Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 10/4/2014

Fall is continuing to roll in (as seasons tend to do), so we'll keep rounding up awesome deals on fall style. This week, we're focusing on sweaters and flannel, two of my favorite fall staples. Enjoy:


Frank and Oak Fall Sale (Up to 60% Off):
First, gotta suggest that everyone take a look at the new full-price October collection from Frank & Oak - a lot of great stuff, including their second endeavor into the world of footwear with some sneakers and slip-ons. I just got a pair of the black Park Leather Low Tops delivered today, and though I haven't gotten to wear them yet, I'm pretty impressed with how they look. Don't forget to use our referral link if you're a new customer, hook us both up with $25 free credit!

Anyway, as they released the new line this month, it looks like they transitioned from 'Summer Sale' to 'Fall Sale,' and appropriately have some nice fall duds at a good discount. To me, the sweaters are some of the real winners here, with picks like this patterned cotton sweater:

Patterned Cotton Sweater | Frank & Oak

True, the description does say spring, but the dark colors make this perfectly appropriate for the transition into colder seasons as well. Also, cotton sweaters won't be quite as warm as wool come winter. However, they can be easier to layer as you won't get as hot-and-sweaty once you're indoors and out of the cold, so we've picked out a few of em today. Normally $65, this one is knocked down to $45.

I also caught my eye on this color-blocked sweater in similarly fall-appropriate grey and blue, discounted to $50 from $75:

Textured Color Block Sweater | Frank & Oak

I've seen a lot of knitwear with the color-blocking, but this might be the first time I've seen a brand change the knitting pattern along with the color, and I think the result could be pretty cool (and definitely unique). This guy is a wool/acrylic blend, promising to be warmer than the cotton, but not quite as itchy or rough as 100% wool (sweaters are one of the few instances where I don't mind some percentage of artificial fibers).

Again, check out the entire the October collection, and rock the referral link if you're just now signing up:


Uniqlo Weekly Promotions and Other Markdowns:
This is one I'm personally really pumped about - lots of great fall style at discounted prices (plus, their impressive Pure Blue Japan collection is on sale). I'm planning on stopping into the SoHo store tomorrow to take a look in-person. Among the items I'll be checking out are their huge stock of flannels, already affordable at $30 each, but now available at a two-for $50 deal. I'm thinking of grabbing one in a blue and black check like this:

Flannel Check Long Sleeve Shirt | Uniqlo

I had a heavier winter coat in a very similar pattern that I used to love, so I'd rock this more as a shirt-jacket or light layering option. It's a great, pretty traditional flannel pattern, but not quite as lumber-jack-y as a red and black option would be.

Also pretty excited about this number in a brushed blue:

Flannel Check Long Sleeve Shirt | Uniqlo

Notice how much it looks like chambray? It's a pretty awesome way to translate the awesome versatility of a light chambray summer shirt into a winter option. Definitely dig the button-down collar too, especially for something I'd wear just as a shirt (rather than light outerwear like the above pick). It's also available in a dark grey, which looks kinda chambray-ish too, and a light grey that doesn't quite bring the same chambray vibe, but is still damn cozy looking.

Uniqlo is also a fantastic place to pick up some surprisingly inexpensive knitwear, like $90 cashmere sweaters, now discounted to an even-better $80. Sure, cheaper cashmere probably won't be quite as thick or warm, and also might wear out a bit quicker, but some of us want that unbeatable softness, without having to pay an arm and a leg. Lots of colors available, but my favorite is this dark burgundy wine:

Cashmere Crew Neck Sweater | Uniqlo

While on the topic of affordable cashmere, I also recommend checking out Everlane's stock of v-necks and crewnecks (scroll below the other fiber options), slightly more expensive at $120, but perhaps just a bit higher quality. I've heard great things!


