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.

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 2/21/2014

The 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!"

And the steals:

End of Season Sale at J.Press/York Street:
J. Press and their younger brother, York Street, are both offering some awesome end of season deals...so many in fact that I'm having a crazy hard time trying to decide what to highlight (thus, I highly recommend checking out the whole selection on both sites). Honestly, there's a ton of great stuff, so I picked two items at the ends of the spectrum. First, from York Street (the slimmer fitting of the two), there is this fantastic looking navy overcoat in a highly desirable (read: soft and warm) blend of wool and cashmere: 

Classic Top-Coat | York Street

At $295, it's still an investment, but when you take a look at the original price of almost $1000, it's for sure a steal. Ignore the foolish pants this model is wearing...and damn if that coat doesn't hit all the right notes. Ticket pocket, three button closure, hits a bit above the knee, available in navy and grey...plus, since it's a York Street offering, it will fit slimmer than something from the standard J. Press line.

Which is the very reason I picked this classic-prep striped tie as my recommendation from J. Press. Obviously, since it's neckwear, you don't have to worry about losing the slim fit. Even without 'fit' to worry about, I thought this tie would run wide, but it's 2.75" at it's widest, which is actually my favorite tie size - not quite hipster-skinny, but still proportional for a slim guy.

Leeds University Tie | J. Press

This one hits the other end of the price-commitment spectrum at less than $20, but the original price of $70 hints at a much higher level of quality than other options in the $20 range. The pattern is super preppy, which I actually dig, and while the burgundy/dark green colors are maybe just a bit Christmas-y, they are also just generally seasonal.

Ok, ok, so there were so many great things that I had to include one more. I was just showing my girlfriend the Todd Snyder + Champion crew neck sweatshirts and telling her how much I was coming to like the chest pocket. Then I saw this one from York Street, and the more I consider it, I think I actually like this option even more: 

Vintage Reverse Sweatshirt | York Street

Originally, the York Street sweatshirt goes for $135, pretty close to the Todd Snyder price, but now it's on sale for only $34. That's just crazy. 


Free Shipping (and Clearance Section) at Levi's:
Levi's is currently offering free shipping, which is especially good news when combined with the fact that they have a ton of stuff already marked down to some awesome prices. For example, they have their iconic denim trucker jacket marked down from $88 by more than 50% to just $40:

Slim Fit Trucker Jacket | Levi's

This one is the dark blue rinse, but they have a few others as well. Offered in a slim fit, it will be a versatile and timeless addition to your wardrobe. Wear it as a light jacket in the spring and fall, and carry it into winter as a layering piece. 

These wool/cotton blend jeans aren't quite as good of a bargain, but I'm fascinated by the idea. Wool jeans? Well, at least partly wool? I've seen jeans with a minor percentage of silk before, but this takes things in the opposite direction. With this never-ending winter, making your jeans a tad bit warmer wouldn't hurt.

501 Original Fit in Wool Denim Rinse | Levi's

Like I said, not as crazy cheap as the trucker jacket, but still offered at a significant discount, down to $60 from $128 (again, over 50% off there, folks). In the classic 501 fit, which is always a popular choice.


Up to 50% Off Select Styles at Banana Republic:
Banana Republic is offering up to 50% off, and once again, they have just a ton of stuff on the list. Definitely worth browsing through, but I locked onto this dot-print button-down shirt because it'd be so great to stop thinking about winter and start looking forward to spring...sigh. If you step back (or look at the smaller picture), it looks solid, but up close it actually has a pretty bright, almost bold pattern.

Slim-Fit Soft-Wash Dot Print Button-Down | Banana Republic

The pattern itself will be perfect for a spring or summer casual option, but that solid-from-a-distance appearance keeps it from being in-your-face. Best part? At half off, it's barely over $30 (just $32.50).


Jack Spade Accessories at Gilt:
I love Jack Spade style, so I was excited to see them pop up on Gilt. I was kind of disappointed to see that the bags were still out of my price range, until I found this pair of cashmere gloves. Discounted down to only $45, which is cheap for gloves in general, let alone cashmere, I was expecting some sort of crappy, 5% cashmere blend. But no. Well, yes. It is a blend, but a whopping 92% cashmere???

