The Thursday Buy: This Aether Apparel Down Jacket is the Perfect Blend of Form and Function for Winter Style

Aether Apparel men's jackets.

The headline says it all today, my friends, as we dive deep into perfecting that tricky balance: That is, blending utility and style points in one package, with a focus on one of the best jackets for men this season.

There’s no time quite like the present, as Los Angeles-based Aether Apparel just opened up the vault for its Aether Apparel Black Friday Sale, and many key styles from the performance-minded retailer are still in stock and yours for the taking. That includes the Aether Apparel Alto Jacket, and folks, when it comes to the right blend of form and function, it’s nearly a home run for all your winter layering needs.

The retailer, now in its 15th year of making city-ready gear that also performs on the trail, touts the Aether Apparel Alto Jacket’s “streamlined design and slim-fitting cut,” flattering specs that take any jacket from merely good to being one of the best down jackets for men out there.

It’s more elevated in every way than plenty of other puffer jackets on the market, with a box-quilted design the brand says draws inspiration from English hunting jackets. Crucially, PrimaLoft Gold insulation adds a premium touch, delivering warmth without added bulk (always a tricky balance when layering up with a puffer jacket, at least in my experience).

The Aether Apparel Alto Jacket comes with helpful added features like a stand-up collar for added warmth, a zipper “hood” to keep the top zipper in place, and front side slant hip pockets to stow your everyday carry essentials. The Aether Apparel Alto Jacket is streamlined enough to wear on the trail and back into town, or to use as a travel jacket — think comfort and easy access to your valuables, rather than added bulk.

And the relatively minimal design of the Aether Apparel Alto Jacket makes it an easy pairing alongside pieces more technical — like stretch hiking pants or canvas work pants — as well as more casual, like five-pocket pants or even blue jeans.

The rich blue color is more visually appealing than the typical black seen so widely when it comes to winter jackets, too. In every way possible, from warmth to performance to style, this jacket proves it’s worth every penny — your winter wardrobe depends on it.

The Thursday Buy: Save Up to 40 Percent At Billy Reid for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Billy Reid Black Friday sale 2024.

The style points keep rolling in, as do the bountiful style servings when it comes to the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales from top designers and your favorite brands — like Billy Reid as shown above.

But before we get down to business: A very Happy Thanksgiving from this humble Brooklyn style blog — here’s hoping you’re enjoying the day with family and friends, along with an outstanding dinner and (naturally) some of the best holiday menswear in tow.

Alabama-based Billy Reid has long been one of my favorite menswear designers, putting a rugged-meets-refined spin on American staples like the denim shirt, the blue jean, the peacoat and (dare I say) the flannel shirt and the blazer. Those styles, like the Bond Peacoat, are part of the modern menswear lexicon.

He’s also all about community, often featuring his family — and their recipes and stories — on his site and via social media.

And if you’ve met Billy or spoken to him via phone (as I have for this story on American-made menswear at The Manual), you’ll realize he really walks the walk, talks the talk and designs some simply standout menswear. Beyond just the most-excellent Billy Reid Black Friday Sale, it really did feel just right to cover the brand, given his focus on family, connection and community.

Beyond that, his pieces are a true staple in my own wardrobe, including the Bond Peacoat. So, what about that Billy Reid Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale before you drift off into a turkey-fueled slumber?

The savings are yours for the taking, including a potential discount on the perfectly fall-ready Billy Reid Tuscumbia Shirt as shown above: Get 20% off your purchase of $400 or more, 30% off purchases of $800 and up (the Bond Peacoat is $798!) and 40% off purchases of $1,200 and up. How’s that for some of the best menswear deals around?

Billy Reid’s style essentials are an investment, no doubt, but one you can feel great about making, given their authenticity, long-lasting quality and exceptional blend of style and durability. That’s about as good as it gets when it comes to holiday shopping over the long weekend, if you ask me.

The Thursday Buy: Buck Mason’s Wool Hoodie is Your New Laidback Lounge Favorite

Best hooded sweatshirt for men.

As we round into the holiday season, and as you look to round out your own wardrobe of the best style essentials on the market, I’ve found that it’s the simple upgrades that make the biggest difference. That’s especially true even when it comes to the more casual parts of your wardrobe, like the best loungewear or the best hoodies for men.

And as you might expect, making a simple swap to one of the best men’s hoodies, like the Buck Mason Loopback Wool Hooded Sweatshirt, is a touch that can make a big difference if you’re interested in luxurious layering and lounging this season.

