Free Shipping Kicks in at $50 if you use ENJOY30 and pin 1850, which is nice, but Pick30 and 3022 is obviously better.  But there are exceptions.  Credit to Tlahey1 for 1st spotting the 30% off and free shipping no min. code.

Been awhile since Lands’ End and/or L.E.C. ran a site wide sale.  And 30% off is no slouch.  Sale items are included, and the key is to drift on over to big brother LandsEnd.com and scout out their L.E.C. sale items over there.  They’ve got a virtual casual clothing cornucopia of major markdowns on that side, which for whatever reason don’t appear on the L.E.C. side.  Yes.  A hidden horn-o-plenty.  Pilgrim.

Free shipping no minimum with PICK30 and pin 3022.  In case that evaporates, ENJOY30 and 1850 gets free shipping at $50.  Picks below all meet that mark, just in case, w/combos specifically set to just get over the $50 line.
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L.E.C. 5″ Clean Board Shorts – $35.00 ($50)

Nice work LEC.

The steal of the sale by far.  Hits all the right points:

• Has a liner (hooray for some control)
• Not too long (might be a little short for some at 5″)
• Three good colors to pick from
• No elastic at the waist.

Those side tabs are a real nice detail that’ll come in handy.  These also come in exact waist sizes instead of small, medium, and large.  Nice.  Swim trunks are not cheap.  These have solid potential at this price.

L.E.C. Costal Rugby – $42.00 ($60)

Is $42 out of your price range?

Sixty bucks seems steep for an LEC rugby, and the sale price of $42 seems like what these would have started out at a year or two ago.  But prices are up everywhere, and the details on this one look to be right on.  Big fan of that khaki collar and the stripes.  It certainly appears to have a better look than say, the Merona Rugby which goes for $24.  But is it that much better?

L.E.C. Beachside Linen Shorts – $31.50 ($45) + Key Fob – $6.28 ($8.97)

And the fob is free.

A combo only created when the only code was free shipping at $50.  Shipping for just the shorts was $8.95.  Add the leather key fob and you get shipping for free.  Adding it would have saved you a couple bucks.  Shorts look real good for thirty.  100% linen, a 9″ inseam, and a few colors and patterns to choose from.

L.E.C. Crosby Moc Toe Boot – $37.08 ($149)

Half a year in, still going strong.

Obligatory.  And now they’re practically giving them away.  Some wouldn’t take them for free, but there are those of us that have had a tremendous experience with these Alden-Indy-Like boots.  The leather won’t impress shoe snobs by any stretch, but it’s durable.  As un-summery a pair of shoes gets this side of Sorels.  Too hot for over 75 degrees.

*NOTE*: If you buy just the boots, you’ll have to pay for shipping. There are a few exceptions to the promotion. One of which is: “Orders consisting solely of Classifieds… and Clearance items (prices ending in $.97) are not eligible for Free Shipping.” But if you add one tiny thing to your cart that doesn’t end in $.97, then they’ll ship free. So… can I interest you in a $4.99 chocolate Easter bunny?

L.E.C. Striped Polo – $28.00 ($40) + Striped Wool Knit Tie – $7.00 ($69.50)

Lotta stripes. $35 for these two. Total.

The description of the polo is a little confusing, because the word “jersey” is in there, yet so is “pique.”  Looks to be pique.  Nice contrast at the placket.  For the tie, if there was ever a tie to wear with a khaki colored chino suit, this is probably it.  Even if it is wool.  That juxtaposition of fabrics will look great.  Started out at almost $70 retail.  Ouch.  Down to $10 on the Lands’ End site.  $7 with the promo and ships free.  (Update:  Sorry guys, the tie is gone…)

 L.E.C. Nailhead Oxford Blazer - $17.48 ($99.50) + Supima V – $20.99 ($60)

$40 for both.

The Nailhead Oxford Blazer, which is far from perfect (a little stiff, needs tailoring, but now under $20) is on clearance.  The Supima V in green is not.  It’s just on sale.  Down to $29.99 (see?  no $.97).  Code drops the combo to a kinda ridiculous $40, give or take with taxes.  Credit Brian with the tip on the blazer.

L.E.C. Casual Vest – $48.99 ($100)

Like a blazer, keeps your shirt in line.

