Holiday Concert Outfit

First, a quick heads up: what with the holidays coming up on top of an already-busy schedule, we're toning down Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets back to two posts a week for just a week or two. That means look for your weekend Deals and Steals a day early on Thursday!

Anyway, this weekend my girlfriend and I had tickets to see Dawes (one of our favorites) play the WXRT holiday show at the gorgeous Chicago Theater (along with The Head and the Heart). I of course took the opportunity to dress up a little bit, and since it's been so long since I've done a proper outfit post, well, here you go.

I wasn't sure of venue rules regarding cameras, so I left the camera at home and everything here was shot with my trusty iPhone. That in mind, I apologize if any pictures came out sub-par, but I'm sure you'll get over it.

Since this was the holiday concert, I wanted to dress at least a little festively, so I planned my outfit around incorporating some green and red. This turned out to be a perfect opportunity, because I just got this dark green wool blazer from Tailor4Less for an upcoming review (more details to come, but I'll say now I was actually pretty impressed). 

With the green element underway, I had to add a touch of red as well, which came via my go-to dark red/burgundy knit tie by The Tie Bar. With the blazer and tie together, I had my green and red without being too garish or bold. The darker, muted tones, chosen over brighter alternatives, invoke images of a cozy fire-side drink rather than say, drunken TBOX revelry, which suited my tastes and the occasion just fine.

Framed.

The rest of the outfit came together easily. The specs I picked for the blazer nicely blend dressy and casual, with a definitely laid-back fabric, but sleek silhouette with the jetted pockets and peak lapels. I continued this through the rest of the look, holding down the dressier end of things with a white dress shirt and a silver tie clip, as well as my oxblood brogues.

Shined these bad boys up for the night.

However, I maintained the weekend-casual vibe by wearing jeans instead of dress pants, and picking an OCBD over a dressier cavalry twill option.

Of course, being in Chicago, in December, it was a chilly night, and I bundled up with my new awesome Gloverall duffle coat and a wool scarf from Frank & Oak. This coat is freakin' incredible, and goes just as well over a blazer as it does a crew-neck sweatshirt. And it's warm. Boom.

Cheesin' in the cold.

We had an incredible night, the show was awesome, and hey, I made a blog post out of it! Not too shabby for a Sunday night!

The show was our Hanukkah present to each other, well spent.

Dawes, rockin' out.

Outfit Details:

Blazer: MTM via Tailor4Less

Shirt: Uniqlo Slim OCBD

Tie: Burgundy Silk Knit by The Tie Bar

Tie Clip: Brushed Silver by The Tie Bar

Pocket Square (that you can barely see, shit): Stepped Wool by The Tie Bar

Jeans: Levi's 513 Slim Straight

Socks: Mossimo Supply Co. Boot Sock from Target

Shoes: Bostonian Oxblood Wingtips via eBay

Coat: Gloverall Duffle via Gilt.com

Scarf: Wool Scarf by Frank and Oak

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 12/12/2013

First, the spiel: "Every Friday, 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!"

This week's Deals and Steals:

J.Crew Anonymous Ism Fair Isle Socks:
Ok, J.Crew has a fantastic 30% off everything sale (code GIFTNOW), with free shipping and no minimum. This pick is probably (read: definitely) not the best deal available (for that, take a look at the Ludlow blazers, this English Tweed number drops to under $200 with the sale), but for some reason it's the one that stuck with me the most. Maybe it's because my feet are cold and these socks look so damn awesome:

Anonymous Ism Fair Isle Socks | J.Crew

The pattern is the perfect fix for my fair-isle addiction, and I would wear these with jeans or a grey flannel suit, no problem. These are running $13 after the sale, or, for a little more ($17 after sale), you can get this much warmer-looking but slightly less festive pair made by Scott-Nichol:

Scott-Nichol Woolsthorpse Socks | J.Crew

Club Monaco Hooded Parka:
This one comes courtesy of Valet's deal of the day (Valet is an awesome resource, I check it out daily). I actually just picked up a great Gloverall wool duffle coat from Gilt (see below), or I'd order this bad boy myself. Actually, if my size wasn't the only one sold out, I probably still would. Dammit.

