Deals and Steals for the Weekend - 6/13/2014

"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!"

Happy weekend! That's all I gotta say...enjoy the deals:


$20 off Two Shirts at Frank & Oak (code OHSHIRT20):
Title says it all - buy two shirts and you'll get $20 off. Not too shabby, BUT this one ends Friday at midnight, so hop on it fast. Most of the shirts run $45 each ($55 at most), so with the discount applied, they'll run you just $35 a pop. Sign up for the Hunt Club, and you'll get free shipping, plus if you use our referral link you get $25 credit, SO add it all up and you could end up basically getting half off (two shirts for $45 - $55). I've said a few times that Frank & Oak can be hit or miss, but the one aspect that's always been a 'hit' for me has been their shirts, so I'm loving this discount. They've got a real solid lineup of spring shirts that straddle the casual/dressy line pretty damn well. Here are some favorites:

Jasper Oxford in Ocean | Frank & Oak

I have this exact shirt and wear it all the time. Pretty hard to go wrong with a light blue slim fit oxford. I know a lot of guys will already have one in their wardrobe, so if you're already stocked up, check out the other colors (I'm going to grab one in the 'Rhubarb' color to add to my collection). One of my favorite things about this specific cut is that they get the length just perfect to go tucked-in to work or untucked off-duty.

Oakhill Chambray Shirt in Rosewood | Frank & Oak

Boom - another one that I already own and love. I'm a huge fan of F&O chambray, and this is a winner for the warmer months (some of their fabrics are a bit on the thicker side, but this one is nice and lightweight). The red is a great alternative to your standard grey and blue chambrays, letting you stand out from the crowd just a bit.

Linen Utility Shirt in Marine | Frank & Oak

For those really hot days, even a lightweight chambray might be a bit too warm, which makes this linen shirt a fantastic option. I love that it looks like a chambray workshirt, right down to the details, but will be super lightweight and breezy.

Tofino Striped Shirt in Ocean | Frank & Oak

Last, take things up a notch with this striped button-down. This thing can't decide if it's striped or colorblocked, but either way it's a sharp casual shirt that's sure to get you noticed. The teal/blue/white color-way is kinda nautical and very summery - haha, honestly, it's hard for me to put a finger on what I like so much about this, but I do.

Browse the rest of the collection, there are plenty more great options including some bold floral and geometric prints as well as some more neutral business-casual options. Again, use our referral code for $25 credit when you sign up.


Dockers Summer Sale:
Yep, we feature Dockers all the time here in Deals and Steals, but they've got some newer styles that we haven't really seen yet, and I'm really tempted to make a few purchases. Most exciting to me is the addition of some lightweight chinos - I love their Alpha Khakis, but the things are pretty heavy for the summer, and I've been getting worried about what I'll do when (if?) it actually gets hot here in Chicago. Voila, problem solved. If I grab a pair, I'll either go for Ink (a nice darker blue with some grey/slate hues) or 'Green Wax' (a weird name for a summer-perfect mint) color:

Alpha Khakis in Lightweight Ink & Lightweight Green Wax | Dockers

Both are currently down to $40 from their regular retail price of $68, making them very affordable summer picks.

Also in the sale section are these selvedge chinos, and I can't decide if I love them or not - what do you think?

Alpha Khaki in Selvedge Indigo | Dockers

Selvedge is always nice, and these clock in at only $50 (down from $88), much less than most selvedge pants. The color is where I get a little thrown - at first glance it looks like a nice versatile blue, but up close (and per the description), it has a very denim-y look, along with some contrast white stitching, which could put it in no-mans land between business-casual chinos and actual denim. Still, it's the first time I've seen selvedge Alphas, and I'm intrigued!

Last, just gotta point out these plain old Alphas in 'Water Wheel' green:

Alpha Khaki in Water Wheel Green | Dockers

I picked these up a few months back, and was initially thinking they were going to be hard to wear due to the bright green hue, but I end up popping these on pretty much every weekend (check out some of my looks on Instagram here, here, here, and also here on the blog). Right now, they are an unbeatable $15, which is just insane. Buy them now!


