Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 2/21/2014

The deal: "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 the steals:

End of Season Sale at J.Press/York Street:
J. Press and their younger brother, York Street, are both offering some awesome end of season deals...so many in fact that I'm having a crazy hard time trying to decide what to highlight (thus, I highly recommend checking out the whole selection on both sites). Honestly, there's a ton of great stuff, so I picked two items at the ends of the spectrum. First, from York Street (the slimmer fitting of the two), there is this fantastic looking navy overcoat in a highly desirable (read: soft and warm) blend of wool and cashmere: 

Classic Top-Coat | York Street

At $295, it's still an investment, but when you take a look at the original price of almost $1000, it's for sure a steal. Ignore the foolish pants this model is wearing...and damn if that coat doesn't hit all the right notes. Ticket pocket, three button closure, hits a bit above the knee, available in navy and grey...plus, since it's a York Street offering, it will fit slimmer than something from the standard J. Press line.

Which is the very reason I picked this classic-prep striped tie as my recommendation from J. Press. Obviously, since it's neckwear, you don't have to worry about losing the slim fit. Even without 'fit' to worry about, I thought this tie would run wide, but it's 2.75" at it's widest, which is actually my favorite tie size - not quite hipster-skinny, but still proportional for a slim guy.

Leeds University Tie | J. Press

This one hits the other end of the price-commitment spectrum at less than $20, but the original price of $70 hints at a much higher level of quality than other options in the $20 range. The pattern is super preppy, which I actually dig, and while the burgundy/dark green colors are maybe just a bit Christmas-y, they are also just generally seasonal.

Ok, ok, so there were so many great things that I had to include one more. I was just showing my girlfriend the Todd Snyder + Champion crew neck sweatshirts and telling her how much I was coming to like the chest pocket. Then I saw this one from York Street, and the more I consider it, I think I actually like this option even more: 

Vintage Reverse Sweatshirt | York Street

Originally, the York Street sweatshirt goes for $135, pretty close to the Todd Snyder price, but now it's on sale for only $34. That's just crazy. 


Free Shipping (and Clearance Section) at Levi's:
Levi's is currently offering free shipping, which is especially good news when combined with the fact that they have a ton of stuff already marked down to some awesome prices. For example, they have their iconic denim trucker jacket marked down from $88 by more than 50% to just $40:

Slim Fit Trucker Jacket | Levi's

This one is the dark blue rinse, but they have a few others as well. Offered in a slim fit, it will be a versatile and timeless addition to your wardrobe. Wear it as a light jacket in the spring and fall, and carry it into winter as a layering piece. 

These wool/cotton blend jeans aren't quite as good of a bargain, but I'm fascinated by the idea. Wool jeans? Well, at least partly wool? I've seen jeans with a minor percentage of silk before, but this takes things in the opposite direction. With this never-ending winter, making your jeans a tad bit warmer wouldn't hurt.

501 Original Fit in Wool Denim Rinse | Levi's

Like I said, not as crazy cheap as the trucker jacket, but still offered at a significant discount, down to $60 from $128 (again, over 50% off there, folks). In the classic 501 fit, which is always a popular choice.


Up to 50% Off Select Styles at Banana Republic:
Banana Republic is offering up to 50% off, and once again, they have just a ton of stuff on the list. Definitely worth browsing through, but I locked onto this dot-print button-down shirt because it'd be so great to stop thinking about winter and start looking forward to spring...sigh. If you step back (or look at the smaller picture), it looks solid, but up close it actually has a pretty bright, almost bold pattern.

Slim-Fit Soft-Wash Dot Print Button-Down | Banana Republic

The pattern itself will be perfect for a spring or summer casual option, but that solid-from-a-distance appearance keeps it from being in-your-face. Best part? At half off, it's barely over $30 (just $32.50).


Jack Spade Accessories at Gilt:
I love Jack Spade style, so I was excited to see them pop up on Gilt. I was kind of disappointed to see that the bags were still out of my price range, until I found this pair of cashmere gloves. Discounted down to only $45, which is cheap for gloves in general, let alone cashmere, I was expecting some sort of crappy, 5% cashmere blend. But no. Well, yes. It is a blend, but a whopping 92% cashmere???

Tommy Cashmere Gloves | Jack Spade via Gilt

At one-size-fits all, these are sure to have a bit of stretch, which means that the final-sale caveat shouldn't be too big of a risk.


New Arrivals at Spectre & Co.:
We reviewed Spectre & Co. last year, and I was a big fan of their dress shirts. I've kept in touch with founder Jeffrey Zhang since then, and he gave me a heads up on some new additions to the shop. As always, they're bringing everything at pretty spectacular prices, so we'll end this list of deals and steals with a few from them. One of the big areas they've branched into has been accessories, with scarves earlier in the year, and just this week the addition of belts. They have some in solid colors with contrast edging, but my favorite are these braided belts:

Dark Brown Braided Belt | Spectre & Co.

