I remember when it hit me...

I started working for a friend of mine at a little custom tailor shop in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood. I immediately became fascinated by the the amount of detail in every single piece in the store. The stitching on the back of a jacket collar... the selection of quality fabrics for custom garments. My time at that shop was spent studying the design and manufacture of menswear. The thread color, the contrast, the craftsmanship. I had never seen anything like it before and it resonated with me. I was drawn in and haven't looked back since.

I took that passion for custom menswear and channeled it into Stagger Lee Goods. This label is an exploration of what I am interested in: quality, durability, and timeless design. I apply these core principles to everything that I make, and every new project is done with these in mind. This is only the beginning, and it's been a hell of a ride so far.

Thank you for your interest and support,

Alfred Ramos
founder, Stagger Lee Goods

100% handmade in the uSA

Everything is made in my Northern California studio by hand. I cut and stitch everything in my little workshop and still at times agonize over the smallest detail. I'm passionate about well made things. That is why I have chosen to work with 100% cotton fabric from some of the best producers in the world. I can't get over the way cotton feels, ages, and fades. I avoid polyester and other synthetic blended fabric unless essential for functionality (like the use of nylon thread to prevent rot). Every stitch is either done with my trusty Juki or by hand. I hand cut all the leather I work with and hammer every rivet. 

Built with Integrity

I’m committed to improving my skill set every day and ensuring quality of construction. My goal/hope/desire is that this translates into every Stagger Lee Goods piece. That is why I offer a 30 day return policy on all non-custom orders. I want my customers to be confident that the the piece they purchase will look good, wear comfortably, and (most importantly) can take a beating.

The Man

Stagger Lee is a combination of my love for history and music. The story for Stagger Lee ‘the Mack” (Lee Shelton), also known as Stack Lee and Stack O’ Lee, is a true tale of a card game gone bad after an argument over a Stetson hat on a river boat in St. Louis Missouri in 1895.  

The Myth

Over time, Stagger Lee's story evolved and became a part of turn of the century American folklore. In some versions of the story, Stagger Lee is hung or shot for his crime, while in others he lives on. This tale of a pimp anti-hero has resonated in American culture for generations and his story has been memorialized in field hollers, toasts, and song.

The Music

I've put together a Stagger Lee Spotify playlist with some of the best... and weirdest... songs about Mr. Stagger Lee. My personal favorite is Mississippi John Hurt's version of the song.

Stack O' Lee

Mississippi John hurt

Police officer, how can it be?
You can 'rest everybody but cruel Stack O' Lee
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee
Billy de Lyon told Stack O' Lee, "Please don't take my life
I got two little babies, and a darlin' lovin' wife"
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee
"What I care about you little babies, your darlin' lovin' wife?
You done stole my Stetson hat, I'm bound to take your life"
That bad man, cruel Stack O' Lee
With the forty-four
When I spied Billy de Lyon, he was lyin' down on the floor
That bad man, oh cruel Stack O' Lee
"Gentleman's of the jury, what do you think of that?
Stack O' Lee killed Billy de Lyon about a five-dollar Stetson hat"
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee
And all they gathered, hands way up high
At twelve o'clock they killed him, they's all glad to see him die
That bad man, oh, cruel Stack O' Lee