Head to AllenEdmonds.com, click on the big “90th Anniversary Sale” Graphic, and you’re taken to a page with 13 pairs of shoes.  Most of which are going to register a solid “mneh” with most of you.  And that’s where plenty of us said: “that’s it?” shrugged, and went back to playing minesweeper.

But that’s not it.  There might not be many shoes that get the $90 or 19.22% discount (the year AE launched) but there are plenty of belts, shoe care accessories, and other made in the USA gems that are marked down and ship free at no minimum.  Free returns too.  We’ll start with the stuff you can snag with couch-cushion money, and work up…
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Flannel Polishing Cloth – $1.60 ($2) | Horsehair Dauber – $2.40 ($3)

Note: The price is for just one dauber.

Yes you can use an old t-shirt to apply your shoe creme or shoe polish and another old t-shirt to buff em’ up after you take your brush to them.  But it just doesn’t work as smoothly.  The flannel polishing clothes do a real nice job, and they’re durable enough that you can really put some torque on them.  The Daubers make it much easier to get an even, thin coat of creme or polish on your shoes.

Horsehair Shine Brush - $5.60 ($7.00)

Bristley.

You put the shoe polish or creme on, you let it dry for 10 minutes, and then you brush your shoes with one of these (after that, it’s polishing cloth time if you so choose.)  Again, made in the USA.

Brass Plated Shoe Horn – $8.00 ($10)

Horney. Wait, what?

Might be time to upgrade from that cheap, plastic shoe horn you got for free with a pair of shoes 15 years ago.  Not quite this much of an upgrade, but an upgrade none the less.

Calfskin Money clip & Calfskin Nashua Money clip – $12.00 ($15)

Brown and black.

For most, suits call for a card case and a money clip.  But when in a summer suit, a metal money clip might feel out of place.  That, and all the sunshine this time of year might cause you to inadvertantly blind someone, or, cause a cat to go flying after some random reflection you’re shooting up on the wall.  J. Crew seems to have stopped making those tie-stripe style money clips.  These are just as good, if not better.  Leather and made in the USA.

Cedar Suit Hanger with pant bar – $15.96 ($19.95)

Shoe trees for your suit shoulders.

Sixteen bucks might seem pretty steep for a hanger, but like shoe trees for your nice shoes, you want some wider shoulder hangers for all your sportcoats and suit jackets.  Even if it’s a cheap cotton sportcoat from Target.  Your jackets which you’ve already invested in by getting tailored, will last much longer.  Plus, these are made from cedar.  85% of which was sourced from Arkansas.  No matter the source, it’ll help keep your clothes fresh, and closet free of moths.

Combination Cedar Shoe Trees – $19.22 ($24.95)

Shoe trees for your, well, shoes.

And speaking of shoe trees… Made in the USA, ships free, and now with the discount costs about the same as the made in China Alfani shoe trees some Macy’s shoe departments sell.

Calfskin Wrapped Flask – $40.00 ($50)

And off to the PTA meeting.

This is the type of thing that you’d think wouldn’t be made in the USA.  But it is.  Not everything that AE sells is made here in the states, but a flask?  Nice work.  Kudos to them.

Madison Casual Belt – $69.00 ($88)

Maybe for father's day?

A splurge at almost $70, but that walnut belt is something else.  Consider them the domestic crafted version of the well liked Gap Basic Belts.  Only these belts from Allen Edmonds seem to have a small roller at the buckle.

Finch Saddle Tan/Tan – $235 ($295) | Black/Tan – $295

A red on brown is also on sale.

On the longer 5-last, which is the same chassis the Dalton is built on.  Not all of the colors are on sale, and the black/tan combo is sadly one of the one’s stuck at full price.  Proof that black and brown absolutely can go together.  Part of the “rough” collection, and might look better with age.

Strawfut – $245.00 ($345)

The devil's dress shoes?

You either have to live in a swampy, brutally hot climate, or be a complete shoe hog to go for these.  From the Allen Edmonds site: “We rediscovered this exceptional shoe in 2009 when a long-time customer from Los Angeles sent in a pair we had built in the 1950s to have the soles recrafted.”  Imagine being in the de-boxing department when these freaks came in.  But they’re good looking freaks, with the serious purpose of drastically increasing air flow.

McAllister Wingtip - $245.00 ($335)

Walnut. Merlot. Tasty.

The belle of the ball, by far.  Also available in a black calf, and none of the color options are excluded from the very fair sale price of $245.00

Weybridge – $249.00 ($335)

Tough. Little weird. Ron-Ron?

