Weekend Casual - Brand Spotlight & Review

It was crazy, right around when we decided to move to New York, I got flooded with review and collaboration requests. In the interests of keeping my sanity together (and making it back to the East Coast mentally and physically intact), I put a bunch of things on hold. Now that I’m settled in and waiting for my full-time job to kickstart, I finally have time to get back to these! First on the list is a new accessories brand, Weekend Casual, who were kind enough to send me some samples as an introduction to their products.

Brand Background:

As is tradition here on Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets, I’ll kick things off by letting the brand say a bit about themselves. This isn’t me being lazy, I swear! I just feel they can do a better job telling their story than I can. Kunal Parikh, the founder, had this to say:

"Our main idea is that you don't need to spend a million bucks to look like a million bucks - we want people to be able to utilize what they already own and change up their look by adding accents to their look. And at our prices, you can afford to keep changing your look and staying up to date with the latest styles and trends on a regular basis."

The 'About Us' section on their site goes into a bit more detail:

"Our goal at WC is to deliver to our customers a simple, attractive and streamlined outlet for men to keep their style updated and on trend, with collection of ever-changing accessories. Every WC customer can trust in the knowledge that our design house creates and manufactures our quality men's accessories in the finest facilities shared by such designers as Ted Baker, J Crew and more. We're here to bring you the most engaging and efficient shopping experience. High quality at affordable prices is all part of the program. Keeping it real is what we do best."

Head over to their site to learn more.

The Selection:

So what do they offer? At this point, it’s a pretty solid selection of all things menswear accessories. The focus is on ties, but from there they branch out into bow-ties, pocket squares, cufflinks, tie clips and pins, suspenders and socks. The selections themselves range from classic and conservative to modern and fun.

Classic and conservative...or modern and fun. Your choice.

In particular, they seem to really have a knack for the floral trend, but it will be interesting to see if this gets played down as we enter fall and winter (and what might replace it).

Floral, floral, and more floral!

I’m also personally a huge fan of their equal emphasis on knit ties - sometimes these companies with more selective offerings skip over knits, which are my absolute favorites, so it’s great to see them getting their due!

Ties, bow-ties, cufflinks, and suspenders clock in at $19 a piece, only nominally more than at The Tie Bar, while tie clips are actually cheaper at just $9.  Pre-tied bow-ties are knocked down to $17, pocket squares are $12, lapel pins are $9, and socks are $8. Big apologies if I got any of those mixed up!

What They Sent Me:

To introduce me to their duds, founder Kunal was kind enough to send me a variety of neck ties and pocket squares. I received four ties and two pocket squares:

The ties were the highlight, in my mind. My favorite was this 100% wool tie in blue and grey stripes. It’s incredibly versatile - even in a wool fabric, the texture is loose enough to be appropriate well into the warmer months:

Styled by yours truly. Check out that perfect dimple.

The blue and grey color scheme fits my blue-centric wardrobe perfectly, and the wide stripes are business appropriate, but preppy and bold enough to avoid being relegated to solely office-wear. I’m not seeing this exact one on their site at the moment, but it’s very similar to these other striped options (here and here), which are woven from a wool/silk blend (one of my favorite tie fabrics), and bound to be winners as well.

My second favorite was, predictably, their 'Modern Black' knit. Most of my knits now are from The Tie Bar - in comparison, this knit from Weekend Casual was a bit looser-woven and just a tad wider, which I enjoyed - slightly less hipster, but still slim enough for my own slimness:

Again, styled by yours truly. A solid knot, especially for a knit tie.

I also love that they went beyond the solid, flat black and added an almost heathered effect - it just punches up the visual depth enough to keep a classic from getting boring.

Now, I haven’t had a chance to wear much of the rest yet, but I’m looking forward to it. The khaki tweed tie is just a bit too hefty to rock until the temps dip a bit more, but once they do, I think it will be the perfect fall/winter fabric. It’s got a definite vintage-y feel to it, and I see it adding some perfect contrast to a spread-collar denim shirt:

Already loving the color contrast and the fabric pairing.

The other three samples (light blue floral tie, and blue and red floral pocket squares), do well to showcase the brands penchant for floral patterns. Unfortunately, the tie is 100% polyester (more on that below), but the pattern is subtle, and I could see myself pulling this out for a slightly-dressier brunch, along with a lightweight white shirt and a blue cotton suit:

All set for the next sunny brunch.

As for the squares, I love the patterns - but just haven’t had the right dressed-down-but-suited occasion to wear them since they came in the mail. I especially dig that, while the patterns are bold, the color scheme is limited to one color (and white), which makes them so much easier to style, and less likely to come off as too dandyish.

