Time to suit up, gents! Well, at least try not to look like a total scrub. Here are all the tips and insights that helped me make the same effort while supporting myself in this substandard economy.
Alrighty folks, it's that time of the week. I'm gonna keep it pretty short this week, got company coming in and our apartment is a bit of a mess, so I gotta wrap this up and get to work! So here we go:
"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!" Semi-Annual Sale at Mr. Porter: This is one of the most highly anticipated sale events in the menswear world. Mr. Porter carries, like, exclusively cool stuff, but most of it is very high end and very expensive, so their semi-annual sales are sometimes the only chance for us budget-conscious shoppers to grab some of their dapper duds. Right now, discounts are up to 50%, but later in the sale you'll see them jump to 60% and even 70%, so expect to see us revisit this. This week, take a look through the J.Crew selection, which even at the lower discount becomes pretty damn affordable. Among the standouts to me was this madras-y popover:
This hits all the right notes for a perfect casual summer shirt, plus, J.Crew's popover selection is kinda new and therefore often excluded from sales (and rarely in the clearance section), so the discounted price of $45 is hard to beat. Also gotta point out this Ludlow suit in a beautiful glen plaid, which is a perfect follow up to our recent 'Know Your Pattern' feature. At full price, the suit will run you a hefty $678, but the sale has it down to $339 for both the jacket and pants:
Ludlow suits are a go-to these days for gents liking a more modern, slim cut, but eager to avoid the chopped-jacket trend. I love the rich brown of this color, and while it might be a bit heavy for summer, it will look fantastic come fall. The link above will take you to the jacket, and you can find the matching pants here. Just a few links to some other products I'm digging: A nice casual cotton crewneck pullover that will be a perfect layering option for cooler summer evenings - $42.50 (originally $85) A fair-isle patterned wool sweater that I was hunting for this winter, but never found at an affordable price - now just $60 (originally $120) In a quick look beyond J.Crew, this Levi's Vintage T-shirt - sure, it's not cheap at $45 (down from $90), but I'm really liking the 50's retro feel, might be worth the extra dough. Again, we'll be revisiting this sale in the future, so keep an eye out! Extra 15% off at Kohl's: Honestly, I've never shopped at Kohl's before, and never really considered it. However, my girlfriend has been working with them at her marketing firm and recommended I take a look - I was pleasantly surprised to see some nicely discounted Levi's and Dockers, which are two of my go-to's for jeans and khakis. I'm thinking about picking up this pair of Docker's (I believe they are Alpha Khakis - Kohl's has them listed as 'Slim Tapered Modern Khaki Pants' but they sure as heck look like the Alphas, and the 'Slim Tapered' fitting is consistent with the Alphas as well:
They have a bunch of classic neutral colors, which are actually sometimes kinda hard to find. I'm particularly drawn to this 'Ink' color, which has a subtle grey tint to a darker blue, and clocks in at just $35 (originally $58). Effortless Gent Giveaway: This last one is just straight up a steal, haha. I've mentioned before that I'm lucky to get to do some work helping Barron with Effortless Gent and his other project, Cladright, so I'm happy to spread the word about a killer giveaway he's running. Through Wednesday, June 11th, you can enter to win a pretty damn good-looking pair of loafers from up-and-comers Paul Evans:
Even better, if you win, you get to take your pick of the four colors (my favorites are the tan fellas on the right). Head over to the site for information on how to enter! Have a great weekend!
Every so often, I get pitch letters from PR agencies sharing the latest news from whichever brand. Since I try to stick to practical advice and reviews here on the blog, rather than sharing upcoming news that every menswear blogger is getting, I usually read these with some amusement and file them away. However, the most recent letter, sent on behalf of Southern trad clothiers, Haspel, caught me eye.
Apparently, 'National Seersucker Day' used to be a thing - centered on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., but shared by menswear enthusiasts across the country, the day is a celebration of 'a simpler time when there was more charm and playfulness in Washington Attire.' During the recession, the tradition was ditched (I guess the D.C. vibe just wasn't so charming and playful as our economy tanked), but this year, they're bringing it back.
The day comes on June 11th, so you have plenty of time to stock up on some of the summer fabric. To help you out, we've picked out a few of our favorite options currently available across the web.
First, though, what is seersucker? Until I really became interested in style, it was a word I heard relatively often but really didn't know what it meant. Traditional seersucker is a cotton fabric easily recognized by its light blue and white stripes, but the identity of the fabric goes beyond the pattern to the material itself. Seersucker is uniquely puckered along the lines of the stripes (and these days, you can find alternatives like seersucker gingham, which puckers with the checks, or solid navy seersucker which shares the puckered lines of traditional seersucker, but over a solid background). This kind-of-rumpled effect helps lend the classic southern look - similar to the wrinkles in linen, but also serves a practical purpose by keeping the fabric off of your skin, and therefore allowing better airflow to keep you cool in hot summer weather or southern climates.
