Seeking Suede

Didn't have much time to put together anything lengthy this week, but wanted to take a quick look at one of my (recurring) obsessions: suede footwear. To me, suede is a kinda funky deal, in that it feels ridiculously seasonal during two opposite seasons: late spring and late fall. As spring starts to turn to summer, there's something about, say, a pair of off-white suede bucs that's perfect for the rising heat. Come fall, with winter right around the corner, the warm nap of a pair of chocolate suede chukkas is just as perfectly appropriate. And somehow, tan suede loafers fit the bill pretty much year round.

Anyway, the point is, I'm on the hunt for suede in a wide variety of footwear applications. Here's a roundup of some of my favorites right now:

Suede Sneakers:

Pennant Pack 574 | New Balance - $79.99

The most casual of the lot, I've been loving vintage-y running shoes. I have a few pairs without, but the pairs that do have suede are by far my favorite this season. I just picked up this pair of New Balance's the other week - not only is the style on point, at $80 it wasn't a bank-breaking buy.


Suede Loafers:

Unlined Penny Loafer in Snuff Suede | Alden - $512

Stepping up the formality a bit, but still very do-able as a casual shoe, I love a nice tan suede penny loafer. I don't yet have my own, but I know exactly what I want in a pair, and it's essentially a loafer version of these boots I picked up from Polo Ralph Lauren last year. The above pair is by Alden, and would definitely fit the bill, but I'd love to find something with a similar shape and color that didn't cost an arm and a leg. Any suggestions?

Suede Chukkas:

Men's Field Chukka | Brooks Brothers - $298

Just as versatile as a penny loafer, a chukka can be dressed up or dressed down as you will, especially with a sharper pick like this pair Brooks Brothers. While significantly more expensive than a similar pair of Clark's (almost $300 compared to $130), the sleeker profile makes these far more appropriate with dressy clothing and suits. At the same time, they remain just as easy to pull off with a sharp pair of denim. And that warm, hot-chocolate-brown is as good as it gets as the temps continue to dip.

Suede Bomber:

Balderton Bomber | Bonobos - $695

Of course, suede isn't only used in footwear. In my opinion, the best alternative application of suede has got to be a nice suede bomber. It takes a more sporty style and adds a level of elegance that is just...next level, I guess! Of course, like any leather jacket, you won't find these puppies for cheap, but I'm a big fan of the jacket we offer at Bonobos - full disclosure, I do work there, but I'd recommend their iteration anyway! Keep your eye out for a promotion and you might be able to knock the price down to a bit more affordable point.

I'll end with a quick cautionary note: as perfect as suede feels for the fall, you've gotta be careful as we start encountering inclement weather. Personally, I think some suede looks fantastic all beaten up and worn out, but if you're trying to keep your suede fresh, snow and slush can be your worst enemy. Weatherproofing and diligent shoe care can help out immensely, but some days you'll just want to leave em at home.

A Few Rainy Spring Essentials

We had a bright sunny 50 degree day here in Chicago over the weekend, so I think we can finally say that spring is starting to set in.  Unfortunately, the upcoming weather is likely to not be quite so pleasant. Hopefully it will stay warm, but I'm ready to bet on a lot of rain and overcast skies in the next few weeks. As we get through these transitional days, here are a few essentials to help you stay dry and stylish:

Raincoat:
One of the first things you're going to need in order to maintain a sharp appearance is a waterproof (or at least water resistant) coat. Nothing puts a damper on a great outfit like, well, dampness. Plus, if you let a blazer get soaked in the raid, it will often rumple and bubble as it dries, and will never look the same again. Trends these days have made it perfectly acceptable (encouraged, actually) to wear even a bright parka-style jacket over your sharpest suit. Suit Supply just released this awesome raincoat, and if you have the budget for it, I'd look no further:

Yellow Rain Coat | Suit Supply

Sure, the yellow is bold and will draw attention, but true to form, Suit Supply made a piece of outerwear worth drawing attention to. The silhouette is trim, but built to fit over a suit, and the bright color is tempered by classic details and no wacky bells or whistles.