Actually not part of the 90th anniversary sale, but found over in the clearance section hanging out by its lonesome.  The black pair have held up incredibly well over months of wear, and they’ve got a feeling of indestructibility about them.  Can be a little tough to break in, and the styling might not be for everyone.  You’ve got to like to take a little bit of a risk, but not a huge risk with those perforations.

Cordovan Park Avenue – $485 ($575)

Well, it's still $90 off.

Sure, everyone likes to save money… but if you’re willing to spend $575 on a pair of shoes, aren’t you going to do it anyway?  Made from shell cordovan.   As classic (and conservative) as a shoe gets.  Only black is on sale.

The Allen Edmonds 90th Anniversary Sale is set to expire April 30th.  Free shipping and free returns are available, no minimum on everything.  Also worth noting, seems like Endless has mimicked the sale, and they offer free two-day shipping as well as free returns.

You’re usually better off waiting for one of these extra 30% off sales at the Neiman Marcus online outlet LastCall.com.  They have them seemingly all the time, but the one drawback is stock can get awfully low and sizes can get real spotty the longer you wait.  It is an outlet after-all.

Only select cold weather gear has been marked down by an additional 50%, but aside from a few exceptions, the rest of the site has been marked down by at least 30%.  No code is needed for the discount and the new prices show up in your cart.  Know that the code FSANN3 should get you free shipping with no minimum.  Picks seen below have (for now) at least a somewhat decent range of sizes available.  And that’s not always the case with LastCall.com.
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John Varvatos Dress Chukka – $119.40 ($298)

Simple.

Appears to be the plain toe version of their medallion toe chukka over here.  Only this one is about a third of the price after an extra 40% gets taken off.

Hugo Boss Pasolini Navy Suit - $419.30 ($795)

Not super fitted.

A standard for suited guys that don’t mind getting a classic cut and then having it tailored in a bit.  Side vents on the jacket, two button, and a button stance that’s neither too high or old man low.

Neiman Marcus Trim Fit Shirts:  Full Spread Collar & Dobby Texture – $34.30

White Dress Shirts + one extra detail.

It’s awfully tough to go wrong with a bright white shirt.  And both of these are bright white shirts, with something extra.  The first is a full spread almost cutaway leaning collar, so you’ll need to tie a knot big enough to fill the space (and forget about going tieless.)  The second has a texture to the fabric that some guys like, while others stay away from.  Both are trim fits and now more than reasonable at around $34.

Neiman Marcus Croc Embossed Flask – $17.50 ($65)

Classier than a paper bag.

Perfect for those bottles of liquor you got from friends over the holidays.  Not a bad (and discreet) partner for an early evening walk in the cold.

J.D. Fisk Edgar Wingtip – $80.50 ($169)

An off the clock alternative.

J.D. Fisk shoes aren’t enormously high quality, but for $80.50 they should look and feel much, much better than other shoes in that price range.  An easy way to upgrade your away from work look is to wear some lace ups that look a little more dressed up than they need to be.  Don’t worry about keeping these in pristine condition.  Let them get dinged and beat up.  Description says “Imported.”  Probably imported from Mexico.  360 views available over at endless, where they have three colors instead of just one, faster shipping, but cost a few bucks more.

ShedRain Windpro Compact Umbrella – $22.40 ($48.00)

14 inches long. So, not Poppins-ish.

One of the few actually good looking compact sized umbrellas.  Nice looking curved wooden handle, a charcoal canopy, and a design that is supposed to make it stand up well in windy conditions.  For the fellas who can’t bring themselves to carry the much-loved but plenty long gentelman’s umbrella from totes.

Neiman Marcus Trim Fit Purple Check Dress Shirt – $34.30 ($89.50)

That's quite the shade of Barney.

A warning:  The vast, vast majority of us can’t pull this off.  Maybe it’ll be easier to wear once the weather starts to warm up and summer suits start to appear.  But a purple that’s this purple in a pattern that’s this bold just looks forced on a lot of people.  Trim fit.  If you can pull it off, more power to you.  Know that sizes are getting scarce.

Neiman Marcus Shave Kit – $28.00 ($156)

Toothpaste corral for your luggage

$156 is ridiculous.  $40 can still feel a little steep for a dopp kit.  $28 and free shipping for a cognac canvas colored one with leather accents like this might make you want to reconsider what you’re using now.

The Splurge:  Bruno Magli Suede Chelsea Boots – $255 ($595)

Yes. Those will do just fine.

