Esquire’s Favorite Five – Spring Accessories 2010
The cold weather is gone until the fall, and along with packing up your heavy winter coats and sweaters, you’ll soon be pulling out lighter summer essentials. Here’s Esquire’s list of their five favorite accessories from Spring 2010, with (much) less expensive alternatives that’ll help keep you from going broke.
Total Cost of Esquire’s Favorite Five – $1,769.00
Total Cost of the Dappered.com Alternatives – $451.23
The Belt – Esquire: J. Crew $45.00 | Dappered: Fossil Basic Strap Belt – $18.75
J. Crew’s distressed leather belt is perfect for laid back style, but it doesn’t seem to be available anymore through their website. Try the Fossil alternative for half the price..
The Shades – Esquire: Oliver Peoples $325.00 | Dappered: Cole Haan Aviators $96.25
$325 is a lot for a pair of sunglasses. And it’ll make your heart stop the first time you drop em’. Your other option is to pay a third of the price and pick up a pair of on-sale Cole Haan aviators. Same classic aviator wire bridge, not too pointy at the bottom of the lenses, and the Cole Haan’s come in three different colors..
The Bag – Esquire: Cole & Haan $895.00 | Dappered: Ted Baker XL Bowling Bag $135.27
Save yourself a month’s rent or mortgage payment and go with the Bag from Ted Baker. The Bowling Ball Bag shape is kinda cool, plus it’s still long enough (18 inches) that it’s classified as a hold-all. The Glen Plaid Check pattern is classic Ted Baker British Design. It doesn’t look as tough as the Cole, Rood & Haan bag, but if you’re paying $900 for what amounts to a duffel, you’re probably not the Marlboro man either..
The Boots – Esquire: L.L. Bean Sig. $129.00 | Dappered: Timberland Earthkeepers $129.00
Your feet are going to get hot in those L.L. Bean Duck hunters. Those are boots for when it’s getting colder, not when it’s getting warmer. The Timberland Earthkeepers
The Shoes – Esquire: Billy Reid $375.00 | Dappered: Steve Madden Wyndham $71.96
Paying a premium to have an Italian Shoemaker create a terrific pair of oxfords, then pre-bust them up for you… seems strange. If you want pre-distressed shoes, go cheap. Like these from Steve Madden
And just in case you missed it:
Total Cost of Esquire’s Favorite Five – $1,769.00
Total Cost of the Dappered.com Alternatives – $451.23
Total Savings – $1,317.77
I actually like the LL Bean Signature boots…I’ve had my eye on them for a while. But FYI, they don’t sell the shorter style like the ones pictured here (and in a shot on the LL Bean Signature product page)…they only sell the taller ones. Definitely defeats the purpose for Spring/Summer wear.
and if you’re really cheap (like me)
http://www.80spurple.com/shop/product/100907/5897/80-s-maverick-classic-aviator-sunglasses-58mm
$10 shipped with the code “eyesonus”
I wish sunglasses were sold in sizes. I have an enormous head and deep gulleys under my eyes (requiring lenses that dip way down otherwise I look silly) and so when I go sunglasses shopping, generally at Rite Aid, 95% of the glasses don’t fit me. Randomly, a few of them do.