Already marked down to $70, and the extra 30% gets it under $50.  Not cheap by any means, but if you’re the waistcoat type (or, uh… vest-curious) this is a good place to start.  Cotton and no silk/poly/shined up back.  Chambray instead.

L.E.C. 1963 Waxed Canvas Trip Bag – $98.00 ($140)

Over 3000 cubic inches of space.

Glad they’re still making this thing.  Actually repels water and feels heavy, but not brick beastly.  Lots of room instead.  A real good option for guys who don’t like how fancy some men’s weekenders can get, but still want something better looking than a nylon duffel.

Lands’ End Tailored Fit Seersucker Suit Jacket & Pants – $203.00 ($290)

Giddyup.

Well… the Derby is coming up quick.  Haven’t seen it in person.  Not from LEC, but Lands’ End.  Says it’s a tailored fit, but will probably need some extra tailoring.  Sleeves and upper back are lined.  100% cotton.

The Lands’ End/L.E.C. codes PICK30/ENJOY30 and pin 3022/1850 are set to expire today.  And sorry fellas, the Allen Edmonds shoes that both Lands’ End and LEC sell aren’t available for the discount. 

UPDATE:  And just like that, Lands’ End/L.E.C. jump in the ring with a 30% off everything sale.  Code is ENJOY30 and pin is 1850.  Free shipping at $50.  Expires Monday.  Hat tip to Gilla for being the first one in via the comments.
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Banana Republic: 25% off w/code BRCREATE (exp. 4/22)

Lots of colors marked down.

The Pick:  Cotton Cashmere V – $26.24 ($59.50) & Silk/Cotton/Cashmere V – $37.13 ($69.50)
The BR sale is supposed to raise up to $500k for something called Opportunity Finance Network.  25% off isn’t too mind blowing, but it works on sale and some sale items have already been drastically reduced.  The Cotton Cashmere V’s are supposed to have a nice tailored fit and earned 4.5 / 5 stars after 16 reviews.  The Silk/Cotton/Cashmere sweaters dip a little low, but the fabric is outstanding.  Now under $40 for a bunch of basic, select colors.  (And for all those size 36 guys… maybe this suit jacket for $127, and try it out as a blazer?)

Lord & Taylor:  25% off Friends & Family Sale w/ code FRIENDS (exp. 4/22)

Pick via the RL website.

The Pick:  Ralph Lauren Roderick Driver – $74.99 ($99)
Some of you made it pretty clear you’re not a fan of the standard driving shoe heel on this or its cousin the Terry Ribbon loafer.  But there are those of us who are indifferent, and at the same time awfully happy with the leather quality (assuming it’s as supple here as on the Terry.)  Much sleeker than a standard boat shoe, and more interesting than a simple driver.  Ships free as well.  Looks better at the RL site.  (Also worth a look: ESQ’s Filmore for $146.25)

Kenneth Cole: Take 30% off Full Priced Items w/code FANDF (exp 4/22)

Wear a dark suit & sunglasses, and TSA is going to search you.

The Pick: 20″ Coated Canvas Duffel with leather trim - $194.50 ($278)
Mean looking for under $200. Lots of city, not a lot of country with this one.  2600 cubic inches of space and comes with a limited lifetime warranty.  A bit of a splurge.  Too bad that the code only (seems?) to work on full priced items.

Brooks Brothers:  15% off to support Make-A-Wish (exp 4/20)

America. God Bless it.

The Pick:  Rancourt & Co Suede Chukkas – $126.65 ($298)
No code necessary here, and if you’ve got a Brooks Brothers credit card, you’ll get 20% off.  Made in the USA and was pushing $300.  Now less than half that since they were already marked down and the extra 15% off takes them down even further.  Doesn’t ship free though.  Suede is from Horween.  Crepe soles and they can be re-soled.

Express:  Buy one get one 50% off everything + $15 off every $60 w/ code 1239

Plenty of stretch in these.

The Pick:  Four Express Signature Polos – $104.70 w/free shipping (that’s $26 per)
You heard about the Brooks Brothers $2000 polo that launched earlier this week?  44 Brooks Brothers polos for two grand.  Right.  This is the poor man’s, slightly less ridiculous version.  You’d have to be in dire need of polo shirts to buy four at once, but $26.18 per polo, shipped, isn’t half bad at all.  The deal combines:

• A buy one get one 50% off sale
• The $15 off every $60 promo code 1239
• A free shipping at $125 (pre code) offer that expires today.

