Music Festival Style (Do's and Don'ts)

Here in Chicago, all the hype this week is in anticipation of Lollapalooza coming up this weekend. Personally, I’m a bigger fan of the smaller fests (with better lineups, IMO) like Riot Fest in September, or Pitchfork a few weeks ago, but there’s no avoiding the hubbub that comes with the Windy City’s biggest annual fest. Appropriately, I’m turning my eyes to festival style, and we’ve got a quick guide to keeping you good-looking while you rock out with your..well...you get the idea. 

The best thing about trying to stay stylish at a summer music fest? The competition is darn slim, if any, which makes it easy to pick just a few easy updates and come out looking sharper than your average bear. Below, we walk you through the transition from schlubby festival-goer to presentable young music enthusiast to sophisticated-gent-who-just-happens-to-be-enjoying-the-tunes. Avoid the first, aspire to the third, and be proud and satisfied if you land in the middle. 

Shoes:

         
           AVOID                             ACCEPT                                              ASPIRE

People tend to just go for comfort, with no regard to style, and fest footwear is the perfect example of this tendency. Thinking only of the heat, they opt for flip flops (or, thinking only of standing on their feet, go for some sort of running shoe or gym shoe). What a lot of guys don’t realize, is that you can be comfortable and stylish. White canvas sneakers give a laid-back, continental vibe that just gets better as they get beat up (which is never a bad quality to have at a music festival). The breathable fabric keeps your feet cool, while the sneaker sole will be comfortable. Of course, if you want to take things up a notch, you can rock some slick penny loafers and no-show socks, or camp mocs for something a bit (just a bit) more rugged. Just remember that there’s a decent chance you’ll walk through the mud, get your feet stepped on and scuffed, etc., so pick a leather that can take a bit of a beating and leave your luxury leathers and suede at home.


Bottoms:

  AVOID                                  ACCEPT                                      ASPIRE

I’m not sure where people get the idea that gym clothes or pajamas are appropriate clothing to wear in public, all day long, but they’re wrong. End of story. Not only do your mesh shorts make you look like a 12 year old carpooling home from soccer practice, but they are also actually very impractical, and make for a sure-fire way to lose your ID, cash, and keys along with your dignity. Just as we recommend chinos over sweatpants, here we suggest that you opt for some chino shorts to beat the heat but stay sharp and sophisticated. All the appropriate pockets are included, and a crisp, lightweight cotton will be cooler and more comfortable than nylon athletic shorts anyway. To up your style quotient like a true gentleman, linen trousers are the way to go - the fabric is cool and breezy enough to make you forget you aren’t wearing shorts. Press them sharp in the morning, and then embrace the wrinkles as the day goes on for the perfect air of gentlemanly nonchalance.  



Tops:

  AVOID                                  ACCEPT                                      ASPIRE

To be perfectly honest, if you’re nailing the shoes and bottoms, your shirt becomes way less important - but notice we didn’t say, ‘your shirt doesn’t matter at all.’ Sure, even a band Tee or tank top will look OK when worn with some chino shorts and white canvas sneaks, but we still don’t recommend it. Rocking a short sleeve OCBD takes just as little effort, keeps you just as cool and unencumbered as you dance your pants off, and yet remains a sharp enough option to wear right to the bar after the show and have no hesitation making moves on that pretty gal (or guy) making eyes at you from across the room. Now, if you’re taking our high-style route, a Tee won’t even come close to cutting it. The SS OCBD won’t fail you, but take the opportunity to be a bit more fashion-forward and grab a popover - find one with a sharp print to embrace two shirting trends at once. 