Under $35 Sale at J.Crew Factory:
Never seen this type of sale at JCF again, but they've got a bunch of stuff all clocking in at under $35 (makes sense). My first pick is this slim navy card-holder wallet, marked down to just $12.99 from $24.50:

Leather Card Holder | J.Crew Factory

I have the same thing in brown and I can't recommend it highly enough. Just enough storage space for your essentials, but slim enough to slip into your inner blazer pocket or a pair of slim trousers without ending up with an unsightly bulge. My brown one has developed a great patina over the past year, but I honestly would probably get this blue if I had the decision now - navy leather looks great and is just unusual enough to give you a bit of a unique edge.

Next, this madras-y plaid shirt is a no-brainer for a classic summer look:

Slim Washed Shirt in Summer Plaid | J.Crew Factory

Slim fit, and their washed cotton fabric tends to be nice and lightweight. Don't really need to say much more, besides that it's only $28.99 (regularly $62.50).

If you're like me and have been tempted by white denim but are hesitant to a) rock something quite that bold and b) to risk something that easy to stain, these jeans in an off-white, natural hue are the perfect alternative:

Driggs (Slim) Garment-Dyed Jean | J.Crew Factory

Even better, at just $35 (half off from $70), they aren't much of a financial risk at all.


Last, if you haven't already, check out this awesome Father's Day deal from Tie Society. Spend some quality time with your Dad this Sunday, and have a great weekend!

Announcing 'Dad Packs' from Tie Society in time for Father's Day

Hey fellas, Father's Day is just around the corner, have you gotten your dad a great gift yet? Sure, it's a little last minute, but if you're still shopping around, Tie Society has a hell of a nice package custom-built for the holiday. 

Hopefully you've all read my review of Tie Society from some time last year. If you haven't, it's right over here, but the short version is that Tie Society is a pretty awesome service. Their (unofficial?) tag line sums it up pretty perfectly - it's like Netflix for ties - for a very affordable monthly fee, you get to shop their 'closet' of sharp ties, pocket squares, tie clips, and other accessories. Just like Netflix, you 'borrow' an item (or three, or five, depending on your subscription), wear it as long as you want, and send it back when you're ready for something new. Not only is it a fantastic way to get a feel for you personal style, try new looks, and experiment without committing to a hefty purchase, but it's run by some great guys who are really there to help you look good. 

Anyway, I'm always happy to shout out their deals and promotions, and their Father's day offer is pretty spot-on. For the holiday, they've put together a pre-curated box, or 'Dad Pack' if you will. Each box comes complete with two ties, a pocket square, tie bar, and a cufflinks set, along with a custom, handwritten message (dictated by you), along with a few extra TS freebies:

Even better, they give you two options for gifting this pack: for $50, you rent the package, and along with all the goodies, your dad will get a three-month, three-item subscription to Tie Society, and the 'Dad Pack' serves as the first shipment, with a bonus of including all five items (plus the freebies and note) in his first package, instead of three. The second options is to straight-up purchase the box, which will run you an even $100. 

Either way it's a great deal - the three month subscription is regularly $19.95/month (so about $60 for three), and if you opt to purchase, the ties alone have a retail value of $75 or more. Frugal, stylish, and a solid company - sounds like a Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets winner to me.

Head over to Tie Society to rent or purchase your pack today, and tune back into the blog later tonight for the weekly Deals and Steals!

'Know Your Patterns' - Houndstooth

I’ve said this before, but one of my favorite (now kind of long-term/ongoing) trends has been this resurgence of classic menswear patterns, especially when I see them being used in new ways. We talked recently about glen-plaid, which definitely falls into this category - originally mainly found in heavier wool suiting and outerwear, and now everywhere from shirts to ties to suits to bright chinos. It's just a great way to ground a ‘trend’ or new idea in something classic that has already stood the test of time.

