Calibrate Micro Stripe Cotton Sport Coat – $79.97 ($198)

Adult but far, far, from elderly.

So you’re not the type to stay at home on Friday and Saturday nights, and you’re ready to wear something more than an untucked button up or sweater when out.  This is probably a solid answer.  Looks like it has less of a chopped profile when compared to other Calibrate sport coats.  Feel free to not go all dark and brooding all the time, and instead pair it with a light blue shirt and dark wash jeans.  Down to size Medium and Large at post time.

Polo Wool Blend Boot Socks – $9.90 ($16) | Cole Haan Stripe Socks – $5.90 ($12.50)

Wool blend, wool blend, and cotton blend.

Annnnnnd they ship free.  One less trip to the mall is always a good thing.  Thanks Nordstrom.

Michael Kors Tipped Cotton V-Neck – $46.90 ($95)

It is a regular fit. Know that.

If a full blown cricket sweater is the hyper-prep apparel version of a speedball, then this thing is like Four Loko.  Without all the pesky bloating.

William Rast Aviators – $46.90 ($95)

Free shipping both ways is key with sunglasses.

It’s awfully difficult to find a pair of sunglasses that falls between the prices of “arm & leg” and “gas station special.”  These were pushing $100, but are now under $50.  Nice updated aviator look that’s neither too droopy in the lens or too squared off.  The brow bridge is almost into sweat bar territory, but not quite.

Onitsuka Tiger Serrano Sneaker – $39.90 ($64.95)

Under $40 sneaks.

Has all the suede/nubuck + nylon retro feel of a New Balance sneaker, only with a slimmer profile.

Theory Ties: Wool/Silk, Silk, and Cotton – $39.97 ($98.00)

Made in the USA indeed.

Just different enough without getting weird.  Moving from left to right, you’re looking at widths of 2.5″, 2.75″, and 2.75″.  Prep, traditional stripe with some depth, and a cotton all for a reasonable price.  Each is made in the USA.

Psycho Bunny Cashmere Scarf – $74.90 ($150)

Made in Scotland.

Been sittin’ at this price for awhile now.  If you like the bold, blocky stripe look on accessories like socks and scarves, then this is about as good as it gets.  Still not cheap…

John W. Nordstrom Pinstripe Cashmere – $46.90 ($95)

A sharp thing you actually want near your neck.

Or for those that want a scarf that can intimidate a boardroom of subordinates…

1901 Cashmere Argyle Sweater – $54.97 ($135)

The prepification of thou torso is complete.

Spring.  It’s the season when a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love, and cashmere honks snap up sweaters in their favorite fabric at end-of-season prices.  It’s argyle, which ain’t everyone’s thing, and know that sizes in the black option are going quick.

Hush Puppies Classic Suede Loafer – $59.90 ($89.95)

Available in black too.

Not a bad looking toe shape from such a classic leaning brand.  Not as good as the prices the HPs got to during the CLAD sale, but all sizes are available here.

Ted Baker Nylon Quilted Leather Palm Gloves – $53.90 ($90)

Rougher looking than all leather.

Left your damn gloves in a cab huh?  Just over $50, but less dressed up and more technical looking when compared to these.  The nylon tops will do that.

For more on Nordstrom’s free shipping policy (it’s pretty simple) head on over this way.

Note:  The above Lands’ End code also gets you free shipping NO MINIMUM.  The code on the LE sites is a $50 minimum for free shipping.  Code/pin is set to expire on  2/28.  Ccredit to reader Chris for the style tip.

Old.  Out.  New, c’mon in.  Ralph Lauren has marked down some of what’s left of their winter sale stock with an extra 30% off.  Lands’ End and Lands’ End Canvas on the other hand are offering 25% off full price items (so, basically their spring collection) with SPRINGSHIP and pin 6212.  Both sides have limited stuff on hand since this is a transitional time for retail.  But when combined, the whole does do that greater than the sum boogiedown.
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R.L. Wool-Cashmere Plaid – $41.99 ($135) & Lambswool Argyle Scarf – $24.49 ($65)

13" and 8" respectively.

Even though we’re sneaking up on March, there’s still a good amount of time left to wear a scarf.  Especially one with lighter tones like the cream in the cashmere blend plaid, or the overall oatmeal tan of the argyle.

Ralph Lauren Academy Wool Peacoat – $150.49 ($495)

Black and Navy still hanging around.