Hooded Parka | Club Monaco

Club Monaco's outerwear tends to run out of my price range, but they have this hugely marked down and it's going for only $139. If you're looking for a practical, casual winter jacket that still pops with style, this will be a solid choice. While you're at it, Club Monaco is another good shop to check back in the clearance section every so often. I might just pick up this Ringer Henley, marked down to $29.00.

Ringer Henley | Club Monaco

Granted, a casual short-sleeve might be a little out of season, but come spring Henley shirts are a solid go-to, and the contrast collar/placket on this shirt make it stand out from your run-of-the-mill options.


Gloverall Duffle Coat via Gilt:
As mentioned before, I'm recommending this one based on personal experience. First off, I'm sometimes leary of flash sale sites because they tend to take forever to ship, but I ordered one of these from Gilt on Sunday and it arrived today. Not bad. It's not exactly cheap, but it's a huge discount on a $500+ coat at $290, and it's entirely worth it. From what I've read, Gloverall bought out the supply of the British Navy(?)'s duffle coats after WWII and sold them to the public. They were such a big hit that when they sold out, they started manufacturing more themselves and have been ever since.

Navy Duffle Coat | Gloverall via Gilt.com

I mentioned a good coat as a worthwhile investment piece and this is a perfect example. It fits great, looks incredibly sharp, and is so warm. I wore it on a walk with the dog in cold-as-all-get-out Chicago tonight and was warm...not just not cold, but warm. I haven't had a good coat in years, so I'm already loving this. I grabbed mine in navy, but they have a variety of colors, and a few other styles on sale as well.


Sir Jack's Smart Turnout Royal Air Force Watch Strap:
I never really checked out Sir Jack's before, but I was browsing their sale section today and spotted this watch strap. It's on sale for a reasonable $23, and I love the color choices. I have a nice-looking but inexpensive Timex that this would go great with.

Smart Turnout Royal Air Force Watch Strap | Sir Jack's

Navy is such a versatile color, my wardrobe is full of it, and the burgundy is a great color for the season. With the light blue, it's a classy wintery combination. The rest of the store is nice too, definitely worth a look.


Creature Comforts Bowser Bones via Barneys:
I gotta put these in because they are made right up the street from me and would make a perfect gift for any pet owner/lover (or your own pet). At $14 with free shipping they're easy on the wallet and are 100% natural.

Bowser Bones | Creature Comforts via Barneys

The classy package is the icing on the cake. I'm for sure ordering a few of these tonight!

Staying Sharp - A Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets Endorsement

It's been a busy week (I know, I know, what else is new?) so this will be a brief post, but it's perfect time for the holidays! Whether you want to look fresh and well groomed for your family visit or are looking for a great gift for a dapper dude, we've got you covered.

The side-part, or some variety of it, is pretty much the go-to haircut for a 'grown-up' man. It has been for ages, and probably always will be. We aren't going to go far down the road of how to get a great cut, or whether or not it really is the best cut to get, but we've found the key to keeping that side part on point.

Most guys these days are seriously trying to channel the Mad Men vibe, slicked back and impeccably combed, but even if you are trying something a bit looser, pomade is going to be your hair product of choice. The right pomade will inject your hair with that desirable shine while maintaining enough hold to keep your hair in place without turning it into a freakin' helmet. Unfortunately, most pomades will also leave your head and anything it touches (pillow, sheets, hands, face, you name it) sticky and greasy. Some of those bad boys even have black ink in them, and unless you're OCD-levels careful, you will ruin everything you own. Not so with Baxter of California's Soft Water Pomade.

