Band-Collar Madness - Cuz I Don't Follow Basketball

Holy cow, it really has been a hot minute since I was last able to drop an article up here on the blog. Sorry folks, been busy!

But hey, looking to get back on the grind, at least to some extent - still don't have the free time that I used to, but I miss sharing my menswear obsessions with the world.

Speaking of obsessions, one of my latest has been band collar shirts. They've been around for a while now, but are really starting to pick up steam among mainstream brands, with J.Crew rocking some great chambray options...

Wallace & Barnes Band-Collar Japanese Selvedge Chambray Shirt | J.Crew - $118

...and Bonobos chiming in with a lightweight oxford...

Lightweight Oxford Band Collar Shirt | Bonobos - $78

...and a light blue end-on-end:


That said, my favorite choice is actually...none of them. Ok, kind of a trick answer there. My favorite really is still my own DIY solution.

Last year, I happened to have a white oxford from Trashness that wasn't quite up to snuff. Rather than relegate it the back of my closet, I decided to do some risk-free experimentation and chopped it up - a pair of scissors and 30 seconds of work later, and I had my own hand-made(ish) band-collar shirt.

After rocking it all summer, and then busting it out again as temps started to clear up this spring, I decided it was time to invest in a better-fitting and better-quality version, now that I knew I really liked the style.

Still being a cheap-o, though, I didn't go out and buy one...instead, I just picked a better oxford to chop up into my own version. Thus, my Uniqlo OCBD (at a mere $30), becomes my new favorite band-collar shirt.

Even better? Uniqlo just knocked the price on their OCDB's down by half...now going for just $15.

Oxford Slim Fit Long Sleeve Shirt | Uniqlo - Now just $15

That's cheaper than Target...and while Target OCBD's ain't too shabby themselves, the deal here is damn hard to beat. Go grab a few pairs, and take one or two to the surgical room, see how you like the results. At this rate, I'm bound to have one in every color by the time the sale ends.

I just finished this project at like, midnight last night, but I'll throw up some pictures when I get a chance to take em! And stay tuned, hopefully this marks a return to the blogosphere, and more content to come in the future.

Trashness - An Updated Review

You may remember back in the fall, I reviewed a few shirts from the up-and-coming brand, Trashness. While my review was generally positive, there were a few aspects I thought they could improve upon, especially regarding the OCBD I tested out.

A few weeks ago, co-founder Amin got back in touch with me to let me know they had made some of those very improvements, and sent me a new oxford cloth shirt for an update. This time, I requested a spread collar version, just for some variety:

Product image via the Trashness online store.

You can see the much cleaner finishing on the shirt on the right, from the button-holes to the edge of the fabric itself.

The logo on the right, from the new shirt, is much cleaner. The tonal stitching helps it stick out a bit less as well.

Just another shot of clean stitching along the placket.

Fantastic spread collar.

First, I have to say how much I appreciate Amin reaching back out to me. You hear me praise good customer service left and right, but another (not-as-often examined) aspect of client/customer relationship that I think is just as important is the ability and willingness to take feedback and criticism and grow from it. So right off the bat, Trashness moved up a notch in my book as a brand, regardless of their products.

That said, the new shirt is pretty sharp too! My previous complaints had mainly centered around some sloppy construction - there were a lot of frayed stitches along the seams and placket, as well as some sloppy needlework on the logo at the hip. This update is much cleaner, and compares much better with the denim shirt they sent (that I was much happier with). Check out the comparisons below:

I’m also loving the soft spread collar - normally I’d be a bit peeved at the lack of collar stays or slots, but I honestly think a stiffer/more structured collar would kill the kind of Neapolitan, relaxed-but-sharp-as-a-tack look that I’m really enjoying. While I didn't get to shoot any pics of the full fit of the new shirt, I've worn it a few times, and you can see how it looks in this #WIWT Instagram picture (follow @WideEyesTWBlog, I'm sure you'll see me in it again):

As for the fabric itself, it’s not mind-blowing, but hell, their shirts only run about $40, so I honestly have very little complaint. It’s as hefty as an oxford should be, not flimsy in any way, and the fit remains nice and slim. Granted, I may have mine taken in a tad at the waist, but I’m definitely skinnier than average, so I don’t think they are going wrong with the fit at all. The hand-feel is a tad rough, and I wouldn’t mind it a bit softer, but if previous oxford-cloth experience tells me anything, this will break in just fine over a few washes.

All around, I’d mark Trashness a winner for a solid budget shirt. And again, a solid company run by some good dudes who are really taking the time and effort to listen to their community and put out a quality product.

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 Trashness. While I love to be given products to review, don't worry, I will never endorse a product I wouldn't wear myself. 

Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 1/3/2014

First, the spiel: "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 I get into it, once again, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 2013 was a blast (hey, I launched Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets, so you know it was a good one) and I'm seeing even greater things to come in 2014. OK, since your wallet might be hurting after a little uninhibited NYE spending, here are this week's deals and steals:

Up to 70% Off at ASOS:
ASOS is one of those perfect places to try out new trends, as they tend to have pretty fashion forward styles at very affordable prices to begin with. Add onto that 70% off and you'll be walking away with some snazzy duds for practically pennies. While tons of brands are stocked, I usually find the best deals from their house brand. For example, have you been looking to dip your toes into the wonderful world of plaid suiting? This blazer, regularly $155, can be snagged for just $78:

Slim Fit Suit in Brown Check | ASOS

With the trousers clocking in right around $35, you can get the whole suit for just over $110, which is about as good of a deal as you will find. Granted, these things are mostly polyester, but if you're experimenting and not ready to fork over big bucks for quality on something you might not even like, this is a good way to experiment. Also, if you do some digging, you can find some ASOS suiting with higher quality materials for a bit of a price increase.

ASOS is also great for closet staples like tees, socks, underwear, you name it. Again, these will start cheap, and with the sale running, go for practically nothing. I just bought one of these scoop-neck tees for less than $5.

Scoop Neck T-Shirt | ASOS

Mint green is one of my go-to spring colors, so I know I'll get plenty of use out of this when it starts to warm up. Extra bonus, ASOS offers free shipping and free returns, so I bought just this T-shirt and didn't even notice the divot in my checking account.

Up to 70% Off at Topman:

This is practically the exact same sale. Topman, like ASOS, offers very 'Euro,' fashion forward styles at relatively affordable prices, although sometimes sacrificing higher quality materials to provide a low price point (though a bit less so than ASOS). After you dig through some garish graphic tees, you can find hella nice bargains, like this lambswool-blend sweater that I just ordered for $20 (normally $80):

Textured Lambswool Rich Sweater | Topman

I'm all about sweaters in the winter, and I think the unique texture/weave on this one is a great mixture of casual and stylish. I'll definitely be layering up with this to take the dog to the park or for a night out playing pool.

Topman also has a bunch of jeans and trousers on sale, if you can find your size. Again thinking towards the warmer months, last year I was really looking for some inexpensive, light-wash jeans for sunny days when raw denim just doesn't seem right. These vintage slim jeans would fit the bill perfectly:

Light Wash Vintage Slim Jeans | Topman

Unfortunately, the sizing is very limited, so I'm gonna have to sit on these and pray someone returns a 30R...


Trashness Dress Shirts:
In all honesty, I have yet to try this brand out, but they popped up on my Instagram a few days ago and I'm pretty set on trying them out. They have this great-looking dress denim shirt with a spread collar (another piece I've been looking for), and while it isn't on sale, all their shirts are under $50.

Spread Collar Denim | Trashness

Plus free shipping worldwide?? It's a stingy menswear fiend's dream. A lot of the shirts come with pretty extreme cutaway collars that I don't think I'm quite down for, but there are enough options with this more subtle spread that are right up my alley.

I hadn't heard much about the brand, so I dug around for a few reviews. There's not a ton floating around the net, but what I read was pretty positive for the price. I specifically saw their OCBD's mentioned, and when I do make an order, I'll probably grab one of these as well.

OCBD White | Trashness

The review I read said these were thick but soft, which is perfect for a spring/fall shirt. Plus you can never have enough OCBD's in classic blue or white.


MR PORTER 50% Off Sale:
Sales at Mr. Porter are always a big deal. The discounts also tend to grow over time, and here's hoping this sale does the same, because even at 50% off, most items in the store are still out of my price range. However, there are definitely some affordable deals to be had. For one, I'm considering this thermal Henley from Billy Reid:

Thermal Waffle-Jersey Henley T-Shirt | Billy Reid via MR PORTER

It's clocking in at just under $50 (regularly $95), which definitely isn't cheap, but might be worth it. Not only will the burgundy color look great on it's own, I'd probably do exactly what they suggest in the item description and use this to layer up under a warm (but maybe itchy) sweater.

I also love to browse the accessories section during these sales and grab a pair of nice socks that would normally be way out of my price range. For example, $25 for a pair of socks, even Corgi socks, made from Egyptian Cotton, is a bit extreme for my tastes, but $12.50 on the other hand, is quite do-able.

Dog-Patterned Cotton-Blend Socks | Corgi via MR PORTER

There are many more classic patterns (stripes, solids, some flowers, etc.), but I'm a huge dog-lover and these are awesome. I'd rock 'em with pride (and my feet would thank me)!


Aaaand I'm gonna leave it at that this week. Shop away, share any more good deals here in the comments!