Understandably, a $300 rain coat is a bit steep for most, but J.Crew offers a surprisingly affordable alternative by Penfield. Added bonus: if the yellow is a bit much for you as well, this guy comes in a more neutral navy blue:

Penfield Gibson Jacket | J.Crew

Rain Boots and 'Drawer' Shoes:
Same lesson goes for your dress shoes. A sure way to kill a nice shine is to step in a few muddy puddles on your morning commute. You can opt for overshoes from a company like SWIMS, but they tend to be as expensive as a pair of shoes on their own. Personally, I just go for another pair of shoes. These Bean boots have been my go-to in the winter snow, and I was smart enough to get the unlined, uninsulated version, so I just use lighter socks and they're perfect for spring rain as well:

Men's Bean Boots | L.L. Bean

I love the northeastern, rugged prep style of Bean boots, but some guys will find them a little too rustic and outdoorsy. Hunter, along with their classic 'Wellies', offers a biker-inspired rain boot that is much more city-oriented:

Men's Shoreditch Moto Boot | Hunter

Of course, either of those options are fine for the commute, but you can't be wearing them with your suit or trousers during a day in the office. That's why I always keep a pair of shoes tucked in a desk drawer (hence, drawer shoes) to swap out after I get to work. The trick is to opt for something as versatile as possible. I usually stick with a pair of burgundy Weejuns loafers by G.H. Bass. They are dressy enough for dress trousers and chinos, but will still fit the bill with a pair of jeans on a casual Friday:

Larson Weejuns | G.H. Bass

Even better, the reddish hue is one of the leathers that (in my opinion, at least), is OK to wear with both brown and black belts alike. Again, versatility is the name of the game, and these keep all my bases covered.

If you don't have a shoe-shine in your office building, just bring these home over the weekends for a quick shine, and you'll be good to go.


Something Bright!
I'm looking at the 10-day forecast for Chicago right now, and the cheeriest day in the lineup is a lonely 'partly sunny' a week away that will probably turn into rain before it even comes. It's easy to get stuck in the greys of early spring, so I like to remind myself that all this rain is just a precursor to bright, sunny weather to come by rocking something bright every so often. If you're feeling truly bold, a pair of go-to-hell pants is just the trick. Chinos from Bonobos can be a bit pricey, but there are always some brighter colors to be found at a great price in their sale section. Right now I found these in what they call a dark teal:

Everglade Chinos | Bonobos

Like I said, this is not the subtlest of moves, but you can temper the look by grounding it with neutral colors up top (like a white shirt and navy tie).

One step down on the boldness-scale would be a brightly patterned shirt. I love this orange gingham from Banana Republic:

Tailored Slim-Fit Non-Iron Gingham Shirt | Banana Republic

Gingham is a great spring pattern to begin with, and I like it because the white checks kind of mute the bright orange, as opposed to something in solid orange. Again, you can tone down the boldness with some neutral slacks (grey or tan would work well), or covering up the color a bit with a blazer or cardigan.

Finally, for a much more subtle injection of color, rock a bright accessory, like some striped socks, a patterned pocket square, or a colorful tie. This time of year, you'll be able to find these things at pretty much any menswear store. Personally, I've had my eye on the knit ties at the Knottery for some time now, and they have some great spring colors available:

Solid Silk Knit Tie | The Knottery

I'm a big navy blue guy, with most of my neckwear being somehow grounded in that color. This brighter blue will play just as nicely with most of my wardrobe, but will add some seasonal punch.

How do you handle the rainy weather of early spring? Tell us in the comments!

New Year's Eve Style Featuring G.H. Bass Weejuns

Just a quick one for you all this New Year's Eve. G.H. Bass was kind enough to send me a festive pair of Mapache Weejuns as a gift to style for the holiday. I was going to dress em' up, wear em' out, and post my outfit but a) we have a winter storm coming here in Chicago that might limit photo shoot options, and b) I wanted to give you some inspiration in time to dress up yourselves. So, voila, here's my 'fit broken down to it's elements, and look out for in-action pictures on Instagram tonight, or on the blog later this week!