Tommy Cashmere Gloves | Jack Spade via Gilt

At one-size-fits all, these are sure to have a bit of stretch, which means that the final-sale caveat shouldn't be too big of a risk.


New Arrivals at Spectre & Co.:
We reviewed Spectre & Co. last year, and I was a big fan of their dress shirts. I've kept in touch with founder Jeffrey Zhang since then, and he gave me a heads up on some new additions to the shop. As always, they're bringing everything at pretty spectacular prices, so we'll end this list of deals and steals with a few from them. One of the big areas they've branched into has been accessories, with scarves earlier in the year, and just this week the addition of belts. They have some in solid colors with contrast edging, but my favorite are these braided belts:

Dark Brown Braided Belt | Spectre & Co.

I've been on a big braided belt kick lately...funny, I always thought they were kinda dorky looking when I was a kid, but now I love them. While I have one that I got for next-to-nothing at the thrift shop, it's pretty beat up, and I'm definitely thinking of updating and upgrading to one of these, especially with the $50 price point.

Also, not necessarily a new offer, but recently re-stocked, I'm going to grab one of their white OCBDs. Like all of their standard shirts, this guy will only set me back $45:

Washed White Oxford Button-Down | Spectre & Co.

The white OCBD should be a staple in every man's closet, but I've recently found a renewed love for them. I find myself wearing my few multiple times a week, so I've come to decide that I can't have enough of them. Therefore, finding an affordable but high quality option is awesome. Soon, they'll be adding ties for $35, and I'm pumped to see what they've got.

A Note On The Struggles of Being a Budget Shopper

These days, it's damn hard to be a stylish gent on a budget, and it's getting even harder. This week came with the rough news that Bonobos will no longer be offering free shipping. As a company that isn't really cheap to begin with, I loved the fact that I could snag that one, on sale item (out of the hundreds that, while fantastic looking, are out of my price range) and get it to my house without shelling out extra bucks that would negate the 'deal'. Now that I have to factor in an additional $8.00 (also, $8??? Not even a slightly friendlier flat $5, like at J.Crew?), it's becoming pretty unlikely that I will ever buy direct from them (eBay continues to be a decent source of New or NWOT Bonobos pants). 

This comes on top of their recent decision to change their previously-awesome return policy. Couple that with a general feeling on the web that quality has gone down recently as well (maybe contributing to the much more limited return time), and it seems like Bonobos is falling in line with all of the other brands that come out as game-changers, only to change their own game to fit in with the rest of the retail crowd. 

Other bad news this time of year? Well, not quite bad news, but a disappointment at least, comes from J.Crew, who teased us all with promises of 'more friendly' pricing in 2014. Where budget-conscious shoppers like myself initially rejoiced, as J.Crew has been steadily raising their prices and have quickly been stepping into un-affordable territory, J.Crew quickly amended this statement. No lower prices :-( just clearer pricing policies? Better communication as to what you are paying for? Less convoluted sales structures? I honestly can't remember what the final outcome was, but it definitely meant no brand-wide price reductions.

Long story short (ok, it's already gotten kinda long above), the options are getting more and more limited. They are still out there, but it's getting harder and harder to find decent quality goods without doing major damage to your wallet. Sigh, such is the fight of the budget shopper.

Chime in here in the comments (we had a good discussion going last week, and I love to hear from you guys). Do you agree that times are getting tougher for budget-minded stylish gents? Have you seen other examples of this, at other brands or retailers? Do you have any hidden gems that still offer the good stuff at the good prices?

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 1/31/2014

Finally back on the grind with a working computer. Also home sick today, so I have some time to throw together a Deals and Steals!

Free Shipping at J.Crew Factory (Today Only, Code FREESHIP):
First off, J.Crew Factory is offering free shipping today (and today only, so jump on this fast). There aren't any other markdowns, but this is a great opportunity to snatch up some cheap accessories. I'll be grabbing this wool tie at just $15.

