Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 3/14/2014

Do I need to keep saying this? Haha: "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 this week's deals are:

MyHabit Flash Sales:
I'll be the first to admit that flash sale sites like MyHabit, HauteLook, and Gilt can be hit or miss. A lot of the selection tends to be kind of...wonky, for lack of a better word, return policies can be restrictive, and shipping times can be pretty delayed. That said, some of the best purchases I've made have been through these sites, and I consider them well worth keeping an eye on. MyHabit tends to be a favorite of mine, as they offer free shipping and process orders at a reasonable pace. I'm not sure if it's a standard return policy, but both of the sales listed below are returnable up to 14 days after recieving your order for a $3.99 return fee. Use my referral link and you might get hooked up with a discount (this policy tends to change back and forth, if I'm not mistaken). Here are my picks: 

Levi's Made & Crafted via MyHabit:
First up is Levi's Made & Crafted, one of Levi's premium lines that normally comes with an equally premium price point. The selection here isn't huge, but what they have is crazily affordable. While they are obviously known best for their jeans, my favorite piece is this long-sleeve Tee in a Breton stripe, knocked down from $125 to just $50:

Breton Long Sleeve Tee | Levi's Made & Crafted via MyHabit

The timing for this is actually pretty perfect, as The Style Blogger (one of my favorite menswear blogs), actually just featured a piece with a similar stripe in today's WIWT post (check out Towni here). As they mention, the pattern is perfect for spring, and I really like the red/white/blue colorway (plus, it'll be great for 4th of July). Also, you almost don't notice the pocket, which makes it the perfect kind of subtle detail that will set it apart. 

There is also a decent selection of trousers with similarly huge discounts, but alas, not much in the way of denim.


Gitman Brothers Vintage via MyHabit:
Next up is another high-end, highly desirable designer line, Gitman Brothers Vintage. These guys are known for their perfect shirts, which is exactly what they have to offer here. There's a smattering of stripes, checks, and gingham button-downs available, all in great spring colors - is it finally warming up where you are? I have my eye on this orange and white number, marked down to $70 from a whopping $175. 

Broad Cloth Graph Check Sport Shirt | Gitman Brothers Vintage via MyHabit

Sure, not cheap, but for what you get, it's a helluva deal. Again, perfect orange spring color, and the checked pattern will work casually as well as it will for a brighter office look.


Hugh & Crye Square-End Cotton Ties:
Not a sale, but a good deal nonetheless. Hugh & Crye is best known for their shirts, but they've been steadily building a whole line of great mens clothing and accessories. Ties have been offered for a while, but they just released a new line for the upcoming Spring/Summer season that's been getting a lot of great press (including from GQ), and for good reason. I like these things more and more each time I browse the collection - the patterns are kind of bold, and definitely visually interesting, but something about the colorways and scale keep them from being in-your-face. The best part, is each runs just $25, making them damn affordable. Here are my two favorites:

'Legend' 2" Square-End Tie in Black and White Mosaic Print | Hugh & Crye

'Nightfall' 2" Square-End Tie in Navy and White Dot Pattern | Hugh & Crye

Even if these are a bit too casual for the office, they'll look fantastic under a cotton or linen blazer for summer cocktail parties, nights on the town, you name it. 


Clearance and Spring Sale at Dockers:
Dockers has a big Spring Sale going on with a bunch of their chinos on a good discount. I make my picks from the slim-fit section, but they have all four of their fits available. Granted, I've only tried their Alpha collection, but these Field Khaki's look real nice too:

Field Khaki in Slim Fit | Dockers

The $35 price point, down from $58, is a real bargain. The color is super versatile, and the flap coin pocket is a nice touch (again, it's the details that set a piece apart).

What's really crazy though, is the deals they have on their Alpha Khakis in their standard sale section, which are running at an unbelievable $19.00 a pair. The colors are mainly pretty bright and bold, so if you're looking for some go-to-hell pants, or even just something with a nice kick to it for the spring season, look no further. I even found this pair in a light blue that's actually pretty subtle, and would look really sharp paired with a lightweight navy blazer:

Alpha Khaki in Slim Fit | Dockers

Buy a Tie, Get a Free Pocket Square at Peter Field (code FREESQUARE):
Full disclosure: I recently started working for these guys as their Director of PR. It's a really exciting opportunity, largely because I think they make some awesome products and I'm really excited to help them move forward and continue to grow. Right now, they offer a line of custom ties (no more struggling to get the right length), as well as an assortment of double-sided pocket squares. For a limited time, you'll get that pocket square free with the purchase of a tie:

Like I said, their products are top notch, plus they are 100% made in America (actually, hand-made right here in Chicago), with fully customizable lengths and widths. Check them out! If you have any questions, give Nick (founder) a call, one of the most friendly guys I know.