It's a water-based pomade, with the same sleek shine, but minus the grease. Instead of sticking to everything and NEVER COMING OUT, water-based pomade is really pretty harmless, and washes out with a quick rinse. Boom. Pomade problems solved.

Plus, if you ask me, the level of hold is perfect...my hair is kind of thin and mid-length. Usually I struggle between pomades that stick my kinda-thin hair right to my head, or ones that can't handle the length and everything just falls in my face. Baxter's Soft Water Pomade keeps everything in place, but is light enough to let me comb a little lift into my 'do. 

Baxter of California | Soft Water Pomade - $18 via Barneys

You can find some other water-based pomades out there, and I have tried a few (LayRite in particular wasn't too shabby), but Baxter's is by far the best I've found. Grab some for yourself, or wrap up a jar to toss in some lucky fella's stocking.

Refreshing My Look

I've been wanting to do something new with my 'look' lately, and haven't really felt up for a new haircut or anything that bold. Instead, I went with a new pair of specs, which is pretty much the safest way to reboot your image, since you can just take them off. At the same time, a bold new pair of glasses will inject your style with a completely new edge.

Now, even with good vision insurance, new glasses tend to be pretty damn expensive. Fortunately, the trend that's taking over the apparel industry of cutting out the middle-man, taking everything in-house, and offering products at minimal markup costs has hit optics as well. Warby Parker has quick become one of my favorite eyewear designers, with classic 'bookish' styles as well as bold modern frames, and the best part is they manufacture and retail their products themselves. This lets them offer all of their frames (with prescription lenses included) at a steal of $95. 

You've all seen my glasses before, clocking in with a smaller, rectangular shape. I decided to grab two pairs, and tried to go for something that kept my aesthetic but added a fresh factor. For the first pair, I kept the same 'scale' for the frames...not much thicker, not much bigger on my face, but went for a rounder shape with the Preston frame.

Preston in Whiskey Tortoise | Warby Parker

I love the kind of 'professorial' look these frames lend, and I haven't had round frames in forever. Since the change of shape is a bit more up-front, I went with the subtler 'Whiskey Tortoise' color choice.

For the second pair, I kept the rectangular shape, but shook up the scale and went with something a bit bigger and bolder. The Beckett frames are slightly thicker than my own, but more noticeably are significantly taller.

Beckett in Striped Evergreen | Warby Parker

I think these are a great balance between a kind of vintage, Buddy Holly look and something more modern and up-to-date (especially with the 'Striped Evergreen' color choice).

My order went in yesterday, so they should be here soon! Check out the whole selection at Warby Parker, they have everything, acetate frames, metal frames, round, square, big, small, all at unbeatable prices. Fan-freakin-tastic customer service as well, which goes a long way for a Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets endorsement!

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 12/6/2013

Back at it again. To recap: "Every Friday, 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!"

This week's Deals and Steals:


Faribault Woolen Mills Scarves via Sierra Trading Post:
Now hot damn, this is a good deal. STP is one of those places that can be pretty shitty with just one look-through, but if you consistently browse through their constantly changing products, prices and discount codes, you can stumble across some fantastic finds. Like these scarves! Faribault Woolen Mills makes a variety of wool goods, with their throw blankets getting a lot of hype.

Awning Stripe Scarf | Faribault Woolen Mills

Personally, I think their line of scarves is a knockout (and would all make good gifts). Enough color and pattern to never be boring, but in classic and subtle presentations that will go with anything you're bundling yourself up in. The regular $55 price, while not astronomical, can be a turn-off, but STP has them down to just around $14, aaaaand I'm about to buy every single damn one. Get on this one, it probably won't last long.
Ed. Note: My friend Rachel Dunbar (the gal behind Style Steno) found code SFBTD12113 which drops these down to under $10. Thanks Rachel!!!