That’s why, for our second installment of ‘Know Your Patterns,’ we are turning to the classic houndstooth check. The pattern originates in the Scottish lowlands as far back as the 1800’s, and traditionally alternates dark and light 'checks' for a look that is both refined and bold at the same time. Originally, the pattern was used pretty exclusively with heavy wool suiting and outerwear, just like Glen Plaid (and, I would guess, most patterns coming out of Scottish antiquity). Again, the application has spread widely as clothiers have experimented with the pattern in multitudes of uses.

The houndstooth pattern itself is characterized by an almost checked appearance, and is made up of repeating 'abstract' blocks with four kind-of jagged points (which is where the pattern derives its name, as the points can be reminiscent of a hounds jagged back teeth): 

There is a weaving pattern that causes this to happen, but it’s technical beyond my own interest (a quick google should pull it up for you if you are so inclined). The checks tend to run at a diagonal, giving a bit more visual interest compared to a standard square check (like a gingham). Even more variation is given by playing with the scale - more popular with women’s coats and dresses is a jumbo-scale print in stark black and white. On the other end of the spectrum is tiny puppytooth, often in a monochromatic scheme (or with subtle color differences), that function much like any other micro-pattern, appearing solid from a distance, with the visual depth clarifying as one gets closer. For the record, I love puppytooth the most - besides the cute name, it’s such a fantastic way to spice up a look without standing out like a sore thumb - in fact, to most passersby you are just wearing a solid garment, but those who know you enough to get up close can see how splendid of a dresser you really are.

The look has come in and out of popularity in waves, and is definitely feeling some time in the sun today as a pattern you can find used on almost any garment of clothing. I’ve really fallen in love with it as a tie pattern - I think it lends some old school charm to a look that I can then pump up with some more modern touches. It's also usually small enough in scale that it plays well with many patterned shirts. Brooks Brothers has a really nice option in navy that's currently pretty well discounted at $55.65 (seen below, originally $80), or you can grab this one in traditional black and white from The Tie Bar for just $15.

Houndstooth Tie | Brooks Brothers

Another subtle way to wear the pattern is in a dress shirt - which is where it really does act like micro-gingham or a micro-stripe - almost solid, but really not at all! Charles Tyrwhitt has some great shirts in puppytooth, all in warm colors like sky blue or lilac, like this one currently running just $39:

Lilac Two Color Puppytooth Dress Shirt | Charles Tyrwhitt

Progressively moving to larger pieces, I’ve been seeing summer blazers pop up with a usually light blue houndstooth pattern, which creates a really cool warm-weather vibe that doesn’t stick the standard (and some may say tired) staples like seersucker or gingham. I got a great cotton/linen jacket from Uniqlo for my birthday (pictured here on the Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets Instagram - @WideEyesTWBlog), but I believe it’s all sold out (maybe for the season). However, for not a ton more (a very reasonable and often discounted $188) J.Crew offers a very similar option - bonus, it might not suffer from the few Uniqlo faults of cropped tail and long sleeves.

Ludlow Sportcoat in Mini Houndstooth | J.Crew

If you want to go bolder, or at the same time more traditional, I suggest looking for heaving cloths and more fall/winter clothing. Where I would see a large-scale houndstooth check as kind of clownish on a shirt or tie, it looks bold and bossy on a luxe overcoat, or in muted colors on some toothy tweed. Sorry, though, we're currently too out of season for me to find an example on sale now, but I did find this shot of a fella looking damn good in a Thom Brown wool overcoat:

Photo Credit - The Bulletin

If you haven’t tried the pattern, I suggest picking up a small piece - it’s irregularity and funky shape can make it seem unapproachable, but it’s easier than you think to work into a regular ‘fit, and once you start, you won’t turn back.

How do you rock houndstooth? Do you have any favorite pieces? Share in the comments:

Father's Day with Bill Thomas of Bills Khakis

Happy early Father's Day to all the dad's out there - mine was the best. Look at me, stuntin in my high-top All Stars!
 My dad might not have been big on fashion, but those fades would be the envy of many a denim head today!