Who’s buying a peacoat in late Feburary?  Not many.  Is that why it’s dropped this far?  Yup.  This has been coming and going from the extra 30% off section, so it might actually be stuck around $214.

Ralph Lauren Buffalo Check Henley – $41.99 ($145)

Green this time is awfully good.

$42 for what’s essentially a layering piece seems like a lot.  $145 is flat out ridiculous.  But the pattern on this thing is something else.  Perfect for the weekend over a t-shirt on its own, or layered under a button up and maybe a blazer for a casual night out.  Sadly doesn’t have the closer custom fit.

Denim & Supply Black Chambray Shirt – $31.49 ($98)

Maybe pair it with the henley?

Anyone else getting the idea that this sub-brand Denim & Supply isn’t doing as well as they had hoped?  Black chambray work-shirt without the little tab collar do-hickey that comes on most chambray work shirts.

Ralph Lauren Wool Bomber – $167.99 ($495)

Do your worst... March.

Again, getting a little late for wool, but a bomber style jacket is a nice transitional piece for the guys who live in cold weather climates, where spring is especially stubborn about showing up.  This one’s all about the details.  Nice sized pockets up front, and that storm collar is something else.

Lands’ End Canvas Trip Bag – $105 ($140)

Tough with plenty of room.

Good sized.  Tough.  Waxed canvas exterior that does a great job at keeping water out.  Good sized leather grab handles, and a handle on one end if you really just need to pick it up and swing it somewhere.  Sort of a hybrid of a tote + duffel.  Doesn’t go on sale all that often and available in two colors.

Lands’ End Canvas iPad Case – $37.50 ($50)

iRugged

iPad cases are expensive (but then again, so are iPads).  Seems to be made from the same, tough, waxed canvas of the trip bag.  Padded interior with elastic band corners for your device.

Lands’ End Canvas Pencil Stripe Supima Sweater – $45.00 ($60)

Stripes without the mime-ness.

Sixty is a lot for a sweater, but $45 shipped for something light and spring-ready like this seems about right.  Wear a light blue button down under it, dark denim, suede boots, throw on a field watch, and go grab a coffee with your significant other.  Easy stuff but not boring.

Lands’ End Canvas Heritage Oxford – $37.50 ($50)

It can be tough to get these colors on a discount.

Sure the other odd colors might go on sale from time to time, but these two?  The White and the Blue?  Never friggin’ happens.  With cotton prices up, under $40 shipped for a basic oxford cloth basic like this ain’t half bad.  Could be a little more fitted, but not crazy loose on most.

Lands’ End Color Stripe Cord Belt – $37.50 ($50)

Flexy.

Made of elastic cording with a bit of spring to it.  Three different color combinations available.  Lots of nautical style.

Allen Edmonds McTavish – $221.25 ($295)

Not available in the darker shade. Just this option.

Unlike previous sales, Lands’ End has allowed their collection of Allen Edmonds shoes to be available for the discount.  More often than not they’ll take them down, but this is just 25% off, as opposed to a 40% off one item sale.  The McTavish could become a casual staple, and while still expensive, they’re not the easiest to find on sale.  Yet.
UPDATE:  Nope.  They just switched it out.  Code was working on these yesterday, and now they’re not.

The Lands’ End & L.E.C. code  Springship & pin 6212 expire 2/28.  No word on when the RL sale ends.

Deal of the Week:  Ray-Ban Caravan – WAS $75.00 | Ray-Ban New Wayfarer – WAS $71.40

Back up to full price.

Part of the Brooks Brothers 5 Days of Savings sale.  These aren’t on sale anymore, but today’s deal is 40% off Women’s basic apparel and accessories.  So, if you’re looking for a gift for the Mrs?  Might be worth checking out.  These can be found for this price through other means, but they’re usually 3rd party retailers on Amazon.  And who knows if they’re trustworthy or not…

Most Popular Post:  Most Wanted – December 2011

The name is Wan. Wan Ted.

Pretty dark and pretty winter based.  Except for that new Orient that’s running just $120.  Heavens to Betsy and take off my bonnet so you can stomp on it.  Helluva watch there Orient.

Most Discussed Post: Rank em’ – Suit Brands under $400

Lots of love, lots of hate.

I just hope that one day someone might recognize how different the opinions on this kind of stuff can be.  Someone who is SURE that a brand is garbage, will be book-ended by two people with glowing responses about that very same brand.  And vice versa.  Seems like that gets ignored a lot.