Bonobos Extra 25% Off Holiday Sale (code SPRUCEDUP):
Of course, there are a ton of good options here, so take some time and browse through. Bonobos does do sales every so often, so if you don't see something you like, come back later. Personally, there's plenty for me to like. I'm especially digging this brown cords, which (sale included) drop down to a mere $42 or so (plus free shipping, as always from Bonobos).

French Corders | Bonobos

The color is fantastic for the season. Plus, I've recently been turned into an avid fan of Bonobos Chinos, and if these fit as well as my chinos do, I'll never be unhappy with them. No experience with tops from Bonobos, but they seem to know what they are doing, so it could be worth checking out.


The Tie Bar via Nordstrom:
I shop The Tie Bar all the time. Sure, they aren't made by hand, or in America, and sure, some of the designs are a bit tacky. But they have a solid selection of 100% natural-fiber (read: no polyester) ties, all at $15. Add to that a slew of tie bars and clips, socks, scarves, shoelaces, cuff links, money clips, holy heck I can't even remember what else, and it's hard to resist. ANYWAY, point is, I stumble across some of their offerings at Nordstrom.

Winter Ties (my picks) | The Tie Bar via Nordstrom

Pricing is all comparable, if not exactly the same, so it may not seem like a big deal. BUT! First of all, lovely Nordstrom offers free shipping, so you can get these to your door without spending an extra dime. On top of that, I'm pretty sure some of the current offerings on Nordstrom are no longer available through The Tie Bar, so, boo ya.

Another crazy J.Crew Factory code sale:

So J.Crew and their Factory Outlet have been getting all sorts of creative with their codes these days. Right now, JCF is offering 50%-60% off EVERYTHING, plus an additional 15% off and free shipping with code 12DAYS. With all that stacking up, there's plenty worth shopping here.

Warmspun Colorblock Raglan Sweater | J.Crew Factory

This factory warmspun color-block sweater ($38 after discount) caught my eye and is now dangling in my cart...to buy or not to buy. I think the color-blocking definitely gives it a more casual edge, probably not appropriate under a suit or with a shirt and tie. For a casual piece, though, it's damn sharp (mmmm....burgundy....Homer Simpson noise...), and could give a huge boost to any other-wise lackluster weekend outfit. Plus it looks cozy, and the heat is off as I type this so...yup. 

H.E. by Mango - November Collection up to 50% Off (use code 6THANKSMNG)

Have yet to take a bite with this brand, but I've heard some good things and their stuff looks very stylish. It's all modern, but not as trendy, flashy or 'euro' as things from H&M or even ASOS. Right now their entire November Collection is heavily discounted. The selection isn't huge, but there are some solid picks, like this Slim-Fit Check Shirt down to $40 (I've been on the hunt for a over-sized plaid/check shirt myself):

Slim-Fit Check Shirt | H.E. By Mango

Also have had my eye on their outerwear. Most of it didn't make this sale, but for a casual but cozy look, I could see myself in one of these puffer jackets, down to $60:

Foldable Feather Down Coat | H.E. by Mango

So what are you waiting for, get shopping!!! And really, share any more good finds in the comments, I'd love to find MORE things to spend my money on!!!

An In-Person Review of Proper Socks

Justin Schachner of Proper Socks reached out to me a little bit before Thanksgiving to share their Kickstarter campaign. After a few e-mails back and forth, he was kind enough to send me a pair of socks for an in-person review. After giving them a try, I'm ready to report:

The Brand:

First, some background from the brand: 

"Proper Socks is the brainchild of Midwest-native Justin Schachner. As a management consultant in Washington, DC, Justin practically lives in his dress shoes and his socks are his way of interjecting person style into his business dress. Unfortunately, spending 12+ hours in unsupportive footwear took a toll on his feet. One night after a 10 hour work day, Justin traded his thin dress socks for a pair of his high-performance running socks to sooth his feet. Instantly feeling the difference, Justin began his search for dress socks with the same technology. After weeks of searching department stores and the Internet, Justin came up empty handed. With that, Proper Socks was born."