The 1243 code being advertised on Express.com gets you only $15 off every $75.  Did well in the polo palooza.

This is something.  Here’s how this works:

• You sign up and pay $45.
• Bespoke Post sends you a themed box of curated goods, once a month that’s worth at least $60 if not more.
• You can skip any month you want.  They email you when the Box of Awesome for that month has been revealed, and you have a chance to opt out before they ship it your way starting the 15th.
• Shipping is free, and there’s no monthly commitment to be a member.

Sure it’s a little random because you’re flying blind into each month, not knowing what you’ll be getting.  But it’s super easy to pass on a month and not shell out the $45.  And get a load of what $45 got Bespoke Post members in March:

Clockwise from top center:  A one day pass to the AA Admirals Club, a 10% off coupon for an American Airlines Flight, Aesop skin care shampoo, body cleanser, facial cleanser and hydrating syrum, a travel survival kit including mints, an energy shot, almonds, and hangover cure tablets.  All that and the 20.5″x5.5″x12.5″ made in the USA Mason’s Bag. 

The bag itself is easily worth $45.  It’s basic, but the metal frame at the top and the deep suede handles are really impressive.  It doesn’t close all that tight, and will open just a bit if stuffed full, but it’s sturdy, and a leather punch could maybe rectify that issue if you add a hole to the straps that buckle the thing shut.

You guys (and guys like you) are a pretty valuable customer base.  The items in each month’s curated “box of awesome” might be seen as a valuable promotional investment made by the brands that provide them.  Maybe they’re overstock.  Maybe not.  Maybe Bespoke Post is somehow blackmailing all these companies to provide this stuff at minimal cost so they can send it the way of their subscribers for cheap (nah, they seem too nice for that).

However they’re doing it, the fact that you can opt out of any month is huge.  Why?  Because not everyone is going to like, say,  April’s box, “Salt”.  So you skip it, and you wait for May.  Impressive.

Win it:  To enter to win the sold out “Weekender” Box of Awesome, send your first and last name in an email to contests@dappered.com with the subject: “Bespoke”.  One entry per person.  Deadline is 11:59pm E.T. on 4/18/12.

UPDATE:  Congrats to Nader V. who won the Box of Awesome from Bespoke Post.  Thanks to all who entered…

I am about to graduate from law school this coming May.  For graduation, my extremely generous parents want to buy me a graduation gift and wish to spend around $700-$800.  This is a very significant amount of money, and will likely qualify as the largest gift I have ever received.  The one caveat is that my parents do not want to purchase something remotely perishable (i.e. clothes, suits, vacations, etc.), and would rather give me more of a “lifetime” gift, such as a watch, briefcase, furniture, etc.  I have no idea what to ask for.  Suggestions?

- Ryan

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First, huge congrats to Ryan.  There’s a group of us who got our one additional post-high-school diploma, and the very thought of going back to further pursue higher education gives us nightmares*.  Law school, Med school, grad school of any kind, or going back to get an additional degree takes levels of commitment and a patience-for-payoff that many just don’t have.  And that’s great that his parents want to give him something that’ll continue to remind him of the achievement.  Let’s spend some of Ryan’s parents money.  Your suggestions should go in the comments.
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Tissot T-Lord Classic – $675.00 | Tissot Carson Chronograph – $795

Both clean with some sport influence.

Never understood those big, special occasion gifts, that were so fancy people were either afraid or rarely had the occasion to use them.  So in this case, the watch picks should be able to be worn just as easily with a sportcoat and jeans as with a suit.  No quartz here fellas, certainly not at this price, but know that there’s a lack of watchmakers producing autos in this price range.  They’re either Seiko/Orient price under $500, or real high end stuff above a grand.  Tissot is one of the few watchmakers who can fall in this range.  Both of these automatics have light dials (silver on the left, white on the right) which will work just as well with brown or black straps.  Gotta love the semi-square case shape on the 40mm diameter T-Lord.  (Want something more dressed up?  Try this or this.)

Hamilton Viewmatic – $725.00 | Hamilton Khaki King – $525.00

Dressed up and dressed down.