You’ve got to be a pretty big shoe hog to be willing to drop $250 on a pair of suede boots.  But if you are?  They might as well be from Bruno Magli.  Available in black or brown.

The LastCall.com extra 30 – 50% off sale ends Tues. 1/17/11 at 8 a.m. CT.

Green gets the shaft.  Kermit knows this.  For 364 days out of the year green takes a back seat to blue, black, grey, and a host of other colors.  But today is St. Patrick’s day.  The one day where Green reigns supreme.  In honor of Green and St. Patrick’s Day, here’s our annual list of our favorite green things…
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1. Green and Black Silk Knot Cufflinks – $4.95

Try it with a navy blazer.

Not completely green but with black mixed in, these are a real subtle and laid back way to inject a small amount of green into your dressed up wardrobe.  Can’t beat the price either.
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2. Bulova Canvas Strap Military Watch – $77.60 (reg. $150)

About half as much as the J. Crew military Timex

One of the most underrated canvas strap watches out there.  The cost to style ratio is ridiculous.  The vintage looking off-white numbers, the way the hands are shaped, the black dial and greenish brown canvas strap, it has it all.  And at a price that’s hard to ignore.
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3. Tesla Model S Electric Sport Sedan – $49,900

Green and gorgeous.

0-60 in a more than respectable 5.6 seconds, terrific styling that’s reminiscent of the Aston Martin Rapide, and it’s a plug in electric.  160, 230, or 360 mile range models available late in 2012.  $50K ain’t peanuts.  But it’s a car.
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4. Ralph Lauren Custom Fit Green & White Stripe Rugby – $59.99 (reg. $89.50)

Extremely trim compared to standard Rugbys

On sale but still too expensive.  They’ve dipped as low as $40 online before, so wait for a further sale.  Still a great looking (and more importantly) great fitting rugby.  See the full review here.
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5. Stanley Classic Flask – $16.99

8 oz. Not a single one of them frou frou.

Classic is right.  The hammered green exterior, the knobby cap, and the plastic arm makes sure you won’t lose that cap after you’ve drained the flask itself.
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6. Lands’ End Canvas Silk/Cotton Striped Tie – $39.50

Wear it year round.

Light years ahead of their buffalo check tie when it comes to versatility, this striped tie gets it right.  Two colors, the green is a good shade, and the width is 2 3/4″.  Should go on sale at some point.
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7. Filson Original Briefcase in Otter Green – $210.00

Still made in the USA

Think these got popular again pretty quick?  The Otter Green and Brown are back-ordered until June.  Don’t be afraid of the lighter Tan though.  Looks more dressed up, and, it’s available now.
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8. Banana Republic Cotton Fatigue Jacket – $130.00

Good fit, good weight, great hardware.

In a sea of utility/military inspired light cotton spring casual jackets, this is one of the better ones.  And since it’s Banana Republic, should be pretty easy to get on sale.
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9. Jack Spade Single Fold Monza Leather Perforated Wallet – $50.00

Well ventilated too.

A single fold slim wallet that won’t look like anyone else’s.  “Inspired by leather detailing on vintage sports cars.”  Not sure any of that sports car leather was green, but this green look pretty damn good.
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10. Christina Hendricks’ 2008 Emmy Awards Dress

This never gets old.  Points to Mr. Fatone for keeping his focus.  I’m gonna guess that maintaining eye contact wasn’t the easiest thing to do.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day.  May you not over do it on the Lucky Charms, Irish Car Bombs, and Jameson.

Reindeer photo credit: lilhelen

His working conditions are brutal, the deadline is ultra stressful, and on top of that his dress code hasn’t changed much in hundreds of years.  Huge Red suit, goofy hat, boots, and a big ol’ awkward unstructured bag.  That kind of getup isn’t helping his cause at all, yet he has to maintain that traditional appearance in case some kid catches him on the job.

But some tweaks can be made.  Some additions too.  It’s fair to assume that as time has marched on, Father Christmas has rolled with the punches and improved the quality of his gear where applicable.  Here’s what we’re thinking he might be lacing up, pulling on, and throwing over his spare shoulder on Christmas Eve…
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The Boots:  Danner Super Rain Forrest 200 gram Thinsulate Boots – $279.95

Plenty of traction for slippery rooftops.

