Three Essentials from Target – Via Effortlessgent.com
By Barron Cuadro of Effortlessgent.com
Miss yesterday’s feature on the five most common male style bad habits? Click here for that, and you’ll get a good idea as to what The Effortless Gent is all about.
When it comes to the essentials, men are faced with a ton of choices… and when we fall into a routine, we rarely stray away from such a well-worn path. For these essentials, I think that makes perfect sense. Over at The Effortless Gent, we stress the importance of finding your own style, but when you’re talking about basics, rarely is it important to experiment.
Case in point: A Michael Kors v-neck tee for $75, found at Neiman Marcus.
Who buys these things? Who goes to Neiman for some 75-dollar tee shirts, when the same thing can be found at say, Target, for $10? And that’s a pack of two. Honestly, there isn’t much of a difference when you look at fiber content and construction, at least not enough to warrant that $70 difference per shirt.
Which brings me to the point of this post. I wanted to find several examples of basics every man should have, that he can find for a good price. I started at Target with the belief that a guy shouldn’t have to spend exorbitant amounts for the simplest items in his closet.
Here’s what I found:
.
#1 Dark, slim, all-purpose denim – Levi’s Signature Skinny – $27.99 | Slim Straight – $27.99
When I say all-purpose, I simply mean you can dress it up or down… perfect for the office, or for the weekend. Lucky for us all, Target carries Levi’s Signature, the little brother to the Levi’s red tab flagship brand. There are two washes in particular I like, the Onyx Skinny Leg, and the Slim Straight 3D Rigid. Both are of the Authentics Signature line, which seems to be carried exclusively by Target.
The appropriate fit is entirely up to you and what best suits your body. The Onyx Skinny Leg seems to fit better on a slim build, similar to the Levis 511, whereas the Slim Straight 3D Rigid would give a little more room like the 514. Both models have other dark washes which may or may not be available at your local store.
.
#2 Casual shoes: Merona Drivers – $34.99 | Converse One Star – $29.99
I look for no frills and standard colorways when considering a basic, non-dress shoe. I save the fancy technology and shock-absorbing soles for my workout shoes.
Target carries One Star, which essentially is Converse’s line for Target stores. Having the same look as the standard Converse shoes, these are a great deal. Two options to consider: The dark laceless Converse One Star or the more traditional laced version. Both come in a variety of colorways, but I suggest something in a more neutral or muted shade that you can wear with practically anything.
I also stumbled upon this Merona driving moccasin in black leather. It has a rounded toe and the upper is all genuine leather. The sole is made of rubber, and although the insole (the part inside the shoe where the bottom of your feet touch) is faux leather, I’m not sure that matters all that much. If you’re tight on cash but want a good-looking casual shoe that isn’t a sneaker, this may be a good option.
.
#3 A classic watch – Timex Leather Strap – $39.99 | Timex Easy Reader – $29.99
I love me a good watch, and I was especially happy to find this Timex at Target. There are actually several models that have that classic look and feel. For example, the Easy Reader is another great choice. What I like most about these models are its simple, unadorned faces with minimalist markings. If you don’t like the strap that comes with the watch, you can always swap bands to give your wrist a pop of color.
In case you’re in the market for any of these essentials, I suggest hopping on over to Target to see what you can find. You’ll be surprised at some of the options they have and the money you can save.
Barron Cuadro runs The Effortless Gent, a site dedicated to better equipping the everyday man by helping him find his own personal style. You can find him on Twitter (@effortlessgent) and at effortlessgent.com. He lives in San Francisco.
I agree with the jeans, that’s it. There are plenty of affordable essentials to be had at Target, but I’ll pass on watches and shoes. My three Target essentials are: V-necks, argyle socks, and jeans. Their ties and button downs are surprisingly nice too.
Posts like this are what bring me to your site several times a day. Thanks for being the true voice of sanity and reasonable prices in the style world.
I’m hesitant with Merona shoes. I have had a few pairs and the ones I have owned give out pretty quickly. I agree with Joe G. about their socks, between Urban Outfitters’ clearance rack and Target, I get lots of really nice looking dress socks. I also add the polo that has been featured here before. Finally, they have some really nice print handkerchiefs that I then turn into pocket squares.
I’m a huge fan of that Timex on the left. Nice find Barron.
The funny thing is i have the Levi’s from Target as well as a couple of ties. Check out the picture http://bit.ly/9WBDtb . Liberty of London tie from Target. They also carry some pocket squares too.