For those not familiar with the brand, Buck Mason puts its own premium-yet-rugged spin on Americana classics — my Buck Mason review covers a standout henley, for instance.

And that holds true when it comes to the hooded sweatshirt you reach for on casual days at home, or the one you wear layered beneath your favorite waxed trucker jacket for a casual weekend outing. Quality is of the essence, I’ve found with Buck Mason, and that shines through even in the easygoing nature of this surprisingly luxurious hoodie.

The Buck Mason Loopback Wool Hooded Sweatshirt trades in the typical cotton jersey fabric found on most hoodies (a variety of which Buck Mason also makes) for a super-soft merino wool-and-cashmere blend that just so happens to have an even softer looped merino wool backing.

That means every inch of the Buck Mason Loopback Wool Hooded Sweatshirt is soft and exceptionally comfortable, whether you score one in the Light Oat color shown above, or Charcoal as shown below.

Upgrading to a better hooded sweatshirt like the Buck Mason Loopback Wool Hooded Sweatshirt might seem like an indulgence, but given the fact that this stylish hoodie can be worn out and about on weekends, for holiday travel and at home, it seems like a solid deal in my experience with Buck Mason. To step up your cozy, casual game in fine fashion, the Buck Mason Loopback Wool Hooded Sweatshirt is one heck of a start, my friends.

The Thursday Buy: This Relwen Workshirt Upgrades Your Fall Shirting Rotation Instantly

Huckberry workshirt review.

There’s no time like the present to upgrade your fall shirting rotation (as the headline above says, of course), and there’s no better retailer for the job at hand than Huckberry. More specifically, the military and workwear inspiration from Ohio-based brand Relwen delivers instantly rugged, timeless appeal for your fall and winter style rotation.

And there might not be a better piece at the moment that exemplifies the crossover between vintage inspiration and modern functionality than the Relwen Pique Fleece Workshirt. In fact, Huckberry calls it a “classic overshirt that’ll show up to any shift you assign it,” and it starts with durable, tough cotton pique fabric.

It’s lighter and breezier than traditional heavyweight flannel, yet no less ready for the demands of fall and winter layering — be it over a henley, a thermal shirt or a plain old T-shirt.

Relwen men's workshirt.

The Relwen Pique Fleece Workshirt also boasts a soft cotton lining for added comfort, and Huckberry calls it “warm, durable and stylish to boot.” Two large front-button chest pockets offer storage space for your everyday carry, while a touch of gingham flannel at the back of the neck adds a hit of style.

Helpfully for all your seasonal layering needs, the Relwen Pique Fleece Workshirt comes in three versatile colors, including a suitably seasonal shade of red and a wear-with-anything dark navy.

Each shade of the Relwen Pique Fleece Workshirt is as suited to wear with dark indigo jeans or canvas work pants as with Huckberry’s famed Flint and Tinder 365 Pants. If I were you, I’d layer mine up over a natural henley alongside stretch canvas work pants, lace up my favorite pair of leather boots and hit the road, the garage or the brewery with style and utility in mind.

The Thursday Buy: The Taylor Stitch Fisherman Sweater Is an All-Time Classic

If you want proof that sometimes, they do still make menswear essentials like they used to (at least to some degree), then the revamped Taylor Stitch Fisherman Sweater is proof positive in that regard. It joins an already stacked rotation of Taylor Stitch menswear for the season, which includes burly knitwear, ultra-soft flannel shirting, soft yet sturdy chinos and even canvas work pants.

In my experience, it’s all made to last and built with quality in mind, and this handsome sweater — which nods to utterly classic menswear — is the cream of the crop, so to speak. Look closely and you’ll see that the rugged Taylor Stitch Fisherman Sweater has all the hallmarks of iconic knits worn decades ago — down to the oversized, contrasting rib collar and — yet is bolstered with modern materials.

Taylor Stitch Fisherman Sweater review.

When it comes to the Taylor Stitch Fisherman Sweater, that means this sweater uses 100 percent merino wool, the kind that’s responsibly sourced. Moss stitch construction gives this sweater both durability and a distinctive look in two versatile colorways: Taupe, as seen above, or Dark Navy for a slightly more tailored, yet still timeless, look.

The Taylor Stitch Fisherman Sweater is a bold choice as far as autumnal style goes — it wears well with indigo selvedge jeans as it does with canvas work pants during a cold log cabin morning. And it should layer up nicely over an Oxford shirt for a mix of high-and-low, polished-and-rugged style. Granted, the Taylor Stitch Fisherman Sweater doesn’t come cheap (it clocks in at $238).

