Tag / casual shirts

by Beau H.

Online Shopping Picks: Cyber Monday

IT’S HERE. CYBER MONDAY.

After the rest and relaxation of Thanksgiving, holiday shopping season really sets in. Even with a slight numbers decline this year, Black Friday is always a huge day in the retail world, and Cyber Monday’s an equally big day as far as shopping goes. And even with sales numbers expected to drop today as well, there’s still plenty of opportunity for the bargain-minded menswear fanatic to grab some great deals, ones that might not be around the rest of year. The following isn’t an exhaustive rundown of all sales and deals running out there (for instance, J. Crew is skipped, even though J. Crew Factory is mentioned), but think of it as a breakdown of what you should (maybe?) look for from select outlets. Enjoy, and happy shopping!

J. Crew Factory — 50% off everything, plus 10% off & free shipping with YOUVEGOTSALE

What To Look For: Casual Shirts

Some easy-wearing picks from J. Crew's younger sibling.

Some easy-wearing picks from J. Crew’s younger sibling.

J. Crew Factory’s a veritable treasure trove for plenty of terrific items, most of which seem like carbon copies in terms of quality and style of its older, more expensive sibling, J. Crew. Today is no different. The site’s 50% off deal has been running the whole weekend, but today’s additional 10% off discount and free shipping code is an even better deal. With J. Crew Factory, the quality is on-par with more expensive offerings, so scooping up a casual shirt or two (like that rugged elbow-patch shirt or a tattersall option) makes a ton of sense. If you have a bit more coin to spend, the code MONDAY gets you 30% off full price styles and 40% off sale styles at J. Crew. A solid bet from there would be a lightweight merino sweater — a neutral staple in a beautiful fabric.

Club Monaco — 20 – 30% off everything & Extra 30% off Sale & Clearance items with CYBERMONDAY 

What To Look For: Luxury Accessories

Accessories with more of a luxury feel than typical brands.

Accessories with more of a luxury feel than typical brands.

So Club Monaco might not be the first place you would think of when looking around for deals (a $2,200 shearling coat in the New Arrivals section? Yikes). However, there are certain items that make this more continental, fashion-forward brand worth a second look.  Now, $20 for a pair of socks at full price is a bit much, but when you tack on a code, you’re getting a much more manageable deal for a soft yet chunky, cotton-blend sock. And if you’re looking for a pair of gloves that’s different from slick black leather, their half-knit leather gloves  or rich brown deerskin gloves would be an upfront investment that definitely pays dividends down the line.

JackThreads — Up to 90% off on their Warehouse and Free Shipping on Orders over $65

What To Look For: Sharp Boots

Slim boots that offer a change of pace from clunkier options.

Slim boots that offer a change of pace from clunkier options.

Unfortunately, JackThreads isn’t running a full-on sale code at the moment (although they were knocking off an automatic 30% on purchases at the end of last week). However, they are offering free shipping on orders over $65, and you can snag up to 65% off full retail on some boots if you play your cards right. Additionally, they’re a site that seems to get lost in the wash of other flash sale sites. They do offer more streetwear-centric items, some of which can be misses, yet they also offer some solid, standby items (namely from their in-house brand Goodale). If you’re in the market for a slim boot with some fall-centric details (like deep black suede), this option might do the trick.  And, their Robert Wayne options (like this brown captoe) are visually interesting when compared to a chunkier wingtip boot.

Frank & Oak — Up to 60% off on Sale Items; New Hunt Club Crate Launch

What To Look For: Casual Shirts and Blazers

Search the sale section for plenty of sizes on most items.

Search the sale section for plenty of sizes on most items.

Like JackThreads, there’s no actual code here, but plenty of items remain up for grabs on the site. The hype surrounding this brand continues to grow, from new additions to their footwear line last week to the popular success of their Hunt Club membership program. This weekend was a pretty active one for the company, with various sale codes running on top of a four-hour flash sale that dropped on Saturday, and today must be equally busy. Given that it’s the first of the month, they also launched new offerings today, which include slim Harris Tweed blazers. The real steals today though come from the sale section, which is still surprisingly well-stocked, from a zany-yet-cool brush print shirt to more straightforward alternatives, like a casual (yet refined) navy pin dot shirt. The corduroy blazer pictured above also has a surprising number of sizes left, as do some other blazers in the sale section. There’s not really a better time to hop on a sale like this — best get to it.

For a more comprehensive rundown of sales, you can also check out Dappered.com’s rundown of Cyber Monday sales. 

Will you be doing any shopping on this Cyber Monday? Have you already picked up some items? Leave your thoughts below! 

by Beau H.

