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!

Bean Boots - A Ringing Endorsement

I had the great pleasure of heading to friend's very remote (but very comfortably furnished) cabin in the Poconos in PA. I grew up camping all the time, but haven't really gotten away from city life for years, so I wildly enjoyed being out in nature. Admittedly, we spent most of our time hanging around the cabin, playing with the dogs and drinking, but my girlfriend and I did get away for a few walks in the woods. When I took the pup along the stream and let him play in the water, I remembered just how damn much I love my L.L. Bean Boots, hence this enthusiastic endorsement and post:

So what's so great about Bean boots? Sure, I personally love the style that just oozes classic North-Eastern prep, but it really just comes down to how indestructible they are.

I love rocking nice shoes - Allen Edmond's brogues, suede Ralph Lauren boots, sharp leather sneakers, the like. But I'm always so worried that I'm going to scrape or scuff them, or ruin the suede when it unexpectedly rains, or that I'm even just going to come home with cold, wet feet.

With Bean boots, I just walk through whatever is in front of me, not a care in the world. They are waterproof to an extreme, even up through the leather upper. They are tough as nails and hold up against pretty much any hazard you'll encounter, in the woods or the city. And still, comfortable, relatively lightweight, and better and better as they age.

Anyway, I'm 100% sure my afternoon wouldn't have been nearly as enjoyable without these bad boys on my feet, so here's a ringing endorsement for all things Bean boots (they have a number of variations, all pretty equally awesome) from Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets.

A Few Logistical Notes:
As mentioned above, there are several variations available. I personally have the 6 inch, unlined option:

Men's 6" Bean Boots | L.L. Bean - $99.00

While insulated boots (like these, or even these) will be warmer through the winter, I've found that the right socks make mine just as warm, and I can still wear them through the rest of the year in wet conditions. You can opt for a different height as well, but just know that taller boots will be harder/more time consuming to put on. Last, these run pretty damn large - I took a full size down and can still fit them with pretty heavy socks, but they aren't falling off when I wear something thinner when it's not so cold. At the very least, read the sizing guidelines carefully. And don't be afraid to take advantage of their free shipping to find the perfect fit!

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 9/25/2014

The weekend nears (weird that I'm still excited about that, considering I don't have a 9-5 at the moment), and that means it's time for Deals and Steals! Here's our 'deal':

"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!"

I'm still pretty damn pumped about this fall weather that is slowly (but surely) heading our way, so here's another fall-centric list:

30% Off Fall Jackets at H&M (and free shipping with code 2288):
Editors Note: Damn, looks like the 30% off has ended already. Thanks to @mh1990 for pointing this out below. Looks like free shipping is still on through tomorrow, but can't grab that extra discount. Lamesauce!
Couldn't be happier about this sale, especially considering my H&M mention in last week's Deals and Steals. Remember how I said I'd be keeping a watch out for discounts to stack with the free shipping code I pointed out in that list? Well, here's that discount! It's not site-wide or anything, but there are some great fall outerwear options included - even that same blue baseball jacket has been marked down to $42 from $60. I went ahead and selected two new picks for this week, as well. First up is this blue canvas parka, regularly $50, now $35:

Canvas Parka | H&M

I've mentioned that my personal style has slowly been shifting from sharply tailored to a bit more rugged and casual (in part as I transfer out of a law firm work-place). As I've been making that shift, I've been digging the rustic look of a canvas parka more and more - and the best part is it won't look half bad over a blazer, either.

I also think this duffel coat in a rich burgundy color is fantastic:

Duffel Coat | H&M

I love the duffel style and the great color, but what's especially cool here is the way they've adapted the coat for fall, rather than winter. I have a great Gloverall wool duffel that I wear all winter, but is heavy, wool, and definitely too much for these transitional months. This coat, on the the other hand, is made out of a cotton canvas fabric, which a) makes it much more fall-appropriate - ready for rain, not snow, and b) let's them keep the price down to $70 - actually, now below $50 with the discount.

Just act fast, as the free shipping code is only good through 9/27.