And yet, for the sort of legendary looks and modern materials you’re getting in one package, it’s a new fall knit worth picking up — and wearing as often as possible on brisk fall and winter days.

The Thursday Buy: This Buck Mason Chore Coat is a Rugged, Luxurious Outerwear Upgrade

The classics have their place in the world of menswear essentials for a reason, and when a brand comes along that can make the classics even better, it’s worth paying attention (and shopping). As you well know if you read this Brooklyn style blog, I’m a major fan of Buck Mason, Los Angeles-based purveyors of some of the best modern menswear around.

That includes everyday must-have picks like the best flannel shirt and a lineup of USA-made T-shirts, as well as more luxurious-yet-still-rugged pieces — including the new Buck Mason Sportsman Chore Coat as seen above. It’s got vintage inspiration going for it in every stitch, as it was modeled after a 1941 U.S. Marine Corps Utility Jacket. You don’t necessarily see that in your closet every single day now, do you?

Best men's chore coats for fall.

Luxurious, supple steerhide suede gives the Buck Mason Sportsman Chore Coat some distinction as far as fabrication is concerned, while front patch pockets and a fold-over collar drive home its classic chore jacket design.

The Buck Mason Sportsman Chore Coat is then finished with tasteful contrast stitching and a V-shaped front stitch detailing down the front placket, another touch of distinction that gives this jacket an air of rugged luxury (yes, there’s that word again).

The Buck Mason Sportsman Chore Coat should layer with ease over other similarly stylish fall picks, be it denim or chambray shirting or a Buck Mason long-sleeve henley. Add in expertly faded jeans from the famed Los Angeles brand, and you’ve got a seasonal #OOTD practically made for apple orchards, Oktoberfest brewery visits and plenty more.

Rugged, expertly curated style awaits when it comes to the Buck Mason Sportsman Chore Coat, my friends, so invest in the best and know that you’re getting a modern classic for the price.

The Thursday Buy: This Mack Weldon Blazer is an Easygoing-Yet-Sharp Everyday Upgrade

Best fall blazer for men.

The idea of dressing sharp on the daily — or at least, for occasions that truly require it, like the office — needn’t be too stuffy or confusing. At least, that’s in my personal experience, and that’s what I’ve found when it comes to opting for dressy staples in better, more comfortable fabrics — like the kind being made by Mack Weldon, purveyors of performance menswear with a stylish everyday twist.

I’m a longtime fan of the company, which just so happens to be known for everything from some of the best men’s boxer briefs to stylish swim trunks and crisp seasonal shirting. And speaking of crisp, well, the new Mack Weldon Ace Blazer is both sharp in looks and yet ultra-comfortable in form and function.

Could the Mack Weldon Ace Blazer be your new favorite fall blazer? In my experience, that answer is a resounding yes, so be on the lookout for a pre-order (or restock!) option ASAP.

On the surface, the Mack Weldon Ace Blazer looks like any other blazer, albeit a sharp one fit for wearing with a performance dress shirt or an Oxford shirt at the office, on a date night or out to a seasonally friendly cocktail party. But look closer, and one of the best blazers for men has all the specs to provide comfort and cool from 9-to-5 and beyond.

The Mack Weldon Ace Blazer features micro-brushed French Terry fabric, not unlike the brand’s famed hoodies and sweats, and it’s also machine-washable. With poplin-lined patch pockets for comfort, it’s unlike wearing any other blazer you’ve tried in the past — and that’s certainly saying something.

The unlined construction also helps with its easygoing-yet-polished feel, the kind that works as well over a cotton T-shirt or a henley as it does with your favorite chambray shirt. This blazer holds true to the brand’s focus on “elevated comfort,” and in my book — for affairs both dressy and casual — it doesn’t get much better than that.

The Thursday Buy: It’s Your Last Day to Enter Huckberry’s Pappy Day Giveaway

Huckberry Pappy Van Winkle Giveaway

Some things in the world of menswear and spirits almost seem too good to be true, as we talk about often on the blog — take Huckberry’s 11th Annual Pappy Giveaway. That also means that a reminder or two is in order, especially today. Now, we talked earlier this month about the Huckberry Annual Pappy Giveaway, but here’s the catch: Today is your last day to enter this standout giveaway, and the process couldn’t be easier.

How does one enter to win a combined $15K of bourbon and cash ($12K in cold, hard cash and a bottle of some of the best bourbon on the market)?