Originally an American brand founded in Pennsylvania, Hamilton is now owned by Swatch, and is also one of the few watchmakers to produce in Ryan’s price range.  Hamilton can lean a little more rugged, and the Khaki King is tremendous.  Like the Tissot watches, both of these designs can be found online at a lower price, but you’re taking a big risk by buying a watch at this level from someone who might not back up any kind of warranty.  Even if it’s sold direct by Amazon and comes with a warranty, it might not be the manufacture’s warranty.  So be warned.

Allen Edmonds Cordovan Strand – $575.00 | Cordovan Dalton – $675.00

92% of poll respondents would streak for these.

Lifetime?  Quite possibly.  Made in the USA from Horween Shell Cordovan.  It’s a 6 month process just to go from hide to the leather that’ll be used on the shoes.  It’s insane.  And the end result is a pair of shoes or boots, that along with decent care and the available Allen Edmonds recrafting process, you could very well be wearing for decades.

Linus Bikes Gaston 5 – $769.00

The unexpected grad gift.

As sexy as a get-around-town bike gets.  Not fat like a cruiser, not out of place like a roadbike, and not limited to a single speed.  There’s 5-speeds on this thing, and it’s still streamlined thanks to the internal gear system.  Sure she won’t be able to ride on the back of it like a motorcycle, but man will it strike up some conversations.  Stunning transportation you’ll want to use for life.  Also available in a three or single speed.

Filson Leather Field Satchel – $795.00

Tough but still refined.

Made in the USA from bridle leather.  Filson claims it takes “about 10 years to break in” so feel free to chuck it around at will.  One of those leather pieces that looks better with a few dings on the hide.

Professionally framed print/piece of art – $350 – $800

Magritte's Golconda

Framing costs a ton.  Prints can be relatively inexpensive, but by the time you get the frame, matte, museum quality glass, and all the other stuff loaded around it to protect the art, it can get spendy fast.  Having a work by a favorite artist or photographer hanging on your wall in a frame that is top of the line can make a real statement.

Saddleback Leather Suitcase – $865 – $965

"Functional art" is right.

It’s a little above the price range, but maybe Ryan would be willing the chip in the last hundred or so.  Available in small, medium, and large.  100 year warranty, cushioned pigskin interior.  Waterproof full grain boot leather.  Be prepared to be stopped by curious onlookers, often, while walking through airports.  It’s something else.  See a size comparison and have all your questions answered in the video from Saddleback seen below:
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I mean, come the hell on.  Forget law school.  My new life’s goal is to one day own one of those things.  Good to know that you’d have to overload it pretty hard to get to 50 lbs.  More on Saddleback’s rep for quality over here.

Your suggestions for Ryan are welcome in the comments.  Congrats again to him.  Top Photo Credit: Yovany Alas.

*No joke.  I don’t know how some of you do it.  College has become distant enough in my own personal rear view mirror that it feels like someone else’s life.  I do remember walking out of my last final exam (Western Civ. elective.  Something about Merovingian kings) and thinking: “not doing this again.”  Have had a reoccuring dream ever since, in which I’ve somehow forgotten to attend a class for an entire semester, it’s required to graduate, and I can’t find the class room on exam day.  I’m sure someone with a grad degree could tell me what that means, if anything.

1. Herschel Supply Novel Duffel Bag – $78.00

Complete with a garage for your kicks.

Sure it’s a little north of $75, but everything from Maxton Men is under $100, and it all ships free.  More on Maxton Men here.  A little larger than their Ravine duffel.  Equipped with that nifty shoe compartment.  Available in three colors, including black and grey.

2. Brooks Brothers Cordovan Watchband – $37.50 ($75)

Moo? No. Neigh? Yes.

Cordovan is a little like Cashmere.  In a way.  It’s an upgraded material that some guys covet, and others just don’t care about.  Here’s a crash course on cordovan:  It comes from a horse instead of a cow.  It’s extremely tough, and some cordovan shoes will outlive their owners.  It’s extremely smooth and incredibly flexible.  Back to the watch band.  Word is it fits 24mm lugs, so, it’s made for larger watches.  Sterling silver buckle.  Price seems suspiciously low.

3. The Red Hook Cocktail – $7.00 – $12.00

With a real, unprocessed cherry. Pit and all.