Dasher Dancer Prancer… Danner?  Only the best for Jolly ol’ St. Nick at zero hour.  He probably got smart years back and ditched his traditional pilgrim buckle boots, and instead opted for these Made in the USA indestructable standards.  200 grams of thinsulate provide warmth, but not overstuffed heat.  He will be doing plenty of moving and won’t need that much insulation.  Also available in 2E.  Perfect for a wide foot like Santa’s.
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The Watch:  Casio G-Shock Rescue – $99.99 | Swiss Army Maverick II – $395

Both can handle some rough conditions.

For his one night of off-site work, it has to be the G-Shock Rescue.  Durable, able to measure chimney to tree to sleigh split times, and can be beat to crap during a global jaunt.  Once back at the pole, it’s the subtle and green Swiss Army Maverick II, which was at one time available at Nordstrom for under $200 on sale.
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The Bag:  Ralph Lauren Wool & Leather Cartridge Bag – $169.99 (reg. $295)

Red buffalo plaid and leather. Small enough to stash in the sleigh.

Ideal for those last second notes the kids leave next to the cookies and milk.  A just the right size bag (9″x12″) to stash those letters in on the way back up the chimney.
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The Gloves:  Johnston & Murphy Cashmere Lined Sheepskin Gloves – $69.99 (reg. $98)

Giddyup.

A plain unlined pair of leather gloves won’t cut it when you’re handling the cold reigns on eight tiny yet feisty reindeer. (Perhaps nine depending on foggy conditions).  Lined with cashmere for softness and warmth, made of sheepskin for durability.  Nice snap closure.
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The Base Layer:  Wickers Comfortrel Long Underwear – Top $15.96 | Bottom $10.46

Santa doesn't care if it's mismatched.

Those cotton waffle knit long johns you used to wear?  Those will kill you if you ever get them wet.  And St. Nick is likely to hit some weather.  Silk wicks, but it’s just not that warm.  Stick with synthetic and you’ll stay warm and dry.  The Comfortrel poly cloth pulls sweat away from your skin, and keeps you insulated.  Made in the USA too.
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The Extra Insulator: Boden Down Gilet – $54.00 (reg. $138)

Keeping the core warm.

That big red coat isn’t as warm as you’d think.  And after keeping in better shape this past year, St. Nick has some room to layer underneath.  Marked down, way down on Boden’s website.
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The Extra Extra Insulator: Dry Fly American Whiskey | Stanley Classic Flask – $16.44

Please sleigh responsibly

One swallow here or there won’t hurt the big fella.  Dry Fly is distilled in Spokane, goes incredibly well with a stout or porter, and will warm you up on a freezing winter’s night.

Got a little one who might want to follow a hopefully well equipped St. Nick as he tours the globe?  NORAD does a fine job at that every year.  Merry Christmas from everyone here at Dappered…

Summer is overrated.  It’s uncomfortable, it limits what you can wear, and for those in hotter locations, you’re stuck inside when the sun is shining because it’s blistering hot out.  I’ll take a perfect fall day over a perfect summer day… any day.  The best season on the calendar is almost here.  Not convinced?  Here’s 10 solid reasons why you should be itching like the rest of us autmnaholics for the weather to finally cool down.
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1. Tweed or Corduroy Blazers: J. Crew Cord Blazer – $138 | Old Navy Cord Blazer – $49.50

$138 on the left, $50 on the right.

Buying new tweed is going to set you back quite a bit.  Try your local thrift store and you just might get lucky.  For Corduroy, the J. Crew Ludlow Blazer is one of their cheaper sport-coats, but buying from Old Navy and taking it to your tailor will save you boatloads.
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2. Women in Sweaters

All hail fall.

You can have the tank tops and even the bikinis that accompany the months of June, July and August.  I submit to you Erin Andrews in a turtle neck as evidence of Fall’s superiority.
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3. Soup – Everyday Food Cookbook – $15.79 | Campbell’s Select Harvest LIGHT – $2.79/can

Attempt eating these in July

Try this bacon infused Lentil Soup from Everyday Food.  And pick up the book which is full of recipes perfect for guys (few ingrediants, easy to make, high presentation value) by clicking here.  Too busy and/or lazy to make it yourself?  Stick with the Campbell’s Select Harvest Light line.  Only 60 calories per serving, and two per can, the liquid will fill you up without weighing you down with calories.
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4. Leather Gloves – FCUK Press Stud – $42.13 | Ben Sherman Contrast Stitch – $67.40

Great details at stellar prices.