I spent some time trying to think of a great way to approach a Father's Day post. On personal holidays like this, I don't like to suggest specific gifts, because our circumstances (and our dads) can be (and probably are) very different. There also isn't some standard of attire or event for this day (like there is for St. Patrick's or even Memorial Day), so, hell wear whatever you want. Anyway, I was dancing around the subject until I got an email from some of the reps for Bills Khakis, offering to set up an interview with Bill himself (founder Bill Thomas) to chat about the holiday.

Bills Khakis is a company I've had on my radar for a long time, but never got to try out myself. My interpretation of them, up to this point, was as a company blurring the lines between modern and traditional - offering classic and durable worker chinos alongside more slim-fit and modern options, and managing to make the distinction between the two much less pronounced - which I think is pretty awesome! I browsed their merch, read a bit more about the company, and was definitely interested enough to set up the interview.

On a little side note - I half expected a pretty 'promotional,' one-sentence answers, 'buy our stuff' interview, and was really impressed with the thought Bill took into answering my questions, and I think the interview turned out really well. In fact, I'm still waiting on some samples that they are sending me so that I can get an in-person feel of their products and judge them myself (and pass the deets on to you folks), but I couldn't wait to get this on the blog, and especially wanted to do so in time for the upcoming holiday. Soooo, here's the (short) interview - Bill does have some recommendations specific to his brand, so check out their goods (they've got a really solid rep, so I wouldn't hesitate if you see something you like), but there's also some good thoughts here on bridging the generational style gap. Here we go:

As a young menswear blogger looking ahead to Father's day and apparel or style related gifts, I keep coming back to the potential 'style gap' between young fashion-forward guys and their fathers - as in, I love my dad's style, and he definitely appreciates mine, but there isn't a lot of crossover between the two. Where my dad is a meat-and-potatoes, jeans-and-tee kind of guy, I like things a little more tailored and a little more bold.

I think Bills Khakis is great in that you cover a both ends of the spectrum. How do you and your team successfully approach the balance between trendy or modern and classic or timeless?

Bill Thomas: "Simple, purposeful and authentic. The Bills Khakis brand has grown from the values represented by an original pair of WWII khakis I found at an army surplus store while I was in college. These timeless characteristics serve as a compass for men’s fashion in America across all generations. Each generation redefines the nuances, but the building blocks are the same. It’s our job to evolve in concert with this progression. “Fit” is a primary driver with color, wash and detailing also playing a part. Our design efforts take this all into account. Our “Tea Label” Collection is a great example of how Bills Khakis can speak to a more trend oriented customer, who often is younger, while our original label continues to drive business with customers whose personal style is more traditional."

Can you suggest some approaches to Father's day gift buying for style-minded guys with dad's that...

M3 Trim Fit Poplin Pant in Marine

...want to try new modern styles, but still act their age?

"Get your father into a slightly more tailored fitting pair of khakis and shirt. WORD OF CAUTION! Even if your dad runs triathlons, he will likely not want the fit to be super trim. He’ll never be comfortable wearing skinny fit anything, and frankly, if you saw him wearing a pair you would probably agree. Our M3 pant fit and “Tailored Fit” shirts strike the perfect balance of comfort and updated fit. Throw in a cool belt and make sure the shoe is right and you've brought your father into 2014."

Supima® Pique Polo

...have a solid sense of style, but like to stick to the classics?

"In addition to our WWII inspired khakis, there are great stories behind many of the products we make - stories that will help your father see what they are wearing in a different light. For example, our Supima® Polo shirt is not only cut and sewn in America, the cotton was grown and harvested here as well. For those not familiar with Supima®, it’s among the finest cottons in the word. Supima® is strong, color fast but still breathable and soft!"

Oxford Gingham Shirt

...might enjoy some stylish flair, but don't even know it?