Shades:

  AVOID                                  ACCEPT                                      ASPIRE

Accessories are no time to start slacking off, either, although we do understand if you want to avoid bringing $100+ sunnies into an environment where there’s a pretty decent chance of them getting lost, stolen, or demolished. That said, those $5 ‘wayfarers’ you picked up at the convenience store on the way in - the ones with neon arms and mirrored lenses - have the power to negate every other style move you’ve made and leave you firmly planted in ‘obnoxious fist-pumping frat boy’ sartorial territory. If you want to stick with something inexpensive, the same stores that you go to for affordable takes on high fashion will treat you right - we’re talking H&M, Topman, Zara, etc. Stand out from the crown with some on-trend clear frames, or imitate the classics with a pair of vintage-y aviators. Now, if you actually trust yourself to take care of something a little more valuable, get the real deal - we’d go for a pair of Ray-Ban clubmasters to channel some off-duty Don Draper.


Hat:

  AVOID                                  ACCEPT                                      ASPIRE

Whether it’s to keep the sun and sweat out of your eyes, or to adopt a more outgoing, music-loving vibe, a lot of guys will end up throwing on a hat that they would never wear otherwise. Unfortunately, that ratty baseball cap is far from the most efficient instrument to protect your eyes, and that Backstreet Boys fedora makes you look less like a hipster troubador than you think (if that’s even a look worth aspiring to). Honestly, we think the best middle-ground here is to forgo the hat entirely. Shove a bandana in your back pocket to wipe away the sweat, and let your shades do the heavy lifting when it comes to blocking the sun, and a hat really isn’t necessary. You’ll have one less thing to keep track of, and lose one more chance of throwing off your much-improved festival ‘fit. Of course, though, if you’re looking for top-notch style, a real, grown-up hat can be the touch to tie the whole outfit together. Just don’t shy away from a substantial brim (an easy way to avoid that adolescent Justin Timberlake vibe), and be ready to throw down a few pesos for quality. 


The Outfits (In Full):

  AVOID                                  ACCEPT                                      ASPIRE

Accept:
White Canvas Sneakers by Converse
Chino Shorts by J.Crew Factory
Short-Sleeved OCBD by Frank & Oak
Sunglasses by Topman

Aspire:
Penny Loafers by Jack Erwin
Linen Trousers by J.Crew
Print Popover by J.Crew
Sunglasses by Ray-Ban
Hat by Goorin Brothers


To Wrap It Up...
In the end, each style move is small on it’s own, but yields a pretty significant transformation. Instead of wearing a hodge-podge of marginally comfortable ---- you can, at the very least, look like a presentable, music-loving young man. Step things up a bit more, and you’ll look like you should be signing the bands, and not just blending in with the rest of the countless screaming fans. 

Got any plans to hit some music festivals this summer? What will you wear? Share in the comments!

'Know Your Fabrics' - Broadcloth

On to another week of ‘Know Your Fabrics.’ OK, so we’re admittedly kind of cheating here by having a separate article on broadcloth versus poplin, which we covered a few weeks ago. Why is that? To be perfectly honest, they are basically the same cloth.

Both have a one-to-one square weave, both are used almost exclusively for shirting, in fact there really is only one marginal difference: where poplin shirts can, and often do, use threads of differing thickness for the warp vs. the weft, broadcloth uses exclusively one thread for both.

In other words, poplin shirts can be woven in a way that provides a slight (usually vertical) ribbing, allowing for some extra texture which can either add visual depth or even dress down a fabric. Broadcloth is by definition flat and smooth, which means it lends very well to more dressy shirts:

Additionally, the popularity of broadcloth as a fabric for shirting means that you can find it in pretty much any style, color, or weight, and could potentially rock a 100% broadcloth shirt closet, summer to winter, and still inject a solid amount of variety.

Historically, broadcloth is probably one of the oldest textile weaves currently available. Like most fabrics, it was originally woven from wool, and was actually produced in larger-than-standard sheets. These sheets were then shrunk down through a washing process in order to reach the desired size, which resulted in a much tighter woven fabric, with fibers binding together for a felted hand-feel. 

