Outfit Post - Saturday at the Dog Park

We finally had an absolutely beautiful weekend here in Chicago, so Christine and I took advantage of the weather and took a long walk to Wiggly Field (yes, that's the official name) with our puggle, M.C. Hammerpants (yes, that's his real name). As we were walking, it dawned on me that I rarely post really casual outfits on here, and most of what you see of me is in my work or more dressed-up weekend duds, so I figured this would be a good chance to feature a really laid back (but still sharp) look:

If you'll recall from my list of summer style goals, I decided recently that I wanted to start wearing chinos more in a casual setting, as opposed to turning to denim every time I'm off duty. I grabbed these Alpha Khakis from Dockers with just that in mind...the bright color is a little bit much for my law firm day-job, but it's a perfect summery punch of color for a weekend look. I love the fit of Dockers Alphas, but they are just a tad long on me. Since I haven't had the chance to hit up the tailor with these, I rolled the cuffs, which added an extra casual vibe to the look and emphasized the bare ankle (one of my favorite parts of summer).

Up top, I picked this striped tee that I got during the last big Bonobos sale for about $10 (similar here). Not only was it a steal, but the blue and white stripes give a nautical vibe that is very on-trend for spring (and summer, and fall, and pretty much all the time except dead winter). I really like it in this combo as an added bit of color that stays neutral and subtle enough to not come off as clownish in combo with the bright pants.

I also said I wanted to step up my summer footwear game, and I'm in the process of doing so with some Jack Purcell's on the way from Mr. Porter. Meanwhile, though, I really can't go wrong with my Sperry Topsider boat shoes. I picked these up last summer and wear them all the damn time and they just keep getting better and better. In fact, I used to be really OCD about keeping my kicks pristine, but after these got covered in mud at Lollapalooza, I kinda accepted their beat-up-ness and since then have really come to love the personality that some hard wear can give a pair of shoes. I'm also rocking a pair of Pact No-Show loafer socks, which I consider a must-have for the summer, and allow me to kick it sockless without worrying about gross, stinky feet and shoes.

Last, as I was stepping out, I realized it wasn't quite as warm as I thought, especially in the shade. Instead of bringing a light jacket, which honestly would have been a bit much and I would have ended up carrying most of the day, I made a smart choice by throwing on this Frank & Oak OCBD. It's one of my favorite pieces from F&O (you all know my love of an OCBD by now), and I wear it all the time, whether it's to work with a knit tie and a blazer, or on the weekends with jeans and some Chukkas. Here, I took it to new territory by kind of using it as an extra-light jacket. While I normally steer clear of the untucked and unbuttoned look, using this as a jacket let me lighten up on the sartorial 'rules' and embrace the laid-back nature of the look (and the gorgeous day).

For accessories, I topped things off with my brown braided leather belt, which has become my favorite thrift-store find. I literally spent about a dollar on it, and I think it's become a signature part of my style (more on that later). The Form*Function*Form watch that Christine gave me last year was the perfect finishing touch, and was a spot-on match for the brown leather of the belt and shoes. I love that this watch straddles the casual and at least semi-business line very comfortably - I'll wear it with jeans and a Tee one day and with a dress shirt and blazer the next. Versatility is key, my friends.

Anyway, ended up really happy with the 'fit, and had a fantastic day - we hung out at the dog park, took a leisurely stroll home through Lincoln Park, stopped in for cocktails and bacon-wrapped dates (and some treats for the pup) at a neighborhood cafe, and just soaked in the summery Chicago vibes.

How do you relax, sartorially? Do you have a go-to casual look, or are there new trends you are trying to work into your rotation? Share in the comments!

Outfit Details:
T-Shirt: Bonobos (similar) (use our referral link for $25 off)
OCBD: Frank & Oak (use our referral link for $25 off)
Chinos: Dockers Alpha Khaki
Shoes: Sperry Topsider (Editors Note: You can grab these on sale right now at Nordstrom for just $60. Great deal, I'm grabbing a pair if I can).
Socks: PACT No-Show Socks
Watch: Form*Function*Form via Huckberry
Glasses: Grant frames by Penn Avenue Eyewear
Belt: Vintage Thrifted, suckas.

More Shoe Candy...

First off: I know things have been pretty slow on Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets over the past week or two. Unfortunately, it looks like this is going to keep up for a bit longer. I'm having some technical issues (aka my computer is on the fritz) which, combined with a hectic schedule, are going to keep me from giving my full attention to the blog. So, until things settle down a bit, I will sadly only be able to offer sporadic posts (but I promise to write as often as I can).

On the plus side, I do have a full-length post that should be ready to roll out tomorrow, and in the meantime I have this little juicy tidbit for all you readers out there:

I tweeted about this a while ago, but I'm not sure how many of you got to check out the summer sale at MR PORTER. MR PORTER has a pretty incredible selection of drool-worthy menswear apparel and accessories. Unfortunately, most of it tends to be waaaay out of my price range, and they rarely offer any sales. The good news? This is one of those times, and while the sale is nearly over, there is still a very decent selection of much-more-affordable-than-usual goods to be found. When I saw the sale go up, these brown Sperry Topsiders were actually the very first thing to catch my eye. 

But alas, they were also one of the very first things to sell out (well, actually JUST my size sold out, and pretty instantly). Therefore you can imagine my giddiness when, all of the sudden, MR PORTER restocked...in my size only. In fact, when I got on the site, there was only one shoe left in any size, and it just happened to be mine. Now, to be honest, I screwed the pooch on this one a bit...in my haste to snag these before any other lucky bastard could put them in his cart first, I accidentally ordered expedited shipping. MR PORTER normally ships free (one of the things I love most about shopping there), but the $20 overnight shipping kinda put a dent in my excited over the savings. Silver lining was I got these shoes in just one day, and honestly, I'm just glad to have them. They still ended up being a bit cheaper than full price, and you really can't go wrong with a pair of classic brown leather Sperry Topsiders.

Now, I think these leather guys are all gone for good now, but there are still some canvas Topsiders left for ONLY $40!! Someone go buy them...if I hadn't just blown my shoe budget on these, I'd be grabbing a pair for myself. Check the other sale items as well, you might find that high-end piece you've been pining for, and it might for once actually be in your budget.