Deals and Steals for the Weekend - Unionmade Archive Edition

Howdy folks! Happy to be back with a new Deals and Steals after a few weekends without. That said, we're doing something a little bit different this time, and just focusing on one retailer (largely because their sale is so damn awesome).

Unionmade, one of the finest menswear stores in America (especially if you are in the market for high-ish end work-wear leaning duds), appears to have opened a special sale site for four days only, called 'The Archive.' And those sale prices? Up to 90% off. And we aren't talking lame, or even vageuly lame brands, but highly sought after names like Levi's Vintage Clothing or Gitman Vintage. So you can score some damn nice stuff for as little as a mere 1/10 of the regular price.

Below, we rounded up some of our favorites - now, the stock is rotating, things are selling out, and things are being added, so a) I apologize if any of my picks are sold out, but b) it's definitely worth taking a look through on your own (maybe even more than once) to make sure you don't miss any late additions.

Anyway, my picks (by brand):

New Balance:
Since starting my new job, I've been dressing mostly casual, which is a big change from my prior wardrobe. One of the biggest aspects that has me struggling is footwear, as I just don't have that many casual shoes. Therefore, I've been on the hunt for a variety of nice sneakers, and a pair from New Balance is high on my wishlist. Of the pairs currently available at Unionmade, these are my favorite:

US576ND1 Sneakers | New Balance via Unionmade

Honestly, I've just been a big fan of the black/white look lately (maybe throw some grey in the mix), so these are right up my alley. Regularly $140, these are going for $40, which I can safely say is the cheapest I have ever seen New Balance shoes run.


Gitman Vintage:
Tons of stuff here from the revered shirt makers (and obviously, most of the best picks are shirts (although I did see a tie in the mix as well). My pick here is this vintage madras:

1979 Vintage Madras | Gitman Vintage via Unionmade

Again, a huge discount as these regularly run $145, but are selling for just $45. Sure, madras is more of a spring/summer fabric, but it never hurts to stock up a season ahead!


Levi's Vintage Clothing:
One of Levi's higher-end lines, this stuff, obviously, has a vintage tinge to it (which I'm all about). You could go wild with a crazy-bold shirt like this, but my personal pick is a bit more muted:

White Bay 518's | Levi's Vintage Clothing via Unionmade

Perfect for someone who likes the idea of white denim, but doesn't want to commit to something so bright and stain-able. Regularly almost $200, but now just $45.


Gant Rugger:
A preppy favorite, I'm a big fan of all of the Gant lines, including Rugger. I'd love to take this chance to pick up one of their highly praised shirts, like this popover:

Twill Check Pullover | Gant Rugger via Unionmade

Depending on how heavy this ends up being, you could either rock this around the holidays for a bright, festive look, or throw it on with a pair of off-white jeans (like the ones above) in the spring or summer for something a bit more saturated that your standard warm-weather pastels. And at just $35 (down from $135), it won't break the bank.


Filson:
We'll end on this one, which may be my favorite pick. I'm a huge proponent of layering vests in the winter - it's an easy way to make even a blazer into a cozy piece of outerwear (I did two winters in Chicago with no winter coat, just blazers and quilted vests). This may well be my next buy:

Mist Liner Vest | Filson via Unionmade

Filson has a stellar rep for outerwear, and this vest has the bonus of looking great by itself for the transition weather before it gets real cold. This one starts at $185, but is going for only $35.


And that's a wrap - happy shopping!

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 2/6/2014

You know the dealio: "Every weekend, check in on the blog for a collection of the best (read: my favorite) deals and steals on the interweb for some quality shopping over the weekend. Have any to add? Share them in the comments or shoot me an e-mail. Also, if you're biting on any of these hooks, I'd love to hear about it!"

So here's this week's lineup:

25% Off Select Spring Style at J.Crew:
So, this is a much lighter and more limited discount than most of what we feature from J.Crew. So how did it make the list: Almost entirely by virtue of this striped popover shirt:

Brushed Twill Popover | J.Crew

I've been wanting a popover shirt for my collection since I saw a great on from Gant sometime last summer. Unfortunately, they aren't all that common, and most of the ones I could find were damn pricey, especially for a casual shirt. This one ain't cheap to start either, with a $75 original asking price, but the 25% off drops it to just over $55. It's the perfect in-between shirt, not quite as sport-centered as a polo, not quite as formal as a full-placket shirt. I'm also loving the horizontal stripes, just different enough to make yours unique but not flashy.