Wool Triple-Stripe Tie | J.Crew Factory

I've been a big fan of every J.Crew tie I've bought, and the clearance discount plus free shipping puts this one at a less-than-Tie-Bar price. Easy pick.

I also recommend picking up this card-holder/wallet. A slim wallet like this is a great chance to reduce your bulk and keep your silhouette trim. I have one myself, and the leather is nice and has aged well over time.

Leather Card Holder | J.Crew Factory

Again, the clearance markdown to just $15 makes this an easy buy on any budget. I'm a big fan of the classic brown, but they have a few other colors available as well.

BONUS: My girlfriend is a big fan of J.Crew (and factory) necklaces, and they've got a 40% off sale going on in their women's jewelry section. V-day is coming up....


Additional 40% Off Sale Items at Bonobos (Code TOASTY):
This one has been going on for a while, but now everything is knocked down to Final Sale. Stinks if you are unsure of your sizing, but this also means that the seasonal sale is probably on it's last legs and won't be around much longer. So, if you're thinking of grabbing something, now is the time! I'm a huge fan of the fit of Bonobos pants, and even with the Final Sale, you should be safe going with your regular size, in a slim-straight fit. Sizing is getting pretty limited, but luckily they have these maple brown cords in my size:

French Corders in Maple | Bonobos

I have yet to pick up a pair of cords this winter, and they are one of my favorite seasonal fabrics, so I'll most likely be jumping on this last chance, especially at the affordable price of $40.

It's also worth taking a look beyond the pants that Bonobos is known for. I bought a few of their sweaters lately and have been loving them (slim-fit in the merino wool and you can't go wrong). This time, I'm looking forward to spring and taking advantage of some super low prices on tees. I'm really digging this one in a nautical stripe:

Vintage Wash Tee | Bonobos

At under $10 with the discount, I'll probably grab one or two in classic white as well...it's a menswear wardrobe staple, and mine are getting a bit worn.


Additional 30% Off Sale Items at Original Penguin (Code OPSALE30):
I don't shop at Original Penguin too often, but everything I've gotten from them has been solid and stylish, and this sale has some good deals available. For one, I'm still on a huge warm-sweater kick as the weather stays nice and crappy here in Chicago. OP has a V-neck lambswool option for under $25 after the discount:

Hector Lambswool V-Neck Sweater | Original Penguin

Not much more to be said...that's a steal of a price and a darn cozy-looking sweater.

While you're at it, you can grab a sharp dress shirt to wear underneath. They have several options, but this windowpane is classy, and would be very versatile as well:

Windowpane Dress Shirt | Original Penguin

I don't have personal experience with Original Penguin dress shirts, and there isn't a fit description, but at $30, you should have a few bucks left over in case this needs a quick trip to the tailor.


Clearance Sale at Imogene + Willie:
Ever since Imogene + Willie was featured in an episode of Alternate Route (by the way, Esquire is killing it with their TV Network), I've been dying to get a pair of their jeans. Unfortunately, their super-premium denim is usually way out of my price range. However, there are some HUGE discounts in their sale section right now that have me tempted to whip out my credit card. For example, these black rigid straight-legs are sharp, and marked down to just $105 from an original $275.

Willie Black Rigid | Imogene + Willie

Everyone is all about their indigo blue jeans, but black can be just as versatile and sometimes even better-looking. I've been on the lookout for a pair, and might not be anymore.

The rest of the sale ain't cheap, but the discounts are still hard to beat. If you've been considering dropping some dough on a premium button-down, Gitman did a line for Imogene + Willie, and this dark blue shirt stands out in the shop:

Navy Gitman for IW | Imogene + Willie

Like I said, $80 for a shirt isn't a steal, but when you consider the original price of $165, it just might be a deal.


I'll leave you with a final recommendation: check out sales in person! I'm an online shopping addict and do most of my buying from the comfort of my couch, but you can catch some crazy good discounts in-person. Perfect example: I stopped in at Gap on a whim last week, walked out of the store with a pair of buttery-soft and cozy-warm moleskin Chinos for less than $10. I can't even find the damn things online, so there's no way I would have gotten a deal like that without actually walking into the store. Goes to show, it's worth getting off your ass every so often!