To my understanding, woolen broadcloth is still produced to achieve this felted quality, which makes it durable and decently weather-resistant. You might hear this fabric referred to as ‘Melton Wool’ - and maybe we’ll do a separate article focusing on this subset in the future!

Meanwhile, we’ve picked a few options to try to highlight the range of broadcloth shirts on the market:

A classic, crisp white button-down is the go-to dress shirt for countless stylish men. This option from Club Monaco hits all the right notes, and is marked down by over 60% to just $50:

Slim-Fit Broadcloth Shirt | Club Monaco

These shirts from Ralph Lauren have been brushed to achieve what the call a ‘sueded’ feel that could be great for fall and winter:

Custom-Fit Sueded Broadcloth | Polo Ralph Lauren

Broadcloth’s characteristic smoothness makes it a popular fabric for printed designs, like this black-on-white pin-dot from Uniqlo:

Broadcloth Printed Long Sleeve Shirt | Uniqlo

Sure, it’s a bit out of season to be finding heavy Melton wool garments, but that also means that the pieces you will find are likely to be nicely marked down, like this pea coat by Schott via Orvis for just $220:

Naval Wool Peacoat | Schott via Orvis

Do you have broadcloth fabrics in your wardrobe? What are your favorite pieces?

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 7/5/2014

How was everyone's 4th of July? I hope it was filled with good friends, good food, good drinks, and great fireworks (as mine was). I also hope you'll forgive me for celebrating instead of blogging, and therefore being a day late on this round of Deals and Steals. Regardless, 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!"

Now, to be perfectly honest, I'm still in full-blown weekend relaxation mode, and a friend is waiting at a patio bar with beer and burgers, so I'm keeping my picks short and sweet. In order to leave you folks with plenty of shopping options, you'll find a nice long list of sales (minus my wonderful picks) at the bottom. 

First, two sets of picks I did want to point out:


Extra 50% Off Select Sale Items at J.Crew:
It looks like they are really trying to burn through their clearance stock over at J.Crew, with 50% off select items, and anything else in the sale section running an extra 40% off. We've featured this sale (or similar) enough times to have covered all the staples (casual shirts, chinos, etc.), so this time we're going with picks that you just won't be able to find anywhere else with this kind of discount. First up, perfect example, this Ludlow sportcoat in glen-plain silk linen:

Ludlow Sportcoat in Glen Plaid Silk Linen | J.Crew

Wooh. Silk Linen. Enough said? Ok, I'll say more. The linen will keep this breezy and light, while the silk will add a touch of sheen, structure, and hand similar to wool, but better. Check out our article on glen plaid for all the reasons to love the pattern, and you should already be pretty sold here. What's really crazy is the $135 price-tag. The jacket retails at a whopping $388, silk fabric tends to be way pricey, and Ludlow suiting tends to be hard to find on sale, so this is a fantastic steal for anyone in the market for a stylish blazer.

With more luxurious fabrics, check out this Ludlow Shirt in a tartan patterned Thomas Mason fabric:

Thomas Mason Archive for J.Crew Ludlow Shirt in 1903 Tartan | J.Crew

Thomas Mason fabrics are pretty widely known as one of the higher-end, accessible shirting fabrics. By accessible, I mean that stores like J.Crew sell ready-to-wear garments in their fabrics (as opposed to only being available bespoke), but not that they are necessarily affordable. Here's a rare chance to pick up a Thomas Mason shirt for under $100 (actually, for just $50). The pattern is a tartan plaid, which can sound bold, but I think the more neutral blue and grey tones keep this very versatile.

We'll close out the J.Crew sale with these chambray shorts:

7"Stanton Short in Pindot Chambray | J.Crew

Sure, you can probably find something similar elsewhere, chambray is everywhere this time of year, but first, these are crazy cheap (especially for J.Crew quality) at only $25. Second, there's something about these that comes off just right - the pindots, the rumpled/casual fabric, the perfect inseam - that makes them a sure-fire winner.