My Weaknesses - Socks and Ties

My computer is in the shop, which is the worst. Fortunately, my lovely girlfriend had her work laptop handy and let me jump on for a few minutes to throw a short post up.

I was doing laundry this weekend and was inspired to share my two wardrobe weaknesses, items that I have a zillion of, but will still buy in a heartbeat if something catches my eye: ties and socks.

Ties because they are the ultimate game-changer. Add one to a tie-less look and you automatically take your style level up a notch. On top of that, swap out the one you have for a completely new look, in a move that takes two minutes and zero laundry. I love knit ties, and The Knottery has some great ones (check out the polka dots) at very affordable prices. Also, I've recently started working with Peter Field here in Chicago (more on that later), and they have some really nice wool ties that are seasonally appropriate for this miserable winter weather!

Socks because they are comfortable and functional, but let you add this almost-secret dose of pizzazz to any outfit, no matter how formal or informal. You can take the simplest, monochromatic look and make it fun with a bright sock on the bottom. My tip for building a collection is to keep an eye on sales sections at retailers that offer free shipping. I've ammassed a respectable collection, rarely spending over $10 a pair. Nordstrom has a pair by Polo Ralph Lauren in a snazzy polka dot for around $9.00.

Hopefully my computer will be back in action soon, I have some larger features in  the works!

Suiting Patterns and Fall Ties

I've been all over topics relating to the changing seasons as the temperatures have been dropping, and here's another one for you. Along with the new season comes a lot of new trends, and there's one in particular that I've been pretty geeked out about. I'm seeing more and more designers and labels offering ties made from traditional suiting patterns. I'm sure this isn't an entirely new phenomenon, but something about these patterns goes perfectly hand in hand with wool ties. Wool ties go hand in hand with fall, so now ties with suiting patterns go hand in hand with fall (math, transitive property of equality and all that).

What do I mean by 'suiting patterns?' Quite simply, patterns that are traditionally reserved for suits. Easy 'nuff. My standout favorite as of late has been the glen plaid pattern. Plaid suits are all the rage this season, and the look lends itself just as sharply to a good wool tie. I recently scored this beauty from The Tie Bar and love wearing it under a flannel blazer. The brown foundation keeps it classic and classy, but the blue and orange lines give it some more visual depth and variety.

 

Fall Wool Plaid by The Tie Bar - $15

 

Another pattern I've been loving this year is hounds-tooth. It's such a great mixture of bold and subtle...the contrast between the light and dark abstract checks lends the perfect level of boldness while, once again, the traditional nature of the pattern never strays too far from a vibe that's pure refined elegance. Bold, but elegant. Perfect balance. Check out the Syderstone by Peter Field - definitely on my 'To-Buy' list:


The Syderstone by Peter Field - $65

 

 

WIWT - 10/15/2013 (Putting It All Into Practice)

Remember that lovely post last week about incorporating fall colors into your outfits? Through my work with some other style blogs and my own constant browsing of the menswear universe, I know that folks like to see these tips, rules and other advice actually put to action. With that goal, I picked out my 'casual Monday' (thank you, day-job, for making that a thing) outfit yesterday with my self-prescribed directions in mind.

Remember, we were focusing on two main colors: burgundy (or oxblood, or maroon, or whatever you want to call it), and dark (or forest, or hunter, or whatever you want to call it) green. Remember also that I discussed mixing these colors into your accessories, so that the clothes that you wear all year look like they were picked out just for that season.

Here was my endgame:

Neighbors had some killer Halloween decorations up.

Look familiar at all? It should, it's very close to this outfit, which I featured a few months ago as a spring outfit. And that's what I love about this method of dressing seasonally. Change just a few, inexpensive items and all of the sudden that spring/summer look fits perfectly into the fall/winter palette.

First, I swapped out the fun, polka dot tie from the spring for a burgundy knit tie. Not only is burgundy one of our fall colors, I also think knit ties fit the season incredible well, with a slightly more rustic look.

If you peek below, you'll see that I'm wearing burgundy socks as well. Normally, I don't like wearing completely matching items. However, socks get a bit of a pass, since you don't see them much. Even better, though, are the textural differences between the knit tie and the ribbed dress socks. Nowhere near the identical-tie-and-pocket-square matchy-matchy problems.

The spring post featured some Clarks chukkas as well, which would have been equally appropriate in the fall, but I stuck with my boat shoes because I wanted to illustrate their versatility as well. A lot of people only turn to them as a sockless option in the summer, but I think they look great year-round and fit the rugged/rustic look of this outfit perfectly (and show a little sock at the same time).