Extra 30% Off Sale Items at J.Crew (code STYLETIME):
Yep, another of J.Crew's seemingly never-ending extra discounts on sale styles, this time around taking those sale prices down another 30%. Still a lot of summer clothing in that sale section, but also a good (and growing) number of cold-weather pieces. There's a ton in there, actually, so take advantage of the filters to make the selection a bit more manageable. I started off with sweaters, and this is by far my favorite:

Alpaca Shawl Sweater | J.Crew

Sure, even with the discount knocking the price down to $91 (originally $148), this fella ain't cheap, but that alpaca wool is some comfy, cozy stuff. Plus, I love the marled blue color, and you know my propensity for shawl-collars, so this one is a winner in my book.

I'm also feeling this ribbed cotton sweater in a rich, dark red (they're calling it 'Vintage Burgundy'):

Ribbed Cotton Sweater | J.Crew

I don't own a ton in red, but I have a sweater from Frank & Oak that I picked up last year in a similar color, and really enjoyed last winter - especially around holiday season. Again, it's cotton, not wool, so it won't be quite as insulating, but a bit easier to wear.

A few winners in the flannel shirting department as well, with brighter-than-usual colors like this pick in 'Nordic Sea Plaid' for $42 (originally $80):

Flannel Shirt in Nordic Sea Plaid | J.Crew

Where most flannel plaids come in darker, more muted colors, this is almost spring-timey, and could inject some fun color into a winter outfit.

If you want something in slightly more seasonal colors, my personal favorite is probably this blue/yellow/white check:

Flannel Shirt in Classic Herringbone Plaid | J.Crew

I love the color combination from the get-go, but the clincher is the subtle herringbone weave (hard to see in this pic, but much more apparent when you zoom in) that just sets this a step above a flat flannel fabric. This one also gets knocked down to $42 from $80 for almost 50% off when it's all said and done.


Alrighty, I got a way late start on this round, and it's getting laaaate so I'm wrapping it up. Share any good fall finds of your own in the comments!

Dapper Plaid - Putting It Into Practice

Earlier this week I wrote a post on how to wear plaid without looking sloppy, frumpy, or lumberjack-y. Over the weekend (after writing the post), I incorporated some flannel plaid into a sharp outfit myself, and took the opportunity to snap a few pictures so I could show my tips in action:

Nope, no decent pics of me looking at the camera. NO EYE CONTACT!

Let's take a look, one tip at a time:

First, I recommended dressing up your shirt. During the week, a blazer would be a perfect addition that would make your flannel office-appropriate, but we were headed out to the barcade (beer + old school arcade games = gold, pure gold), so I kept things a bit more casual, opting for a chunky cardigan instead of a jacket. The effect is similar though, allowing the hearty pattern of the shirt to come through but not dominate.

The cardigan is the cozy man's blazer...I made that up.

Next, I advocated dressing up your pants or trousers a bit as well. I actually encouraged choosing something other than jeans, but here I show how jeans can work. Like I said on Monday, just keep them dark and crisp, and by doing so you channel more city-casual than woodsy-careless.

Third, you can't really tell in the picture since I am wearing the cardigan buttoned-up, but I avoided the workwear look by sticking with a slimmer fitting shirt (this one happens to be from Frank and Oak). Even with the cardigan, picking a slim shirt is smart as it will reduce bunching as well as open up your options to unbutton or take off the sweater if things warm up.

Last, I told y'all to tuck it in, which I clearly did here! Along the same lines, just make sure the way you are wearing it is neat. Little touches like a clean 1/4 inch (or so) of cuff showing past the cardigan, and keeping the plaid collar points contained by the shawl collar help keep the whole look put-together and avoids any sense of sloppiness.

The rest of the pics (including a shot of my awesome new Polo Ralph Lauren boots...if you'll remember, I recommended these a while back, and I do listen to my own advice):

Also, gotta love $5 Target Boot Socks.

The Details:

Shirt - Frank and Oak

Cardigan - H&M

Jeans - Levi's

Socks - Mossimo Supply Co. for Target

Boots - Polo Ralph Lauren