Loving shawl collars this winter? I know I am. Here's a chance to keep wearing them into the spring! This shawl sweater is made from cotton, so it will be much less warm than your standard thick wool, but will still make a comfortable layer on a cool spring or summer evening. 

Marled Cotton Shawl-Collar Sweater | J.Crew

The added hoodie-like kangaroo pocket makes it a bit more casual as well, which makes it perfectly suited for a night on the beach. Again, not a crazy deal, but definitely affordable at under $55 (originally $70). 


Extra 25% Off and Free Shipping at Sierra Trading Post (applied at check-out):
Editors Note: I had some issues getting the discount applied, but eventually had it work by clicking to the site through their social media (Facebook or Twitter). Otherwise, I'm sure you can e-mail customer support to get hooked up!
Ok, back to winter. I'm going on a ski trip with my gal's family in a few weeks, and I've never been on the slopes before, so I've had my eyes on some affordable insulating layers. Here comes discount outdoorsy retailer Sierra Trading Post to the rescue. First on my list? A pair of Smartwool socks, like this mid-weight pair:

Jovian Grid Sock | SmartWool via Sierra Trading Post

A lot of winter-ready socks only come in boring solid greys and blacks, so it's nice that these have a healthy dose of color. Also, SmartWool has a great reputation for being crazy warm and comfortable. The standard STP discount has these at $13, and the extra 25% takes them down even more to under $10 (normally $21 a pair). Oh yeah, it's also FREEZING in Chicago, which make me even more eager to buy these. In my cart as I type this.

I've also quickly realized that I only have one pair of long underwear, and they are a cheap pair from Target a few years back. Not only aren't they super warm, I also don't want to wear the same pair 3 days in a row on this trip. That in mind, these merino wool guys look nice and toasty:

RedRam Merino Wool Leggings | Icebreaker via Sierra Trading Post

I've never heard of RedRam or Icebreaker before, but these have (mostly) good reviews and at $30 after the discount (originally $58), they are the most affordable pair in merino wool that I've seen. It's a debate between these and a pair in Uniqlo's Heattech, but regardless, these wouldn't be a bad choice. Hmm...


Filson Clearance Sale:
Filson makes ungodly nice outerwear, and usually at ungodly high (for my tight wallet) prices. However, they've got some nice sales going on now, like this work jacket, which has been reduced almost 50%, from $385 down to $200 (props to Well-Spent for featuring this today):

Scout Work Jacket | Filson

One of the few beefs about Filson has previously been their classic, less slim fits. Recently, they addressed this by issuing their new Seattle fit, which is much more modern and close-fitting, and has been met with rave reviews all over the net. Not all items come in the new fit, but this is on the list. It's got some stylish details (check the specs on the site for a full list), and since it's a Filson, it will last a lifetime. I just picked up a lighter spring/fall jacket using some store credit at Frank and Oak, or I'd be seriously considering this.

It's definitely worth a browse to check out the rest of their sale items...I believe this is their end-of-year/season sale, and there are some really hefty discounts. This corduroy shirt is also available in the new Seattle Fit and is, again, unusually affordable at $60 (originally $165):

Seattle II Corduroy Shirt | Filson

I recently found an old corduroy shirt of my dad's (I think) when I was at my folks over the holidays, and I've latched onto it as a kind-of lightweight jacket around the house. Mine is super loose-fitting and pretty worn out, so I've been looking for a replacement, and I'm tempted to scoop this up for that very purpose.


50% Off at Sid Mashburn:
We'll wrap this week's list up with some more high-end winter duds at surprisingly affordable prices. Sid Mashburn has their 'Sid Sale' running with several half-off items. These shetland sweaters immediately caught my eye:

Shetland Crewneck Sweater | Sid Mashburn

It's another one that's not incredibly cheap, at just under $100, but it's marked down from $195 and holy hell does it look cozy.

If you're looking for something easier on the wallet, consider grabbing a pair of Levi's cords:

514 (Straight Fit) Cord | Levi's via Sid Mashburn

You all know (and probably, like me, love) Levi's, and the corduroy fabric along with the woodsy green color are perfect for the fall and winter. Add the fact that these are only $30, and Sid Mashburn always offers free shipping, and it's a deal definitely worthy of the list.


Shop away, and stay warm!