The Shoes:

G.H. Bass's Weejuns are the epitome of classic prep. While loafers had been around for a while, when G.H. Bass starting producing their signature Weejuns in 1934, they added the strip of leather across the vamp, and penny loafers were born. This particular pair eschews the standard polished brown or black leather in favor of a rusty red that is festive and fun without being in-your-face or tacky. As you all know, I'm a big fan of doing something special for a holiday, spicing things up a bit, and these are a perfect instrument to do so. Still, the color is subdued enough that I'll be using these to inject some color into my looks throughout the year, holiday's be damned. 

The Rest of the Outfit(s)

I'm actually rocking two different outfits through the day today, mainly because I have some down-time between work and festivities and didn't want to be dressed to the nines all day. For the few annoying hours I have to be mentally present at work this morning, I donned something a bit more casual, but still sharp and festive:

Dark Blue Jeans by Levi's

Crimson Shawl-Neck Sweater by Frank and Oak

White OCDB by Uniqlo

Grey Socks via Nordstrom

The red sweater matches great with the shoes with a similar dark, rusty shade. I tend to avoid items that are too 'matchy,' but the variety in texture between the wool and leather, along with the spacial distance, broken up by the dark blue jeans, allows these reds to play off each other nicely. Since the red shoes (and sweater) are a bit bolder of a look, I kept the rest simple with dark jeans, a white shirt, and neutral socks. A little color goes a long way.

Now, of course when I go out for New Year's Eve debauchery, I'll be dressing things up just a bit more. I'm making a few new moves this year, first with the colorful shoes, but also by rocking my very first bow-tie. I'm not sure it's 'my look' on a day-to-day basis, but it's another fun and classy way to spice things up for the holiday.

Grey Chinos by Dockers

White Custom Shirt by Modern Tailor

Black Belt by Everlane

Bow-Tie by The Tie Bar

Custom Made-To-Measure Blazer by Tailor4Less

This look is very similar to my Holiday Concert Outfit featured earlier this month, with some key changes. First, the grey chinos add some class (instead of denim) to the outfit. I especially love this pair for the occasion because they look snazzy but feel tough, and will be able to hold up as I hop in and out of cabs, dance to Pickwick, and pick up all sorts of salt and snowy sludge as I trek through the city. The custom shirt in a luxurious twill from Modern Tailor steps things up from the OCBD I wore earlier, and like I said, the bow-tie is the icing on the cake (if I can ever get it tied).

How about you? Feel free to share your NYE outfit picks in the comments below, or shoot me an e-mail at wideeyestightwallets@gmail.com! Have a fun, safe New Year's Eve and here's to another incredible year in 2014!

WIWT - 6/4/2013 - Classic summer prep on a cooler summer day.

The weather here in Chicago has been so wacky lately that it's been really hard to dress seasonally. It seems to always be either hot and rainy, or cool and sunny. Today fell into the latter category...the gorgeous sunshine and clear blue sky have me thinking summer, but the temperature would be more in place in March or April. Today I really stepped up to the challenge and embraced the cheery look of the day while keeping myself warm enough for the unusually cool breeze.

The biggest thing I did here was combine very light colors with my pants and shirt. In general, this is reserved for warmer summer days. I actually just read an article today in which the creative director and CEO of Grenson  shoes decreed, as a Style Rule, that men should never wear a light shirt with light pants unless the temperature is 85 degrees of higher (or something like that). Personally, I don't really adhere to the strict temperature requirement, but I do like to hold these combinations off for brighter days (it looks pretty out of place in the winter or on a dreary, rainy day). However, instead of reaching for my lightweight shirts, I stuck with a heavier OCBD from Frank and Oak. Boom, perfect balance between form and function. I also went with a lighter brown belt to add to the brighter motif, and the pants are a very light khaki chino from J Crew.

Down to the shoes, instead of going sockless in my boat shoes or tan loafers (which I've been loving to do when the weather permits), I went with my darker Tod's loafers. They aren't too chunky, so they don't clash with the more summery vibe, but they are a little sturdier and, more importantly, fit best with thicker socks. Once again, an item I wouldn't normally be incorporating into a 'summer' outfit, but that works perfectly in this situation.

I topped it all off with my lightweight Uniqlo blazer. I probably could have gotten away with wearing a wool jacket, but it's not cold here, per se, just a bit chilly in the shade and when the lakefront breeze kicks up.