"Add a little color. Like khaki, “navy” really isn’t a color when it comes to pants or shorts. Easy to wear shades include: Wicker, Sage, Pewter, and Marine. Also, a blue gingham check shirt will be a giant step for his sense of style."

...have little interest in style (or the way they dress), and might benefit from a (very subtle) 'nudge' in the right direction?

"Chances are this dad has always bought the lowest price anything he can find. Introduce them to “quality” merchandise. The experience of wearing exceptional products will enlighten him. Chances are he’ll never splurge on himself."

Last, on a more personal note, I'm actually a native Pennsylvanian, now living in Chicago, so I relate to your background. Something that's always been very interesting, though occasionally challenging as well, has been coming from/living in these areas where style and fashion aren't as front-and-center as places like NYC or LA. I'd love to hear how this has affected your style as well as the development of his brand!

"I have never considered Bills Khakis a fashion brand in the sense we need to “drive” fashion. However, we do need to be “on tend” to remain relevant. Chicago reflects how most of America dresses - think of NYC and LA as two strong magnets with Chicago in the middle. Chicago will never get pulled too hard left or right, but it will oscillate."

Big thanks to Bill for taking the time to speak with me, and a big thanks to all the Dads out there, for being Dads - awesome Dads, I hope - and the biggest thanks of all to my own Dad, who's the coolest guy I know and really helped make me who I am. And, of course, my heart is with my Pappy and Grandpa, may they rest in peace, I miss you uber-dads every day.

Curled up, thumb in my mouth, my 'ginky' (blanket), while my dad reads me 'The Night Before Christmas.'
Couldn't have been happier.

Bonus: Any expecting Dad's out there? If your beautiful baby is born on Father's Day (June 15th, 2014), Bills Khakis will send you a pair of Authentic Khaki's on the house. Can't beat that, a baby and some killer menswear in one day...just gotta get that timing right!

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

Alrighty folks, it's that time of the week. I'm gonna keep it pretty short this week, got company coming in and our apartment is a bit of a mess, so I gotta wrap this up and get to work! So 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!"


Semi-Annual Sale at Mr. Porter:
This is one of the most highly anticipated sale events in the menswear world. Mr. Porter carries, like, exclusively cool stuff, but most of it is very high end and very expensive, so their semi-annual sales are sometimes the only chance for us budget-conscious shoppers to grab some of their dapper duds. Right now, discounts are up to 50%, but later in the sale you'll see them jump to 60% and even 70%, so expect to see us revisit this. This week, take a look through the J.Crew selection, which even at the lower discount becomes pretty damn affordable. Among the standouts to me was this madras-y popover:

Check Cotton Shirt | J.Crew via Mr. Porter

This hits all the right notes for a perfect casual summer shirt, plus, J.Crew's popover selection is kinda new and therefore often excluded from sales (and rarely in the clearance section), so the discounted price of $45 is hard to beat.

Also gotta point out this Ludlow suit in a beautiful glen plaid, which is a perfect follow up to our recent 'Know Your Pattern' feature. At full price, the suit will run you a hefty $678, but the sale has it down to $339 for both the jacket and pants:

Ludlow Slim-Fit Glen Plaid Suit | J.Crew via Mr. Porter

Ludlow suits are a go-to these days for gents liking a more modern, slim cut, but eager to avoid the chopped-jacket trend. I love the rich brown of this color, and while it might be a bit heavy for summer, it will look fantastic come fall. The link above will take you to the jacket, and you can find the matching pants here.

Just a few links to some other products I'm digging:
A nice casual cotton crewneck pullover that will be a perfect layering option for cooler summer evenings - $42.50 (originally $85)
A fair-isle patterned wool sweater that I was hunting for this winter, but never found at an affordable price - now just $60 (originally $120)
In a quick look beyond J.Crew, this Levi's Vintage T-shirt - sure, it's not cheap at $45 (down from $90), but I'm really liking the 50's retro feel, might be worth the extra dough.