OK, so all good on the burgundy front. How about some green? I was happy to snag this camo pocket square from the Peter Field studio, and I think it balances the rich reds of the burgundy pieces with some more down-to-earth coloring. The camo trend is a highly disputed one, and one that I'm not 100% on, but I do like small touches of the pattern, as I mentioned last week. I think the pocket square is the perfect amount of camo...enough to be noticed but not enough to be gauche. You can pick one up for yourself over at the Peter Field website, or, if you're in Chicago, swing by the studio and meet Nick (founder) and maybe catch me there as well.

The shirt is a chambray number from Frank and Oak, and I see chambray as another great year-round fabric. This particular shirt is a little thicker, so once again it works really well for these color, between-season days. On top of that, the light green hit that mint motif that was so popular last spring, but still plays great with more earthy greens that are 'in' this fall.

The weather today probably would have allowed for a wool blazer, but I'm wearing the hell out of this cotton one while I still can (weather-wise, mainly, but I'm also noticing that it's starting to wear thin, which is what you get from a $60 blazer). I also think the camo square may have been a little too camouflaged in with a brown wool blazer, and this way it has a bit more visual pop to it.

Notice that the 'staples' of this outfit remained exactly the same across the two seasons. Of course, a nice pair of dark blue jeans looks good any time of year, but I think they lend themselves best to the in-between-times, before it's too hot for heavy denim in the summer or cold enough for thick flannels and tweeds in the winter. Easy choice.

Has anyone taken my advice from last week and worked these colors into their own outfits? I'd love to hear about it, or see some pictures! Share in the comments below, or shoot me an e-mail at WideEyesTightWallets@gmail.com.

The Details:
Cotton/Linen Blazer by Uniqlo
Chambray Shirt by Frank and Oak
Silk Knit Tie by The Tie Bar
Tie Bar by The Tie Bar
Pocket Square by Peter Field
Jeans by Hurley (via Nordstrom)
Socks by Frank and Oak
Shoes by Sperry (via Mr. Porter)

eBay Risks (a.k.a. Who Wants To Buy These Shoes?)

Welp, this one's going to be a quickie, it's been a super busy week for me. You folks may have seen my feature on Effortless Gent, and I've been continuing to do some work helping Barron out. He's launching his Cladright program soon and I encourage you all to check it out. Barron's a great source of information and inspiration, and I'm really excited to see how Cladright develops. Learn more about Cladright here, and be sure to read up at Effortless Gent as well.

I've also had the pleasure of joining the team at Peter Field, a menswear startup here in Chicago. I'll be sharing more information on Peter Field soon, but in the meantime, check out the website and the current collection of awesome custom ties (sourced and handmade in the good old U.S. of A. That's right, responsible business practices). Check me out in a Peter Field tie here, no joke, they rock, and there's lots more to come. My recommendation is to snag a wool tie in time to be seasonally fashionable as fall finally sets in.

OK, on to the meat of this post. I laud the glories of shopping eBay for shoes all the time, and have plenty examples of incredible finds that have worked out impressively well for me. However, all of those happy endings should come with the disclaimer that, while often rewarding, shopping on eBay is always at least a bit of a gamble. Case in point: I have a navy suit on the way from Dragon Inside, and really wanted a pair of oxblood dress shoes to wear with it. After a couple days of scouring eBay, I found a hella-nice looking pair of Johnston & Murphy cap-toes with a Buy-It-Now price just below $40, shipping included.

Apologies for the poor lighting.

Lately, I've had a few pairs of 10D shoes that felt a bit wide, and these puppies came in 10B (narrow), so I hoped they'd be spot on. Woops.

Five days later, my feet were killing me as I tried to go a day squeezed into these shoes. The fact that the shoes themselves were in damn fine condition, and exactly the style I wanted, just made them hurt that much more. Sad face. The moral of the story here, however, is not to scare you away from eBay. It's just a reminder to shop smart. While these shoes aren't going to work out for me, and I can't return them, I didn't save up or spend a paycheck to get them. Worst case, I'm out $40. Even better, I bought a popular brand and a popular style that I knew I could sell back if I needed to, which is exactly what I'm going to do.

You can look for these on eBay in about a week, but I'll give you all the chance to scoop them up without getting in a bidding war. Like I said, size 10 B, and definitely narrow, but in damn good shape. They retail for $175 (see them new here) and look like they've only been worn for about a week. Interested? Shoot me an e-mail, I'll part with these for just $30, including shipping. No bites in a week and they'll go up on eBay. See more pictures below:

Uppers in great condition, minor creasing, no scuffs or blemishes.

Minor wear to soles and heels, still have lots of life.

Inners in pretty perfect condition. From the Johnston & Murphy Optima line.

Size 10 B (narrow).

Sayonara!