz" [couldn't resist] has spawned all sorts of related content: the original CNBC video footage, bloggers comparing him to ninjas, a BBC write-up on the Top 10 Ways to Kill a Fly, PETA's plea for mercy on flies, and of course, this shameless, cuffllink-promoting blog post featuring Robin Rotenier's Fly & Swatter Cufflinks.

I'm now trying to dig up the footage of a fly I killed in between the two swatters on my cuffs. Stay tuned...

At Quality Logo Products, you can buy a leather business card wallet for $4.83. On our site, you can buy the Hlaska version for $75. Are we insane? What can you possibly be paying for?

The all-too-common answer to a question like this is, "You're paying for the name." And sure, a brand name can add a premium to any product, but it usually represents a small fraction of the price. Even strong brands recognize that most customers, especially affluent consumers, also look for value. That is to say, they'll buy nice, expensive things, but only if they are confident that they are also high-quality things.

The real answer to the question "What are you paying for?" is "Everything". Design, materials, construction, techniques, labor costs; and lastly, if the brand believes a slight premium can be added without scaring off consumers, a brand "tax" might be added [think of the premium Apple charges for the iPod even though there are arguably more functional MP3 players on the market].

We hope to make the "Makings Of..." articles a recurring series that will focus on the details - the excruciating details - of what makes the products we sell special. The first category to get covered is something near and dear to every gentleman's pants: his wallet. The Makings of a Quality Wallet explores many of the little details that explain why one "leather wallet" might sell in the single digits, and another in the triple digits. I suspect a few of the findings will surprise you, and will hopefully stick with you when you're in the market for a new way to carry your cash.

One of the obvious challenges with being a "virtual" store is that there are certain products that just don't have the same impact online as they do in "real life". A picture's worth a thousand words, but a thousand words may not do justice to the texture of a tie, the hand of a sweater, or, in this case, the topography of a belt.

Starting today, I hope to occasionally highlight products that blow people away in the store but just don't translate as easily online for whatever reason. For example, this Ike Behar shirt rarely sold online, but was one of the most frequently purchased shirts out of our old showroom. The photo just doesn't do justice to the complexity and texture of the shirt (I realize that makes it sound like a wine, but it really is both complex and textured).

And so it goes with Trafalgar's Dylan Australian Saltwater Hornback Crocodile Belt. Crocodile and alligator belts are nothing new, but every belt I've ever been seen has been flat. This belt is cut from the center of the spine of a single crocodile which means that there can be up to 3/8" of spine protruding from the rest of the belt. It is a belt that begs to be noticed.

How cool is the belt in real life? One funny stoy (or at least, I think it's funny): a well-dressed customer was looking at Martin Dingman's Lachlan Belt, which happens to be one of their best-selling belts. When he saw the $135 price tag, he made a comment to the effect that he would never spend that kind of money on a casual belt. He then came across the Australian Saltwater Hornback Crocodile Belt and immediately fell in love with it, and bought it for $545. It's just that stunning in real life.

We assume "the guy who has everything" doesn't "need" anything. He may not even "want" anything because he thinks he already has everything (although that is never the case -- the gentleman that appreciates the finer things in life knows all of the things he wants). So one strategy in choosing a gift for him is to: 

Gift him something he doesn't even know he needs, but once he gets it, he will wonder how he ever lived without it.

One of my favorite gift ideas goes by many names: change Base, valet, catch-all. Customers in our store that see one before it's been molded into shape often assume it's a leather frisbee (although it would be one heavy frisbee) or a mouse pad. In reality, it's the one place you can safely and consistently toss your keys and change. My own change base on my desk is currently holding my keys, pocket watch, business cards, ball mark, a set of collar stays, and a spare set of cufflinks.

Prior to owning a change base, I would put the contents of my pockets in a different spot every time I came home. On the console table, the kitchen counter, the top of the dresser, or the coffee table. A hurried morning would be exacerbated by a mad scramble to find the keys. But that was back in 2003, also known as 1 BCB (Before Change Base).

Today, in the year 4 ACB, you can enjoy the modern luxury of perusing our selection of valets, catch-alls, and change bases in over 15 colors plus the over-the-top alligator versions here.

Buying a gentleman a wallet is one of the riskiest undertakings a gift-giver can attempt. They (we) tend to be extremely particular about how they carry around their money, and that is one of the reasons we offer so many different types of billfolds, breast pocket wallets, ID wallets, money clips, and credit card cases on our site. And it's still not enough. For every wallet we sell in the store, there is at least one customer we disappoint because we don't have some specific wallet configuration that hasn't been made since the Eisenhower administration.

There is a superstition associated with giving a wallet to someone that should make this an even more interesting gift. Tradition says you should never give someone an empty wallet. Superstitious people that we are, we offer to include a crisp $20 bill in any wallet that is being gifted. That extra level of service costs you only the value of the bill.  

A basic rule for gifting a wallet is: Replace what he already has. If he carries a billfold, get him a billfold. Don't listen to a sales person selling you a cool tri-fold with an ID window and a built-in USB drive if that's not what he's using today. Change is scary. For most men, this is especially true of wallets. 

There are a number of reasons why wallets make a great gift:

1.  100% of gentlemen use a wallet, money clip, or both. Those that roll their bills with a rubber band are not gentlemen.
   
2. Chances are he is in need of a new wallet. If you think about it, wallets get more use than just about anything else in or on his dresser. It's with him everyday (hopefully, the same pair of underwear or socks are not). It takes abuse: sat on, dropped, opened, closed, opened & closed some more, thrown in a drawer, tossed on a counter, overstuffed with receipts. The life is hard for a wallet.
   
3. A well-made leather wallet like those available on our site should last years. More than 2 or 3 assuming reasonable use (we're looking at you, George Costanza). An alligator wallet can be expected to last 8-10 (my own just turned 5 and looks as sexy as the day I met her).
   
4. You can personalize it. We offer free engraving on every M-Clip money clip, and free debossing on any leather wallet.
   

To reiterate: gifting a wallet involves high risks and high rewards.  Nail it, and you'll be a superstar. Fail, and the wallet will likely end up in the top drawer of his dresser until he has a buddy he can re-gift it to. Choose wisely.

About 10 years ago, I was told by an old, wise man or woman that a true gentleman does not buy his own cufflinks; he is gifted them. It made sense. I would argue that after a nice necktie or watch, a beautiful pair of cufflinks are complimented by a stranger more often than anything else you might wear. The kind words could be acknowledged with: "Thank you. I thought so too which is why I bought them for myself." But it sounds so much better to reply with: "Thank you. These were given to me by my [choose only one] grandfather/mother/wife/kids/mentor/etc." 

Earlier in this series, we covered the Golden Rule in shopping for "the guy who has everything": Gift something he wouldn't buy himself. This is an offshoot of the Golden Rule: Gift something he is not supposed to buy himself. 

There are at least 5 reasons why cufflinks make a perfect gift: 

1. You are providing the gentleman with a story to tell as to how we acquired them.
   
2. They are likely an heirloom type gift that will be handed down, and will grow in sentimental value over time.
   
3. Cufflinks are a great way to express a hobby, passion, or playfulness. I'm not a huge fan of lobsters or Formula 1 cars on a necktie, but they are remarkably expressive yet simultaneously subtle on a cuff. 
4. A cufflink junkie can never own too many cufflinks.
   
5. There are no sizing issues with cufflinks; one size fits all.
   

There another 1,000 reasons why cufflinks are great gifts in our cufflink department which you can find here...