Again, we'll be revisiting this sale in the future, so keep an eye out!


Extra 15% off at Kohl's:
Honestly, I've never shopped at Kohl's before, and never really considered it. However, my girlfriend has been working with them at her marketing firm and recommended I take a look - I was pleasantly surprised to see some nicely discounted Levi's and Dockers, which are two of my go-to's for jeans and khakis. I'm thinking about picking up this pair of Docker's (I believe they are Alpha Khakis - Kohl's has them listed as 'Slim Tapered Modern Khaki Pants' but they sure as heck look like the Alphas, and the 'Slim Tapered' fitting is consistent with the Alphas as well:

Alpha(?) Khaki in Ink | Dockers via Kohl's

They have a bunch of classic neutral colors, which are actually sometimes kinda hard to find. I'm particularly drawn to this 'Ink' color, which has a subtle grey tint to a darker blue, and clocks in at just $35 (originally $58). 


Effortless Gent Giveaway:
This last one is just straight up a steal, haha. I've mentioned before that I'm lucky to get to do some work helping Barron with Effortless Gent and his other project, Cladright, so I'm happy to spread the word about a killer giveaway he's running. Through Wednesday, June 11th, you can enter to win a pretty damn good-looking pair of loafers from up-and-comers Paul Evans: 

Even better, if you win, you get to take your pick of the four colors (my favorites are the tan fellas on the right). Head over to the site for information on how to enter!

Have a great weekend!

Know Your Fabrics - Twill (and Herringbone)

As you'll recall from last week, we are starting a few ongoing series to expand your book-smarts when it comes to style and menswear. We're dropping knowledge on you again this week, as we bust out our 'Know Your Fabrics' series with this piece on twill, one of the most common weaves throughout apparel textiles.

As I inferred, 'twill' refers to the weave of a fabric, rather than the material - you can have cotton twill, wool twill, linen twill, heck, even polyester twill, although I'd avoid it (big fan of natural fibers here). The defining characteristic of a twill fabric is the 'stepped' or offset weaving pattern, which creates minute diagonal ribs - really, these are most often so small that you can only notice them up close. 

Notice the diagonal 'ribbing.'

In contrast to straight or box weaves, the diagonal weave allows these fabrics to stretch (again, minutely) in the direction of wear, which allows them to drape much more nicely than non-twill counterparts. Also, twill fabrics tend to be just a bit denser and heavier - not that it's all heavyweight, but more that you are unlikely to see super lightweight twill pieces.

Like I said before, twill is everywhere, and is actually a defining weave for some fabrics (as far as I know, the only difference between chambray and denim - both woven with a colored warp and white weft - is that denim is always twill). Another fun fact - the diagonal weave in twill almost always goes in the same direction, but every so often a manufacturer switches it up, resulting in a 'left-hand' twill, like these jeans from Gustin (not currently available, but they return periodically, or you can try out the second option, a bit more expensive, from Naked Famous via Nordstrom):

'The Lefty' Selvedge Denim | Gustin

'Weird Guy' Slim Fit Left Hand Twill Selvedge Jeans | Naked and Famous via Nordstrom

Beyond denim, nearly all (if not all) of your chinos will be twill, whether they are regular cotton, heavier canvas, or lightweight 'summer' chinos. Some of our favorites come from J.Crew Factory, who have a great selection (at great prices) on sale right now:

Driggs Broken-In Chino | J.Crew Factory

This also tends to be the go-to-weave for cotton sport coats (though it can be used for wool or other materials as well). My lightweight blazer in a cotton/linen blend from Uniqlo is made with a twill weave, and is a must-have for the summer, if you ask me. Unfortunately, a lot of other fellas thought so too, and Uniqlo is clean out of the damn things. However (lucky you), GANT has this sharp number marked down to a surprisingly affordable $150 (and that's from an original $500 price-tag):