The lighter cotton/linen blazer is plenty as an just an extra layer throughout the day, and with the unstructured design is a little less bulky to be throwing on and off as the temperatures fluctuate throughout the day.

As a whole, this outfit combination is a great example of classic prep. The light khakis, OCBD, blue blazer, and brown loafers all fit the bill perfectly. I kept the accessories simple too, with a thin brown belt, brown watch, and plain white pocket square. Pretty much my only break from traditional prep is in the knit tie, but this tie has become a favorite of mine for just how versatile it is, and it goes great with this look as well.

Long story short, it's important to consider both style and functionality when dressing for the day. As tempting as it was to wake up and go all-out summer with my attire, it would have left me uncomfortable and chilly, and honestly would probably have kept me inside most of the day. Instead, with a few quick substitutions I managed to stay fly and warm. But really, Chicago, where is summer?

The Details:
Cotton/Linen Blazer by Uniqlo
OCBD by Frank and Oak
Tie and Tie Clip by The Tie Bar
Belt by Levi's
Chinos and Socks by J.Crew Factory
Shoes by Tod's (via eBay)

Summer Shoes and Impulse Shopping

My lovely girlfriend needed to go shopping for some shoes this weekend (our little rascal of a pup keeps chewing hers. Not mine, just hers...not that I'm complaining but I think he's trying to get me in trouble). She wanted me to come along, and it was a gorgeous day for some street-shopping through Chicago's Lakeview 'hood that we call home, so I graciously obliged. Of course, I couldn't not buy something for myself as well, so this lucky guy came home with another solid pair of summer shoes (as well as the first pair of brand new shoes I've bought in about a year).

I rolled out planning to grab some boat shoes that I've had my eye on for quite some time. I had just talked my girlfriend into looking for some for herself, and I was pretty excited to add some Sperry Topsiders to my collection. We bounced back and forth between a few stores, checking out sales and trying stuff off, and I was struggling to decide between a few styles when these grey, boat-shoe-styled tassel loafers caught my eye. Up til now I've been pretty resistant to the tasseled look (I've even posted on some blogs to make this point), but these just looked suave. I showed them to Christine, kind of expecting her to shoot them down (she tends to hold me back from making too fashion-forward of purchases), but when I tried them on she loved them too. We kept shopping for a while longer, but I found myself comparing everything else to that pair of shoes, so in the end I went with my gut and voila: my new summer slip-ons:

Not only am I really happy with these shoes themselves (super comfortable, in a neutral color that will go with anything, and a toned-down fashion statement in their own way), but I'm also kind of proud of myself for following my intuition and making a bit of a knee-jerk buy. I love men's style and I love shopping for new goods, but I'm the kind of guy that rationalizes and over-thinks every single purchase. For example, I've been shopping for a plain, brown leather belt for oh, two weeks now. Should be the simplest buy in the world, but I still currently have about 10 tabs of belt options open in my web browser at home. I tend to make good, well-informed purchases this way, but it takes some of the fun and excitement out of the whole thing, so it was great to come home with a new unexpected fashion toy.

On a final note, how much does it suck buying casual wear at the end of the day on a Sunday, knowing you won't get a chance to wear your new finds until the next weekend rolls around? Ugh, the woes of being a working man. Still working on winning that Powerball...

Longview Loafers by G.H. Bass in Nut (color sold out, available in Navy)

WIWT - 5/3/2013

Just throwing up a quick WIWT post today. It’s been a busy week at my day job (ugh, haha), and I’m working on some formatting improvements to the Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets web site, so be happy with what you get!



This outfit isn’t anything spectacular, but I had a few things I wanted to point out. Mainly I want to bring your attention to the cardigan I picked today. Cardigans are a great layering option to have on hand. Today was an especially chilly day in Chicago (46 degrees in May??? Come on now…) and it was a bit too cold for just a blazer. However, it still wasn’t cold enough to bust out any of my winter gear that I just FINALLY got to pack away. I picked this one up at Gap last fall…I don’t remember the exact price but it was under $30 on sale, and I wear it pretty damn often. This specific cardigan is a little more casual, as the fabric is pretty similar to a sweatshirt or hoodie, so I usually only bust it out on casual Fridays, but I have worn it with dressier looks and it’s held up pretty well even then. Today, it was just right to give me a little more insulation on the way to work, and will be easy to take off if I get too warm in the office.



