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The Dappered All-Stars – 2011 Mid Year Awards

July 11, 2011 By Joe | Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Also, we take your privacy rights seriously. Head here to learn more.

With baseball’s best playing in the Midsummer Classic this week, now’s as good a time as ever to take a look back at the first half of the year and hand out some “awards.”  There won’t be any real trophies of course, and unlike the All-Star game, no brand or item will get home field advantage in next year’s Store Wars.  Top Photo Credit
.

Best Suit:  L.L. Bean Signature New Tradition Twill – $124.98 ($194)
Hard to go wrong at $130

A predictable choice, but for $130 (ships free too) you can land yourself a cotton suit that’s so comfortable it wouldn’t be out of the question to take a lazy summer afternoon nap in it.  Sleeves can run a little long and it’s pretty casual thanks to the patch pockets, but the price is almost too good to be true.

 

Best Watch: The Timex Originals Series – $50 – $100 (if you can find them)
Throwbacks for dirt cheap.

Expecting the Seiko 5 SNZJ series?  That particular automatic sport watch might have converted many of us anti-stainless band folks to the dark (or in this case, shiny) side, but anyone can wear one of these incredible nostalgia inspired Timex Originals.  Hard to find, but sometimes they can go on sale via Nordstrom for just $50.  (Want a perfect blackout watch?  Here it is for $60icon.)

 

Best Dress Shoes: Allen Edmonds Weybridge Oxford – was $162.90icon (sold out, reg. $325)
People will look at your feet.

Just risky enough, a true oxford with closed lacing, and made in the USA.  Dropped to a silly $160 during the aftermath of the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale for Men.  Now they’re gone.   Not even available through the Allen Edmonds website.

 

Best Cheap Dress Shoes: Calvin Klein Gareth – $129.95 (dips to $100 often)
Wait for a 20% off Endless or Amazon sale.

The guys who love their dress shoes won’t be impressed.   But if you’re the type who wants a plain as can be, decent quality leather, leather sole black lace up to wear for real dressed up occasions?  These should do just fine.  Ignore the words “patent leather” in the description on Endless.  They’re not patent.  (Can’t wait for a sale to drop these to $100?   Try the Italian Made Mike Konos DSW lace-ups for around $140 instead.)

 

Best Casual Shoes: Mike Konos Suede Cap Toe – $99.94 (sold out)
Dear DSW:  More of this.

Casual as well as perfectly at home when paired with a summer suit.  Keep an eye on the DSW made in Italy house brand Mike Konos.  As already mentioned, they’ve got a good looking dress shoe too.

 

Best Boots: Timberland Earthkeepers Side Zip – $170
Hikers, work boots, and dress boots all in one.

They’re back.  At least in the tan color via Timberland or on Nordstromicon (albeit for $170).  Do they look as sleek as the grey brogues from Hudson that Urban Outfitters had recently for $90?  Nope.  Can they easily transition from the trail to a nice (but not incredibly dressed up) bar on a moment’s notice?   Indeed.

 

Best Blazer or Sportcoat: The INC Ultra Light Series – $25 – $70
Light, breezy, and can most likely skip the tailor.

Gone from the web but try your local Macy’s if you have one nearby.  These have no lining, no shoulder pads, nothing.   But they’re cut just right, come in a micro gingham, a glen plaid, and a few other options.

 

Best Pants:  Banana Republic Straight Fit 5-Pocket Canvas – $32.49 ($69.50)
Chinos for jeans addicts.

5 pocket styling like jeans, much lighter weight than denim, and come in three or four color options.  Might want to check in the BR store closest to you if you’ve got one.  Saw these on a rack for $24.99 with plenty of sizes left.  Sizes are scarce online, but use the code BRONGAP35 for the extra 35% off.  In depth review can be found over here.

 

Best Tie: Lands’ End Canvas Italian Silk Knit Tie – $12.50 (Sold Out)
Ties a close to perfect knot.

