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Affordable Men's Style

Men’s Spring Style Essentials – Spring 2011

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Men’s Spring Style Essentials – Spring 2011

The sun will come out again.  I promise.  Even though a good portion of the Northern Hemisphere is still grinding out what’s become a pretty obnoxious winter, Spring isn’t too far off.  The sun’s annual crossing of the equator and subsequent beeline for our neck of the woods is almost upon us.  So lighter fabrics, colors, and warm weather options are what you should be stocking up on.  Here’s a few of the safer plays that aren’t too trendy, too pricey, and should get you ready for the rays produced by that large ball of fire in the sky.  Once it finally reappears.
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Grey Suede Shoes:  Kenneth Cole Bottle Nose – $169 | Type Z Fresh – $87.20 (reg. $109)

Also ready for your denim, right now.

White Bucks are classic but grey brings it down a welcomed notch.  Use em’ as transition shoes between your heavier jeans into your lighter chinos, then once you get to summer don’t be afraid to wear them sockless.  Easy to pair with standard spring lighter tones, or dark and bold colors for heading out at night.
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The lighter-weight but still long enough coat:  Boden – $198.00 |  Topman – $160.00

Bring it stormy weather.

Having a three season coat (just not quite warm enough for winter) which still covers your suit jacket is a difference maker.  April Showers, May Flowers, Pilgrims, etc…  There’s still weather even though it’s not ice and snow, & the mornings will still be chilly for awhile.  The Boden is a single breasted mac with a great pattern.  The Trench is by Topman and has a perfect not too long or too short length.  Credit to reader Vaughn who discovered and purchased the Topman in London while on business..   (*Cough* if you’re on Boden’s email list, you probably got a click through email that’ll get you 20% off + free shipping through Thursday.  That puts it at $158)
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The Tie With Texture: TheTieBar – $15.99 |  1901 Knit – $23.90 (reg. $49.50)

Not silk. Still great.

The weather gets warm and everyone gives up on wool.  But a wool tie around your neck is a laid back, casual texture that’ll partner up well with cotton and linen.  If not wool or wool mix, try a knit or a linen silk blend.  Just something that’s not iridescent silk.  Textures can clash just like colors.
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The ultra-relaxed suit:  L.L. Bean Signature New Traditional Twill Blazer & Pant – $194.00

Has dropped as low as $130 for the pair

Warm weather can be uncomfortable.  Even cotton or linen suits, if they’re super structured, can feel a bit stuffy when the temps go up.  These suit separates are as un-stuffy as it gets.  Expect the full review Friday.
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The Web GROMMET Belt:  Lands’ End Canvas – $12.99 (reg. $29.50)

Price is solid. Performance is better.

Web belts are a good, casual, light change of pace from your leather standards.  But a belt is pretty useless if it doesn’t hold any kind of torque.  Yes your pants should already fit, but nobody wants a droopy buckle.  (Sounds like a medical condition).  Get a web belt with grommets.  That way it’ll stay put.
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Tattersall Anything:  J. Crew Secret Wash Button Down – $59.50

Depth without weight.

Gingham was the pattern of 2010 and is here to stay.  Tattersall, the check/slim/more subtle square pattern will be just about everywhere this summer.  Not a stripe, not a bold square, but a mix of the two.  The J. Crew option isn’t cheap, but it gets it all precisely right.
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Johnny Cash – At San Quentin – $7.67 | At Folsom Prison – $7.44

Both remastered, extra tracks on San Quentin.

There’s really not a bad time of year for Johnny Cash, but there’s something about Johnny Cash and his prison performances that seem to be made for blaring out of open windows.  Just make sure you’re good with your neighbors.  If you’re close to Amazon’s super saver free shipping on a purchase and need something to meet that threshold, pick up either of these..
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The Sneaker:  Jack Purcell Johnny – $44.90 (reg. $79.50)

Off white and grey should be plenty easy to match with anything.

The Converse Jack Purcell isn’t quite as paper thin as the Chuck Taylor, and the updated “Johnny” version is a decent enough update.  More stitching, another couple of canvas pieces at the side, and less price.  Also available in navy and olive.  First showed up in the President’s Day sales.
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Simple Watches: ESQ Filmore – $195 | Golana – $109 | Swiss Army Maverick II – $258

Dressed up, down, and just bright enough.