I've been on a big braided belt kick lately...funny, I always thought they were kinda dorky looking when I was a kid, but now I love them. While I have one that I got for next-to-nothing at the thrift shop, it's pretty beat up, and I'm definitely thinking of updating and upgrading to one of these, especially with the $50 price point.

Also, not necessarily a new offer, but recently re-stocked, I'm going to grab one of their white OCBDs. Like all of their standard shirts, this guy will only set me back $45:

Washed White Oxford Button-Down | Spectre & Co.

The white OCBD should be a staple in every man's closet, but I've recently found a renewed love for them. I find myself wearing my few multiple times a week, so I've come to decide that I can't have enough of them. Therefore, finding an affordable but high quality option is awesome. Soon, they'll be adding ties for $35, and I'm pumped to see what they've got.

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 11/15/13

We're back with more! A recap from last week: Every Friday, 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!

For this weekend:

J.Crew Cord in Vintage 484 Fit
Ok, first of all, just check out the entire J.Crew sale. Through the 18th, they are offering 40% off all sale items with code STYLETIME, and some of the deals have been ridonkulous (sp?). They've even been peppering in free shipping codes over the past few days, so keep an eye out. One of my favorite picks are these apple-red cords.

If you haven't been following the 'fall essentials' buzz that everyone preaches this time of year, cords are all over everyone's lists. This pair is especially festive, but I personally don't think they are too loud for regular wear. The 484 fit is supposedly one of the most flattering fits out there, and it's high on my to-do list to check them out (plus they have tons of sizes available). The sale drops these from an original $75 down to JUST $39! Damn, just had to read that again and pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.


Polo Ralph Lauren Casserton Suede Chukka Boot
Chukka suggestions two weeks in a row? You bet your boots! See what I did there? All kidding aside, this is another pair of really sharp desert boots, and at $79.99 (down from $109), the price can't be beat. The suede has a lovely rich nap, and I'm especially partial to this brown version, but the blue and green options would make for stand-out but still classy footwear).

The rubber outsole won't dirty as quickly as the crepe soles that come on a lot of Clark's, and I'd say the profile is a little sleeker as well. I already have a pair of chukkas, but I'm damn tempted to get these, and they are at the very least making my holiday wish-list.


Banana Republic Grey Donegal Topcoat
Still shopping around for your winter outerwear? You're running out of time fast, but don't worry, cuz so am I. Banana Republic is running one of their (relatively common) 30% off codes (valid only on full-priced items), which knocks this Donegal wool topcoat down to around $208 from an original $300.

$208 is still not pocket change, but a topcoat is something worth investing in, and this particular one has gotten tons of good press, including several GQ mentions. I actually will be featuring it as well in a post that is part of an upcoming project with Cladright (a course-based menswear program by Barron Cuadro of Effortless Gent). Keep an eye out for more info (ONE eye, since I'm catching up wit the Governor in The Walking Dead as I write this).


Pretty much anything from the new SuitSupply Outlet
SuitSupply makes some gorgeous suits, and has a great rep in the menswear world, but most of their stuff is just a tad bit out of my price range. Enter their outlet store, JUST launched last week. I'm not picking out a single recommendation per se, but only because (as an outlet store), availability comes and goes pretty quick and is very dependent on your sizing. My current favorite, however, is this Copenhagen suit in navy plain linen:

Linen? In winter? Yes, because, kind of by definition, the outlet offers off-season items at a huge discount. Use code EARLYACCESS to gain entry and check out the selection in your size, and try not to blow through your life savings buying everything they offer. Suits run around $250 (which is un-freakin-believable), and blazers are around $150, but they also have shirt, sweater, outerwear, and accessory offerings as well. Be sure to take advantage of their very comprehensive fit guide when ordering.


The Icon Blazer by Almond Surfboards & Designs
First off, gotta give props to Well-Spent for finding this sucker. Yeah, it's a pretty casual blazer, but damn is it cool. Made out of Denim French Terry, Almond says this will age and develop patina just like your favorite pair of jeans. The slightly rougher fabric, combined with the unstructured, unlined construction give a blazer a touch of work-wear attitude that I can totally get on board with:

This one isn't on sale, but still clocks in at an incredibly affordable $98.00. Beware the combined alpha-sizing and lack of sizing chart...I'd say try to shoot them an e-mail before buying to make sure you get your fit right. Also, I'm guessing the Terry cloth will give this a bit of a stretch, plus the unstructured cut will form to your body, so I'd steer slim on this, for sure.