Too many men get thrown out into the world without a single lesson on how to take care of their clothes.  If doing a load of laundry is like pumping gas, then ironing is like changing your oil.  It’s not easy at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to do it in your sleep. 

The following is a 9-step guide and nothing more.  Those who already know how to iron well will have their own system, and those that don’t will develop one over time.  Try not to burn your place down.

Step 1:  The Setup – First things first.  Open a beer.

The tools of this trade.

No reason that this can’t be at least a little enjoyable.  Pilsners and Lagers seem to go best with outdoor manual labor.  Beers that lean malty like ESBs or Reds seem to work better for the indoor chores.  Bridgeport Kingpin out of Portland is great if you can get your hands on it.  Bitch Creek from Grand Teton is a winner too.  Sam Adams Octoberfest gets the job done and is everywhere.  Oh, and you’ll need an ironing board, an iron, and light starch.

Step 2:  Prepping the Iron – You’re gonna need steam.

Water is completely key.

Pretty sure I lived on my own for at least two years before I realized that steam was a huge key to ironing.  Heat and only heat just doesn’t work.  Dumb?  Absolutely.  But no one has ever accused me of being a Rocket Surgeon.  Guaranteed others have made that mistake.  Tap water is ok, but if you have access to cheap distilled water or a Brita filter, use that to cut down on the risk of rust/calcium build up.  Once it’s filled, plug it in, turn it on, and let it heat up.

Step 3:  The Entertainment – Baseball, a favorite DVD, or something else…

You want something you can enjoy, but ignore.

A lot of us can’t stand ironing.  So along with the beer, throw in one of your favorite movies, turn on a ball game, or listen to a podcast.  You want something that you only have to pay attention to marginally.  Your concentration will be on the ironing job, but, you still want an environment that’s somewhat fun and relaxing.

Step 4:  Assume the position – The board’s point goes to your non dominant hand side.

Are you a righty? Point goes on the left.

Are you right handed?  The point should be on your left.  If you’re a southpaw, flip that around.  You’re going to want your dominant hand working the iron while threading the armpit of your shirts / crotch of your pants on the point.  Pulling the garment taught against the point will give you a flat surface to press, and having the iron on your right side (if right handed) gives you a place to put it that’s not covered by the shirt or pants.  Plus, you can manipulate the iron more easily by not working away from your body, but across it.  It’s like throwing a baseball or football.

Step 5:  Turning knobs, pushing buttons – Pick your temp setting and turn your steam up

The wheel of your ship.

Most cotton garments can handle medium to medium high heat.  Read those labels.  Find your steam control knob and turn it up.  The steam blast button is like a spin move in Madden.  It’s your turbo boost.  You become Bo, the wrinkles are a Tecmo Bowl defense.  Use it at your discretion.  The water jet is for mistakes.  More on that later…

Step 6:  Ironing – Manipulating the garment and using starch

Shown: Step 4. Rotate your shirt around the board.

Try and smooth out the wrinkles with your hand first to get a good flat surface.  You’ll develop (or have already developed) your own order on how you attack a shirt, but here’s just one example on how to do it:

1. Left Front Half (without buttons) – Use a few light spritzes of starch
2. Left Back – I skip the starch.  This is one advantage of always wearing a blazer or sportcoat
3. Right Back – The shirt is being rotated around the board like a pig on a spit
4. Right Front Half (with buttons) – A few more light spritzes of starch
5. Right Back Sleeve – Smoothing out the wrinkles on sleeves takes practice.  Starch can help.
6. Right Front Sleeve – You might find that you’ve ironed in creases here.
7. Left Back Sleeve – Same as #5
8. Left Front Sleeve – Same as #6
9. The collar – Flare it out or keep it folded.  Up to you.  I’ll often do the collar in thirds to set the shape.

Step 7:  Getting out an ironed in crease – Using the water jet as an eraser

Creases require a soak.

One of the biggest pains is not getting part of a garment smoothed out correctly, and then accidentally ironing in a crease or wrinkle.  It happens, but the water jet button allows you to shoot a stream of water on your mistake which will soak it through, and then iron over it to dry and press that wrinkle out.

