Sale Spotlight - The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Nordstrom carries a lot of high end, crazy expensive items, but they can also be a great source of discount finds for the budget shopper - especially if you can hit up one of their three annual sales. Their Anniversary Sale launched on Friday (the morning after I wrote up the Deals and Steals for the week), and while it's actually vaguely underwhelming, there are still a number of good deals to be had, so I rounded up a few of my picks:

Shoes:
Probably the best/most items are in the footwear category, and it's one of the few opportunities to get a heavy discount on kicks from brands like Allen Edmond's and Sperry's. Speaking of, my first pick is the Allen Edmond's Park Avenue cap-toe oxford, clocking in at $243 from an original price of $345.

Park Avenue Oxford | Allen Edmond's via Nordstrom

Sure, not exactly cheap, but that's over $100 off the MSRP, and the Park Ave is a fantastic go-to dress shoe. It's easily formal enough to wear with a suit, but versatile enough to rock with some chinos, or maaaaybe jeans (although that's a bit of a stretch). The styling is classic, the shape is a perfect balance of sleek and round, and the AE recrafting program allows one pair of these to last a lifetime.

My second choice is another pair of go-to Allen Edmond's; the Strand (a wingtip brogue):

Strand Oxford | Allen Edmond's via Nordstrom

With the slightly higher starting price, and just a hair cheaper of a sale price, these are a bit better of a deal, and kinda the perfect mate for the Park Avenue's. The brogue details are great for those days where you want to break out of the box just a bit, while still remaining classy and work-appropriate (and these can be work with a nice pair of dark denim). Personally, I prefer these in the darker Bourbon color, but the Walnut is pretty highly coveted among the menswear crowds. It might be a bit less versatile, and is definitely a bit bolder, but as I mentioned, still wholly office friendly.

Changing brands, and heading towards the casual side of footwear, you can pick up Eastland's Stratton 1955 Penny Loafer for just $138 (originally $230):

Stratton 1955 Penny Loafer | Eastland Made in Maine via Nordstrom

Eastland falls in around the same range as G.H. Bass, Sperry's and Sebago, but this particular pair comes from their higher-end, 'Made in Maine' line (and we love when companies manufacture in the USA). The black pair, pictured above, is a bit more casual with contrast stitching and sole, while the burgundy option is a little shinier and a little dressier. Either will perfectly round out a classic prep outfit of chinos, OCBD and blazer (one of my all-time favorite combos). The tag is a bit goofy, but I'm guessing it wouldn't be too hard to remove, and then these are an undeniable winner.

Our last shoe recommendation is probably my favorite: Sperry Top-Sider Authentic Originals in classic brown for just $60 (regularly $90).

Authentic Original Boat Shoe | Sperry Top-Sider via Nordstrom

I think I got my pair during the MR PORTER sale last year for around $50, but beyond that, this is easily the best price I've seen for what has become probably my most-worn pair of shoes (just browse through my Instagram if you doubt me). Wear them with no-show loafer socks and these things are unbelievably comfortable, and are a big step up from sneakers for a more adult casual summer look.


Pants & Jeans:
After leaving the shoe section, the good deals are harder to find. We did manage to pick out a few pairs of pants, like these Dockers Alpha Chinos:

Alpha Fillmore Slim Fit Chinos | Dockers via Nordstrom

If you're a regular reader, or follow me on Instagram, you know that Dockers Alphas make up a good chunk of my personal chino selection - due to a perfect slim fit, a durable fabric and construction, and an unusually reasonable price. That price gets even more reasonable here, knocked down from $68 to $40 (and remember, free shipping, as always from Nordstrom). There are four colors to chose from, all of which are definitely viable picks, but these dark blue (but not quite navy) are my favorites (I've got a pair in my shopping cart right now).

The other solid find from the pantaloons department are these jeans from Naked & Famous:

Weird Guy Slim Fit Raw Jeans | Naked & Famous via Nordstrom

Another pick that certainly isn't cheap, but still a great deal, these are coming in at $103 (originally $155). I don't believe they are selvedge, but they regardless promise to be a solid pair of raw denim (Naked & Famous is pretty widely regarded as a go-to entry brand for high end denim). I have to dip my toes in the waters of said high end denim, but when I do, I'm relatively certain it'll be a pair of N&F, and I'll be lucky to find a deal like this.