Flint and Tinder waxed jacket review.

The answer is a simple one, my friends. As you know from reading this blog, all you need to do is spend $75 or more at Huckberry between now and midnight Eastern time, and BOOM: You’re in the giveaway. The great thing is, it’s not that hard at all to find some of the best menswear and gear worth your while via Huckberry.

That could make this an ideal time to upgrade your Flint and Tinder Waxed Trucker Jacket, lace up some fresh Huckberry boots via Rhodes Footwear, or cozy up with a textured fall knit for the season ahead.

The ball is in your court (for now) via the final day of Huckberry’s 11th Annual Pappy Giveaway, so the choice is yours: The best bourbon and menswear await, my friends.

The Thursday Buy: The Flint and Tinder Corduroy Overshirt Is an Expert Early Fall Layer to Try Now

Flint and Tinder Corduroy Overshirt.

When certain dates on the calendar start to creep ever closer, like the official first day of fall, I like to start readying my wardrobe as soon as humanly possible. Certain pieces, like my array of short-sleeve shirts for summer, are swapped out in favor of more rugged picks like one of the best chambray shirts, and that process usually includes a healthy dose of Huckberry menswear.

So it goes with the latest and greatest from Flint and Tinder, the brand-new Flint and Tinder Corduroy Overshirt — it’s another finely crafted, mighty tempting selection from the in-house brand at Huckberry, and it just might become your newest go-to layer this season.

Already the purveyor of one of the best waxed trucker jackets on the market, plus perfectly complementary faded jeans, stylish stretch chinos and more, the good folks at Flint and Tinder always seem to hit the mark when it comes to rugged, classic and easygoing-yet-useful pieces.

Naturally, this corduroy overshirt fits the bill quite nicely, with a garment-dyed wide wale corduroy construction that should prove ultra-soft right out of the box.

Best shirt jackets for men.

Double flap chest pockets and a straight hem — more like a chore coat than a traditional shirt jacket – give the Flint and Tinder Corduroy Overshirt an air of utility, while rich color options deliver style points aplenty. It also doesn’t hurt that the new Flint and Tinder Corduroy Overshirt retails for just under $100, a fair price given the quality I’ve come to expect from Flint and Tinder.

The rich Harvest Gold color of the Flint and Tinder Corduroy Overshirt might prove an especially apt seasonal choice, particularly alongside faded blue jeans. And when layered atop a henley or a thermal shirt, the pleasingly rugged, casually cool Flint and Tinder Corduroy Overshirt is well-suited for fall bonfires, cozy cabin mornings and layering beneath a trusted field jacket. As the seasons shift, make sure the handsome Flint and Tinder Corduroy Overshirt is in your wardrobe and ready to go, my friends.

The Thursday Buy: The Clarks Wallabee Boots are a True (Early) Fall Style Essential

Clarks Wallabee Boots review.

In my experience, reaching for enduring fall style classics, especially in your rotation of everyday menswear moves, can pay great dividends over time. Yes, dividends, my friends. That certainly goes for an iconic set of men’s boots like the Clarks Wallabee, of course, and there’s no better time than right now to shop these boots from a trusted retailer like upstate New York-based Sea Culture Brand.

When you build out your wardrobe with versatile pieces you can mix and match, like crisp chinos, rugged chambray shirting, timeless henley shirting and some of the best men’s boots — like the Clarks Wallabee Boots as seen above and as sold by my friends at Sea Culture Brand — getting dressed can be effortless and even a touch fun.

Clarks Wallabee Boots review.

When it comes to shopping at Sea Culture Brand, you’ve perhaps read my take on the company’s classic indigo henley, as well as its summer-ready swimwear. And with the multi-season versatility of the Clarks Wallabee, you’re adding another tool to your toolbox, so to speak.

Made with soft tan suede in the company’s iconic color and resting atop a spring, chunky pebble crepe sole, these are an enduring menswear move for a reason, with the ability to wear extremely well with expertly faded blue jeans, olive chinos or even beige corduroy pants as the season rolls along.

You’re getting a little bit of everything when you lace up the Clarks Wallabee, as they’re a prep staple that’s still pleasingly rugged enough to wear with a chunky shawl cardigan for fall, not to mention your favorite denim jacket and dark-hued chinos.

And given that the Clarks Wallabee can be found right now at Sea Culture Brand alongside other favorites, I’d wager they’re a modern classic just begging to be added to your style rotation. Lace ’em up and get out there, my friends.