Step 8:  Choosing the Right Hanger – Or, avoiding the return of wrinkles

Sent to the shirt gallows

For shirts, a good plastic hanger will do.  Button the top one or two buttons.  Pants need a pants hanger (one of those cardboard covered wire hangers is fine.)  As soon as you’re done ironing it, hang it up.  The last thing you want is to re-wrinkle your stuff.

Step 9:  The Cleanup – Time to dock this showboat

Delicious, delicious ironing.

Most irons come with auto off features because, well, nobody likes a burned down house (unless you’re running some insurance scam.)  Turn your iron off, unplug it, and set it somewhere steady and safe to cool.  Put your ironing board away and hang your shirts in the closet.  You’d be surprised how long an ironing board can sit out if you you don’t do this right away.  Wipe hands on pants.  Look around and admire your handiwork.  Consider another beer.
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Final Thoughts and Tips:

• Don’t try to iron your blazers and sportcoats.  Take them to a dry cleaner or invest in a steamer.
• Read your labels.  Don’t go high heat on a piece of clothing that can only handle medium.
• Starch really is a miracle worker.  Heat-only is a unicycle.  Steam is a sports sedan.  Starch is a Ferrari.
• Try and get in the habit of ironing right after your clothes come out of the dryer.  Set in wrinkles are tough.
• Iron shown is a Black & Decker that gets killed in the online reviews, but I’ve had zero trouble with it.

Have any additional tips or questions?  Those all go in the comments section.  Here’s to wrinkle free…

The Suit:  Bonobos Seersucker Jacket & Matching Pant – $236.00* | J. Crew Linen – $386

Better than chino when it gets brutal.

When it’s not just hot, but really hot, even an all cotton chino suit will feel heavy.  Okay, any suit is going to feel heavy.  Still, stick to seersucker or linen.  Those fabrics feel lighter.  The Bonobos Seersucker is incredibly light, plenty airy, but doesn’t feel flimsy or chintzy.  Full review here.  J. Crew’s linen suit is actually somewhat affordable (by their standards) and will be much more comfortable than chino.  *You’ll need to sign up an email as a new customer for $50 off and thus, the $236 price via Bonobos.  Also, the Bonobos option just went on sale.  Down from $360.

The Sunglasses:  Warby Parker Jasper Polarized – $95.00

Not Oakleys. At all.

If it’s hot as Havana you might as well look like you’re actually there.  Hat tip to the flood of mentions about Warby Parker following the TOMS sunglasses review.  Didn’t know they were doing non-prescription now.  Famous for their five pairs / five days home try on program and like TOMS they also have a program that helps out the less fortunate.

The Blazer:  Kenneth Cole Reaction Unlined Mini-Check – $62.99 (reg. $79.50)

Cheap and light.

The INC Ultra Lights have all but disappeared from online (but seem to still exist in store?)  These sportcoats from Kenneth Cole Reaction are the next best thing.  The mini check is completely unlined just like the INC Ultra lights.  If you are wearing a blazer, make sure it has as little lining/padding as possible.

Roll your sleeves up the right way – Flip, Pull, and Lock it In

Easy as 1, 2, 3.

Here’s how to do it:  With your shirt cuff unbuttoned, flip the cuff back.  Allowing your sleeve to turn inside out along the way, drag the cuff slowly up past your elbow until the now bottom seam of the cuff is in your elbow pit.  Fold the extra 3-5 inches of exposed inside-out sleeve up to “lock in” the cuff.  Ta-da.  Instant short sleeve shirt.

The Polo:  Banana Republic Luxe Touch – $33.75 w/code BRSAVE25 ($44.50)

White = right choice to stay cool.

Spendy for a polo, but Banana Republic’s Luxe Touch cotton is so smooth it’s almost a bit slippery.  Almost feels cool to the touch.  Not too fitted but not bulky either.  Just enough space to get some air through there.

The Shoes:  Mike Konos Suede Penny Loafers – $99.94 (“compare” to $250)

Sleek and simple. Like a loafer should be.

Boat shoes and canvas sneakers are tough to dress up.  Suede penny loafers on the other hand look plenty dressed up when it’s hot, and can be dressed down with ease.  Made in Italy by DSW’s house brand which has a more than good track record.  (Wanna get nuts?  They’ve got them in blue too.)

The Drink:  Dry Soda – $1.50 – $2.oo per bottle

The next best thing to ice water on a hot day.