Those shoes look like they are made of vinyl.
Joe, you should see if you can get a cross promotion deal with Sears. They have every version of 514 known to mankind and their prices are consistently cheaper than Macy’s.
@Matt: I think it varies. Sears (at least the one near me) has limited washes, and online at sears.com I’m showing $24.99 – $36.99? Macy’s has dark 514s for $29.99. But that could easily change tomorrow, on both counts.
Solid article overall. I agree with everything but the jeans. Since jeans are so essential, its important to get good quality denim and these are just poor quality jeans. Everything else solid though.
@Sabir..hate to break it to you dude but I also have the tie. Nice tie and incredibly cheap which I think I got on sale for like $6 or $7?? Can’t remember..its all good as long as you don’t come around LA! 😀 J/k
The button shirts are the best thing you can get at target. They run for like $20 and they’re fitted. That’s an essential worth getting for me.
Thanks for the comments guys! It’s nice hearing your perspective and what you agree/disagree with. Remember that these are merely suggestions if you were ever in the situation that you HAD to shop at Target. Lots of stuff to pass on, but some are worth a second look, which I’ve tried to highlight.
@JOE G – the jeans are definitely a good deal. if you like simple watches that serve their function and have a classic face, i urge you to take another look at the available timex watches at target. they’re pretty bad ass. then again if that’s not really your style, no sweat.
@CHRIS – i agree that an investment in a good pair of jeans is worth the price, but i don’t necessarily agree these are of bad quality. perhaps the pairs i’ve seen vs the ones you’ve picked up varied, but overall, i don’t even see the difference. then again, i’m a man who lives in Levi’s, and have never paid more than $40 for a pair of jeans. lastly, agree on the dress shirts. they were featured here on Dappered before, so i didn’t want to repeat.
@MATT – i agree with the find at sears. my local store has a TON of washes at good prices, at least $5 or $10 less than Macy’s. Macy’s often has Levi’s sales though, so the price tends to even out. thanks for pointing that out.
@SABIR – Liberty of London has a great selection of nice prints for their ties. I didn’t know much about them until about a year ago, but found out they’re a higher-end accessories retailer, and this is just their collab with Target. history lesson here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_%26_Co.
@BAR NONE – i understand your hesitation on the shoes. there are definitely better options if you’re looking for a driving shoe. when i found those, i thought they were a good option if you were in a bind, or had no other options / budget for better footwear. if you have more cash, i’d go with better quality, of course.
@JOE W – gotta pick up that Timex my man! it’s so affordable, it’s crazy not to. i have this great neon coral strap from J.Crew (http://bit.ly/c7uciM) and i like to wear it with my darker-hued fall clothing. everyone does a double take.
@BRENN – thanks for reading!
You may want to look into the fitted t-shirts that Target offers. Great quality, color, and fit for like 8 bucks each.
this article was exactly what i was looking for. i’ve needed a new watch for a while and liked what i saw, so i went to target last night and picked up one of those classic-looking timex. within hours, i had friends asking me where i got it. not bad for thirty bucks.
@RICH – Any t-shirt brand in particular you are referring to? I’ve tried the Hanes fitted premium tees which I liked. I also got some white Merona tees, and those are probably my favorite as far as price-to-quality ratio. They maintain their shape well and the collar hasn’t stretched out on me at all.
@BC – Hey, glad you picked up that watch and nice to know it’s already getting double takes! I love mine and I wear it all the time. Thanks for reading.
I live in the Merona T-shirts. Especially the ones with a pocket. They’re soft, fit well, and don’t fade. Great with a pair of the Levi’s and white Converse.
Also I would suggest looking at the Merona PJ’s. Very classic and 20 bucks.
Hi Barron, great article,
I’ve found that with cheap, non-dress shoes like this, they fall apart very easily at the seams and the soles wear smooth very quickly leaving you with no grip in the wet, have you found this? I’d like to know your thoughts on this problem!
cheers,
Rob
Great article. I love Target. They have an amazing selection and quality for the price range. I got the plain faced Timex with a stretch metal band for Christmas from my Mother-in-Law. I wanted a simple watch for work that I wouldn’t mind if it got banged up. I love my watch and wear it all the time unless I’m in a suit. It has become a favorite and I’m thinking of picking up a few leather bands for it to mix things up.
You could even make that watch work well with a suit 🙂
You get what you pay for! If a shoe is $30, you just can’t get the same quality as you would with a $250 shoe (unless you find a $250 shoe on sale for $30).