What’s To Like:

First off, the quality of the ties is pretty impressive considering the uber-affordable price point. Construction seems on par with The Tie Bar, with neat, clean stitching, properly attached keeper loops, and a consistent shape. The fabrics themselves (besides the poly) seem, if anything, to be a step above The Tie Bar - these things just knot and drape perfectly, with just the right amount of heft. Sidebar - I hate when wool ties are too thick, leaving a knot the size of an apple, or knit ties are too thin, leaving a weak shoestring knot. These hit the balance just right. The wool and tweed are toothy without being rough, which I guess isn’t so much of a comfort issue, but still something you can notice just by looking. Well done, all around.

Also, something that struck me when talking with Kunal before receiving the samples was our discussion of their selection in comparison to The Tie Bar (probably the closest brand in terms of price and quality). Kunal said, “Rather than be a warehouse of accessories, we like to curate our collections and make our products with limited quantities so that we can continually rotate in new styles,” a mindset that I think makes a huge difference. As opposed to the Tie Bar, which can be great if you know what you are looking for, but can be a nightmare if you just want to browse for something nice. For example, in skinny silk ties alone, there are 38 pages of results to browse. There are plenty of stylish options, but they are mixed in with some, well, not-so-stylish options. Weekend Casual takes some of the legwork out of it, offering instead a more curated collection of options that is much easier to navigate. They might not have everything, but what they do have is solid and well-chosen.

Of course, I’d be horribly remiss if I didn’t point out their Essential Cause program. Real quick, I’ll let Kunal chime in one more time:

“A lot of companies do the whole Toms "one for one" kind of thing or donate to charity. We do this a little different than most, currently we have 2 causes we work with, we'll have 4 shortly - but we give our customers the option of choosing which cause suits them better, and let them choose where they want a portion of their sales to go.”

So yeah, not only does Weekend Casual embody the entrepreneurial responsibility that we value so much in our favorite brands by giving back, but they actually let you, the customer, help decide where the proceeds from your purchase are being donated. It might not be a mind-blowing feature, but I think it really goes to show where Weekend Casual’s values lie: with their community, and with you as an individual, rather than just as a consumer.

What’s Not To Like:

Polyester! Ugh, honestly one of my favorite things about The Tie Bar is that, even at their price points, they offer only 100% natural fibers - wool, cotton, silk and linen. Weekend Casual has plenty of natural-fiber options as well, but peppered into the mix are some 100% polyester ties. I guess it’s not the end of the world, but I just prefer to avoid polyester ties - and if they can offer natural fibers at their standard price, I’d say just drop the poly! Minor beef.

Editors Note: Right after posting, Kunal informed me that they are actually on the same wavelength here. His words: "That blue tie that I sent you was a product we received as a sample from one of our suppliers - I loved the pattern, and thought it was unique so I sent it your way. But at the end of the day, it's against our policy to stock polyester, so we decided against making it available." So boom, NO POLY!

One more minor beef is that both of the pocket-squares I received were one sided, meaning there is a distinct front and back to the square, with only the front really being desirable to have visible. The way I fold my squares, both sides show, making double-sided squares much more desirable. Again, just a minor beef, as all it takes is a slightly different fold.

My last ‘dislike’ has to do with the site, and web design for new brands tends to see improvements quickly and early, so I’m not too worried. It would be nice in the future to be able to filter selections more, be it by color, pattern, or fabric. However, the fact alone that Weekend Casual intentionally offers a more limited selection makes this distinction almost negligible.

In Conclusion:

I think Weekend Casual makes a fantastic alternative to The Tie Bar - and even better, I don’t really see one eliminating the need for the other (or having both be overkill). The Tie Bar comes in handy when you know exactly what you want and are willing to pick through a lot of similar options to find it. Weekend Casual comes through when you are ready for something new, don’t have anything super specific in mind, and want to browse a well-put-together collection. The price is hard to beat, and the style is spot on.

BONUS: For all of you Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets readers out there, Weekend Casual was awesome enough to provide us with a discount code, ‘WCWETW’ for 25% off your order!

This was a sponsored review, and the product reviewed was provided to me free of charge. The article, however, remains objective and unbiased and is published without prior editing or review by Weekend Casual. While I love to be given products to review, don't worry, I will never endorse a product I wouldn't wear myself. 

Dive Back In

After taking a look through my closet, I felt inspired to do a post on the value of doing just that. More specifically, the value of looking back through the things you tossed aside as useless just a few seasons (or years) ago. Especially for those of us relatively new to the game, you'd be surprised how many things you thought were 'uncool' a year ago that could fit your wardrobe perfectly now. This goes doubly for those of us recently out of school, as we grow from campus clothes to business wear, clothes that were too formal or fuddy-duddy to wear at a tailgate might be perfect for the office.