You know it’s hot if you’re turning down a cocktail (but if you’re not, try a Campari and Soda).  Alcohol isn’t really going to help your comfort level when it’s stifling, so try and pace yourself or stick to these things.  They’re only 45 – 70 calories, lightly sweetened, and unlike high sugar/caffeine laced sodas, they’re actually refreshing.

The Sunscreen:  Titanium Dioxide Based Sunblock

Not just for the kids.

If you’re fair skinned and have hard water, you might have seen stains showing up on your white clothes around the neckline.  That’s not ring around the collar.  They’re rust stains caused by the most common sunscreens which all use similar chemicals.  The alternative is a Titanium Dixoide based sunblock which goes on smooth and more or less sits on top of your skin (feels like it soaks in)  Plus, it won’t turn into rust when washed in hard water.

Lose the Undershirt.  No, really.

Hurts more than it helps.

There are plenty of undershirt addicts out there who feel weird wearing a dress shirt without an undershirt underneath.  Here’s the problem with that.  First, it’s another layer.  And second, cotton doesn’t dry that fast.  So when your thick, squishy undershirt gets sweat soaked, it’s going to stay that way for the rest of the day.  You’ll sweat more because of it, and you’ll have pit stains no matter what.  Lose the extra layer.

The Music:  Christmas Tunes

“I think… therefore I am.”  How about, I’m sweating like a god*amned pig, therefore I am thinking about being in a cooler place?  Like the North pole.  In December.  Throw a Christmas in July party.  Might distract just enough.

Any other suggestions for looking decent but staying cool in the heat?  Leave them all below…

No code neccessary.  Prices are as marked.

Wait a minute.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but these aren’t shirts that are stuck in the sale section with their sizes already being picked over.  There’s no “select” group of shirts you’re stuck choosing from either.  They’ll also ship you your shirt(s) for free, without having to go over some obscenely large spending threshold?

This.  This never happens.
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.HIT THE SWITCH ON THE FRANK MUYTJENS/DRUDGE SIREN ALARM!!!

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This is a bit of a big deal.  J. Crew hasn’t done a blanket category mark-down in awhile.  For perspective, know that they sent out an email blast a few days ago promoting a “get free shipping when you spend $150 and use a code” offer.  Yep, $150 was the line.  On a scale of 1-10, this sale is a strong 7.  J. Crew sales rarely get above a 5.  Even their tall and slim size specific sections are involved.  Impressive.  Here’s some picks:
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J. Crew Secret Wash Chatsworth Check – $45.50 (reg. $65.00)

Not just for the 4th of July either.

Nice.  Double gingham.  Or, if you’re counting the white base, triple gingham.  Having more than two non-neutral colors in a gingham shirt can get real busy real quick, but a shirt like this with the red and blue/purple is just enough to pop out of a V-neck or from under a khaki blazer.

J. Crew Neck and Sleeve Mini Tattersall Dress Shirt – $55.65 (reg. $79.50)

Looks like something a respected diplomat would wear.

Pull up a carpet square.  Once a upon a time, J. Crew didn’t sell neck and sleeve (meaning, precise 15.5/33 type shirts) dress shirts.  It wasn’t that long ago either that they finally got into the true dress shirt game.  The mini tattersall on this option is downright regal and it’ll be almost impossible to find anywhere else.

J. Crew Secret Wash Windowpane – $39.99 (Reg. $59.50)

Subtle on the left, tough to ignore on the right.

Kind of like gingham but jumps more from a farther distance.  Under $40 for a long sleeve shirt from J. Crew plus the thing ships free?  It was said earlier, this doesn’t happen every day.

The 30% off J. Crew Shirt Sale ends Friday 6/10 at 11:59pm ET.

Code expires 5/25.  Free shipping at $100 AFTER discount is applied.

Selection during a J. Crew “extra 30% off” sale can often be absolute crap.  But the extra 30% off sales are still worth paying attention to.  Especially since the code now knocks 30% off J. Crew Factory items (says so right there in the fine print) despite J. Crew saying that their Factory website is only “open” on the weekends.

Malarky.  Poppycock.  Diddly poo.  It’s open.  You just can’t get there from JCrew.com with a click Monday-Friday.  They take the link down, but the site is still active.  Go to the URL direct or click through via Google.  Good news is you can easily cross-pollinate as well.  Free shipping kicks in at $100 post discount.  Code is LOVEIT.  Here be the picks:
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J. Crew Factory Washed Gingham Shirts – $18.55

Navy should look slick with a khaki blazer.