Don’t surrender to the standard three line top stitch glove.  Do something slightly different.  Like a black pair with an adjustable snap strap, or a brown pair with contrast stitching.  Or… both.
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5. Football – Specifically ESPN’s College Gameday

It’s probably one of the best shows on all of Television.  Here’s to hoping Lee Corso continues to recover, and when it’s your teams biggest game, he chooses to wear their mascot’s head.
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6. The Re-emergence of dark liquors – Auchentoshan Single Malt | Zaya Rum

Palate warmers.

Especially Drinking Scotch, Bourbon, or Rum (Zaya Specifically), neat, in the middle of the afternoon.
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7. Sunset walks with a flask – Checkerboard Flask – $19.00 | Titanium Round Flask – $119

Cheap and really expensive. Both distinctive.

What’s better than a pre-twilight walk on a crisp fall evening?  Taking a drink along with you.  Tough to go wrong with either the Auchentoshan or Zaya up above.  Be discreet, and don’t come crying to me if you get popped for violating some open container law.
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8.  Wearing Boots Again – K. Cole First Place Boot – $62.98 | Calibrate ‘Kent’ – $140.00

Dress boots that can easily be swapped in for work.

Canvas sneakers, boat shoes, and loafers (even great ones like these) are starting to get old.  It’ll soon be time to break those boots back out.  Dress boots for work, work boots for not work.  Which is sort of strange if you think about it.
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9. Easy Layering – L.E.C. Cotton V neck – $50 | LL. Bean Signature Tweed Blazer – $195

Shirt, Sweater, Blazer.

Layering in fall couldn’t be easier.  A plain oxford underneath (like the Express 1mx), a slim v-neck over that, and then top it off with a well tailored blazer.  Jeans or chinos for your bottom half.  Done.
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10. No more wet underarms – Old Spice Deodorant – $3.05 | Gillette Antiperspirant – $7.78

Ronaldo's pits fall victim to the heat.

Unless you’re a natural sweater.  But in the fall you’ll put on your deodorant in the morning (Old Spice High Endurance Classic Scent is a can’t miss) and it doesn’t have to work that hard throughout the day.  A note:  There’s a huge difference between deodorant and antiperspirant.  Deodorants do nothing to stop sweating.  antiperspirant do.  So if you’re a heavy sweater, head in that direction no matter what season it is.

Miss anything?  Leave your favorite parts about fall in the comments section below.

Your Dad probably has a Stanley thermos stashed up in the attic next to his old fishing gear.  If he’s not using it, grab it.  As a thank you, get him one of these classic flasks from Stanley.  And then get one for yourself.

There’s nothing wrong with a standard stainless steel pocket flask, but these are a little more inconspicuous.  Perfect for taking to a football game, on a long walk, or just over to the home of a friend acquaintance who doesn’t like to share his whiskey, (can he really be called a friend then?)  these are a great way to transport your spirits.

Seems like as the 12 days of Dappered wind down, we’ve been stuck in a rut suggesting gifts that have to do with booze.  No matter though, guys tend to drink.  What can you do, y’know?

A flask is one of those extremely personal things that every guy should have. It’s also an incredible gift to give.  Because a guy really needs only one flask, and if you give it to him… he’ll think of you every time he uses it.  They come in handy when you’re headed to a tailgate, on a long walk and want a drink along the way, or over to a friends house but don’t necessarily want a beer.

That and they come in super handy when you’re out of cash, at a great micro distillery, and you realize you could either pay $5.00 for a snort of this establishment’s rum… OR… your friend who brought his flask to the city’s tree lighting ceremony (which you attended a mere two hours before), happens to have that establishment’s craft rum in said flask.  And he can pass it to you under the table.  And it just so happens you gave him that flask last year as a Christmas Present.  And now your rocks glass is once again full with totally free Rum which you otherwise would have paid a premium for.  And you would have, but you’re broke.

Right Tim?

Right.

Thanks by the way.

If the guy you’re looking to buy a gift for doesn’t have a flask, yet enjoys a bit of hard liquor now and then… it’s a fantastic gift. Make it unique. Something more than just plain old stainless steel sides. It’s one of those many things that’s nice to have around.

Need More Ideas? Here’s the rest of The 12 Days of Dappered:
12 Days of Dappered Day 1
12 Days of Dappered Day 2
12 Days of Dappered Day 3
12 Days of Dappered Day 4
12 Days of Dappered Day 5
12 Days of Dappered Day 6
12 Days of Dappered Day 7
12 Days of Dappered Day 8
12 Days of Dappered Day 9
12 Days of Dappered Day 10
12 Days of Dappered Day 11
12 Days of Dappered Day 12