Kudos to you if you were able to snag one of these for around $10.  Made from Italian silk, (same with its purple and black striped brother) these have a tremendous weight to them and tie a solid knot.  Great for year round wear.

 

Best Cheap Accessory:  Lands’ End Canvas Chambray Pocket Square – $9.50 (sold out)
Gone, and for good reason.

These sold out extremely fast and for good reason.  The chambray is just dark enough, doesn’t look like denim, and those pinstripes go with almost any sort of casual or summer getup.  A newcomer that shows plenty of potential is this orange plaid pocket square from LEC.  Ships free with code DEFINED and pin 2514.  (Expires 7/15)

 

Best Drink:  Maker’s 46 – about $35 – $40
New incarnation, much different taste.

Some swear by classic Maker’s.  This isn’t classic Maker’s.  Tons of flavor, sweeter, easier to sip and relax with neat (unless you’re a hardcore original Maker’s fan.)  Just fine on it’s own or makes a hell of a mint julep.

 

Best Wallet:  Jack Spade Monza Single Fold Wallet – $35.00 ($50.00)
All kinds of different without being obnoxious.

The perforations are based on the steering wheel grips found on classic sports cars.  Still available in a unique British racing green.  Not quite a card case but far from a bulky billfold.

 

Best Card Case:  Chester Mox #52 Dual Side Wallet – $60.00
Reasonable price for made in the USA.

Made in the USA, Horween leather, and… well look at it.  No plastic covered ID windows, simple slots, and contrast stitching around the edge.  For an extra $10 you can get it personalized.

 

Best Work Bag / Briefcase:  Saddleback Leather Medium Thin Brief – $411.00
Weighs four pounds empty.

It’s a huge investment, but with that 100 year warranty it costs you just four bucks a year!  No?  Maybe our full review can convince you.  These cases are something.  Even if you live and work in a large city, the construction is so eye catching that you can easily get away with its rough style in a concrete jungle.

 

Best Weekend Bag:  Frost River Flight Duffle – $120 – $140
Available in two sizes too.

Remember Frost River?  Made in Minnesota, waxed canvas, and has a no nonsense design that’ll acquire one hell of a patina along your travels.  Inexpensive for what you’re getting.  Rugged & good looking at the same time.

 

Best Splurge: Tiffany & Co. Compact Wallet – $195.00
Expensive, but cheaper than diamonds.

No that’s not for you. Yes that’s for her.  Why?  Because sometimes it’s fun to spend a stupid amount of money on her (if she’s not the type to expect you to spend money on her at all.)   If you’re just dating, this is the kind of thing she’ll use for the rest of her life even if you break up.  She’ll lie to her eventual husband and tell him she bought it for herself forever ago.  If you’re married (or get married?) she’ll think of you (in a good way) every time she makes a purchase.

 

Best Sale:  Nordstrom’s Half Yearly Sale for Men
Absolutely worth the wait

Happens around the holidays and then again around the summer solstice.  Between the first and second round of markdowns, there’s hardly a better time to find a huge variety of great picks at pretty reasonable prices.

 

Best Debate:  Carry a $20 in your wallet at all times
Would you pay for a $2.00 coffee with plastic?

Talk about an unexpected firestorm.  Walking around with zero cash is an embarrassment for some of us.  Yet others expect the option to pay for the cheapest of stuff with plastic.  And if they can’t?  They won’t visit that business.

 

Best* Ridiculous Model Caption: Tie – MarkRenyoldssc & daliam
An actual Dolce & Gabbana advertisement.

“Idiota! You misunderstand me when I say Paolo is to sleep with the fishes.” – From caption contest 9
“Guess what else is blue.” – From caption contest 20
*And honestly there could be so many more.  Well done to everyone.

Any snubs?  Feel like something was missed?  Leave it all in the comments section below…

Filed Under: Accessories, Clothing, Drink, Shoes, Too Expensive, Women Tagged With: all-star, Allen Edmonds, awards, Banana Republic, bourbon, Chester Mox, Frost River, INC, Jack Spade, L.L. Bean Signature, land's end canvas, Mike Konos, saddleback, Tiffany, timberland, timex, wallets

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Comments

  1. Bill says

    July 11, 2011 at 11:09 AM

    Bought two pair of the BR pants, the first for $24.99, three days later I went back and purchased a second for $14.99. Really nice fit and good for the Summer.