What you get:  A tailored fit bold gingham shirt with a do everything button down collar in a washed relaxed feel.  What you don’t get:  A shirt over $20.

J. Crew Regulation Peacoat – $125.99 (reg. $228.00)

The three season pea.

For the guys who don’t want to go full trench, or still like a double breasted look even for shorter jackets.  Leans casual, all cotton, and ships free since it’s over $100 after the code.

J. Crew Tall Suede MacAlister Boots – $83.99 (reg. $150)

Italian suede and a bit taller.

The thing about wearing a lot of one color, say… a blue cotton blazer with dark blue jeans and maybe that navy gingham shirt up there, is that you can pull it off if you have a stand out pair of lighter shoes like these, and maybe…

J. Crew Factory Reversible Striped Belt – $13.65

Striped, rivets, cheap.

… a slightly loud summer belt wouldn’t hurt either.

J. Crew Linen Cotton V-Neck – $48.99 (reg. $98)

Not tiny.

The linen lessens the heaviness while the beefy v-neck and 5-gauge knit means it’s still no lightweight.  More of an in the woods or unexpectedly cool morning sweater.

J. Crew Factory Thin Tattersall Shirt – $20.65

Hard to go wrong with blue and white tattersall.

The thinner the lines in the tattersall, the more you can dress it up.  You could easily pair a knit tie up with this.  Combine this with the suede MacAllister and it’ll all ship free for $104.64.

J. Crew Factory Casual Money Clip – $6.65

Here's to hoping you'll have cash to go in it.

Don’t want to carry around your blinding silver money clip at a day time wedding while wearing your favorite summer suit?  I don’t blame you.  Switch it up to one of these more appropriate and ridiculously cheap silk clips.  Perfect for getting you over the $100 hump if you’re close.

J. Crew Factory 2 3/4″ chambray railroad stripe tie – $20.65

All the live-long day.

Pretty unique for a summer casual tie.  Chambray, the railroad stripe, and being that it’s 2 3/4″ at its widest point it’s not some razor thin skinny bugger either.

The J. Crew Sale Items / J. Crew Factory extra 30% off code LOVEIT expires Wed. 5/25

No code necessary.  Free shipping and free returns are standard too.

The terms “Select” and “Up to” usually spell disaster for a sale.  Usually those mean the good stuff won’t be marked down, and there won’t be much to pick from.  It’s true that there’s not a lot to pick from in this Piperlime sale, but there are a few gems with good sizes still available.  That and Piperlime, GAP Inc.’s shoe store, offers free shipping and free returns with no minimum purchase (unlike on the GAP/BR/Old Navy clothes side where you have to spend $50.)  All picks can be worn now without socks:
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Calvin Klein Dean Loafer – $77.50 (reg. $130)

Not bad for $80.

Black with taupe rubber soles, under $80, and a pretty smart shape (although that ridge that runs around the vamp could be a little more subtle).  Could go well with a lighter linen suit.

Frye James Wingtip – $117.50 (reg. $198)

Tough casual.

The heavily burnished toe and all around vintage look makes these a casual wingtip, but there’s no shame in that.  Great brand, nice looking shape, should look terrific with jeans.

Sperry Top-Sider A/O Penny Loafer – $59.50 (reg. $75.00)

A little more crisp than a standard boat shoe.

Taking the boat shoe up to another level.  The black leather upper and contrasting sole would look pretty slick with a pair of chinos and a polo, or even jeans and the INC light sportcoat.

Sperry Top-Sider Canvas Boat Lace-up – $47.50 (reg. $80.00)

Summer ready without the boat shoe shape.

Meanwhile, for those that don’t dig the slip on boat shoe thing, these are lace ups that have that worn forever look.  Pre-distressing out of the box isn’t the most desirable thing, but for under $50 if you want a washed sneaker/casual lace-up hybrid?  These might be worth consideration.  (More views over at Nordstrom)

Sperry Top-Sider CVO – $39.50 (reg. $60.00)

Nice patch at the heel.

What, is Sperry getting dumped by Piperlime?  CVO sneaker (no court sneaker rubber toe) shape in bright red.  Also available in lighter blue and black.  J. Crew was selling these for $75 at one point.

Timberland Classic 2-Eye Suede Boat Shoe – $44.50 (reg. $75.00)

Brown, suede, and really affordable.

