Updates - NOLA with Bonobos, 'Gift Guide', The Future, Effortless Gent, and More!

Wow, the past few weeks have been a crazy and exciting time at the new job with Bonobos. We've been gearing up for a big marketing shoot, and I jet off to New Orleans this week to help make it all go down. It's been an awesome experience, but has left me with very little time to tend to the blog! A few technical difficulties on top of that, and I'm a bit behind in my posting. Oops!

SO, although I don't have a full post ready to rock at this time, I figured I'd just drop in with some quick updates:

First on the list, we've never really jumped on the bandwagon of putting together a formal gift guide for y'all - and we still aren't really. BUT - we have added a 'Gifts' board to our always-growing Pinterest account. Anyone looking for some gifting inspiration should head over and take a look, there's some really nice things in there. Also, in the spirit of crowdsourcing, feel free to leave any gift suggestions in the comments, and if we dig em as much as you do, we'll ad them to the mix!

Also, always adding to our standard Pinterest boards, so click around, and maybe you'll spot something you like.

In other news, we hope you liked the article that Rickey wrote a few weeks back, as it sounds like he might become a regular contributor. Hopefully we'll be able to put up another post from him before the holidays, but if not, definitely keep an eye out in the new year.

On the subject of future posts, as we wrap up the year, I'd love to hear what you guys want to see coming from us. With more limited time, and therefore a more selective publishing schedule, I want to make sure we are putting out content that is helpful, entertaining, and informative for you! Sound off in the comments, or shoot me an e-mail. We do have a few things in the works, including some reviews that I'm excited about, as well as some more editorial pieces that we hope will spur some good discussions. Again, keep an eye out!

Last, just wanted to point you over to a new article on Effortless Gent - I've had the pleasure of working with Barron for just about a year now, and just helped him put together a follow-up to my previous review of Gagliardi sport coats. A few months ago, I got to check out one of their summer blazers, and they followed up with both of us this fall to style some of their more wintry products.

He and I each put together a look featuring a cozy wool blazer, and I think it turned out pretty awesome. Find the article here, and give a shout to Barron and I in the comments!

With that, I'm off to NOLA - I'll be doing my best to post some of the excitement on my personal Instagram, so follow along there!

Where To Shop This Black Friday

Easy answer: nowhere.

At least, nowhere in person. Black Friday is for crazy people, who don't give a damn about the workers who are forced to abandon their families on a holiday to stock the shelves, and really don't give a damn about the complete loss of dignity that is inherent to elbowing someone in the face just to grab that last big screen TV.

Instead, be a decent human bean and wait for Cyber Monday, at which point we give you free reign to shop 'til you drop from the comfort of your keyboard.

Meanwhile, enjoy some quality time with your friends, family, and loved ones. Maybe peruse some online Black Friday sales while you're at it (bonus: most companies these days aren't limiting their sales to just Black Friday itself, and instead offer week-long, or sometimes even month-long sales, just widening your shopping window).

To be honest, the pressure of both managing a budget and snagging all the great deals is a bit much for myself, so instead of going all-out, I just keep my eye on a few stores, and maybe have a few pieces in mind that I'd like to pick up.

This year, I'll be browsing the deals from Frank and Oak and Bonobos, keeping an eye out for some tasty sneakers from the likes of Adidas, New Balance and Nike, and hoping to find a nice pair of gloves from a department store like Nordstrom or Bloomingdales - but my priority is going to be quality time (and food) with my darling puggle and lovely girlfriend!

All that said, here's a list of some great online sales to check out over the next few days. I'll be doing my best to keep this updated, so check back for new additions, and let me know in the comments if I'm missing anything good!

2(X)IST: 30% off sitewide (Fri-Sun)
Alternative Apparel: 30% off $75 or more - code THANKFUL (through Sun)
American Eagle Outfitters: 40% off, free shipping (through Sun)
Bonobos: Up to 30% off (through Sun)
Brooks Brothers: 15% off sitewide (Fri & Sat)
Club Monaco: Up to 30% off (Fri-Mon)

Dockers: Up to 50% off (Thurs-Mon)
East Dane: Up to 25% off (through Mon)
Florsheim: 20% off sitewide - code TGIVING (through Fri)
Frank & Oak: Up to 50% off select items (through Sun) Get $25 credit when signing up with our referral link.

