Tag / henleys

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.

Spring Style Suggestion: Lightwash Denim

Now that it’s officially March on our collective #menswear calendars, it’s high time to at least start thinking about spring (if you haven’t already been following trends and early pieces of collections). While runway looks can, of course, get a little dicey to follow at times, there are some pretty simple spring-ready looks the rest of us can take on to freshen up our wardrobes and inject a sense of warmer-weather style into outfits.

A Trip to Florida — Spring Style

Lightwash denim in the Florida sun. Jeans by J. Crew (484 fit). Henley by Mossimo. Desert boots by Steve Madden. Sunglasses by Ralph Lauren.

Lightwash denim in the Florida sun. Jeans by J. Crew (484 fit). Henley by Mossimo. Desert boots by Steve Madden. Sunglasses by Ralph Lauren.

Case in point — this can be done fairly easily below the waist. Although classic, slim dark denim gets a lot of play on this site and many others (here’s an Effortless Gent post on the topic by yours truly), warmer months call for a change (most of the time) in what we wear on our legs. That’s not to say that a pair of crisp blue denim won’t work across all seasons — because it certainly will — but spring and summer can be an ideal time to shake up the denim spectrum. This can be done in a few different ways, but reaching for a slimmer pair of lightwash jeans is a great way to get the ball rolling. The key here, as with all denim, is to look for a pair that fits well, not baggy (on a personal note, J. Crew’s 484 jean as pictured above fits almost exactly like a slim-straight jean from Levi’s). And keep in mind these aren’t the stonewashed varieties of years past — with a lower rise and slimmer, edgier fit, they’re entirely modern.

Lightwash jeans work perfectly in the sunnier months of the year simply because their color, fit and feel are light, airy and relaxed — all the ideal trends and feelings of the warmer parts of the year. Whereas inky black denim and a sharp pair of black boots could become standard uniform in the severe cold of Michigan, a nicer pair of lighter-wash jeans practically scream spring and summer fun once it warms up.

On vacation time. Watch by Invicta Pro Diver.

On vacation time. Watch by Invicta Pro Diver.

And just because dark denim is practically the king of versatility among anything outside a suit doesn’t mean lightwash denim can’t be worn in just as many ways. Eschewing many of the top-heavy layers of winter, however, is the first step to making these jeans work for you. Several stores sell nice variations on the piece, from J. Crew (as pictured above) to a slightly slouchier fit by Gap to a straight-fit lighter wash by Old Navy. Another place that’s certainly worth checking out both for price point and versatility of looks is 20jeans. An addition to the market earlier last year, the company has jeans available in slim, skinny and straight fits. They’re also offering about three or four skinny and slim washes of light denim for $35, definitely a great price point for most us. Without personal experience, it’s tough to note quality, but others have told me very good things. As always, be sure to peruse the digital (or brick-and-mortar) shelves of Levi’s for a nice pair of 511’s or 513’s at a nice, low price if you’re so inclined.

Putting together outfits with light denim is inherently less complicated than dressing for the fall and winter, too. That’s because the first step (starting with a base denim) isn’t followed with piling on four different top layers to brave the Midwestern chill. Because lightwash jeans exude a more casual, lived-in vibe, simple things like a white henley (as seen above) or a crewneck t-shirt can work for running errands or even hopping down the hallway to a class. A mean-cut pair of desert boots (like the Steve Madden boots shown above) anchor the outfit in a more rugged way than a simple pair of sneakers might — however, some slim canvas kicks work well too, as we also see below.

It’s important to note, too, that accessories will go a long way in making the outfit summer-appropriate. Siblings With Style will have more on sunglasses later, but in the interim, look for a crisp, classic, relatively inexpensive pair of aviators (like the ones above from Ralph Lauren) or some Wayfarers (another relatively fail-safe classic that’s also decidedly on-trend). Because of the casual nature of many of these outfits, many types of watches will work, everything from a canvas Timex Weekender to a sleeker, decently priced dive watch.

A slightly more unique take on light denim. Floral shirt by Express. Jeans by J. Crew. (484 fit). Canvas sneakers by Urban Outfitters.

A slightly more unique take on light denim. Floral shirt by Express. Jeans by J. Crew. (484 fit). Canvas sneakers by Urban Outfitters.

And when the situation calls for something slightly more dressier, lightwash jeans work just as well with a collared shirt while leaving wiggle-room for experimentation Some are against short-sleeve shirts, but there are a few keys to follow. These short sleeve shirts (a variation of which is worn above) aren’t the ill-fitting Hawaiian prints of days gone by. Short sleeve shirts now have leaner, meaner fits and more eye-catching patterns (the brand The Critical Slide Society sells some eye-catching short-sleeve shirts with patterns through online retailer ASOS). In the outfit pictured above, a less obvious version of hi-lo styling comes into play with the canvas sneakers and slightly cuffed jeans. Another alternative revolves around the popover shirt, a retro classic that’s making another well-deserved turn (in both short-sleeve and long-sleeve variations) in the spotlight. The best seem to be sold at J. Crew right now in a variety of soft washes and stripes for summer. Consider it a more eye-catching update to the polo, and don’t think twice about wearing it with lightwash jeans.

Now, dressing up lightwash denim is a little more difficult, especially since it’s worn primarily casually to begin with, but it can be done (look at the photo under the ‘Adopt A Personal Uniform’ section for how to do up some distressed denim here) The key with trying to spruce up lightwash jeans would be to start with smaller pieces in combos (like a lighter-weight striped sweater or long-sleeve shirt over an OCBD) and then move on to bigger pieces like v-neck sweaters in appropriate colors.

Use a dive watch and floral shirt to contrast with the more casual nature of the lightwash jeans and sneakers. Sunglasses by Ralph Lauren.

Use a dive watch and floral shirt to contrast with the more casual nature of the lightwash jeans and sneakers. Sunglasses by Ralph Lauren.

Footwear is the cap on any outfit, especially one with lightwash denim. A slick pair of desert boots could work with a more casual henley or crewneck tee, whereas a slim, low-profile pair of canvas kicks could create a hi-lo vibe between a popover or collared short-sleeve shirt. The same follows vice versa, too. This pair of sneakers from Urban Outfitters, while inexpensive, could be perfect for kicking around town with a pair of slightly cuffed lightwash jeans. And because it’s going to be spring (followed by summer), leave the darker denim, heavier layers and socks at home, at least for a while. One pair of good lightwash jeans could work wonders for injecting some fresh spring and summer style into your wardrobe.