Shopping on a Budget: An Updated Men’s Style Starter Kit, Part 2

This week on Siblings with Style, we’ll tackle Part 2 in the somewhat extensive process of building a starter wardrobe on a tight budget. Last year’s post tackled how to revamp a wardrobe for under $250, while Part 1 of the new series last week took a look at the basics you need on your legs — affordable, stylish jeans, chinos and shoes. But, style isn’t just one portion of the ensemble — looking your best is about tying in many separate parts across different seasons, different trends and different situations. Consider these picks as a starting point (or a restocking point) for both casual knits and shirts, as well as sweaters. In the next post, we’ll tackle dressier essentials on a budget. For now, let’s keep it casual — look below for (almost) everything you need up top.

Casual Knits/Shirts: Old Navy

In a wide spectrum of colors and styles, Old Navy's your go-to for casual shirting.

In a wide spectrum of colors and styles, Old Navy’s your go-to for casual shirting.

The world of casual T-shirts and other items can actually get pretty extensive, between the different  variations on laidback stylings (V-neck? Crewneck? Pocket tee? Henley?). And it’s no use spending hundreds of dollars on a simple T-shirt. But, no need to skimp on style, either. One location is a tremendous starting point for all of these various essentials — that’s right, Old Navy. As covered on this blog in a Starter Style Review earlier this year, the store is a veritable outpost of affordable knits in all of the variations listed above. Need some basic v-necks that you can wear on their own or underneath other items?  Want a slim henley in a fall-appropriate color? Fancy a casual polo for the warmer months? Old Navy’s the spot. And with several variations on colors for polos, shirts and henleys alike, the store could (and should) become a one-stop shop for various layering needs. The best part is undoubtedly the price — it seems many of these styles retail for, at the most, roughly $20. Assuming you pick up three to start (say, a long-sleeve henley for cold weather-layering, a V-neck T-shirt and a crewneck T-shirt for casual wear), those purchases wouldn’t set you back more than $45 when bought on sale.

TOTAL: $45 (For three shirts)

Casual Buttondown Shirts: Uniqlo

For about $50, you can get the above two shirts right now. Not a bad deal at all.

For about $50, you can get the above two shirts right now. Not a bad deal at all.

There’s a plethora of options out there when it comes to shirting — in this particular roundup, we’re looking at shirts that aren’t designed to be worn with a suit (while that’s broad, think Oxford cloth button-downs and other styles). Many brands are now making terrific-looking casual shirts, but in this case, one brand offers a great mix of pricing and slim, modern styles — Uniqlo. They offer a wide selection of slim-fit Oxford shirts (as seen above) in a wide variety of colors, and frequently run deals on 2 shirts, for example. In fact, 2 Oxford shirts will set you back roughly $50 — a pretty neat discount when you consider the wearability of a classic white OCBD. If you had to start with two picks, you could absolutely find them at the mainstay Japanese brand. A pretty thorough selection of denim and flannel shirts in a diverse color spectrum rounds out their casual shirting selection quite nicely. The one area they appear to be lacking in would be colorful, playful patterns — in that case, searching J. Crew Factory can offer some deviation from the typical solids or checks offered by Uniqlo, at about the same price point.

TOTAL: $50 (For two shirts)

Sweaters: Uniqlo

From extra fine merino to lambswool and cashmere, Uniqlo delivers.

From extra fine merino to lambswool and cashmere, Uniqlo delivers.

Moving up to sweaters (another versatile outer layer as it gets chilly), sticking with Uniqlo is actually a wise choice here. While sweaters from comparable budget brands like J. Crew Factory definitely stack up favorably when it comes to quality, saving money wherever possible is definitely recommended when going through a wardrobe revamp. Although, if you can afford to shell out a few extra bucks per sweater, go for it. Just like their selection of casual shirts, Uniqlo offers excellent variety when it comes to sweaters. From extra fine merino crewnecks in bright shades to striped cardigans that mix things up just enough, the selection is on-point. Plus, a sweater can act as a neutral base to richer color combinations, particularly in fall and winter. More importantly, Uniqlo’s offerings even include cashmere (likely not the best, but worth a mention) and thicker lambswool knits. The cashmere sweaters do creep up towards the triple-digit mark in terms of price, but the extra fine merino wool seems to strike a nice balance in terms of fabric and price. As to those with quality concerns, while it’s clearly not the highest-quality sweater on the market, personal purchases from Uniqlo have held up more than fine with regular wear and proper care. Pick up two extra fine merino sweaters in versatile colors to start, and you’ll be well on your way for about $80.

TOTAL: About $80

So, for today’s entry, the total is roughly $175 — again, substantially larger when compared proportionally to the casual shirts portion of last year’s budget recap, but when considering that this round-up accounts for multiple styles from multiple sites, it’s really not that bad of a deal. Additionally, items from these categories can be mixed and matched — wear a V-neck T-shirt under a cardigan, or a casual buttondown shirt with a V-neck sweater. On the bottom, reach for any of the essentials in last week’s post, and you have a sharp and stellar combination.

Any recommendations for brands you would include? Favorite stops for casual shirts and sweaters? 

by Beau H.