Gap: 50% off sitewide (Thurs-Fri)
Grayers: 25% off sitewide (through Mon)
Haberdash: 25% off sitewide (starting Fri, 8AM)
J.Crew: 30% off full-price styles, extra 40% off sale styles - code HOLIDAY (through Fri)
J.Crew Factory: 50% off sitewide, free shipping over $50 - code THANKS (through Sun)

Levi's: Up to 40% off (through Sun)

Mr. Porter: 30% off Fall/Winter items (through Mon)
NeedSupply: Extra 30% off sale items - code EXTRA30 (through Sun)
New Balance: 15% off sitewide, free shipping (Fri-Sun)
PACT: 40% off sitewide - code OHWHATFUN (through Mon)
Tie Society: $150 valued Holiday Pack for just $100

UPDATES:

Express: 50% off sitewide, free shipping
Frank and Oak: Extra 25% off discounted sweaters and sweatshirts - code EXTRAGRAVY25
Hickoree's: 30% off sitewide - code BLACKFRIDAY (through Sun)
The Knottery: 25% off sitewide - code GOBBLE (through Mon)
Modern Tailor: Up to 45% off select fabrics - enter code BLACK7 in upper right corner to view savings (through 12/4)
Nordstrom: Up to 40% off select styles
Original Penguin: 40% off sitewide, code OPSITE40 (through Sun)
Zara: 30% off sitewide

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! Go eat some Turkey!

Your Thanksgiving Cocktail

We're not ashamed at all to admit we're fans of alcohol - but not vodka-cranberries or Bud Light. No sirree, we stick to the classy stuff, as indicated by our previous posts on boozy Egg Nog and Old-Fashioned cocktails. This holiday, we're on to another classic (and delicious) winter beverage - the Hot Toddy.

Photo via Andrea Beaman

As you can guess from the name, this is a hot beverage, which is perfect for these cold temps that are hitting us in NYC just in time for Thanksgiving. Alongside good old hot cider with whiskey, a Hot Toddy is probably one of my favorite steamy drinks.

Half of the charm of a Hot Toddy lies in it's simplicity - at first glance, it's merely liquor and hot water. But, like many things menswear, it's the little touches that make the drink so comforting; the slight sweetness of the sugar cubes, the cinnamon that gives it such a comforting, spicy fragrance, the brightness lent by the lemons, even the traditional glass mugs that say cozy, but refined.

OK, I'll stop waxing poetic. Here's how you make one:

Ingredients:

• 2 sugar cubes
• 4 lemons
• 1 quart rye whiskey
• 2 quarts water
• cinnamon sticks

Instructions:
I like to follow the directions given by the folks at Esquire, who suggest starting off by rubbing the sugar cubes against the rinds of two of the lemons, infusing the sugar with the citrusy zest and oils. Next, squeeze the other two lemons and combine the juice with the 1 quart of whiskey (NOTE: big bonus here, you can substitute your favorite whiskey varietal, be it bourbon, scotch, etc., or opt for Jamaican rum or brandy for a sweeter flavor and a cocktail custom-made for your tastes). Combine this mixture with two quarts of boiling water. Serve in glass mugs and garnish each with a cinnamon stick and a clove-studded lemon slice if you're feeling fancy. Serve piping hot!

Obviously, this recipe is written for a large batch, perfect for a holiday get-together (don't try drinking this all on your lonesome). However, Esquire also kindly points out that you can make a single-serving: "Muddle a lemon-rubbed sugar cube in a double-shot of your favorite hooch, toss in a bit of broken-up cinnamon stick, and top off with boiling water to taste."

So have at it - don't drink too much - or do! After all, you hopefully have a few days off to nurse that hangover. Happy Thanksgiving, folks!

Get Your Eggnog Coat On!!

Ok, I'm gonna come right out and admit that this is a slack-off post, but I don't even feel bad about it because I'm curled up on the couch at my girlfriend's parents house and really enjoying my laziness, which is kinda what Christmas is all about, right? Sure!

Anyway, didn't wanna leave the blog hanging the whole week, so I'm at least giving you all a lil' sumpin sumpin for the holidays.

Esquire 'Nog

I've always loved eggnog, but will be the first to admit that sometimes that store-bought stuff can be a little sickly-sweet, even with a healthy dose of your preferred spirits. This year, over thanksgiving, we decided to make our own, and I'm really glad we did. The resulting beverage was much lighter and absolutely delicious, even with some tweaks we had to make due to missing ingredients (damn grocery stores, never open on the holidays...ok more like, damn my procrastination). I'll put it this way: no one in my family 'likes' eggnog, and our pitcher was gone in about 20 minutes.


We used this recipe from Esquire, which seems to be pretty standard to me. I actually first saw it in (I believe) the November magazine, which also mentioned some alcohol alternatives like sherry or tequila, which sounds weird as hell to me, but I love experimenting with food and beverages, so I'm going to have to try it out sometime. When we made this, we didn't have any rum or cognac, so we used Irish whiskey instead. It definitely lent to a sharper taste, as the rum does a lot to sweeten the nog, but it was still fantastic. Serve some up! And have a very merry Christmas!!

5 Menswear Staples To Be Thankful For This Holiday

This post was originally going to fall in the regular M-W-F schedule and go up tomorrow, but it's a great list of Thanksgiving gear and I wanted to get it to all of you in time to actually put it to use! Also, I'll be driving alllll day tomorrow (hopefully not through a snowstorm, but probably). 