  2. Jeff says

    July 11, 2011 at 12:13 PM

    Just wore the INC Ultra Light blazer to an outdoor (and quite warm) wedding this weekend – I was the only one wearing my jacket throughout the evening. Win for conscious style.

  3. Anonymous says

    July 11, 2011 at 1:33 PM

    finally got back my INC from the tailor and am wearing it right now as i write this…It resembles seersucker alot, I love the way it wears, my new go to Blue, well not really but this will get alot of play this summer…rocking with Custom Fit Polo (tan) Honey Chinos and Yellowish boat shoes (sans socks), Typical Bostonian here…

  4. St-Laurent says

    July 11, 2011 at 4:05 PM

    Yet another pleased Weybridge owner here. I actually bought them a few months before I found this great site. $99 at NRack, and in 10.5B. My foot measures 11D, but I needed a nice pair of shoes. As of the second wear, they stretched enough to become the best fitting shoes I’ve ever owned. (I’m guessing the higher quality leather is more pliable.) I’ve always found shoes to fit loose in the heel and these feel nice and snug, which makes a huge difference in keeping a leather-soled shoe stable. As an extra benefit, the  narrower shape makes these look even sleeker, eliminating the tiny bit of clunk they would otherwise have. This might not be for everyone, but it turned out to be a great experiment. I even went back and bought a narrow set of AE Soho’s in black – can’t beat covering my dress shoe need’s for $230 in AE! 

    I bought the Tim Side Zips in tan, and although they are great boots, I wish I could have found them in brown. Just going by how they break-in from Joe’s photos they seem to be the holy grail for my particular style in that color.

    Have an Austin wedding and thinking about the INC blazers – problem is that the ones I’ve seen seem to to not be sewn together very precisely – heavy wrinkles in the arm/shoulder joint for example. Is this acceptable for a casual blazer? 

  5. St-Laurent says

    July 11, 2011 at 4:08 PM

    Also, the Weybridge in the brown/chili color get a LOT of positive female attention. If only I had known when I was single. 

  6. Jed says

    July 11, 2011 at 4:29 PM

    I can vouch for this as well. They’re definitely an attention grabber.

  7. St-Laurent says

    July 11, 2011 at 4:44 PM

    It’s amazing what a leg-up they can give you. I see plenty of guys in $300-500 suits and $50 rubber bricks on their feet. As we all know a lot of guys think it’s unmanly to care about it. If they could only see what a difference it makes with the fairer sex, firsthand.

  8. Dennis Godfrey says

    July 11, 2011 at 5:44 PM

    Just wanted to write a note on the  Lands’ End Canvas Italian Silk Knit Ties, I just bought two yesterday from a sears outlet (Orlando, FL)  for 2 bucks each (wearing one right now), they had a large section of lands’ end gear, i got 2 striped belts for 2 bucks each too.  The place normaily only carries scratch and dent apliences but i hit the jackpot, check your local stores, don’t see anything on the website about it

  9. Tim D. says

    July 12, 2011 at 3:38 AM

    Using the coupon code TAKE25 I got the Jack Spade wallet for 31.25 shipped!

  10. Matt Pangrazio says

    July 13, 2011 at 2:15 AM

    Which color selection of the saddleback is featured in the article snapshot above?

  11. Joe says

    July 14, 2011 at 4:11 PM

    According to Ben, our correspondent who wrote the piece and owns the case, it’s the Dark Coffee color.

  12. tess the tyrant says

    July 14, 2011 at 7:56 PM

    Where’s the shirts, Joe? I was expecting winners for the categories of polo; tee; long-sleeve; long-sleeve button down; “dressy” button-down; short-sleeve button down; sweater; cardigan.

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