We all got our wild grosgrain strap fix last summer.  This summer consider a return to simplicity.  The round ESQ Filmore is back and still costs less than $200.  It’s tough to find a brown strap/black dial watch, and the Golana aero-handed Terra Pro delivers for around $100.  The Swiss Army Maverick II has all the bells and whistles.
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The Lighter Shade of work bag:  Ben Sherman – $59.99 | Jack Spade – $297.00

Not your usual tint.

Almost everyone’s work brief is either black or dark brown.  Brightening up your brief isn’t out of the question.  Come fall when we all return to blacks, grays, and blues, it’ll stand out.  But not in a bad way.
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The Beer:  Grand Teton’s Persephone Imperial Pilsner

GTB's PIMP

Even ale diehards will love this one.  Incredibly flavorful with actual strong hop character, Grand Teton’s reserve pilsner will change your mind on what pilsners should taste like.  Double the strength at 8.76%.  The brewers don’t recommend sticking it in the cellar since the strong flavors will fade, so drink it now.  That’s good to hear.  See more in-depth reviews here, and here.
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The Car:  2003 BMW Z4 Roadster – $13,000 – $16,000

Not a Camry.

Yes, some would consider it a bit ugly.  But so are most of us.  What it is, is unique.  A bit of a pain on the upkeep side, but almost all fun to drive cars are.  (See the RX-8).  Not a good idea for a daily driver if you have a decent commute.  But not everyone has a real commute.  Is it impractical?  Quite.  But for $250 – $350 a month depending on your down payment?  Hell, why not.  You could die tomorrow.  But if you do, just make sure you don’t expire behind the wheel of this thing in some fit of testosterone fueled stupidity.

Comments

  1. Great post, Joe! I love the choices of shoes, belt and shirt especially. You nailed it on this one.

  2. If you buy Tie Bar ties from thetiebar.com instead of Amazon, they are only $15 each. Great post Joe.

  3. Joe, I hate you for your very green blog post image, only because it’s not coming soon enough and the picture is tantalizing :).

    I have the grey suede shoes from KC actually, and they are good quality. I’m just at a loss how to wear them haha; I felt a little pretentious when I have worn them in the past. I think I may overestimated my ability to wear something like that when I bought them, because I haven’t wore them much since. Admittedly, half the time has been winter and not the best time to wear such a thing.

    Otherwise very good suggestions. I like my J.Crew laptop bag but I’m digging the idea of a lighter color one for the spring/summer months. Hrmmm.

  4. Can anyone who has the Boden jacket comment on its fit? Debating between a small or medium. Thanks in advance!

  6. I have one on the way for a full review, but I don’t think it’ll get here in time for the 20% off sale. Should show up here on Dappered in the next few weeks.

  7. I have one on the way for a full review, but I don’t think it’ll get here in time for the 20% off sale. Should show up here on Dappered in the next few weeks.

  8. Thanks for the info. I’ve never purchased anything from Boden…any info of their sizing generally?

    Being based in London, I have the (possibly mistaken?) impression that its fit should be trimmer than your average LL Bean/Lands End type coat, in which case I’ll probably go with a medium (I’m a 38r/40r in suits depending on brand).

  9. To echo everyone else, Joe, GREAT post! Makes me really want summer to get here badly. I love that shirt, and to me, Tattersall is the perfect pattern.

    Keep it up as always!

    Cheers,
    Ben

  10. To echo everyone else, Joe, GREAT post! Makes me really want summer to get here badly. I love that shirt, and to me, Tattersall is the perfect pattern.

    Keep it up as always!

    Cheers,
    Ben

  11. Great post Joe. Its already spring/summer in Louisiana, so I’m game for everything but the coat, which I think I might die in if I wore it here…

  12. I have that impression as well. Looking forward to seeing this specific coat in person. I wear the same size suit jacket that you do (wish they made 39s in more brands) and I ordered a medium…

  13. Great stuff as usual. I’m interested in hearing more on the art of matching tie textures.

  14. good post, I like the shoes, bags, and car : ) I like the coat as well but the rest of my clothes aren’t fancy enough to match.