This is a guest post from the brothers behind The Sharp Suit, Matthew and Steven McConnell.  They focus on helping guys express their personal style through their site’s blog and their menswear product, the wooden pocket square.  They would love to hear from you on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest; any feedback is always welcome! Keep an eye out for my own guest post up on their site in the upcoming month or so (I'll keep you updated). 

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving, eat lots of turkey, and try not to spill any on your fresh duds. Alright, over to Matthew and Steven:

You hear it every year – Thanksgiving is about spending time with family and enjoying great food.  While that’s certainly true, some guys might have other reasons they want their 2013 Thanksgiving to be memorable.  Perhaps it’s their first Turkey Day with the in-laws, or maybe they’ll be celebrating Friends-giving and want to impress that girl they know will be there, too.  Whatever the reason, The Sharp Suit understands and we want to help.  Below are 5 menswear staples that would be a stylish addition to any great Thanksgiving outfit.

The Sweater:

Sweaters are great Thanksgiving staples for 2 reasons: 1) they’re warm, and 2) they come in an unlimited variety of colors, patterns, and materials.  And you definitely don’t have to spend a fortune on something cashmere to keep warm and make a style statement.  A light zip-up adds style without making you too warm indoors, while a chunkier button-up works perfectly in colder climates.  Sweaters are extremely versatile and easy to pair with jeans, chinos, and even the next item on the list.  This V-neck merino wool sweater from J.Crew Factory comes in at $42.50.

Merino V-Neck Sweater | J.Crew Factory

The Corduroy:

Tired of wearing the same old jeans or khakis to Thanksgiving dinner?  Change up this year’s outfit by swapping in some corduroys.   The unique texture floats above the standard looks you’ll find in an ocean of jeans and chinos.  Available in a variety of autumn colors, some brands of these pants even have a slight stretch (which you’ll appreciate after an evening of devouring turkey and potatoes).  The straight fit cords from Gap are on sale for only $29.

1969 Five-Pocket Cord (Straight Fit) | Gap

The Boot:

Just like sweaters and corduroys, boots come in a seemingly unlimited variety of textures and colors, making them an easy addition to any outfit.  Some guys might prefer the chukka over a leather boot, but each option says the same thing: I know a little something about Thanksgiving style. These suede Michael Shannon chukkas from Off Broadway are a steal at $35.  Steven has been wearing these exact shoes this fall and they have easily become his go-to footwear choice (sorry, canvas sneakers).

Asheville Chukka | Michael Shannon via Off Broadway

If you wanted to customize your boots a bit, just swap out the standard laces for some fall-colored ones and show off just how sharply dressed you can be.  The Tie Bar has a great deal on colored laces at 5 pairs for $12. 

The Classic Collection (Shoelaces) | The Tie Bar

The Watch:

Sure, everyone nowadays carries a cell phone in their pocket.  So what’s the point of wearing a watch when your phone tells time?  Many guys simply wear a watch for the aesthetic benefits.  If you think a watch makes sense for your Thanksgiving outfit, look for something simple with a leather band.  The leather is definitely an autumn texture and will tie together all your holiday attire elements.  Although watches tend to be one of the more pricey elements of an outfit, this Timex watch is slightly more reasonable at $65.

Easy Reader | Timex via Nordstrom

The Socks:

Socks are the easiest way to add your personality to any outfit without being too showy or over the top.  A nice pop of color peeking out from under your boots is a great style touch.  Urban Outfitters has some socks that are both comfortable and durable for $8 each or 3 pairs for $20.  But the beautiful thing about socks is that they can be as crazy and fun as you want them to be.  Since they’re often covered by pant legs they won’t detract from your overall holiday attire.  But entertaining turkey or football-themed socks can go a long way towards showing off a little of your personal style.

Classic Nep Sock | Urban Outfitters

Granted, Thanksgiving is right around the corner so you might not be able to add all these elements to your wardrobe in time for Thursday.  However, we at The Sharp Suit (and Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets!) believe it’s important for every guy to discover his own personal style.  And we believe our humble suggestions above provide easy additions that any guy can include in a Thanksgiving outfit that will bring a little extra touch of style to their celebration of the holiday.

We hope that everyone has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Introducing Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets on Pinterest

Hopefully by now you are all following Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Just in time for the holidays, I'd like to introduce the Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets Pinterest account.

I've actually had this up and running for a while now, but keep forgetting to actually make it public. This is largely due to the fact that I'm not a huge Pinterest user. It's definitely one of those platforms I dove into for about a week and then forgot about. However, I do find it hugely useful in compiling shopping lists, or even better, holiday gift wishlists (hint hint, friends and fam).

Beyond that, my boards are really pretty self explanatory. I try to limit this to affordable pieces that I would buy myself, and even if some of the items are out of my current budget, they are at worst splurge-worthy, and never extravagant (save for the occasional drool-worthy shoe-porn pin). Use this as you please, for inspiration, for shopping ideas, for a better idea of my style, it's up to you. I'll do my best to keep it up-to-date, and if I'm posting anything wow-ing I'll go ahead and highlight it here on the blog as well!