Extra 30% Off Final Sale Items at J.Crew (code PICKASALE):
Man, J.Crew manages to make it onto this list almost every week, and I'm not complaining. However, to shake things up a bit this time around, I turned my focus away from their main line and took my picks from their higher Wallace & Barnes line, or their co-branded 'In Good Company' items. From Wallace & Barnes, the first thing that stood out was this shawl-collar cardigan:

Wallace & Barnes Indigo Shawl-Collar Cardigan | J.Crew

You already know I love shawl collars, so this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. That said, I usually stick to solid colors, as I think that patterns like stripes, etc., make the look too casual (and I love throwing a shawl-collar cardigan over an OCBD with a tie for a cozy dapper look). This one, however, manages to inject some 'fun' with the color block front, but stays sharp enough for my tastes. Like most good things, originally expensive at $150, but knocked down to just over $90 with the discount.

Also from Wallace & Barnes, I'm digging this take on the bomber jacket - it's like an higher-quality, but maybe more casual version of the cheaper options from brands like H&M:

Wallace & Barnes Colorblock Bomber Jacket | J.Crew

I dig the subtler color-blocking, the faded blue tones, the grey trimming, and the fact that it just looks cozy. If this was in my closet, it'd probably be my first grab for any of your standard-fare outdoor fall events - from tailgating to a cookout to a stroll in the park. Regularly a whopping $188, now a more manageable $112.

Not into the fall colors, or just want something brighter? Turning even farther from J.Crew's main line, this jacket by Penfield (in the 'In Good Company' collection) might just hit the spot:

Gibson Jacket | Penfield for J.Crew

The water-resistant Gibson jacket by Penfield is often highly sought after, and (if I'm not mistaken) often hard to find below full price, so this is a great chance to grab it in a vibrant yellow for a solid discount (down to $98 from $150).


New Arrivals at Uniqlo:
Not a proper sale, per se, but I told y'all I was excited for fall arrivals from the always-affordable Uniqlo, and they've recently added some duds that have made it onto my wishlist. First up, it's the first appearance of their seasonal tweed blazers! And damn, do they have some sharp designs...my personal favorite is this blue window-pane:

Tweed Slim Fit Jacket | Uniqlo

Sure, it's bold, but it's a casual blazer anyway, so you have more room to get funky. I'd rock this, for sure, and rock it hard. The only downside is that the material is not 100% wool, but it's so damn affordable they might just get a pass on that one. Currently full-priced at just under $100, and also available in a grey window-pane, as well as a few more neutral solids.

Scrolling down to the knits, I'm not surprised to see tons of great sweaters coming into play. I'm sure I'll grab a few of the insanely-affordable lamsbwool cardigans, or the very popular merino v-necks, but this cable-knit is the one I've got my eye on now:

Heavy Gauge Cable Crew Neck Sweater | Uniqlo

This may just be my memory failing me (call me out if I'm wrong), but I don't recall seeing these cable-knit and patterned options last year, so I'm especially happy to see them show up here. Love how cozy this looks, especially in the marled blue color. Even at a full price of $40, it's a hell of a bargain.

Lastly, I've had my eye on a Uniqlo wool chesterfield top coat to get me through the winter for a couple of years. Every year, though, either they don't have the coat when I'm looking, or they're sold out in my size/color, or something, so I'm really trying to jump on that train fast this year. However, Uniqlo has made a few changes - both of which I dig. First, they are finally offering it in a camel color:

Wool Cashmere Chesterfield Coat | Uniqlo

Now, again, I may just not remember ever seeing a camel color, but I'm pretty sure this is a first, and I love it. Not in-your-face by any means, it's still a step away from your standard grays and blacks and will help you stand out in style. Second, they added a cashmere blend to their wool fabric, which, sure enough, raised the prices marginally. That said, $150 for a cashmere/wool top coat? Still a damn steal. And that cashmere is only going to make the coat more comfortable and warmer.

All right, we're calling it quits after that one, before I'm tempted to spend all the money I have set aside for rent and bills! Have a great weekend, and happy shopping.