It's become the classic genesis story of menswear start-ups today: unable to find the perfect product, resourceful entrepreneurs set out to make it themselves. And so far, Proper Socks seems to be doing quite well at it, with their early-bird $20 three-pack offering selling out in just hours. Lucky for you folks, other offerings are still available through their Kickstarter, starting at $29 for three. 

The Socks:

After a solid day wearing these bad boys, I'm pretty impressed. First off, the fabric itself is definitely an improvement from my pairs from stores like J.Crew, The Tie Bar or Gap. Where my other pairs are thin and often not very stretchy, these are soft, plush, and slightly but noticeably thicker than your standard dress sock.

However, these aren't a hefty winter sock, by any means. In fact, their ventilated toe box is designed to keep your feet fresh and un-swampy through the day. I can't say I noticed the ventilation itself, but my feet have definitely not been roasting all day, as tends to happen when I wear my thick wool or ragg cotton pairs.

Proper Socks kicks up the comfort level another notch by adding right-vs-left-specific arch support and targeted padding that provides extra cushioning specifically where your feet tend to take the most abuse. Again, I didn't necessarily feel the padding, but the arch support is definitely welcome, and after a full work day (and a lunch-break running around Chicago completing errands), I think I can safely say my feet feel somewhat less of the standard strain.

As far as style goes, Proper Socks currently offers three different 'lines': the Washington in dots; the Brooklyn in stripes, and the Chi-Town in solid/color-blocked. 

One of each 'line'.

The options are solid...stylish but subtle. Nothing crazy out-of-the-box, but there's definitely been much more attention paid to the aesthetics than your average performance socks. My pair is the pink/blue Brooklyn design, and I'm a big fan (I love stripes, I love blue, these will fit my wardrobe excellently).

My only complaint is that the sock seems a tad big on first wear, and there is only one size offered.

Honestly, the only reason I even noticed was the contrasting heel sits high, as you can see in the picture above. It's barely an issue at all, however, and I'm pretty sure a run through the dryer will fix it right up.

All in all, it's a bit hard to judge socks after just a wear or two (definitely can't say anything at this point regarding durability, which can be a big factor). That said, these socks definitely have the potential to be big winners in my book. On top of that, $29 for three pairs is a pretty darn reasonable price, even for socks that do a helluva lot less for your feet. 

The final Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets judgment: I say go for it! Good price, comfortable socks, and a couple of every-day folks trying to make a positive impact on men's feet everywhere. What's not to like?

Contribute to the Proper Socks Kickstarter campaign and score some socks for yourself here!

Do you have a product you'd like to see highlighted and reviewed here on Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets? Check out the submission guidelines here and shoot me an e-mail!

This was a sponsored review, and the products reviewed were provided to me free of charge. The article, however, remains objective and unbiased and is published without prior editing or review by Proper Socks. While I love to be given products to review, don't worry, I will never endorse a product I wouldn't wear myself.

Origins and Shopping Picks: Harris Tweed

I've long professed my undying love for everything tweed, and I think I can safely say that Harris Tweed is the best in the game, and won't get many arguments. However, I was just thinking the other weekend that it's another one of those terms that I didn't really know the meaning behind. Is it a brand? A mill? A fella with a loom? A few hours on the web and I had my answer...thank you, Google, for being you.

So, Harris Tweed. Turns out, it isn't really any of the things I thought it was, exactly. Rather than being, like I suggested, a brand or supplier, it's more of a class of the textile. In fact, there was even a Harris Tweed Act of 1993 (hot damn, style legislation? badass...) that laid out the definition of 'Harris' tweed:

"Handwoven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides, finished in the Outer Hebrides, and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides." - from The Harris Tweed Authority.

