10 Best Bets for $75 or Less – April 2012

Seventy Five dollars.  That’s a lot of money.  It’ll get you a couple pairs of Levi’s, a nice dinner out, or a couple months at your local gym.  Seventy Five dollars.  It is a lot of money, especially if you spend it right.  Ten picks follow, all for $75 or under, and some of them are much, much less.
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1.  WIN IT : Made in the USA Pocket Square by “Get Squared” – $5.00

Perfect for the minimalist, or anyone who wants a just different enough pocket square for cheap.  Made in the USA by a tiny start up called Get Squared, which was started by a guy who wanted a pocket square like this, for an affordable price, and couldn’t find one.  They’ve got an etsy shop, and a Facebook page.  The small line of contrast stitching around the outer edge breaks up your square just enough.  Brutally simple, but genius.  Nice basic corners.
Win it:  Enter to win this set of three by sending your first & last name in an email to contests@dappered.com with the subject: “Squared“.  One entry per person.  Deadline for entry is 11:49pm ET on 4/17/12.
UPDATE:  Congrats to Adam W. who won the set of three pocket squares.  Thanks to all who entered!
 

2.  Hawkings McGill Desert Boot – $68.00

Another decent looking offering from the Urban Outfitters house brand.  4/5 stars after 16 reviews, but read the first one that pops up on the site.  It’s extremely extensive.  There’s a suede option available, and the reviewer goes into detail on that one.  Quality might be hit and miss with any shoe under $70, but for the record, these Hawkings McGill wingtip boots are holding up incredibly well, and they saw a lot of work this winter.

 

3.  Target Merona Striped Rugby – $24.99

This just replaced Ralph Lauren’s Custom fit as the personal favorite for a casual rugby.  The price is unbeatable.  And while the RL’s feel much more substantial through the shoulders, they also cost 3x as much.  The fit is surprisingly true.  100% cotton, midweight fabric, and the thin stripe blue version shown is nails.  Placket even has the extra re-inforced layer of beefier fabric.  Collar is going to be a little big for some, but it’s a casual shirt you can beat the snot out of on the weekends.

 

4.  Jack Spade Monza Drop Key Fob – $15.00 ($35)

Sure there are plenty of free key-chains to be had floating around out there.  But say you just upgraded to a car you’ve wanted for awhile.  Or you got a promotion and moved into a new office.  A splurge on a good looking keychain will remind you every time you unlock the door to… whatever it is you’re happy to have… that you’re one lucky guy.  Perforated leather.  Like the rest of the Monza series, made to look like the steering wheels of classic sports cars.

 

5.  Timex Weekender Sport – $34.99 w/ Slip-Thru Strap – $4 – $6

Hat tip to reader Taylor M. for this combo.  Some of us prefer the matte, brushed case of the Timex Weekender “sport” that comes with the nubuck strap.  But at the same time, it’s hard not to like the variety of slip-thru straps of the Timex Weekender Slip-Thru.  Enter Taylor… take the nubuck strap off the Weekender Sport, and use an olive slip-thru strap to give it that perfect weekend utility look.

 

6.  MikWright Birthday Greeting Card – $3.50

What better way to say: “You had absolutely nothing to do with your own birth, but I’m awfully glad that your parents jumped in the sack and made you once upon a time.  Points to your ma for cranking you out.”

 

7. Silver Leaf Disc & Pearl Necklace – $79.00

Sold through Gilt.  Over the $75 limit, but perhaps a few of you have some credits sitting around.  Flowers for no reason are good, but something a bit more like this is better.  It’s spring, this looks, uh… springy.  A perfect not-big-but-not-tiny either.  Made in the USA is a nice bonus.

 

8. GT’s Enlightened Organic Raw Kombucha – $2.50 – $4.00

Forget all the granola-tree-hugging benefit proclamations like how this stuff is all-natural and full of probiotics, enzymes, vitamins.  Who knows if there’s any real good effects to be had from that.  What’s absolutely worth giving this stuff a try is the fact that it’s only 70 calories per 160z bottle, packs a ton of flavor (and there’s many to choose from) and honest-to-goodness it seems to curb appetite.  Lightly fermented, has a trace amount of alochol, and actually got yanked from shelves a year or so ago until they could figure out if it should be classified and regulated like an alcoholic beverage.  It wasn’t, and it isn’t.  And it’s delicious.  Pricey for a bottle, but awesome all the same.

 

9.  R44 Rogan Made in the USA Jeans – $79.90 | Calibrate Trim Fit V – $33.90

The jeans are a bit of a splurge.  Over $75, yes, but they ship free.  The term “ultra low rise” for the fit is concerning, but the model doesn’t look like he’s got the things on uncomfortably low.  We’ll see how the whiskering looks in person, hopefully it’s not real noticeable.  Made in the USA from organic cotton.  The Calibrate sweater is a trim fit with some spandex in the cotton blend for stretch.  Both are on the way for in-person reviews, and each seems to have recently hit the sale section, or been further reduced.  Jeans are 50% off, sweater is 33% now 50% off.

 

10. Saddleback Leather Utility Strap Collection – $39.75

You’ll never use another bungee cord again.  Ever.  And that’s a really good thing.

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