Starter Style Review: Club Monaco

Editor’s note: Building great style on a budget can be difficult and expensive. This is the seventh part in an occasional series chronicling great locations to start a wardrobe and buy affordable, good-looking style staples. Past entries have chronicled places like Banana Republic, Target and Express. Check out the full set of six posts in the series here .

When starting out reinventing your personal style, there are certain incremental steps along the way. And even for those of us who’ve worked at our style for a while (doing things like embracing fit, paying attention to small details, and reaching for timeless style essentials), there’s always opportunity to improve and mix things up. One of the easiest ways to do this in a relatively quick manner is turning toward a new brand. While some brands offer tried-and-true basics for almost everyone, the great thing about the world of men’s style is the amount of versatility and limitless variety out there, both from domestic and international brands.

Owned by Polo Ralph Lauren, yet decidedly different.

Owned by Polo Ralph Lauren, yet decidedly different.

In that regard, Club Monaco is a brand that shakes up the traditional #menswear fornula just enough, providing the ideal opportunity to explore new styles and items at decent prices (for the most part). They have a more continental vibe than J. Crew, they have more variety than a basics outpost like Old Navy, and although some styles are zany, they don’t stray into full-on Urban Outfitters territory. They’ve been owned by Polo Ralph Lauren for about 15 years, but the brand seems to occupy its own space, something reflected in its clothing offerings. The brand itself is a hybrid of sorts  — a mix of tailored wear with unique touches, and casual stylings that are just different enough from typical tried-and-true offerings.

Some of the brand's washed casual shirt offerings.

Some of the brand’s washed casual shirt offerings.

The first noticeable thing about any Club Monaco outpost is the variety — spread throughout the store and within each individual section. Think heathered T-shirts next to sneakers, with casual washed blazers just a few steps away. It’s arranged in a pleasing manner that flows naturally, something that could be disastrous if done wrong.

Stripes, small prints and casual washes -- the Club Monaco basics formula.

Stripes, small prints and casual washes — the Club Monaco basics formula.

Club Monaco seems to emphasize  variety in color as well, but again, in a pleasing manner. Its T-shirts, shorts and polos aren’t highlighter-bright and plastered in logos (looking at you, Express). Instead, there’s a nice mix of washed shirts, pocket tees and striped long-sleeve and short-sleeve offerings in neutral colors, none of which would look of place on its own or layered in mostly any season. Again, a basic grey T-shirt suddenly doesn’t look so basic when combined with a heathered wash, for example. The one area where certain casual offerings don’t jump out that prominently would be denim — the jean selection in-store (at least in this particular shop) isn’t extensive when compared to other brands. On the other hand, chinos receive slightly more prominent displays (a good choice considering the continental aura with many of their styles).

Peak lapels help this suit stand out from other, more plain suiting options.

Peak lapels help this suit stand out from other, more plain suiting options.

And the brand’s tailored wear is a strong point, too. The fits and stylings are more conservative than ultra-tight offerings from H&M or another retailer, yet they’re still trim and polished. The requisite variety in the suiting game is there too — heightened blues, glenplaids and checks, mixed in with peak and notch lapels. The suit above is  a nice example of the typical variety taken in  an approach by Club Monaco — changing up the traditional navy suit by adding peak lapels and a ticket pocket to the jacket. The price point is where some might find issue, however. $525 for a cotton suit jacket seems a bit steep when compared to a jacket from J. Crew’s famed Ludlow suit ($358). And while there’s no denying the quality of the Ludlow suit, Club Monaco doesn’t seem to get as much play when it comes to well-dressed guys suiting up.

A deep (and artfully-arranged) array of shoes from menswear favorites.

A deep (and artfully-arranged) array of shoes from menswear favorites.

But, moving through Club Monaco yields some high-quality finds in the shoe department. The brand has partnerships with noted #menswear favorites Wolverine, Grenson, Clarks, and Tretorn. That’s a pretty hefty lineup of heavy-hitters, which brings great variety to the brand’s lineup, especially in-store. The quality of the shoes is just as good as going through the brand directly (take these Tretorn sneakers, for example) And the prices via Club Monaco for some shoes, like a pair of Grenson brogues, are significantly lower than the UK site itself ($380 vs. $450). The brand’s ties are, like the rest of the store, just different enough — neither too silky-smooth or plain, there’s a nice mix of current lightweight summer fabrics, like cotton and chambray, next to toned-down silk offerings (seen below).

A mix of ties in woven knit and summerweight ties, along with traditional silk.

A mix of ties in woven knit and summerweight ties, along with traditional silk.

The standout attribute about Club Monaco is the way in which the brand takes traditional favorites, like a standard T-shirt, and slims down the fit, changes up the wash and injects it with some new life. The same applies to their suits (with features like peak lapels and slight textural differences) and shoes (sneakers with some variety versus traditional low-tops, for example). While their prices are above that of J. Crew in some respects (as high as some of us might go when paying full-price), the return on the investment, particularly when it comes to sharp footwear and quality basics, appears to be worth it.