Socks & Underwear:
Our last section of picks. First up is the Tommy John V-neck undershirt:

Cool Cotton V-Neck T-Shirt | Tommy John via Nordstrom

We did a whole write-up on picking the right undershirt for the job, and the Tommy John V-neck was a solid winner in my book. I was able to pick up the bargain (albeit slightly lower quality) version at a Nordstrom Rack, but this here is full-fledged top-notch version, regularly pretty expensive at $40 a pop, now much more reasonable at $26. Might still seem like a lot for an undershirt, but I think it's worth it - slim fitting and thin enough to be invisible under a dress shirt, long enough to stay tucked in, and made from a soft and stretchy pima cotton blend.

And finally, while it might be hot as heck now, you know colder months are never far away, so don't forget to consider some cozy steals like these SmartWool socks:

New Heathered Socks | SmartWool via Nordstrom

SmartWool is a lifesaver come winter (well, toe-saver at least), but can put a dent in your wallet at close to $20 a pair. These are knocked down to $13, and definitely worth stocking up on a few pairs while the sale is on. Check out the full SmartWool selection for other colors and styles, but I think the above pair in a solid navy are the most versatile.


And that's it for today, folks. By all means, browse the rest of the sale, and keep an eye out for further markdowns and/or added items - while we didn't see a whole lot else that excited us, you may find some hidden gems! Happy shopping.

As always, we'd love to hear about any steals you score in the comments below.

Fashion Faux Pas - Crew Neck Tees and Unbuttoned Collars

Today's weather gave me the perfect setting in which to give you this next morsel of sartorial delight. It is hot and humid here in Chicago, and due to our outstanding charity participation, our office is running casual Friday all week. Therefore, for once, I decided to ditch the tie entirely and went with a button-up shirt and jeans. And yes, I left the top button undone.

The Right Way

Now here's the test: Can you see a triangle of white tee-shirt sticking up from under my collar, like a thong riding up the butt of that girl in the trailer park? Ok, that might be a little harsh, but the analogy remains: treat your undershirts like underwear, they are there to do a job, NOT to be seen. It just looks....well maybe not quite trashy, but definitely unrefined and definitely not classy when they are visible over your shirt. The remedy, as usual, is easy, and I recommend this one at all times, but especially if you are planning on rocking your top button undone at any point in the day: wear v-neck undershirts. Just look at the difference below. With the crew neck white Tee, not only are you showing your undergarments, you can ruin a smooth look with a crumpled or worn collar, and at the very least you're throwing in your white shirt as yet another element to coordinate within your outfit.

The Wrong Way

Keep it simple, show a little of your tan (just please don't unbutton down to your navel) and maintain the sharpness and overall integrity of your look.

Also, just like underwear, most of your decision-making when it comes to undershirts should be based on functionality. An undershirt and a Tee-shirt are two different things, and should be treated as such. Undershirts, or the good ones at least, are longer, in order to remain tucked, and hug your body in order to refrain from contributing to any of that dreaded billowing of the shirt at the waist. They are also often thinner material, and sometimes are moisture-wicking or have some other sort of textile technology to make you more comfortable. And, like I said, always go for a decently deep V-neck that won't show when you pop the button open in the hot temps.

In a pinch, a Tee will work if you're keeping your button done, but you're just limiting yourself by wearing one. A v-neck Tee instead of a v-neck undershirt is even a bit closer, but still avoid it if possible. It kind of kills the purpose of a well fitted shirt if your bottom layer is all bunched up and billowed on its own. You want your shirt to drape over your body (and your undershirt) like there is no undershirt at all, and that's exactly what good undershirts are made to do.

The good news is there are plenty of great options out there. My personal favorite are V-neck undershirts by Tommy John. I can't remember the exact price, but I believe I got a 2-pack of these from Nordstrom Rack for about $20. I wear them every week, and need to buy more so I don't have to run laundry so often.

They are thin enough to not add too much insulation, hefty enough to absorb my sweat and dirt (lovely, I know). They are also slim fitting enough for a scrawny guy like myself but with enough stretch to not be constrictive. You can buy them direct using the link above, but I got mine at a good discount from Nordstrom Rack, so keep your eyes open.