  15. Joe,

    Give us some more affordable car examples, I like what you’ve picked so far… maybe a whole article dedicated to affordable classy cars?

  16. re: the Boden

    doesn’t say that its waterproof, so it might not be?

    I found this out the hard way with my J Crew sutherland trench (similar to the boden in styling)

  17. More affordable than $15K? There are plans to expand a bit into the auto realm. But… once you get around $15k or under, I think you’re just looking for something that runs well without too many miles, y’know? And trust me, my current rig is rusted through the floorboards in the back (1991 K5 Blazer). Try an RX-8. Had one of those for awhile. Loved it. You should be able to find one for around 10 – 15k, but, like any car in that range, it can have a host of problems. Especially thanks to the rotary engine.

  19. I sadly just had to return the cord everyday jacket b/c it was HUGE! I’m a 40R and I was absolutely swimming in their version of the size… 🙁

  21. Aw damn. Maybe their outerwear will be more on point? Good to know. I waver between 38R and 40R/S. We’ll see.

  22. Full review on the suit is a comin’ Friday. Just snapped a few pics. Thing looks pretty good. Wife seems to think so too.

  23. Slightly Off Topic but, It needs to be said.
    What i really like about this website in general are posts and comments like this…
    I mean Joe, you are so personable with all of us on here, it makes it feel awesome to be apart of a daily read. So in that regards, thanks for all the tips, comments, and personal email questioners we may have for you!

  24. Man… having 39’s easily available would be incredible. I’m so often just right in between the two!

    Cheers,
    Ben

  25. One of my father’s friends had an RX-8 and said that the drive was great, but it was a real oil guzzler, and apparently REALLY dislikes being driven for very short intervals… like backing it out of the driveway for example, or something like it. I know no car really LIKES that, but in this case, they were out of town and the housesitter did so, and they needed to get it towed to Mazda due to the damage. I’m not totally clear on why exactly this is, but it must be part of the rotary “charm”? Did you ever have any experiences with that Joe?

    Cheers,
    Ben

  26. Well said tat!

    Joe’s awesome, and it’s really his personal touch that makes Dappered so great.

    Cheers,
    Ben

  27. I can absolutely confirm that. The Mazda “renesis” rotary engine takes a bit to heat up, and then runs hot when it gets there. So if it’s cold out, and you say, move it from out front of your place and into a garage without letting it get to operating temperature, the computers on older models will flood the engine with a too rich mix. And thus, it won’t fire up the next time you try and start it.

    Now, in Mazda’s defense they found this out and for many of the early (03-04) RX-8s Mazda acually paid to recalibrate the computers and run vacuum tests on the engines. They did for mine when it happened. But I had to pick up the towing bill. Once you figure out the quirks (like keeping an extra quart of oil in your car at all times to top off the rotary) they’re incredibly fun to drive. Totally worth it. But yes, I paid for that tow job: http://dappered.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/RXtow.jpg Came back better than ever though. Potential RX-8 purchasers: Make sure to ask the owner/dealer if all of the “service bulletins” have been checked out on the car. You want to make sure they have been so you don’t get nipped like I did. Damn I miss that car.

  28. You’re gonna give me an ego. Thanks Tat, I get a real kick out of it. It’s you guys that really make the site, I’m glad more than a handful seem to enjoy it.

  31. Totally agree with the above. I e-mailed asking about slim chinos and you replied really quickly with a suggestion of Dockers D1. I got four pairs on sale for $20 and love them.

  32. I was speaking of 15k range maybe a little up or down… I was driving a wrangler for several years which fit me perfectly but when gas prices spiked I had to get rid of it, 35 miles to work each way…

  33. The BMW is a bit gaudy, would have liked to have seen a car less suited for a pillock.

  35. You guys have a thing or two to learn about shoes, but I appreciated the Johnny Cash.

  36. The RX-8 is a woman’s car.

    The BMW Z4 is a great machine, but even better would be the previous generation Z3, for its added cult classic status. There are many, many cars in this 15k price range worth considering…perhaps a Jaguar XK8, or Porsche 968 or Porsche Boxster. If you like a powerful but fuel efficient engine and one of the best stock car stereos put into production, the Volvo C70 T5 is also quite the inspired purchase and drives fantastic.