Dark, inky, booze forward with a trailing bit of sweetness.  2 oz rye (or a little more…) 1/2 oz Punt E Mes, 1/4 oz – 1/2 oz maraschino (not related to the nuclear red cherries) dash or two of orange bitters.  A bit like a Manhattan.

4. Target Merona “Kensington” Cotton Two Button Sport Coat – $44.99

Button stance and off the rack fit are solid

Not being sold online just yet, but available in this navy and a khaki in plenty of Target brick and mortar stores.  This is the kind of sportcoat that turns someone into a sport coat addict.  Insanely cheap.  Wearable anywhere casual.  You might find yourself reaching for it on the weekend.  At home.  Might require some tailoring, and early word is that the sizing can be a little wonky between different blazers, even if they’re the same size and on the same rack.

 

5. GAP Tailored Glen Plaid Pant in Straight Fit – $59.50 ($41.65 at 30% off)

Trim but not suffocating

Haven’t seen these in person, but the glen plaid looks to be more of the medium grey on lighter grey, which is good because it’ll give them a little depth without getting old-manish and stark.  As always, hold out for a sale.

 

6.  The Blue Stones “Vain Vixens” Video – 4 minutes and 7 seconds of your life

Everyone’s favorite (well at least my favorite) band that actually reads Dappered is back.  For those that like their rock with some teeth, and their musicians well dressed, it’s hard not to like The Blue Stones.  Windsor Canada has produced two guys who can make one hell of a lot of sound between them, not to mention some terrific videos.  Major credit is due to Gavin Michael Booth who directed, shot and edited the video.  And someone buy the casting director a drink for picking the brunette.  Never met the two guys who make up the band, just heard their stuff and have been hooked ever since.  These guys seem to have a bright future.  Looking forward to more.  And, a heads up… not sure this is worthy of a NSFW, but just make sure no one is looking over your shoulder here.

 

7. Placing a bet at a Vegas Sports Book & watching the game there – $1 – $75

Only if this was your living room.

This just in… Las Vegas is very, very good at separating you from your money in a very short amount of time.  Losing $75 at a $10 blackjack or craps table can take only a few minutes.  Place $40, $50, or $75 on your favorite team (or a team that you know a little something about) then sit back in one of the big fat chairs that aren’t behind a velvet rope.  Cocktail waitresses will come around and get you free drinks just like you were at a table.  Maybe not quite as often, but they will.  Free drinks, sports, a few hours, and the possibility of actually winning.  Photo Credit: Chad Davis

 

8. Bonobos Oxfords in Pink Stripe and Turquoise – $49.60* | Check Shirt – $54.40*

The Bonobos sale section gets a boost.

Bonobos has been real quiet lately.  They recently put some more items in their sale section, but browsing that thing is like pulling teeth thanks to their new sizing drop down menu.  You click on a product, and you can’t tell if they have it in your size or not. You’ll need the code BETTERFIT for 20% off to get these prices.  Oxfords are made in the USA.

 

9. Half of this watch:  ESQ Chronicle – $154.42 ($295)

Which half? AM or PM?

All right, so, it’s cheating with the entire “under” $75 thing, but stick with me here.  It is a quartz, but it’s a solid brand, and it’s one looker for a sleek black dress watch.  Sub dial is a nice touch.  Here’s how to get the price:

• Go to Overstock via this link
• That’ll activate a 7% off new customer offer
• That drops the current price of $166.04

Pic is via Macys where they’re selling it for full price.  Full marks to reader Rich for the find.

 

10. Stafford Wingtip Oxfords – $50.00

You'd never know they were only $50.

The pics online make them look like plastic, but in person they’re surprisingly good looking.  Soft leather that has some honest to goodness real leather give to it.  Pretty comfortable too.  True oxford closed lacing.  Feels true to size.  Might not accommodate a wide foot.  You’d think these would be clunky with a bulbous toe, but the toe shape is perfect.  Sole is synthetic, with a grip rubber insert.  Full credit to Andrew for the style tip on these.

For other best bets under $75 from previous months, click here.

Orange gets no respect.  No one drives an Orange car (there are exceptions.)  Red heads get picked on.  And the Burnt Sienna Crayon always went unused in the box of Crayolas.