Investment Pieces

I'm really happy to finally be at the point in my life where I can start thinking about investment pieces. These are pieces where it is 100% worth it to not bargain hunt your way into a product, to find the cheapest bang for your buck, or go for quantity over quality. Rather, these are pieces where you want to splurge, because you buy ONE, and that one item will never go out of style and never wear down on you.

Now, when I say I'm at the point in my life where I can start thinking about these things, I mean two things. First, I don't necessarily have the money to go out and buy and investment jacket and investment boots and investment yadda yadda yadda right now (this is still Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets), but I do have a little padding with each paycheck that I can put towards saving up for those really worthwhile purchases.

Perhaps even more important, I am confident enough in my personal style as well as my own sartorial education to be able to pick out pieces that I know I will want to wear forever, and will look good forever. After all, it's pretty pointless to shell out for an expensive, durable jacket, only to have it go out of style and out of favor in a year.

I also have to include a small caveat. These are all items that are worth investing in if you have the money to invest in them. For example, later I'll discuss denim as an investment piece, but if you need a pair of dark blue jeans and only have $40 in your budget to cover them, don't freak out, open a line of credit, and go into debt to get that awesome pair of $100 (or $200) jeans. Shop within your means.

OK! All that out of the way, here is the list of investment pieces going onto my wish/save list:

Boots - This is probably first on my list, but largely because I have an almost fetishistic obsession with these Allen Edmond's Dalton boots. They are just so perfect that I can't bring myself to settle for even a temporary inexpensive alternative. Nope, I'm holding out for the real deal, and baby, this is it.

Dalton by Allen Edmonds | $395.00 at Nordstrom

Coat - A good winter coat is an easy choice for the 'investment piece' list. First, the truly classic styles have never gone out of favor. Your pea coats and chesterfields will be as safe as a purchase now as they were ten years ago and will be ten years from now. On top of that, a winter coat is an item where style and functionality are equally important and equally hard to find at lower price points. If you want to stay warm (especially in a city like Chicago), and not look like you're wearing a glorified garbage bag, you're going to have to shell out a few bucks.

Grafton Coat by Rag & Bone | $895

Shoes - Another easy addition to the list. I've done great for a while grabbing some fantastic used shoes off of eBay, but at some point I'd really like to purchase at least two pairs of brand new, high quality dress shoes. Why is brand new important? There is a layer of cork between the insole and actual sole of every shoe (well, to my understanding), and this layer forms to your foot over time, like memory foam, but more permanent. If you buy used, no matter how nice of condition the shoe is, that cork layer is going to be formed to someone else's foot. Why is high quality important? Much like a good coat, a solid pair of shoes from a renowned brand like Allen Edmonds or Alden will never go out of style and will last you a decade.

Limited Edition Alden Cadet Cordovan Bluchers | $657.00 at J. Crew

Jeans - One of the biggest eye openers for me as I learned about menswear was the realization that holy hell people pay $200 for a pair of jeans! Even more importantly, I realized that there's actually a difference between a $200 pair of jeans and one that only costs $50. Again, this comes down to two things: the right $200 pair of jeans will 1) never go out of style; and 2) last forever - are you noticing a theme here?

A.P.C. Petit Standard Slim-Fit Dry Selvedge Denim Jeans | $205 at Mr. Porter

Watch - I've never been a watch guy myself, but even I can tell the difference between a cheap Timex and something of more esteemed quality. Don't get me wrong, a Timex will serve my purposes nine times out of ten, but one day I want to own one nice timepiece that I can bust out on special occasions when I really want to look and feel like a boss.

Burberry Silver Ceramic and Stainless Steel Watch, 42mm | $795.00 at Bloomingdale's

A Bespoke Suit - Notice how I said 'A.' That means one. Sure, someday it'd be killer if I could afford to have all of my suits made custom, but even if I never reach that sort of baller status, I'd like to own at least one fully bespoke suit before I die. As a menswear enthusiast, I can't tell you how many articles I've read reveling in the pure joy, comfort, and confidence that comes from having a suit of the finest fabrics cut and sewn for you alone, and that's a feeling I want. Now, due to the nature of 'bespoke,' I obviously can't pick out an online example for you, but you can imagine it...I'm thinking a warm brown, in a wool-cashmere blend, peak lapels, brown nut buttons...ah I could go on and on...

I'm sure there's more to this list, and hopefully I continue to improve my socio-economic status throughout my life and in turn get to add more items to this list, but right now, these are the things I'm ready to save and splurge on.

What's on your list? Any overlaps with my list? Anything you'd add or remove? Share in the comments!