Here are a few examples from my own closet:

Adidas Indoor Soccer Shoes:

Sorry, I'm not sure what the actual name of these shoes is (I'm sure I could find it pretty easily, but it's besides the point). I actually got these back in high school at the very tail end of my soccer playing days. In the rapid-fire changing ways of teen style, I was suddenly off the athletic wagon and onto the streetwear wagon, and I think these shoes got one wear before they got thrown in the back of my closet. Then, last time I went to visit my parents, I was digging around for something or other in my old room and came across these beauties. With today's aesthetic of a slim, sharp sneaker to go with a pair of Chinos (I could even see these with a summer suit), along with some bright-but-not-obtrusive (and pretty American) colors, I threw these shoes right back into my rotation, and a week hasn't gone by that these haven't gotten at least a little bit of wear.

Pants:
In general, I struggled for a while before I found the right fit of dress/chino pants for myself. When I was in the very early stages of my sartorial reinvention, I only got it half right. I went slim right off the bat, but was so reluctant to give up the 'pooling at the ankles' or 'stacked' look that I was comfortable with in college. As a result, some trousers with the perfect minimal break were unduly retired as 'too short.' When my girlfriend and I moved this fall, I came across a pile of these, and was surprised at how wonderfully some of these pants actually did fit, now that I know exactly how they should fit. Boom, 2-3 more pairs of pants, back in the pot.

Tailoring! It's Real!

Even as I dove into my style education, I was slow on the uptake when it came to alterations and tailoring. It's just something I'd never done before. Not only was I lacking in the kind of confidence that can only come from experience, I was intimidated by the whole process (especially the oft-lacking pricing structures....big pet peeve of mine is not knowing what I'm spending way before I commit to spending it). Now that I've dabbled and experimented, I'm again amazed by how many great pieces of clothing I have that I was ready to toss in the 'Goodwill' pile just because the trouser legs were a bit long, or the body of the shirt a bit wide. Now, I have a pile of old clothing, and I try to take one piece in each paycheck for an alteration. This way, in a few months I'll have a completely refreshed wardrobe without having to buy a single brand-new piece (although I'm sure I will anyway, because that's what style bloggers do).

Repurposing:

My final suggestion is to take one last look at anything you're getting rid of and consider how you could repurpose it into something else to get just a bit more use out of it. I'm not full of life-hacks to give you here, but I can tell you that you probably don't have to worry about buying another pocket square for the rest of your life. A widely touted trick is to take an old tie (or steal one from your dad), maybe one that's too wide, or has a tear or stain near an end, or is otherwise unusable but largely in good shape. Chop off the ends as you see fit, fold that bad boy up, and voila, instant pocket square. I've recently started doing this with my shirts as well. I have a bunch of old shirts from high school that have great patterns but have ugly branding (ahem, American Eagle) or I have outgrown to the point that no alterations can help. Instead of tossing them, I'm destroying them! Ha, well, I'm cutting a square out of the back of each one. At some point, I'll learn how to use a sewing machine and 'hem' the edges (or whatever you would call it in this case), but in the meantime I simply utilize a fold that keeps the edges hidden. Just like that, I've cleared out a bunch of unused shirts and expanded my pocket square collection exponentially at the same time.

The To-Do List: Setting Goals and Meeting Them

I was sorting through some old drafts and documents on my computer the other day and ran across an old list of sartorial goals. I was originally going to write a post based on this list when I first wrote it, pointing out that, while I'm here dispensing advice to you folks, I have a lot of improvements I want to make myself. The article never really came into fruition, and I honestly kind of forgot about the 'to-do' list that I had made. Stumbling upon it again now, it's actually really encouraging, because, for the most part, even without looking at it every day, I lived up to my goals and can cross most of these items off:

• Tie a good tie with a strong dimple at the right length in less than 20 minutes. - Boom. I've got my tie-tying down to an art. I actually had one of my best friends come visit the other week, and we got all inebriated and had a tie-the-knot drinking game/contest (at 2 in the morning on a Tuesday, much to my girlfriend's dismay). I have some awesome and ridiculous pictures from the night, which I'll share someday.

• Don't somehow, mysteriously, fuck up my shoes every time I wear them on things like, no joke, cracks in the sidewalk. - This one I honestly still struggle with, haha, but I'm not exactly sure how to work on it. I will say that, in general, as I've dressed better and better, I've really noticed myself moving with more care and purpose. I think I can safely say that I'm a generally less sloppy person, in large part because it's hard enough to afford to buy clothes (and shoes) once, let alone replace them because of my own damn clumsiness. So, I'm gonna call this one a win too.