Cotton Twill Blazer | GANT

Last, I have to mention that I think a bright white twill dress shirt is about as classy as you can get - the beautiful drape and subtle texture, alongside a spread collar and some MOP buttons, well, yum. The bad news is that it can be hard to find a shirt like that for cheap - I had two made custom my Modern Tailor, and those were modeled off this version by Ledbury. Like I said, not cheap, but if you're looking for a splurge, you won't go wrong with this one:

The White Royal Twill | Ledbury

Really, though, twill is such an ubiquitous fabric that we could run an endless list of products made with the characteristic weave. Instead, we'll leave you with this final tidbit - herringbone fabric is actually just an alternating twill weave - instead of allowing the diagonal weave to run continuously in one direction, herringbone fabric switches the direction of the twill at regular increments. The result looks reminiscent of the bones of a herring, hence the name! Where a regular twill will look solid from a distance, herringbone (especially when accentuated with colors or textures), can come out in an almost striped appearance, like these chinos from Dockers:

'Earl' Slim Fit Herringbone Alpha Chinos | Dockers via Nordstrom

And there you have it! One day older, one day smarter. Tune in on Friday (or Thursday night, if I'm feeling industrious) for this week's round of Deals and Steals! Meanwhile, have any favorite pieces in twill or herringbone? Tell us about it!

Testing Trends - Putting It Into Practice

Incredible photography by the lovely Christine.

As much as possible, when we give advice here on Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets, we like to follow up with a post where we put that same advice into action. You may remember a few weeks back, we wrote a post on budget-conscious trend-testing. While we were speaking to a bigger technique to be applied to any new and semi-risky fashion trends, we applied it specifically to the black/white combo that has been popping up (quite stylishly), especially among streetwear-leaning celebs.

I spent a little time and followed through, picking up some key pieces in very affordable/lower quality 'test' items so that I could see if I could rock the style myself (and not be out big bucks if I failed). Fortunately, I already had a crisp white OCBD (as every man should), so I was off to a solid start with my existing wardrobe. Even if you don't (gasp!), you can pick one up on the cheap from Uniqlo (although you certainly wouldn't be remiss shelling out a bit more on a staple piece like this, which isn't a style risk on it's own at all).

White Slim OCDB | Uniqlo

Even better, I ended up picking up a pair of bright white Converse Jack Purcell's as part of a completely independent project to amp up my summer casual kicks beyond my go-to Sperry Topsiders. Again, though, even if I was purchasing these for trend-testing purposes alone, they only cost $60, and alternatives from brands like Vans are even more affordable.

Jack Purcell | Converse via MR PORTER

So right there, I have the 'white' component of this trend completely covered without spending a risky dime. All I needed to round out the look was a pair of black jeans, which would contrast very strongly between the shirt and the shoes. Now, I could have gone for this pair of Back x Black denim by 3Sixteen that I've been drooling over since I first saw them pop up in GQ or some similar magazine a few months back. However, being my first pair of black jeans, and not being positive if the look is me, I smartly took a much safer route, hitting up my favorite thrift store - eBay. After just a few days of patiently browsing the listings, I managed to pick up a pair of lightly used Levi's 511's for well under $20, shipped. Again (get the trend here?) even if I couldn't score these on eBay, I would have gone with a way affordable option, like these from Levi's that run under $50:

Black Stretch Denim in 511 Fit | Levi's

And there I had it, just a week or two of putting the pieces together, and I had an outfit all ready to test out the trend at hand. Here's the result...

...and I'm pretty damn happy with it! I really dig the contrast, and while say, dark jeans and any light shirt would get a similar effect, this has a bit more of an edge to it. Still, I'm glad I went cheap, as I don't see myself wearing this every day. Who knows, now that I have a taste for black denim, maybe I'll get hooked and end up ponying up for a premium pair down the road, but for now, for the occasional wear, I'm perfectly happy with my budget-ensemble and will funnel my money towards a few other larger purchase I know I'm looking for this season.

What's the latest 'trend' that you've tried out? How did it work?