A very dapper seersucker getup. Photo courtesy of Haspel
Seersucker can definitely be seen as a bit of a 'statement' fabric or pattern, bolder than your every-day neutrals. Depending on your own sartorial tenacity, you may embrace the southern-swag full-on, or might just be interested in sprucing up your summer duds with a dash of the fabric. Here are our recommendations, in order from the most subtle to the most bold:
A tie is easily the simplest way to pop some seersucker into your rotation, and you can find them practically anywhere this time of year. The Tie Bar has an absolutely fantastic-looking option for only $15:
One of the big risks with seersucker suits and trousers is that you may end up looking too summery and casual for the occasion, which is why I love a pair of seersucker shorts. Shorts are already pretty darn summery and casual, so pretty much any occasion that calls for a pair of shorts will be just fine to wear seersucker. I just got turned onto Jomers, who are selling made-in-NYC shorts for $35. Hot damn, on my shopping list for sure:
While not quite as widespread, seersucker shirts are a great way to stay cool in the summer heat. Plus, the look plays off of more year-round styles, like a striped oxford, or a Bengal-stripe dress shirt, which will keep the piece from standing out like a sore thumb. This number from J.Crew is a bit pricey at full retail, but wait for one of their many sales and snag it at a discount:
From there, things take a much bolder turn. If you aren't ready for a full seersucker suit, start off with the trousers. It's still a strong style move, but isn't quite was overwhelming as a full seersucker suit can be. Try these Thompson suit pants from J.Crew Factory, currently on sale at $88:
Of course, you can always say 'hell-with-it' and go all-out in your southern swag. In order to avoid a frumpy boozehound look (I guess that's the best way to describe it?), do your seersucker suit like any other suit - keep the profile slim, get that bad boy tailored, and rock it with confidence. While still probably not appropriate for a day at the office, a seersucker suit is a great choice for a summer wedding, a cocktail party, a day at the races, and numerous other warm-weather occasions. Here's the jacket to match the above pants (and the whole suit clocks in at around $225, not too shabby at all):
To bring things back to Haspel real quick, while I don't have any personal experience with the brand, they are well known as a staple of southern gent style, and this year are trying to bring some modernity and youth to their line (slimmer suits, brighter colors, you get the gist). Check them out, not only for some nice duds (although a bit expensive for my budget), but also for some upcoming #seersuckerday giveaways. Free stuff is always worth a look!
Who's got seersucker in their wardrobe? What's your favorite way to rock it?
Our product reviews have been pretty consistently the most popular posts on the blog, so I'm making an effort to bring more of them your way! Here's the first in a while, a review of the up-and-coming men's accessories brand, Wits + Beaux, who were kind enough to send us a few pairs of their snazzy socks. Along with a review of the goods, we are happy to finally announce our celebratory giveaway. Check the deets at the end of the post for instructions and get your chance to be the lucky reader!
The Brand:
Wits + Beaux is a NYC-based men's accessories brand founded by Kevin, Dan and Kent. These guys noticed that, for the most part, menswear brands were adding lines of accessories almost as an after-thought to their clothing lines. They wanted to take the challenge of making accessories their focal point, and started their journey with a line of socks. Socks aside (for a moment), the name, 'Wits + Beaux,' has an awesome story of its own. Apparently, 'Wits' and 'Beaux' were nicknames from the 1800's Regency-Era England. 'Wits' were thinkers, and 'Beaux' were the stylish trendsetters, and the apt combination is a name that is a "tip of [their] hats to this rich history of sophisticated and stylish gentlemen" (from WitsAndBeaux.com).
We just reviewed their socks, but Wits + Beaux is a new brand, and one of the great things about getting in with a new brand is looking forward to the good things to come. At this point, Wits + Beaux is working on some great new ideas. The one I'm probably most excited for is a tool on their site that allows you to design your own socks. Custom menswear is all the rage these days, but you don't really see many opportunities to really personalize what's going on under your shoes. I don't believe this option has fully rolled out yet, but it looks like they have some sort of 'beta' test program going on on their site. Definitely worth checking out.
Wits + Beaux is also currently funding new lines of goods via their latest Kickstarter. In their own words, "Socks were our first step in accessorizing your wardrobe each season." Now they are looking to expand to other accessory lines, including belts, pocket squares, bow-ties (ha, love that they call them Beaux-Ties) and watchbands. You can already order a few bow-ties and pocket squares, but if you pledge through the Kickstarter campaign you can get in line for the new lines, which are expected to start shipping sometime in September. My only beef so far is that the bow tie and pocket square selections match each other exactly, and hopefully you all know now that matching tie/square sets are only for sports commentators. That said, all of the options will go great on their own, so just don't wear them together and you're all set.
