Outfit Post - The Sunday Lunch Date

Sorry for the delay on this post...I was planning on getting it up after the Super Bowl last night (what the hell happened there???)  but since my girlfriend was leaving first thing this morning for a business trip, I decided to spend my time with her instead of working. Sue me. 

Anyway, it's appropriate that I was so sweet to my gal, since she was kinda the inspiration for this post. It's restaurant week here in Chicago, so I took her out to a snazzy afternoon meal at The Savoy (our first time there, but I recommend it if you're in the city). We made ourselves nice and appropriately presentable before heading out, so I figured I may as well do an outfit post with an example of a great lunch-date ensemble.

At the Savoy...hmm...tie is slightly askew...and I'm slightly OCD...

The Savoy, like many lunch-date options, was a nice restaurant, but not fancy. There's no way I was going to show up in sweatpants, but at the same time it didn't call for a suit (although I have a new on from Dragon Inside that I'm dying for a chance to wear - more to come). As it should be, this was the first criteria for picking my outfit - sharp casual.

From there, I (half-jokingly) decided on a black-and-white color palette for the sole reason that it was Super Bowl Sunday, I could care less about both teams, and didn't want to throw affiliation either way (not that I own much in orange, but I have a lot of blue and green). 

Black, white, and in-between. Greyscale doesn't mean boring.

After that, it was pretty easy. When you're going for sharp casual, crisp blue jeans are never a bad choice. Either is a white OCBD. Either is a dark grey tie. Either is a charcoal merino V-neck. The point, I guess, is that those menswear staples are there for a reason. Not every outfit you pick needs to stand out.

My socks were the one place I let some color pop...and that's what I love about socks, as I mentioned last week.

A little flash of purple.

When it was all put together, I think it was a classy look...subtle yet sharp (man, I'm overusing that word, but it just fits), interesting but not bold, and I think (hope?) that the same balance came across in the image I presented...confident but respectful, because I know that's how my girl likes me best. :-)

Despite the snowy appearance, it was actually warm enough to wear a new lighter jacket from Frank & Oak.

Side note - my gal took some pages out of the menswear book herself and looked awfully cute doing it...rocked some nice blue jeans, a chambray shirt with just enough contrast from the denim, and some new suede boots. Gorgeous!

My beautiful date!

Outfit Details:

Waxed Cotton Parka - Frank & Oak

Merino V-neck Sweater - Frank & Oak

OCBD - Uniqlo

Knit Tie - The Tie Bar

Jeans - Levi's

Socks (similar) - Express

Wingtip Shoes (similar) - Johnston Murphy (via eBay)

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - Black Friday Edition

I almost wasn't going to post at all since I'm home with the family, but it is Black Friday so I slapped together the following list of great holiday sales and some of my own picks. I'm sure I'll be shopping myself throughout the day, and I'll add any other finds I come across, so keep checking back for updates! (SEE UPDATES AT END OF POST)

Tie Society Annual Sale (no code needed):
For a limited time, Tie Society is offering a free month when you purchase a gift subscription or sign up for a new membership. On top of that, the first ten customers each day will receive a custom Tie Society flask.

You can check out our review of Tie Society here, but I'll tell you right now it's a helluva service. At its simplest, it's the Netflix of ties, but it's so much more. Head over and check it out, the offer stands through 12/2/13.


25% off at Beckett Simonon (code TURKEY):
Dub-monks are still all the rage in the menswear world, but it can be tough to find a decent pair without handing over your firstborn child. Enter Beckett Simonon, who offers Goodyear-welted shoes at a relatively-unheard of price of just $140, and their 25% Black Friday discount drops them down to a hella-affordable $105.

Hoyt Double Monk Straps | Beckett Simonon

The Beckett Simonon Hoyt Double-Monk features a rounded toe box with a cap-toe and semi-brogue detailing for a perfect balance of style and subtlety. Grab a pair, or check out their other, equally dashing options.


50% Off Sitewide at Express (through 12:00 PM 12/29):
Express is offering an awesome half-off sale on absolutely everything in their inventory. I don't shop at Express all that often, but they remain one of the few stores that offers truly fitted shirts that even super-scrawny folks like myself won't need to take to the tailor. I'm a big fan of this Tartan Plaid shirt, which is perfect for the holiday season.

Fitted Tartan Plaid Shirt | Express

Dress it down with jeans, or throw on a wool tie for some cozy biz-casual. At this point, the deal ends at noon on Black Friday, but I'm sure it will be replaced by something new. If I have the time and presence of mind, I'll check it out and keep you posted.


Five Days of Style - Frank & Oak's Black Friday Event (no code needed):
Frank & Oak only has sale items intermittently, and they usually have some great deals when they do, so I'm always sure to at least give them a look. This holiday, they have a lot of great shirts, many in seasonable flannel or chambray fabrics. I always tout their shirts, though, but this year my eye has really been drawn to their bags, and a few of those landed in this sale as well.

Hyde Mountaineering Backpack | Frank & Oak

I'm especially digging this 'mountaineering' pack. It's made of durable canvas with a drawstring closure and leather straps. I have a great brief-case-type bag for days in the office, but I'd love one of these when I'm lugging junk around on a weekend or a trip home to see the folks.


40% Off and Free Shipping (no minimum) at Levi's (code SAVE40):
Unless your a denim-head on the hunt for some crazy $200+ selvedge jeans, it's hard to argue with a pair of Levi's to meet all of your denim needs. On top of that, they have the quintessential denim trucker and a pretty solid line-up of non-denim duds as well.

513 Slim Straight Jeans in Bastion | Levi's

The Black Friday sale drops this pair of dark rinse jeans down to only $32, and free shipping is always a huge plus in my book. I actually just bought this same pair at a Nordstrom Rack sale and this price is even better than the steal that I found (and FYI, the jeans look and feel fantastic).


And on that note, my folks are calling my name for pie and to light the Menorah (in my wonderful multi-cultural home we are loving our Thankschristmukkah celebration while we are together) and dig into some pumpkin pie now that I've started to digest the T-day feast. Good luck shopping tomorrow, be sure to share any deals you find in the comments below!


UPDATES AS PROMISED:
A few more sales I've come across through the day:

Jack Spade: Up to 75% Off - These guys make some of the best outerwear and bags in the game.
Club Monaco: Extra 30% Off Sale Items + Free Shipping (code THANKS30) - Tons of good finds here, but I've especially had my eye on their sweaters.
Esquire: $5 Subscription Special - Always some good reading material.
Gap: 50% Off Sitewide (code BLKFRIDAY) - Again, lots to choose from, but I usually go for their slim Chinos.
J.Crew: 30% Off Sitewide (code HOLIDAY) - Can't go wrong with the Crew.
J.Crew Factory: 50% Off Sitewide (prices as marked) - if J.Crew itself is a bit rich for your blood.
Original Penguin: 40% Off + Free Shipping (code OPTHANKS40) - OP can be a little hit or miss, style-wise, but when they are on, boy are they on.
Florsheim: 20% Off Sitewide - Some solid shoes, I'm a big fan of their wingtip brogues, and the Gaffney boots look like they'd look great with some dark jeans and a blazer.
Pact: 30% Off Sitewide, up to 60% Off Sale Items, + Free Shipping (prices as marked) -  I love these socks, and my girlfriend does too. I'll definitely be gifting a few pairs of these this year.