Fire up the grill and put on some shorts.  Right for the back porch or early weekend mornings.

Piperlime’s up to 40% off select shoes sale expires May 29th…

Above Photo Credit: saturnism

Saw a Statue of Liberty on a busy street corner last week. She was holding a sign that said “It’s Tax Time!” She also had a beard.  The Uncle Sam outfit musta been at the dry cleaner.

To be clear, $1043 is not the average tax refund a U.S. citizen will see this year.  $3,129 is actually the average refund.  Good grief that’s a chunk of change.  And as unrealistic as a 3-grand refund might be for most of us, just as unrealistic is the idea of going out and blowing 100% of our tax returns.  It’s obviously a good idea to save it, build up that emergency fund, or make a donation to your favorite non-profit.

But we all know what led to the demise and eventual reclassification of Jack to dull-boy status.  So to keep work and play in harmonious balance, here’s a few ideas on how to splurge with 1/3 of the average 2010 refund:
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J. Crew Ludlow Sportcoat in Mini Gingham – $168.00 ($875 left)

Wear it deep into the fall just to break the rules.

If Gingham made a roaring comeback last summer, then this summer it gets a little more refined by way of the micro-pattern.  Jeans, chinos, whatever, it’ll work with it.

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Tissot T-sport PRC200 Chronograph – $269.88 ($605.12 left)

Can be worn with a t-shirt or suit.

Yes Auto-fanatics, it’s a quartz.  So if you’re auto or nothing, feel free to ignore.  Tissot just changed up the face of their PRC 200 Chronos, and it’s not necessarily for the better.  This is the previous model, with even diameter/well placed sub dials.  Sold Direct by Amazon.

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Calibrate Cotton/Nylon Trench – $199.90 (reg. $295) ($405.22 left)

Rain ready too.

The market has been flooded with double breasted trench coats and single breasted macs.  Many of them are 100% cotton, and won’t do much for keeping water from soaking through to your clothes.  This is a nylon mix.  Don’t freak out about the belt, you’ll get used to it, or, it should look pretty good without it too.

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For Her: Tiffany & Co. Compact Wallet – $195.00 (210.22 left)

Don't forget about her.

What? Are you really just going to go out and blow a grand on yourself, and get nothing for her?  Made in Italy, comes in a bunch of different colors, and the perfect size for the woman who doesn’t lug around some gargantuan old lady purse.  Plenty of colors to choose from.

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Bittercube Bitters 6-Pack – $48.00 ($162.22 left)

Try them with everything.

Craft Bitters are the gravy of cocktails.  They make everything better.  Even non-cocktails like plain ol’ club soda.  Read the full review of the variety pack right over here.

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Cole Haan Suede Chukka – $102 (reg. $228) ($60.22 left)

Don't like the laces? That's an easy fix.

More than half off and check out the laces.   Less schulmpy than a standard Clark’s desert boot.  Wear them with your favorite pair of dark denim and the J. Crew Blazer up top.

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Original Penguin The Earl Polo – $41.30 w/ code F&F30 (reg. $59.00) ($18.92 left)

Front and back, slim all around.

The favorite polo of our Arts and Culture Correspondent Ben Madeksa, this one has a heritage slim fit and the right piping details which give off a retro but not costumey vibe.   The code F&F30 stands for Friends and Family, and gets you 30% off everything.

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J. Crew Watch Strap – $10.50 w/ code MUSTHAVE (reg. $20.00) ($8.42 left)

Should work with many a watch.

Now’s not a bad time to breathe some new life into an old forgotten watch sitting in the back of a drawer.  And $10.50 isn’t a bad price.  Shipping is brutal though (it is J. Crew after all)

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Matinee showing of “The Adjustment Bureau” - $7.00ish ($1.42 left)

Powered by Fedora.

Haven’t seen it.  Been putting it off.  Wouldn’t mind knowing what’s with the hats.

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Pack of Black Jack Chewing Gum – $0.99 ($0.43 left)

Mmmm. Tasty tire.

Because there’s just not enough aniseed flavored candy any more.   Tastes like liquorice, looks like you’re chewing on a piece of an old faded tire.

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Plugging a meter that’s running low on time – $0.43 ($0.00 left)

Karma in change form.

Careful though.  In many a city this random act of kindness is frowned upon, so watch out for meter maids.

Got any plans for your tax refund?  Leave it all in the comments section below…