Of course, check out the rest of the sale, as sizes and stock seems to be dwindling pretty rapidly (but at the same time, the prices keep getting lower and lower). 


Footwear at Nordstrom Rack:
Stopped into my local NordRack the other day to do my usual perusing of the $20 ties, cheap socks, and cluster-fuck jeans pile that occasionally yields a nice grab. After striking out in all my go-tos, I wandered over to the shoe isles while waiting for my girlfriend to finish shopping, and was pleasantly reminded that there are some great footwear steals to be had at the Rack. They were out of my sizes in the kicks I was liking, but thanks to their newer e-commerce site, I may be able to grab a pair online. Anyway, I just wanted to point out a few gems I found, like these Clarks Bushacres:

Bushacre Chukka | Clarks via Nordstrom Rack

OK, so Fall is still a few months off, but it never hurts to be prepared, and a pair of Clarks chukkas is about as foolproof as you can get for some good 3-season footwear. Admittedly, the pair I saw in the store (one size too small) was in a darker leather that I really liked, but this beeswax is pretty damn sharp as well. Regularly $100, NR has these marked down 30% to just $70. If you're looking for something a bit sharper/dressier, these chukkas by Walkover are almost half-off.

There's also a nice selection of higher-end shoes, which aren't cheap, even at the Rack prices, but are still hugely discounted from their original retail price. I was sorely tempted by these brogues from Allen Edmonds:

6th Ave Cap Toe Oxford | Allen Edmonds via Nordstrom Rack

I've been on the hunt for a pair of 5th Avenues, and never even really realized that the 6th Avenues existed. I gotta say, I'm a fan - I dig the 5ths for keeping the brogue detailing, but not being quite as in-your-face about it as the Strands. The 6th Avenue seems to do the same, but with just a touch more flair. Still, they remain respectable and sharp, and versatile enough to wear with chinos or a suit, and maybe even jeans. Regularly priced at the pretty-standard-for-AE $335, NR has them marked down 40% to an even $200. Not too shabby, if you're ready to pick up some quality shoes.


OK, for the rest of these, you'll have to find your own pieces, but there are plenty of great finds to be had:

Summer Sale at Frank & Oak - Continuing discounts, they restock this one every so often. Plus, for a limited time STARSNBARS10 gets an extra 10% off. Also, use our referral link for $25 credit when you sign up.

20% Off Summer Sale at Bonobos - Lots of selection, hopefully (as tends to be the pattern), prices will continue to drop as this one goes on. Our referral will get you $25 off your first $75+ purchase.

40% Off Clearance at Dockers with EXTRA40SALE - Check out the Alphas, which are my go-to from Dockers. I think this is the end of this sale, and is the deepest discount they've offered yet.

Brooks Brothers Summer Sale - Up to 50% off, Brooks Brothers sales can be hard to come by, and their regularly priced duds hard to afford, so this is definitely worth a look.

40% Off Two Regularly Priced Items at Lands End - Admittedly not a big Lands End shopper, but their LEC line is pretty sharp and I've been eyeing their knit ties for a while. Might have to hit it up now.

Up to 60% Off at Gap - Lots of sale items, but even better is the 40% off clearance that they have going on in stores (not seeing this online, might be worth checking out a B&M) - I picked up some white denim for $25ish when I stopped in a day or two ago.

And there's even more out there, with all the holiday sales, etc., but there's a beer calling my name. Have a great weekend!!

'Know Your Patterns' - Tattersall

Our ‘Know Your Patterns’ and ‘Know Your Fabrics’ series are proving to be pretty darn popular, so we’re going to keep them rolling as long as we can keep thinking of more textiles to explore. This week, we’re back at it again with another edition of ‘Know Your Patterns’ and turn our eye to a classic; Tattersall. This is one that you surely see everywhere (it’s well loved for it’s versatility), but probably just never knew the technical name attached to it. No more!