Well, normally it would be easy to take off, which brings me to point numero dos. Another great use for a cardigan (or any layering option) is that it is a perfect cover-up for my laziness on a rainy Friday morning. I overslept a bit and had to cut my morning routine a little short today, which mean a pretty skimpy job ironing my dress shirt. Wrinkles are one of my biggest OCD pet peeves, and normally this wouldn’t do, but today I just threw on the cardigan and voila - no visible wrinkles! I took it a step further by not giving a damn about getting my tie to the correct length (OK, I was REALLY late, and the bus was about to pull up), and no one is the wiser.



Third, I know this pair of jeans has popped up in pretty much all of my WIWT posts. At first I was about to veto the WIWT post today for that very reason, but I got to thinking that it’s actually a really good point to make. Jeans are one of those items that are really worth finding a pair you love, because you can wear it all the time, with everything.



Dark blue denim is one of the most versatile pieces of clothing out there…dress them up with a blazer for a night out on the town, throw them on with a T-shirt for some backyard grilling, or pop on the cardigan and tie for a day in the office, like I did today.

A few final notes: Still loving the FormFunctionForm watch my girlfriend got me for my birthday…I just need to get a black strap as well so I can wear it with my black shoes/belt combo.



Also, I mentioned these Tod’s loafers I’m wearing in a previous post. They were a steal off of eBay ($50 for a $300-ish pair of shoes), but are just a tad on the large side. I can wear them fine with thicker socks, but if I try them with thinner dress socks or barefoot they flop just a bit too much, so I took advantage of what will probably (hopefully) be one of the last cooler days before summer hits to wear these today.



And that’s all, folks! Have a great weekend, keep your eyes open for the aforementioned site changes, and keep it classy.

WIWT - 3/15/13

When given the freedom to dress without a dress code, my style of choice is a dressed up casual. Monday through Thursday my work requires strict business casual (no jeans), but even on casual Friday I like to keep myself looking sharp. Today I really wanted to rock these new Tod’s loafers I picked up on eBay about a week ago for a cool $50.

I’ve been looking for this exact shoe for weeks and finally found it - I wanted a slender brown penny loafer with a long vamp (the ‘tongue’ part of the shoe) as a short vamp looks slipper-ish and outdated. There are countless brown loafers on eBay, but most of them are pretty out of style with low vamps and either too round or too square of toes, or they are a different variation on the loafer (tassels or horsebits), which I am just generally less confident about wearing. Anyway, I was overjoyed when I saw these, which were exactly what I was looking for.

When they arrived, I was a little disappointed at first, not due to quality or condition, but because they fit just a little loose. I was hoping to be able to wear these sockless as it warms up, and these are just a tad too big to comfortably do so. My immediate reaction was to decide to re-sell them on eBay and hopefully turn a profit, but just today I slipped them on with a pair of thicker socks and they fit and looked great, so I’m holding onto them as a winter shoe and will look for something else to solve my warm-weather needs.

Along with the aforementioned socks ($15, thick cotton socks from J. Crew), I picked a pair of great Hurley jeans I snagged from Nordstrom Rack for a paltry $20. These jeans are dark enough to look dressy while still meeting the ‘casual’ requirement of a casual Friday outfit. The shirt and tie combo not only dresses things back up a bit, but also let me throw in a little kick of green since we had a small St. Patrick’s day party at work today and I wanted to look the part (more on dressing for St. Patrick’s day here).

In the final details, the tie bar hints at formality while the belt remains dressed-down, once again comfortably straddling the lines of formality.

To wrap it up, this whole outfit is about balancing casual and dressy in a way that works well together. I started dressy with loafers over sneakers, then brought it to the casual side with jeans instead of slacks. Shirt and tie ups the formality, while the wider, well-worn belt anchors the look with another touch of casual. Like I said, if I was given the choice, this is about what my daily wear would look like.

How do you define your style? In a world without dress code expectations, would you be dressing differently on a day-to-day basis?