It was this act that established the Harris Tweed Authority in 1993, but the HTA merely replaced an even older regulating body. You can actually trace Harris tweed as far back as the mid-1800's, when Lady Dunmore, widow of the Earl of Dunmore and landowner of the Harris Island in the Outer Hebrides championed the progression of the local cloth into a country-wide textile industry.

In 1909, the Harris Tweed Association (predecessor to the Harris Tweed Authority) was formed to inspect and regulate the production of the tweed, and the famous Harris Orb was created to mark approved materials. Since then, The Harris Tweed Association and now the Harris Tweed Authority have continued to strive for the highest quality of cloths, and have adapted and developed through the ages in order to remain accessible, relevant, stylish and deserving of their acclaim.

The Harris Tweed Orb that marks every piece of the fabric approved by the Harris Tweed Authority.

So what is it that sets Harris Tweed apart? The Harris Tweed Authority says:

"The rare character and beauty of Harris tweed is attributable to the fact that it is the only fabric produced in commercial quantities by truly traditional methods anywhere in the world...
...Unusually, our wool is dyed before being spun, allowing us to blend a multitude of colours into our yarn. With each thread containing a myriad of different colours, a cloth of great depth and complexity is produced...
...Soft, tactile, breathable, warm, colourful, sustainable, adaptable...the old image of coarse, scratchy dour tweed simply does not exist these days."

Today, the Orb is still a mark of some of the best tweed fabric in the world, soft yet durable, stylish but rustic. A tweed suit is about as gentlemanly as you can get in the colder months, with an undeniably rakish English (or Scottish) vibe. These days, you'll find the material used for everything from pants to hats to iPad cases. Here are some of my favorite products out there sporting the Harris Orb:

J.Crew Ludlow Suit in Harris Tweed: You have no idea how much I lust after a Ludlow tweed suit. Someday, when my bank account is a little heftier, this will be a gem in my closet. It's definitely not cheap, but if you have the dough, this suit will never treat you wrong. Jacket pictured below, pants here. 

Ludlow Suit Jacket in Herringbone Harris Tweed | J. Crew

ASOS Harris Tweed Pea Coat: ASOS consistently churns out affordable and stylish duds, and this looks to be no exception. It's a bit shorter than your traditional Pea Coat, but it looks sharp as hell. It's already relatively inexpensive at $245, but ASOS offers sales pretty often. (For example, ASOS currently has a Cyber Monday deal offering 30% off sitewide with code GIMMEMORE...might be a good time to snap this up!)

Harris Tweed Peacoat | ASOS

Stetson Harris Tweed Ivy Cap: Newsboy caps like this can be hard to pull off, but when they work they are one of my favorite looks when it comes to men's hats. A nice one in Harris Tweed will keep your head warm without mussing up your hair all willy-nilly like a wool beanie. Cop this bad boy at Amazon for $55.

Classic Harris Tweed Ivy Cap | Stetson via Amazon

Hennessy and Sons Tweed Dog Collar: During the gift-giving season, pet products are an awesome go-to. I'm admittedly obsessed with my pup, but nothing makes me happier than spoiling the little guy. A tweed collar is a great way to share some of your sprezz with your furry friend for a mere $60 (or a friend's furry friend).

Harris Tweed and Leather Dog Collar | Hennessey and Sons via Amazon

Ness Blaeberry Harris Tweed Purse: This one is for the ladies (once again, with gift-season upon us, trying to help you all out with your shopping lists). This number spices things up from the standard grey tweed with an electric blue plaid (and no, 'Blaeberry' is not a typo...don't ask me...) that your sister/mother/girlfriend is sure to love. Available at Gretna Green for $40, along with some other alternatives if this isn't your cup-o-tea.

Blaeberry Harris Tweed Purse | Ness via Gretna Green

Of course, Harris Tweed isn't the only option out there, but if you have the option, it's definitely the way to go. 

Do you have any favorite tweed pieces? Share in the comments below!

All information regarding Harris Tweed found at the Harris Tweed Authority website.