Doing any shopping this Cyber Monday? Have that credit card at the ready, and shop responsibly.
While some brands have taken a step back from the madness that is both Black Friday and Cyber Monday (and kudos to the folks from REI and elsewhere), others have been going full-tilt on sales since the week before Thanksgiving. So shopping around these times should always be about balance. Having covered some Black Friday madness in my past life as a student journalist, it’s certainly stuck with me, and the same craziness can still apply to online shopping when brands push deals so early. I’ll definitely be doing some shopping too, and my thought is this: Check out the brands you like, peruse through the offerings and if you’ve shopped there before and had your eye on something — now’s the time to get it while saving some cash. It’s also a great time to find out about new brands, who often offer nice deals to entice shoppers. What follows below is a rundown of brands that meet the tricky balance between quality and price — so there are some familiar names, to be sure. Yet, that dependability and reliability can be welcome in the world of online shopping. What deals do you have your eye on? Let me know and thanks for reading! Happy shopping.
The Deals:
Frank & Oak: Extra 15% Off Sale Items with Code EXITROW; New Customers Get 25% Off First Purchase with code FNOFIRST25
What To Look For: Discount Knitwear, Tailored Wear & Sweaters
A glenplaid sweater and a colorblocked henley are but two of the picks you should look for from Frank & Oak.
So these guys have two deals going — their regular deal for first-time customers (25% off your first order) and then that extra 15% off sale items discount.
Frank & Oak always seems to nail it with its
monthly Hunt Club Crate launches, and particularly its nice mix of classic and on-trend styles across the board. And now is as good a time as any to hop on a statement piece, like this unique
Prince of Wales Wool Blend Sweater at a reduced price, or some solid knitwear like
the above henley. This
chambray blazer also wouldn’t be a bad bet, either (although only two sizes are left — get the full rundown of sale picks
here). On the shirting front, there are some decent picks available (like this
Blended Plaid Shirt), although sizes on sale items are going EXTREMELY quickly A solid selection of ties and
small accessories shouldn’t be overlooked, either.
J. Crew Factory: 50% Off Everything Sitewide; Free Shipping on Orders of $50 or more w/ code SHIPGIFTS
What To Look For: Casual Shirting and Sweaters
An on-trend pick, and a classic pick — both at agreeable prices from JCF.
indeed does get things right when it comes to the balance of quality and price they provide — some of the items on-tap are mighty similar to what J. Crew itself produces. The brand’s sales are notable for both their frequency and the markdowns they provide, and this year’s offering is no different — they made this list
last year for that same reason. And if it’s a basic wardrobe refresher you need, something like the
slim washed shirt pictured on the right would be a very solid, four-season purchase for under $30. Conversely, if you wanted to dip your toes into a trendier style without throwing down a lot of money, the brand has this
sharp Fair Isle number on tap.
Bonobos: 30% Off Sitewide w/ Code MONDAY (Up to 60% Off Sitewide)
What To Look For: Splurge Outerwear and Knitwear
A killer topcoat and a killer henley, both items you should consider picking up on sale.
There’s no question that Bonobos’ product offering and design has expanded markedly from the stellar pants it started out selling (in the interest of full disclosure, I interned for the brand in 2014, but that in no way impacts my view of them). For as great as that’s been, some of the brand’s prices are still just a bit much. That’s why, given the discount they’re offering, it makes sense to pick up a staple piece of outerwear like the
Mainline Topcoat. It’s an elevated take on a topcoat you can wear with everything from a grey crewneck sweater to a
crisp blazer. And yes even with that 30% off code, it’s pricey. But it’s a great investment piece. And a heads-up that you can knock 35% off your purchase of $500 — so maybe throw in
a pair of socks? In that same vein, the brand’s knitwear is well-made yet also often pricey — this is another time to perhaps snag a more expensive piece you’ve had your eye on, like
this waffle henley or a reliable and warm-looking
navy bomber jacket. Of course, don’t sleep on
the brand’s classic chinos or
its corduroys or versatile
brushed buttondown shirts.
JackThreads: 50% Off JackThreads Cashmere Crew & Vee Sweaters; Various Sale Deals [90% Off Warehouse Items, 70% Off Outerwear, 60% Off Boots and More]
What To Look For: JackThreads Collection + Third-Party Footwear
You can snag two sweaters for the price of one from JackThreads’ new menswear line. Photo courtesy of the brand.
is yet another brand that made last year’s Cyber Monday shopping list, and it only makes sense — the E-commerce retailer has done a great job
launching its own line while still dishing out some nice third-party goods. Exhibit A in that regard are the boots that
Crevo has produced for the site — that’s a solid, rubber-sole captoe for under $70, along with a whole host of other footwear brands, including some decent-looking
J75 chukkas for under $50 (sizes are going way quick, though). Of course, the brand’s
newly launched menswear line is nothing to laugh at either — those
cashmere crew and
V-neck sweaters are an insane steal at just a shade under $50, with 33 colorways available. On another note, taking a swing through the
site’s sale section can offer up some great deals, too (as much as 90% off in some cases).
Where Else To Look: Old Navy (40% Off Everything, No Exclusions), Target (30% Off New Styles & More) & H&M (20% Off Orders of $25 Or More w/ Code 2020, 30% Off Orders of $30 Or More w/ Code 3030, 40% Off Already-Reduced Sale Items w/ Code 4040)
A striped henley from Target, a solid chambray from Old Navy and basic sweats from H&M — all with the chance for discounts today.
With so many brands offering up a multitude of discounts and sales for such a huge shopping day, there’s a lot to sort through in terms of getting a great deal and a quality product. Target is one such outlet that’s
upped its menswear game in recent years, as has
Old Navy. Both brands are always worth a look if you need budget knitwear, like
henleys or pocket tees (case in point: this
striped Target Merona Henley for under $10).
Old Navy’s denim even stacks up decently well in terms of quality for the price, and that 40% discount brings the price down below $23 (look for something slim
with some built-in stretch); plus,
its chambray shirts are a solid pickup. So to snag an item (or two or five) at further discounts could set you up well if you need a bit of a
style upgrade for the holidays. A place like
H&M is now pushing items at even deeper discounts for Cyber Monday (witness that 60% off Black Friday deal they just offered), so sales are an optimal time to pick up
a trendier piece or just
a basic pair of sweatpants for not a lot of dough — and given that quality can sometimes be suspect, it’s always good to keep some cash in your wallet.
And it’s worth one final mention that more premium retailers like Todd Snyder often offer up sale items at even further discounts than usual — this writer was able to snag a sweater for $50 that was originally priced at $175 last year. The same can be said of some of the more premium American brands we all know and love, like Allen Edmonds (sale shoes as low as $125) and Apolis (20% off sitewide through the end of Monday). If you’re in need of a less dressy footwear upgrade, Brooklyn’s own GREATS has a series of tiered deals going on throughout the day, including some discounts on its premium Italian-made sneakers. Move quickly and you might be able to solidly restock and refresh your wardrobe with enough leftover for Christmas gifts (hopefully).
How much Cyber Monday shopping will you be doing this year? What go-to brands do you look for?
The Style Guide 