The key is moderation.  If you’ll be covering a good chunk of your body in this color, stay away from true, Syracuse-style-orange, and stick with colors that are more copper or rust.  If you want something as bright as a bag of carrots, limit its use by way of accessories, clothes you’ll layer over, or sub colors in patterns.  Still not a believer?  Examples follow.  Just don’t wear these all at once or you’ll sprain an optic nerve.

The Sweater:  Banana Republic Merino V-Neck – $44.62 w/ BRBOOST ($59.50)

Want white? Skip the tee and stick with a button up.

One of the best V-necks out there.  BR is perpetually on sale, but their Merino V-necks are honestly worth full price (just don’t tell them.)  Wait for a code of course.  25% off is good.  30% off is usually worth jumping on.  The collars on these don’t dip super deep like their silk/cotton/cashmeres.  Slightly fitted.  Could be tighter, but if you’ve got a little around the middle, then you’ll be happy.  Perfect under a black moleskin, blue wool or cotton, or grey tweed blazer.  25% off code BRBOOST expires 1/31.

The Tie: Thomas Pink Made in Italy Silk Knit Tie – $59.00 ($105)

Not too collegiate looking.

Still a splurge ($59 for a tie is pricey for most of us) but made in Italy and the silk knit is something that can work year round.  Notice that even though it’s a minor piece, like a tie, the dominant color isn’t orange.  Wear it with a medium to lighter grey suit.  Extra points if it’s flannel.

The Pants:  L.L. Bean Signature Bean’s Canvas Cloth Pant – $69.00

A real unique color.

Expensive, but the perfect blend of not too baggy and not too slim.  Leaning more towards roomy, but if you’ve got bigger legs, then you’ll appreciate the extra room in the thighs.  Straight legs.  Great darker orange color.  Ships free and plenty sturdy.  Hang out for a 15% off (or even 20% off) code and you could end up real happy.  (Want a much trimmer fit?  Go with Rugby’s Vintage University Chino.  The color is more of a true orange, but they cost just under $40.)

The Dopp Kit:  Marc New York Canvas Dopp Kit – $19.97 ($59.50)

It'll stand out in your dimly lit bag.

Hard to get more subtle than a bag that’s inside of a bigger bag most of the time.  Tough to find in this color, but the Marc New York Canvas Dopp Kit is a combination of waxed canvas and leather trim.  That’ll do.

The Socks:  Gap Thick Stripe Socks – $7.50

Keep the rest of the outfit toned down.

They’re like Target’s Merona socks.  Only a few bucks more expensive.  Don’t pay full price.  Wait for a sale.  And even then, maybe wait until you need something to tip you over the $50 free shipping threshold for another item.

The Watch:  Seiko Orange Monster – $170 – $200

Underwater visibility = priority

A favorite of the dive watch / affordable automatic crowd.  Beastly in it’s proportions without getting too big across the dial.  Rubber band, nice thick bezel, and the orange dial sets it all off.  Image credit: Daystar.

The Shoes:  Hawkings McGill Wingtip Boots – $54.99 ($88)

Cognac leaning orange. Still plenty of brown tones.

Deceptively good looking for the price.  Hell, GQ even featured them in a slideshow (not sure if the photog/editors knew how cheap they are before they snapped the shots.)  They’ve held up extremely well for me with one exception.  The toes scratch up easily, but a bit of colored shoe creme will hide that damage.  A steal for the price.  Jeans.  Awfully good with jeans.  Ships free since U.O. gets it to you at $50.  Full review here.

The Bag: ASOS Canvas Barrel Bag – $31.33 ($62.67)

Hard to miss. Not the best for carrying large amounts of unmarked bills.

Cheap.  Real cheap.  And at 23×16.5×13.4 it’s got some good size to it too.  Big enough for the gym and then some.

Do you stay far away from orange?  Should anything be added to the list?  Leave it below…

Head to the airport with an all nylon duffel and you’ll look like you’re on the way to a weightlifting tournament.  All leather weekend bags can get real expensive real quick.  Working both leather and nylon or canvas into one bag can be ideal, and while close to $300, Blue Claw’s made in the USA Worton Weekender is a rare find that balances durability and distractingly good looks.