A Tattersall pattern is made up of two thin, regularly spaced grids, traditionally placed against a lighter background (although some versions with light grids against a dark background can be found).

Beyond that, it’s easier to explain what Tattersall isn’t. First, it isn’t printed on fabric, but rather woven into it. Second, it is not a large-scale, windowpane pattern, but instead much smaller in scale (although some variation is definitely available). Third, Tattersall is not merely a graph-check (usually), and instead tends to be distinguished by the two, evenly alternating colors (although single-color patterns do exist, as you’ll see below). Also, unlike many other plaids, the spacing between the grids does not change, although the pattern will often be taller that it is wide.

The name itself comes from a famous race horse auction house, Tattersall’s London Horse Auction mart, established by Richard Tattersall in 1776. At that time, the pattern was commonly used by the auction house on their horse blankets, with the pattern being transitioned to men’s shirting towards the end of the 19th century.

Since then, the pattern has remained popular in men’s apparel through the ages, and as we mentioned, is favored for its versatility. Depending on the cut of the shirt, the pattern lends itself just as easily to casual wear as it does tailored suiting, and looks great with jeans or a solid-colored suit. Additionally, it is not a season-specific fabric, and a guy can wear it summer, fall, winter and spring. Lastly, the flexibility in the color and scale of the grids allows the pattern to be adapted to a variety of complexions and body types.

Recommending products here is a bit of a challenge. First off, the outright differences between Tattersall patterns are not that emphasized - each has a light background with some assortments of colors incorporated through the grids. The colors you pick will/should rely heavily on not just personal preference, but more-so what will work well with your current wardrobe. Also, the pattern is used pretty exclusively in shirting (you won’t really find Tattersall suits or trousers). That said, we listed a few personal favorites:

First, this shirt shows Tattersall at it’s simplest - one color, lightly printed on a white background:

Washed Shirt in Thin Open Tattersall | J.Crew Factory

As we mentioned, Tattersall usually comes with two colors, but at it’s most minimal will be monochrome.

If you are looking for something more interesting, the shirt below exhibits a more standard Tattersall with two colors over a light background:

Grayson Tattersall Shirt | Spectre & Co.

We reviewed Spectre a while back and loved their shirts, and this one looks like a sharp winner at just $45 (plus, blue and brown is one of my favorite color combinations).

On the more high-fashion end of the spectrum, Gant offers this classic:

Tattersall Sport Shirt | Gant via East Dane

Note the two colors (blue and red) alternating evenly on a white background. About as classic as it gets.

We wanted to show an example of Tattersall on a dark background, but those tend to be much more widespread in the cooler seasons, and we couldn’t find an option we liked right now. While we were hunting, though, we decided it was important to note that you will find a lot of ‘Tattersall’ shirts out there - note the quotations! These usually include more than two colors, irregular check patterns, or some other variation. Of course, these can be just as stylish, and this may not even make a difference to you, just know that they aren’t traditional Tattersall (and therefore we omitted for the sake of this article).

Do you have any Tattersall pieces in your wardrobe? Any favorites?

4th of July - Simply Patriotic

Alrighty, since the 4th of July is right around the corner, and we had to take a day off last week due to technical difficulties, we’re throwing out an extra post this week with a quick and simple recommendation for a classy but patriotic outfit.

Part of developing your style is learning from your mistakes. In an effort to be patriotic last year, I donned this outfit. Now, I still think the styling itself was pretty on point for the holiday, but to be honest, I basically wore this on the train to our friend’s house and then immediately changed to go hang out and grill on the beach.

This year, I’m going to be a bit smarter and wear something a little more versatile. I mulled over a few options, but settled on really what I think are the perfect two pieces to wear.