• Don't get stuck on one outfit that worked really great, and then wear it over and over. - Another one I think I pass with flying colors. In fact, I may have taken this into problem territory on the other end of the spectrum. Instead of struggling with wearing the same things, I struggle with a need to wear something new or different every day, whether it's a whole new piece or even just a new combination, and it's become a bit of an insecurity in it's own regard. Brian Sacawa  of He Spoke Style started his own blog with the idea of wearing a 'uniform' every day for a year, and I think that challenge takes a whole different level of confidence.  

• Find a really good fitting jean. - I give myself a half-check on this goal. I've gotten a better fitting jean, but still don't have that one, high-quality, perfect-fitting piece of denim that denim-heads tend to gush over. I'm giving myself a pass though...I purposefully held off on this all summer just waiting for the weather to cool down a bit so I could justify buying some mid-weight denim that isn't really hot-as-sin-and-humid-as-all-getout compatible. Now that the temps are cooler, as soon as my bank account can handle it I'll be grabbing pair, probably from Gustin or Dyer and Jenkins.

• Find a great tailor and build a relationship with him. - Alas, I can't really check this bad boy off the list, which is sad, because it's probably the most important item on here. Like I say all the time, fit is everything, and a tailor is the best way to get that perfect fit on every item of clothing you wear. Right now, I'm struggling with Chicago's selection of tailors...too many expensive options that get less-than-desirable reviews. Unfortunately, I don't have the spare funds (or clothing) to really dive into the trial-and-error fiasco that finding a solid tailor can be. The Peter Field seamstress gets my whole-hearted endorsement for alterations like taking in a shirt, and I have a last-ditch high end fella that I take more complicated work to if need be, but I still am looking for someone to fill that middle ground.

• Wear a blazer/jacket on a daily basis (and not just for warmth). - When I first started taking my daily wear to the next level, I limited myself to shirts and ties, and really only threw a blazer on as an extra layer in colder months. I'm proud to say that I am now comfortable wearing a blazer on a day-to-day basis as a part of my basic outfit. I honestly think I've actually evolved sartorially past this step by recognizing that nothing should be an every-day-no-matter-what necessity, and instead dress on a day-to-day, by-the-occasion basis. Happily though, these days this involves a blazer more often than not.

• Wear pocket squares (with confidence). - Man, I was so very timid when first stepping into the pocket-square game, and unnecessarily so. I now have a small but decent selection and try to wear one as often as I wear a blazer. I've even started experimenting with throwing them into less formal outfits, tossing one in the back pocket of my pants, or the breast pocket of a shirt or casual jacket. Instead of being an element that makes me nervous and hesitant, I now accessorize with confidence.

The whole point: not only is it great to have a list of goals to pursue, it's also great to recognize when you've achieved some of those goals and allow yourself a good pat on the back. Now it's time for me to create a new list, tuck it away somewhere for a few months, and see if I live up to my own aspirations and expectations. I'll keep you posted.

Fabric of the Season - Chambray

At some point I’d love to have an ‘expert’ help us write a post about all the different fabric choices that are out there, from twill to poplin to oxford cloth, but for now I’m going to focus on one fabric that I’ve been addicted to lately and is definitely my go-to this spring; chambray.

Chambray is a relatively lightweight fabric woven with a white weft and colored warp (weft refers to the horizontal threads that are woven through the vertical warp), which results in a texture very similar to denim.

Traditionally, chambray is a blue color, once again much like denim, but these days you can find it in a variety of colors (I have blue, dark grey, and red). Personally, I love this fabric in the spring because I think it’s a great way to incorporate lighter spring colors like a dusty red or faded blue without sacrificing any manly ruggedness or falling into Easter bunny territory. Like linen and other more textured fabrics, it even looks good slightly rumpled.

I also love chambray because of how well it works in both formal and casual wear. Originally, denim and, likewise, chambray, were reserved for casual clothing and work-wear, but recently with the so-called ‘rules’ of men’s fashion being challenged and the boundaries stretched, it is more and more acceptable to wear chambray formally. If you want to dress up a chambray shirt, look for something with a narrower collar and no chest pockets. In addition to now being used for dress shirts and even blazers, there are a lot of chambray ties and pocket squares that look great paired with other cross-genre fabrics and patterns like gingham shirts or tweed jackets.

On top of all that, the stuff is damn comfortable! Think the ruggedness of denim with a more lightweight, soft cotton feel. Perfect for those spring days that aren’t too cold or too hot. My favorite chambray shirts both come from Frank and Oak and go for a mere $45 (sign up for Frank and Oak with my referral link for $5 off), but I’ve seen some strong offerings from J. Crew, like the red shirt shown below, among others, and I’d expect to see chambray options popping up at most menswear brands this spring.