Contrast.  Gotta love that contrast.  Made from non-rip ballistic nylon and imported leather, the lighter tan option combines 21st century materials with a golden age of travel color scheme.  The leather is surprisingly thick.  It’s the real stuff.  No barely-leather melted down pieces on this thing.  The substantial quality of the leather adds a noticeable but not cumbersome weight.  The strips down the side panels make it look like anything but some old gym bag.  Light leather on a dark background might not work for everyone, so they offer a darker leather option too.

Carry-on approved, Blue Claw Co. claims it “fits in a regional jet’s overhead bin.“  That may be true, but stuffing this thing to the gills might make that fit close to impossible.  It’s not a small bag, and there’s plenty of room for more than a day or two away.

Just one criticism and it’s minor.  The thick leather on the top of the bag doesn’t seem to allow the opening to spread all that wide.  So while it looks and feels awesome, at first it’s a bit awkward getting things in and out while avoiding the teeth of the zipper.

If almost $300 is too steep of a price, or maybe you just don’t need all of that 21.5″x11″x11″ space, they do offer a slightly smaller, rounder style duffel for more than $100 less.  Another option is their overnight bag, which offers about half the space of the Worton and comes in at $198.  A dopp kit, shoe bag, and garment bag are also in the Blue Claw Co. Arsenal.

Made in the USA, tough as nails, and great looking.  Nobody loses here.  Except maybe the poor guy behind you getting off the plane who’s stuck lugging a torn up old duffel with a puma on the side.

Win it: To enter for the Blue Claw Co. light leather Worton Weekender, send your first and last name in an email to contests@dappered.com with the subject: Worton.  One entry per person.  Deadline is 11:59pm E.T. on 1/31/12

UPDATE:  Congrats to Chris C. who won the drawing for the Worton Weekender.  Thanks again to Blue Claw Co.

The Dark Leather Worton Weekender as carried by someone much better looking than most.  For the full pic as well as more pics of her (and the Worton in action) head to the Blue Claw Co. Facebook page.

Made in the USA from Bison leather.  Guaranteed for life.  Dimensions are 12x22x11 which means it has just under 3000 cubic inches of space inside.  Plenty for a weekend trip.  Also comes with a shoulder strap.  Pinky toe would be surrended by way of simple surgery, complete with anesthetic.  The choice of which toe is surrendered is up to you.  NOTE: Duluth Pack is not offering to, nor would they ever exchange their terrific goods for body parts.
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…….

 Well?  Would you?

Someone might label you a carpetbagger, but then again you’d have to have had carpet made of Lumberjacks.  (The finest of all carpets in the world no doubt.)

It’s a traditional doctor style, with a reinforced bottom and those over the top buckles.  Even though it’s a “plaid flannel” exterior, it doesn’t seem to be natural.  Polyester and with faux leather polyurethane trim.  But that’s why it’s under $80 (and ships free.)

At 20″ wide it has almost 2,000 cubic inches of space, so it’s not miniscule.  But would you carry it?  Or is it a little too Al Borland meets Grandma Ma’s over-sized purse?

Leave your vote in the comments section below…

Meanwhile, if you want the plaid in a more traditional duffel style, Ralph Lauren’s “Denim & Supply” line has one on sale for just under $100.  About the same space inside, wool/poly/acrylic blend.

We’re heading into a major travel season.  You’ll need something to put your clothes in, and all the better if it’s something that’s as inexpensive as this.

Not too gymish to take on a vacation, and not too vacationy to take to the gym.  Over 2,000 cubic inches of storage space, so it’s big enough to be a true weekender, and stacks up well against a standard sized duffel from Hilfiger.

The straps are a soft but fake leather-like material, and while the exterior isn’t Kevlar strong, it’s not paper thin either.  Plenty sturdy enough to hold clothes, shoes, and maybe a bottle of wine or something else heavy.  The interior is a red candy stripe, but getting to it shows the one drawback:  The zipper is kind of flimsy.

Available in grey over at Maxton Men for $55 with free shipping (everything ships free there, and more on Maxton Men soon.)  Same price at Need Supply Co. but you’ll get nailed with $6.95 shipping.

Want to support a company that makes their gear here in the U.S.?  For a few bucks more, see the Primer Magazine approved Possibilities Bag from Beckel Canvas.  A little smaller but made in Portland.