Style Scenario: The Cheap Kentucky Derby Party Outfit

What are you going to wear?  Sometimes there’s an easy answer.  Sometimes not.  Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas.  That’s what these are for.  All designed to get you in some stuff that’ll make you look and feel great, then get you out the door and off to do things other than thinking about your clothes.  Look for these with no regularity.  Want to suggest a scenario?  Send those in here.
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The Blazer: INC Linen Blend blazer – $63.99 – $79.99

This newest INC blazer hasn’t hit the web yet, so you’ll have to head in store.  Exterior is 55% linen, 45% ramie, which is a natural fiber.  See a close up on the fabric here.  It is lined in poly, but overall, it’s nice and light.  Could be a little trimmer at the waist, but plenty will be able to skate by without extra tailoring.  In-store prices will vary, but on-sale for $80 in some, and drops to $63.99 if you’ve got an extra 20% off coupon that the snail-mailing lists get from time to time.  Armholes are a little low, fit is a little wonky, but for sixty bucks you get a summer ready, real versatile blazer in a medium to pale grey which you can wear year-round.

 

The Pants: J. Crew Factory Sussex – $27.65 | Broken in Chino – $34.65 w/ MUSTSHOP

If there’s ever a time to wear white pants, it’s now.  The Derby and the gatherings that surround it are borderline costume parties.  For those of us that don’t like dandyism, this is one of the few events during the year to dabble in that look a bit.  Some might want to put linen pants on the bottom too, but you want some contrast with a texture like linen.  It’d be like wearing a worsted wool suit jacket and pants together, only they’re from two separate suits.  Go with a chino.  Both of these come in the slim but not skinny “classic” J. Crew fit.  Part of a very quiet extra 30% off sale items sale.  Code MUSTSHOP expires today, 5/3/13.

 

The Shirt:  Old Navy Slim Fit Orange Stripe – $22.50 or Alfani RED light blue – $32.99

Now the color.  The safest play is the light blue shirt you probably already have, but don’t be afraid of something different for the derby.  Or, stick with blue and still go different with that club collar you bought but never wear.  Steer clear of thicker oxford cloth shirts, and choose a lighter weight poplin.  (NOTE:  feel free to use wurkin’ stiffs and go tieless, but if you want a tie, keep it casual with a knit, cotton, or hell… why not a bow tie.)

 

The Shoes: Penguin Blucher – $69.00 ($115) | Florsheim by Duckie Brown – $141 ($235)

Both via LastCall.com which is doing an extra 40% off one item sale through today, 5/3.  You want something with a little extra character to it, and the perforations on the Penguin get it done.  The Florsheim by Duckie Brown line is all about extra character, and now, these saddles are down to a reasonable $141.  Free shipping kicks in at $75 with code LCMAY75.  Still going for the full price of $325 through the regular Neimann Marcus site where you can get a better look at them.

 

The Sunglasses: Fossil “Kevin” – $60.00

Skip the wire rimmed aviators on a day like Saturday, and favor instead acetate/plastic frames.  New Wayfarers are perfect, and these from Fossil have a just-different-enough shape to them.  Ships free through Fossil but you are on the hook for returns.

 

The Watch:  Timex Originals 1900s – $80.75 | Easy Reader – $55.25 w/ SPRING12

There once was a time where horse racing, boxing, and baseball were the most followed sports in America.  And that was a lonnnng time ago.  The watch on the left is inspired by that period.  The one on the right is updated, but still has plenty of classic feel.  Both are 15% off with the code SPRING2012.

 

The Belt:  Goodale Fabric Surcingle – $19.99

Via JackThreads.  Going to be mainly leather towards the front, so unless you take your jacket off it’ll be tough to see anything other than the leather, but a summer staple none the less.  Twenty bucks plus shipping via JackThreads.

 

The Pocket Square:  Seersucker Pocket Square by The Tie Bar – $8.00

And here’s your seersucker.  Careful with this though.  If you’re wearing a striped shirt, it could get real messy, visually, real quick.  Plenty of colors to choose from too.

 

The Boutonniere:  Something small and simple.

This is really letting the dandy freak flag fly.  99% of us will skip this, and that is 100% okay.  The INC jacket at the top of the page doesn’t have a lapel buttonhole, but if you’re wearing a blazer that does have one, and it’s functional, consider throwing a small, bright white carnation in there.  The state flower of Kentucky is Goldenrod.  Here’s to keeping the pollen off your jacket.  More from Antonio from RealMenRealStyle.com here.  Goldenrod Photo Credit.  Carnation Photo Credit.

Of course, you could always splurge and go full seersucker.  Or, if you picked up the light blue J. Crew Factory Cotton suit when it was $156?  This Saturday is the day to wear it.  Very Top Photo Credit: Boboroshi