Up top, I’m gonna rock a nautical-themed blue and white striped tee - I picked mine up from Bonobos on a great sale for something like $15, but these shirts are everywhere and you should easily be able to find one to fit any budget. This one from J.Crew Factory is right on point and clocks in at $17:

Slim Stripe Pocket Tee | J.Crew Factory

Right there I’ve got the blue and white, and I’ll add the red with a pair of red chinos. I don’t wear these too often, as I tend to go for slightly more subtle colors, but honestly, of all the bright colors to wear, red can be surprisingly versatile. Bonobos makes some of the best chinos in town, and this slightly faded red style will be perfect.

Washed Chinos | Bonobos

Like I said, the combo is beautifully simple, and made even better by just how easy it is to dress this combo up or down. As it is, this is perfectly appropriate for the beach, the bar, a casual restaurant, or a backyard barbecue, but just one or two substitutions will adjust the formality with ease.

Quickly make it more casual by swapping out the chinos for shorts, or picking a more casual shoe (I’ll probably be kicking it in either my white Jack Purcell’s or brown Sperry boat shoes, depending on my mood).

9" Gramercy Shorts | J.Crew Factory - $25

Jack Purcell Canvas Sneakers | Converse via MR PORTER - $60

Authentic Original 2-Eye Boat Shoe | Sperry Topsider - $85

Likewise, all you need to do to dress this up is throw on a navy blazer, or even just trade the tee for a light blue OCBD., and maybe some more formal shoes like a blue suede loafer:

Ludlow Sportcoat in Navy Lightweight Cotton | J.Crew - $168

Oxford Slim Fit Long Sleeve Shirt | Uniqlo

Ellington Moc Toe Tassel Loafer | Johnston Murphy - $100

How are you planning to show your patriotic spirit this Friday?

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 6/27/2014

SO! Today is Friday. Not Thursday. My internal calendar got all of its wires crossed and I thought yesterday was Wednesday, hence Deals and Steals is a bit delayed. Without further ado:

"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!"

Before we start, I'll just say that I'm sure there will be a ton of 4th of July sales starting up on Monday - if we get a chance, we'll take a look at the best, but I definitely recommend taking a look around your favorite shops/brands at the end of the weekend. Anyway, here's what I found today:

Summer Sale at Frank & Oak:
Sales at Frank and Oak only come every so often, so I usually try to grab a piece or two while discounts are to be had. It doesn't look like there's an end date for this one, which most likely means it will keep rolling until stock runs out, but if you dawdle you may find yourself out of luck. As always, use our referral link to score $25 in credit (which makes these deals even harder to pass up). Among my picks are these Valence chino shorts, marked down to $35 from $50:

Valence Chino Shorts in Ivy Green | Frank & Oak

I actually was just recommending these to a fella over on Reddit who was looking for something similar to the J.Crew shorts but with a narrow leg opening. I have a pair of these from F&O and that's my favorite part - the slim fit doesn't end with the thigh, but carries through the leg, which I think just leads to a more flattering fit. There are a few colors available, but this military-ish green is my favorite of the bunch.

I've also got my eye back on the F&O blazers - I was off them for a while, as I found the tails kept getting shorter and shorter and the button stance higher and higher, but I saw some pics lately of Sabir Peele (of Men's Style Pro) looking pretty sharp in their newer Laurier cut, and he confirmed that it seems to be much more classically proportioned. After hearing that, I'm really tempted by the few that landed in the sale section. There are some more traditional options, but this green pique caught my attention:

Laurier Pique Blazer in Pine Green | Frank & Oak

Hunter green is a pretty underrated color, and I think this could stand out in just the right way. I'm curious as to how heavy the fabric is, but the fact that it's only partially lined bodes well for a nice summer blazer. Marked down to $94 (from $125) ain't too shabby either.

Again, feel free to use our referral link for that tasty credit.