I especially like the 'Life's a Picnic' pocket square shown above (reversible pattern = two squares for the price of one = winner).
Of course, with socks the real test is a test of time, whether or not these bad boys will last. Since I just got my pairs a few days ago, I can't really attest to their durability yet, but on all other counts, these socks are great. The colors are pretty accurate to the pictures on the website (one of the downsides to online shopping can definitely be the possibility of incongruity between what you see online and what you get in person). The socks are comfortable as well, thin but not flimsy. There's an elastic band that gives a bit more support in the arch, and the socks are tall enough and just tight enough that they don't fall down through the day.
The "extra four inches in height" really make the difference.
No problems with these falling down throughout the day.
As far as the selection goes, I will say that all the options are bright. You aren't going to find any subtle patterns or classic staples here, but you will find some great options to put a punch of color into your outfits. This has it's pros and it's cons, as most things do.
The Cons: it's hard to match these socks with any bold patterns or colorful items you might already own. For example, I got this pair of blue and green striped socks ('The Hero'), hoping that I could use the blue to compliment one of the many blue-based shirts or ties that I own.
Unfortunately, the blue in the socks is so bright that it doesn't really play well with the mostly-navy or subdued light-blues that I own. There are also a lot of oranges and bright yellows, which you won't find much of in my existing wardrobe. I also gotta say, I find $20.00 a pair a bit pricey for socks. It's nothing ridiculous, but with the brand advocating themselves as an affordable option, this seems a bit of a stretch.
The Pros: Keep the rest of your outfit calm, and these socks are a fantastic way to add some pizzazz to an otherwise stolid look. For the businessman who can't wear a bold plaid shirt in the office, a bright pair of socks might be perfectly acceptable.
Adding said 'punch' to a slightly-drab-on-their-own combo of grey and black.
If you're keeping things simple with jeans and a white tee, flashing some color at your ankles can distinguish you from the rest of the crowd. Where I mentioned price in the cons, you can get these goods in a three-pack, which brings the price down to a more wallet-friendly $42.00 ($14.00/pair).
The Giveaway:
So here's the exciting news: A few weeks back we hit 500 followers on Twitter (woot woot), and to celebrate the milestone, we've been promising to host another giveaway. Wits + Beaux has been good enough to provide us with a code for a three-pack of socks of your choosing, and we are passing this gift on to one lucky reader! Each of the following will gain you one entry to the sweeps:
Tweet about this giveaway (just be sure to tag us in your tweet)
Leave a comment on this post (let us know what you think of the socks, share your favorite sock brand, just say "Hi," the choice is yours).
All entries must be submitted by 11:59 PM (CST) on Tuesday, August 27th. The winner will be announced and notified on Wednesday, August 28th.
The Fine Print:
**While the socks reviewed in this article were provided by Wits + Beaux, the opinions expressed are entirely my own and not biased in any way by my relationship with the brand.
**By entering our giveaway, you agree to the following terms and conditions listed in this Terms agreement
**No purchase or donations necessary to. Giveaway is open to legal residents of the United States 18 years and older. Void Where Prohibited.
**Odds of winning depend on total number of entries received during the giveaway period. The winner(s) of the giveaway will be chosen by Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets.
**Winners will be selected at random from the entries received via the entry methods described above.
**Entries will be accepted from the time of posting until 11:59 PM (CST), 8/27/13. Winners will be notified on or around 8/28/2013.
**Winners will have one week, until 1:59 PM (CST) 9/4/13, to claim their prize. If a price is unclaimed, another winner will be selected using the previously described methods.
**Duplicate entries will be removed and excessive duplicate entries will result in disqualification.
*Prizes are non-transferable. Federal, state and local taxes, if any, and any other costs or expenses related to acceptance and use of the prize not specified, are the sole responsibility of the winner.
**This giveaway is in NO way affiliated with or sponsored by Facebook, Twitter, Google or any other website. It is sponsored by the participating blogs/websites/company’s. By entering, you release Facebook, Twitter, Google and any other webistes from any liability. You are providing information to WETW and/or other participating blogs/company’s/websites and not to Facebook, Twitter, Google or any other website.
Welp, we are back with a brand new review! Today’s subject is Tie Society, and is coordinated with Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets’ first ever promotional giveaway!
Brand Background: Have you heard of Netflix? I hope so, or you’ve been living under a rock. Well, Tie Society offers a very similar service adapted to provide neckties for the well-dressed gentleman instead of DVD’s. Founded by Zac Gittens and Otis Collins, the idea started as a simple tie-swap among friends and has developed into the next big thing in menswear subscription services. With three pricing tiers, you can opt to ‘borrow’ one, three, five, or ten items at a time, with subscriptions starting at a very affordable $10.95/month. After you build your ‘Closet’ (very similar to a Netflix ‘queue’) from their extensive collection featuring a variety of designers, widths, patterns, and materials, Tie Society will ship your first selection off to you. Whenever you have had enough of your current selection, you just ship it on back in their pre-paid packaging and they send you the next item on your list. I believe they started out just offering ties, but they’ve been diligently developing their service and now offer a variety of other accessories such as pocket squares, tie bars and cuff links. Their newest service allows you to sell your quality ties back to them to be entered into their ever-expanding rotation (and I’ve heard lots of rumors that they have big plans for the future).
What I’ve Bought: Obviously, I haven’t actually bought anything (although you do have the option of purchasing the ties for something like 40%-60$ off MSRP), but I have borrowed a wide variety of ties. As far as I know, there isn’t a list of your borrowing history, so I’m writing this completely off of memory, but some of my favorites have included the Bloom Minidot by Bear vs. Bull, which I actually just (very reluctantly) sent back this weekend. I also really liked the Raven Stripe by Laurant Bennet, and the Mosaic plaid ties are all awesome, although they run a bit long for my body type. My only disappointment really was one tie that was a silk/polyester blend. I hate polyester in ties, but honestly I just missed the inclusion of polyester in the description when I was ordering, so that one’s on me. Here are some of my past choices:
Quality: Every tie I’ve gotten has been of solid quality. While you can tell that some of them have been used and washed, nothing that I’ve recieved has looked ‘old’ or worn out to the point where I wouldn’t be proud wearing it. Like I mentioned before, I wasn’t real impressed with the one polyester blend tie I borrowed, but they had noted that in the description so I could really only blame myself. Additionally, these ties are made by very reputable designers and manufacturers. Most of these would run in the $75 range if bought new and are all very well made. When I buy ties, I usually spring for the $15 ties from TheTieBar.com, which I love, but you can really tell the difference in quality when you hold one of those ties up next to a Charles Tyrwhitt or Bruno Piatelli that dimples just right and hangs like a dream. So yep, I’m a fan of the quality.
Customer Service: I think this is where Tie Society really shows it’s worth. Their customer service is incredible. I’ve never not once gotten the wrong tie, and all my orders are processed quickly. Over the Christmas holiday, I had picked out a green knit tie to wear Christmas day and there was a shipping delay returning my previous tie. I was worried I wouldn’t get the green tie before we left for vacation, so I got ahold of the customer service team and they not only hustled the tie into the mail for me, they sent it to my vacation address just to make sure I’d have it for Christmas day. Even better is their ‘advice’ feature. They have dedicated an e-mail account to giving tie-related advice, and in this aspect they truly excel. The first time I wrote, I had just gotten a dark blue plaid shirt from Ben Sherman and was new to the tie game and unsure how to match with it, so I shot them an e-mail. I was expecting a quick “try grey, maybe something in wool” type of response, but Jake sent a fully personalized, page long e-mail. Not only did he give color and material pointers, he picked out a few example from their website and sent me links, telling me why he liked each one and how he would wear it. Even more surprising and appreciated was the fact that he also recommended a few ties that Tie Society didn’t even offer as kind of ‘templates’ for what to look for if I was out shopping for myself. Since then I’ve written to Jake countless times, he’s a great guy and gives solid (and friendly) advice every single time. Definitely take advantage of this feature, I think it’s part of what sets Tie Society apart.
What’s To Love: Personally, I think if you read ‘Netflix for Ties’ and don’t see what’s to love, you’ve got some issues. Really though, this is an incredible service for the young gent trying to expand and develop his personal style. It’s a great opportunity to be a little bolder with your tie selection than you might be comfortable with when making permanent purchases. Order something exciting! If it’s too much, your worst case scenario is to send it back and move on to the next one. Combine this with their ‘advice’ service and you have an incredibly stress-free method to stepping outside your personal fashion boundaries and exploring textures, colors and patterns that will help you stand out amongst your peers as a truly dapper dude. I also am a big fan of the fact that they call your selection your ‘Closet’ because ‘queue’ is an obnoxious word that always takes me ten tries before I get the spelling right.
What’s Not To Love: Honestly, not a lot to put here. It can be a pain to build an extensive closet only to have ties go out of availability before they reach the top of your queue, but if you’re patient it’s not too much of an issue. I’ve also just gotten in the habit of only having 5 or 6 things in my closet instead of picking out every single thing that I like. Every time I return a tie, I just add one more thing to the list, and that’s kept me pretty happy so far. My only other beef is really more of a beef with USPS, as sometimes it seems like the shipping takes forever. Really though, I notice this way more when I’m sending stuff back, and don’t think there’s anything Tie Society could do to make it any better, as they seem to be pretty on top of processing orders and getting the shipments out. I’m sure they could use a faster shipping service, but the price would probably come back to the customer and as of now they offer free shipping both ways, so I really can’t complain about their methods.