Final Clearance up to 50% Off at Nordstrom:
Nordstrom's big sale is coming to an end, but you still have a chance to grab some great discounts. Been thinking of testing the dub-monk waters? Check out these bad boys from Nordstrom's in-house 1901 brand:

'Lynden' Double Monk | 1901 via Nordstrom

Sure, the brick soles limit them to more casual occasions, but if you're looking to test out the trend, it doesn't get much better than $50 for a pair of well-reviewed shoes. The shape is just perfect, which is actually pretty hard to find in a double-monk, and cheap suede is always a safer bet than cheap leather. These may very well end up in my closet this week.

The Nordstrom sale is also a great chance to get a good deal on items from brands that charge stupid high shipping fees and/or rarely offer free shipping through their own stores (which Nordstrom always does) - I'm talking Ralph Lauren, Gant, and especially Brooks Brothers. Unfortunately, these days it's damn hard to find a Brooks Brothers shirt that's not a formaldehyde dipped non-iron cotton (ugh, please), but they do have a few short-sleeved madras options that look to be all-natural. I'd grab this one, from the younger, slimmer Red Fleece line:

'Red Fleece Collection' Modern Fit Madras Plaid Sport Shirt | Brooks Brothers via Nordstrom

I don't have to tell you again how great of a summer fabric/patter madras is (just read about it here). We've been spoiled with pretty cool temperatures so far this summer, but at some point it's bound to get real hot and humid, at which point you'll be happy to have scored a shirt like this - especially at just $37 (originally $55). 

Browse the rest of the sale before it's too late!


Extra 20% Off Sale Items at Bonobos (code SALESECRET):
This one came with no fanfare (hence the 'secret' part, I guess), and there are a helluva lot of good deals to be had. Of course, check out all the chinos, which Bonobos is best known for - and I highly recommend taking a look at the Oxley's. They aren't super cheap, but they are super comfortable, and if the 20% off drops them into your budget, definitely get a pair. As far as their standard chinos go, my pick is this 'hickory' color:

Hickory Slicks Chinos in Slim Straight | Bonobos

I actually just picked these up a few weeks ago - to be honest, I don't remember if my price was this good, and I don't want to check in case I get bitter, but 20% off of $48 is a damn steal for any pants, let alone the fantastic Bonobos fit. I love that these clock in a little darker than your standard khaki, which just adds a bit of subtle variation to the lineup.

I've also always had really good luck with Bonobos sweaters. Sure, it's not necessarily sweater season, but a nice cotton knit makes a perfect layering piece for cooler nights. I think this bird's eye pattern helps capture a more summer-y vibe as well:

Sparrowfield Sweater in Heather Grey & White | Bonobos

100% cotton is great for the summer - a little easier to maintain, and a little less insulating. Pick one of these up and stuff it in your beach bag next time you head to the shore.

We have a referral link to Bonobos as well, which will knock $25 off a purchase of $75 or more.


Sample Sale from The Hill-Side:
Last on our list is this small collection from a newer brand, The Hill-Side. While I haven't had the chance to try them out yet, they make some damn nice looking accessories (I think we may have picked out a few before) that make great use of saturated indigo coloring and high quality fabrics. Normally pretty pricey, this sample sale puts a lot of items at much more manageable price points. I picked out two ties, the first of which is this cool 'starburst' pattern:

Starburst Discharge Print "Shwe Shwe" Tie | The Hill-Side

Have you noticed that I like patterns that look solid from afar, with more detail up close? This falls into that category, with only really the bright yellow centers visible at a first glance, but so much more to the pattern when you take a better look.

I'm also digging this overdyed gingham, which I actually passed over at first:

Selvedge Overprinted Gingham Check Tie | The Hill-Side

When I was skimming through, I thought it looked too bold, but when I came back to it, I decided it was a pretty perfect summer casual tie that could really add a pop of brightness against a white OCBD and tan cotton blazer. Both ties are only $30 on sale, regularly priced at $85 and $90, respectively.


And that's all we have for you this week - like I said, I have a feeling there are some good sales on the horizon, which may explain the general lack of wide discounts to be found today. We'll have to see.


Picking up anything special this weekend? Share your own steals in the comments: