Dappered

Affordable Men's Style

The Best of Made in the USA – 2012

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Despite what many may think, Americans are still really good at making stuff.  Machinery, technology, crops, noise, arterial plaque… But since tomorrow is Independence Day here in the states, and this happens to be a website dedicated to Men’s style, there’s an opportunity to salute those still making great looking wearable and carry-able, stuff right here in the USA.  Much of these can get real expensive, real quick.  So know that.  Additions from you guys are welcome in the comments.  Top Photo Credit: Robert S. Donovan
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Best Dress Shirt:  ratio/clothing Blue Windowpane Pinpoint – $98.00
Durable, great looking, and fits perfectly.

Not just made in the USA, but made in the USA with a custom fit.  Ratio’s sizing procedure isn’t overly invasive, but it still gets close enough that you feel like a tailor took your measurements.  Full review here.  See the 5 Favorites with ratio’s founder Eric Powell here.

 

Best Casual Shirt:  Bonobos All-American Oxfords – $88.00
They don’t often get to the sale section.

One of the biggest casualties of the Bonobos code drought has been the purchasing of these friggin’ amazing shirts.  They’re cut closer, but not tight.  They’re incredibly comfortable and soft, made from a thicker but not beastly thick oxford cloth.  Made in Philadelphia.

 

Best Sport Coat: Club Monaco Cotton Twill – $395.00
Cotton. Made in Maryland.  (Fella on the right wearing sweats?)

Man that’s expensive.  Comes in standard measured jacket sizes.  Made in Maryland, and a serious investment that should be your go-to for many, many years to come.

 

Best Dress Shoes:  AE Strand in Walnut – $335 / Brooks Brothers Medallion Cap – $261
The standard.

Credit to Allen Edmonds.  Their shoes are a major investment for sure, but  unlike some other high end American shoe companies, most won’t have to cash out their 401K to get their hands on a pair.  Meanwhile, Brooks Brothers and Allen Edmonds have a bit of a relationship.  The BB model isn’t called The Strand, but differences are pretty minimal if noticeable at all.  The Brooks Brothers model is on sale through today, then it shoots back up to $348.  Runner up:  The since discontinued Allen Edmonds Fairfax.  That’s an amazing shoe.

 

Best Suit:  Hickey Freeman via LastCall.com at 40% off – $350 – $375
Sizes and selection can go extremely fast.

They’re not the slimmest fitting suits in the world, but at retail they clock in around $1500, they’ve got some heritage, and they’re made in the USA.  Problem is snagging a common size on LastCall before they all sell out.  Usually found with stripes too.  Solids are rare.  But they’re hundreds less than a Brooks Brothers even when the BBs are on sale.

 

Best Boots: Danner Mountain Light Stumpton Series – $330 – $375
Terrific looking and tough. Real form, and real function.

It’s awfully hard to find any sort of fault with Red Wing or a pair of Alden Indys.  But if you want a boot that can handle the trail and keep your feet dry, all while not feeling or looking like you’ve got a pair of cinder blocks on your feet, then the Danner Mountain Lights from their Stumpton Series are perfect.  Lined with Gore Tex, built on a last that’s slimmer than most boots, and manufactured by a company with awfully high standards.  Plus, whether you go with the leather or nubuck options, they all look really, really good.

 

Best Jeans:  Todd Shelton “American Dark” Watts Narrow Leg – $118
Dark, and now with a more narrow leg.

Todd Shelton is now offering a jeans cut that’s closer than their straight fit.  And that’s good news for those who might prefer a 514 type of slim/straight.  The narrow leg fit has a 7.5″ opening on a waist size 32.  Too trim at the ankle?  Not to worry… their standard straight has a 501 like 8.5″ opening (although personal experience showed they seemed to fit a little bigger than a 501.)   Also worth a mention:  The Made in the USA Levi’s line for Brooks Brothers is on sale right now.  But they’re usually $148.  Todd Shelton jeans are normally $118 and they’re made from USA cotton too.

 

Best Belt: J. Crew Classic Plaque Belt – $49.50
You’ve seen this thing everywhere.

Made in the USA huh?  Who knew?

 

Best Watch Accessory: Wood & Faulk Navy Passthrough Watch Strap – $59.00
Red, no.  White, nah.  This… yeah.

Navy.  Nicely done.  Adds a real subtle bit of color to your wrist without going all summer-stripey.  Watch on the strap sure appears to be the Maratac mid-sized automatic, which along with the larger size, is sold out.  Full review of the non blue version over here.

 

Best Tie:  Theory “Coupe” dash tie – $48.90 ($98)
At least it ships free…

On sale and with a perfectly subtle dashed pattern.  3.25″ wide so it’s no skinny thing by any stretch, but it’s not going to be massively fat either.  Substantial, but not bib like.  Made in the USA of imported silk.  Want something a similar only slimmer and in a micro dot?  This one in black from J. Crew will do.

 

Best Pocket Square: Fifth & Brannan Blue Gingham – $30.00
Making your pocket feel like the 1%

Thirty bucks for a square of cloth?  I know.  Plenty of you have seen this before, thought “ridiculous” then and still think “ridiculous” now.  But it feels outrageously different from the cheap alternatives.  It folds perfectly into pocket size, it’s durable, and it’s the perfect not-navy-blue to offset your navy suits and jackets.  A total splurge, maybe a gift for someone else.  Lucked out and snagged their three pack on discount when 5th&B ran their Kickstarter Campaign long ago.  Made in San Francisco.

 

Best Underwear: Flint and Tinder?

Speaking of Kickstarter… talk about a successful launch.  Their goal was $30,000.  They raised almost 10x that.  They became “the best funded fashion Kickstarter event of all time.”  If you pledged $36, you’ve got three pairs of Made in the USA “briefs, boxers, or boxer briefs in the 1 color and size of your choice” coming to you.  Anybody get their F&T underwear yet?

 

Best Outerwear:  US Navy issue Peacoats via an Army/Navy Surplus Store
As authentic as it gets.

Hat tip to our friends in the UK & Europe for the style inspiration.  Honest-to-goodness Navy peacoats are incredible quality and can usually be found for dirt cheap.  The coats above were $140 – $160.  And if you don’t want to look like you’re on shore leave, replacing the gold buttons for something more subtle would be an easy fix.

 

Best Luggage:  Frost River Flight bag – $140 | Blue Claw Worton – $298
The budget and the splurge.

The Frost River is more rugged and dirt cheap for what you get.  The Blue Claw is more refined but not overly so thanks to the nylon base under the super-thick leather accents.  Both are plenty big.

 

Best Dopp Kit:  Beckel Canvas Small Necessary Bag – $23.00
Why pay $30 for some import when you can have this?

Dopp kits can get stupid expensive, especially considering that a zip loc can do the same job, and almost no one will see it since it’ll stay in your luggage.  This one is not only made in the USA, it looks outstanding in the off-white canvas color, it also comes in navy or green if that’s more your thing, and it’s barely over twenty bucks.  Made by the same company who produces the popular “Possibilities” duffel.

 

Best Brief Case:  Slim Laptop Briefcase – $208.60 ($298)
Made in the USA

Also part of the Brooks Brothers sale that ends today.  Dark and sleek enough for almost any office, but has a 21st century relaxed feel to it thanks to the ballistic nylon.  Nice blend by the fellas at Brooks Brothers.  Also absolutely worth a mention, Filson’s Original Briefcase for $225.

 

Best Card Case: Chester Mox Chestnut Brogue Wallet – $50.00
Personalization available as well.

Take some medallion inspiration from a shoe, slap it on some incredibly soft leather, stitch it with waxed cream colored thread, and there you have it.

 

Best Nontraditional Wallet: form•function•form Architect’s Wallet – $78.13* ($95)
Code: “whitesoftheireyes” is good for 17.76% off.

First seen over here and was extremely well received in the comments.  And for good reason too.  Hand stitched Horween Chromexcel Leather uses a Moleskine Volant extra small notebook to make one hell of a good looking and unique wallet for the guy who’s got ideas, but is afraid he’ll forget them.  *Code “whitesoftheireyes” is good for 17.76% off (mm hm…) through 7/8/12.  Items ship once form•function•form gets back from vacation sometime next week.  More on their facebook page here.  Sale is limited to the quantities they have on hand.

 

Best Vehicle:  Tesla Model S -$57,000 – $105,400

And they’re here.  Tesla started delivering these in June.  Base model gets you a range of 160 miles at 55 mph, 0-60 in 6.5, and a top speed of 110 miles an hour.  There are three other models, and here are the stats for the high end “signature performance” model:  300 mile range, 350 horsepower, top speed of 135 mph, 0-60 in 4.4 seconds.  Test drive stops can be found here.  Made in Freemont CA.   No it’s not “affordable.”  Yes it’s easy to love the new classic inspired styling of the Camaro and Challenger.  But Tesla’s Model S is all kinds of brilliant.

 

Best Evidence that plenty of American Women get it done over 40: Connie Briton

Born in Boston, raised in Virginia.  Won’t watch a second of this new “Nashville” show that ABC is putting on, but head to head, Ms. Britton vs. Hayden Panettiere, sorry cheerleader… save yourself.

Your turn guys.  Additions are welcome in the comments.  Here’s to hoping all of us in the states wake up on Thursday with the same number of fingers we woke up with on Wednesday.  Enjoy the holiday.

Comments

  1. I wouldn’t really classify a heavily brogued shoe such as that AE a “Dress shoe”. A brogue is always has a casual air about it. I’m sure people wear them with suits and dress pants, but it just makes me uneasy.

    For less money, grab this while stocks last. Made by Crockett & Jones.

    http://www.shiptonandheneage.co.uk/sale/mens-shoe-sale/sherborne-brown-capless-oxford.html

    Oh yeah, not made in the USA. Bummer on that front. If you really must stick to AE (And made in USA), I’d suggest this half brogued captoe for similar money: Dressier and classier.

    http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/producti_SF5558_1_40000000001_-1

  2. cool article – been meaning to get one of those shirts but holding out for another coupon code

  3. About the J. Crew Classic Plaque Belt ($49.50). I think it’s the best cheap dress belts there is among well-known brands. I really tried to buy this last year, but they only came in 2 sizes: S/M or L/XL. I need small as I wear pants size 30 and S/M is just too darn long as it is basically M. BUT it appears that J.crew finally did the right thing and re-introduced this in 4 sizes (S,M,L, and XL) for summer 2012. I will definitely buy this at some point. It’s much versatile than fixed-hole based belts (which are like 90% of all men’s belts) and I always liked the classic plaque design.

    Compare to plaque belts from Banana Republic and Express, this is way better, I tell ya. I thought of buying from them as Jcrew’s S/M was too long last year, but their belts felt rather cheap and plaque was very plain. Trust me, Jcrew’s plaque belt is awesome. And it’s under $50. The downside, though, is that J.crew’s Plaque Belt tends to NEVER go on sale. Very similar to their chambray shirts. Some of their stuff just never do.,, Except for once or twice per year promotion of 20% or 25% on anything over $150 promotion they run (last year, surprising they didn’t have $150 minimum ceiling, though. So there’s some hope). Expect the 20% or 25% off any Jcrew’s (3rd partner brand is always excluded) within next 3 months.

  4. Hmmm, it seems like you cannot order (pledge) Flint and Tinder underwears at kickstarter anymore. If you try to do it, it won’t let you, saying “the project is not live” anymore. I guess one would have to wait until it launches its own website before ordering one, which it states as very soon. Though $15 for underwear seems a bit stiff, but I am willing to give a try for “one” (that’s right, I’m cheap on underwear spending! haha. $10 per one is about max for me almost always). It’s made in U.S., so happy to support effort like this.

  5. nice list.

    Flint and Tinder underwear should ship near the end of July last I heard. Will be glad to donate my old underwear to Goodwill, had it since high school. (only part of that is a joke)

    Best boots for the money are Thorogood. Made in USA. They actually make narrow/wide sizes. And if you’re smarter than me you will find the on-line retailer that will sell you two different size shoes of the same model, for ultimate fit/comfort.

    Best outerwear: surplus peacoats indeed. The peacoats built before 1980 are a step up in quality. But even post 1980 and your ahead of the game. Also, don’t button your pea coat like the picture above. Left over right. Also, you should be able to get a peacoat for under $100 with some patience. Also also, that pea coat does not look legit. But I could be wrong.

    Oxford shirts. I like brooks brothers supima line. looks like $80 plus shipping.

  7. What size is that Flight Bag you recommend? I’ve been looking at the Medium but I think that might be too big for me.

  8. I think the strands are certainly ‘dress’ shoes. While they may not be as formal as something without the brogue details, they look sharp with a light gray suit or with dress pants. I picked up a pair last year, hands down best shoes I own. Wear them as often as possible.

  9. Well…if you’re going to have a “Dress” category versus a “Casual” category, I would have to disagree with you. Strands would fall in the former while boat shoes, sneakers, chukkas, and sandals would fall in the latter.

  10. The whole American craft beer scene deserves to be any “best of made in the US” list

  11. It’s not about dress shoes vs casual shoes. Brogued shoes were created for use in country clubs, I.e less formal situations. They are semi formal shoes by nature and hence,not really dress shoes.
    They are the chinos of the shoe world. More formal than a pair of jeans, less casual than tailored wool pants.

  12. I’d put the Bonobos denim in with the best. I wore the Bull Denim (now Travel Denim) almost daily in fall and the rinse are some of the nicest dark denim I own.

  13. I see your point, but they are also a balmoral, which adds a touch of formality. I wouldn’t wear them with black tie attire, and with a suit is probably a little more modern then trad, but with wool trousers they are certainly acceptable. You might have a different idea as what we call “dress” shoes, but they certainly fit in this category given this context.

  14. Amen. I’d pick brewers like Southern Tier and Dogfishhead over almost any foreign label.

  15. It almost feels like you bated someone to challenge you so you could unleash your knowledge of brogues on the world, and then you got it wrong (They were actually created so water could drain through the holes when going though bogs).

    Lots of things were created for certain situations and are used for others now. I wouldn’t wear brogues to an interview or to court (or walnut colored shoes for that matter – really the walnut aspect makes them less dress than the broguing.

    Allen-Edmonds has stands (along with plenty of other brogues) under ‘dress shoes.’ I am going to go with them over you, sorry.

  16. You can get a blue gingham pocket square on thetiebar.com for $8. Since the title of this site is “affordable men’s style,” shouldn’t that be listed here over the 5&B one? I would bet they are of comparable quality.

  18. Couple things: Big fan of thetiebar, but I don’t think the quality will compare at all. Their gingham pocket square has even been mentioned as an affordable option side by side with the 5&B square before. But… since this was a Made in the USA post…

  19. A few more mentions I think worthy:
    Kent Wang’s pocket squares;
    Narragansett Leather belts;
    Austin Jeffers belts;
    Knottery ties (although they screwed an order of mine…).
    As for pea coat pics, the right-hand one isn’t a pea coat, it’s a bridge coat. It is essentially the officer version of the pea coat, which is why it is longer and has brass buttons.
    Good call on the Danner Mountain Lights. Never heard of them; going to have to consider them when I get boots later this year.

  22. Yes, they are Oxfords and thus, more “Dressy” than derbys and monks, but a wholecut or a plain cap toe oxford would be the appropriate “Dress” shoe. Since this is a site where fine dressing is kinda the point, I’m perfectly justified in pointing out the appropriate usage of each type of clothing.

  24. Hey, I have that watch! And it’s fantastic (though a little large for my wrist). Next step: acquire Wood & Faulk strap…

  25. Herr… you’re splitting, wait for it, herrs. (HA).

    Yes more broguing = more casual. That’s why wingtips don’t always look right with suits (or, I’m sure you’d argue, never look right with suits.) But the strands are fine, well loved by plenty, and that’s why they made the list.

    My personal go-tos are the goofy but lovable fairfax and weybridge. Somewhat similar to the hale you suggested. So hey, we agree there.

    Meanwhile, if people wearing brogues “with suits and dress pants” makes you “uneasy”… then…

    http://dappered.com/2012/01/signs-you-talk-too-much-about-menswear/
    http://dappered.com/2012/06/10-stylish-words-that-make-you-sound-like-a-tool/
    http://dappered.com/2011/11/5-types-of-snobs-in-mens-style/

  28. lol, you got me there. I’m a nitpicker extraordinaire, especially when it comes to clothing. :p

  29. Yup. Agreed. So many to pick from and I hope that fact only continues to be true in the future. It’s so hard not to wander down the beer aisle of any well stocked store (or, head to a specialty beer store) and just browse.

  32. so its cool for you to infer he is a tool and a snob but not for me to point out that he is incorrect and to suggest that people lighten up about telling other people what is and isn’t a dress shoe?

  33. Tinder and Flint isn’t successful until they produce a product. Sorry, not a successful launch, but definitely defines a lot of interest in the product.

    Love my Wolverine 1000 Milers; look awesome, and plan on hiking around with them when I change out the sole.

  34. Everything I have bought from them is made in China, but for what you pay the quality is very good.

  35. I suspect those peacoat pictures were taken in a mirror, hence the “backward” appearance of the buttoning.

  36. I’d say that the Strands do fall in a “dress shoe” category, but only because so much footwear in the US is casual.

    That said, I would never wear my walnut mcallisters (wingtip, similar to the strand) to work, or with a suit. I stick to more simple cap-toes, moc-toes, or quarter brogues like the fifth avenue.

    I save my flashier shoes (dark brown strand/walnut mcallister) for wear with jeans or chinos + a blazer on dates.

  37. There. Someone finally gets my point. And yes, I suppose it must be an American thing because there’s no way I can see a full brogue as a dress shoe.

    Things are kinda different in other parts of the world…

  40. I have a hook pick belt from Narragansett Leathers that I wear almost everyday. It’s awesome, and I get frequent compliments on it.

  41. oh well, if you are not in america that certainly changes things (I know this sounds sarcastic but I’m being completely serious here)

  42. I think this partially went astray due to semantics. In most cases in America, “dress” really means “not sneakers or other blatantly casual shoes.” In that context, the strands certainly would be “dressy,” while still not being a plain cap toe suit-worthy shoe.

  43. I have a Bonobos oxford in purple, and it’s handsdown my favorite shirt. It could stand to be taken in slightly, but it looks fine on me nevertheless. The fabric is fantastic. You probably wouldn’t need to iron it (although I do anyway).

    Another item that could make the list is the LL Bean Katahdin boots. Their price has gone up slightly over the last year or so, but they’re still fantastic boots that are much cheaper than similar alternatives (Wolverine 1000 miles, Alden Indy, Red Wing, etc).

  44. I’m not sure if they are made in the USA, but Kent Wang (based in Austin, TX) has the best OCBD shirts I have ever worn. Excellent quality fabric, thick mother of pearl buttons, and amazing slim but not too slim fit. They are definitely worth checking out.

  45. I picked up a navy pea coat from the local Army/Navy Surplus store and it was the best $70 I ever spent (yes, 70!). It looks fantastic, fits perfectly, and has a build quality designed to withstand Mother Nature’s wrath. Can’t recommend this enough.

  46. I was trying to stop the argument from progressing. I wasn’t speaking to you, I was speaking to him. I agreed with your assessment of the situation. Seriously guys, some days.

  48. Agreed. The explosion of the American craft beer scene is one of America’s strongest cultural marks over the last 20 years. I’m thankful to live in a state where it’s celebrated, not looked upon suspiciously.

  49. What do you mean not a successful launch? Did you see the response to their kickstarter campaign? I am super impressed with how these guys have interacted with their supporters, explaining the process at every step. And I’m looking forward to getting my 3 pair of trunks.

  51. For belts I go to my local leather store. They fix motorcycle leathers, equestrian leathers, purses, shoes and anything else made from leather.

    They also make awesome leather belts in just about any color plus matching or contrasting stitching. 20 minutes while you wait, bring a belt that fits or get measured on site, $30 if you bring an old buckle or $35 with a new buckle from their selection.

    Go to Outback Leather, Laurel, Maryland. I bet there’s a shop near you too. Buy local, buy American!

  52. Good alternate choice for belts from my post above:
    For
    belts I go to my local leather store. They fix motorcycle leathers,
    equestrian leathers, purses, shoes and anything else made from leather.

    They also make awesome leather belts in just about any color plus
    matching or contrasting stitching. 20 minutes while you wait, bring a
    belt that fits or get measured on site, $30 if you bring an old buckle
    or $35 with a new buckle from their selection.

    Go to Outback Leather, Laurel, Maryland. I bet there’s a shop near you too. Buy local, buy American!

  53. I love my Thorogood work boots and my Round House double-knee dungarees. Both more affordable than you would think.

  55. I bought an authentic navy peacoat in a thrift store in Mobile, Alabama a few years ago for $30. The winters dont merit a heavy coat so the jacket must have sat for long enough until the store decided to slash the price. I really like it but I’m not crazy about the fit. Could a tailor take care of a peacoat or is the fit a permanent size?

    Also, I would recommend buying winter jackets from stores in the South when at all possible. When French Connection, Banana Republic, J. Crew, etc. send out the same jackets to their northern stores as they do their southern stores, the ones in the south dont sell as much and usually go on clearance. Another reason I love New Orleans despite the fact that I never wear the jackets here until i visit northern friends.

  56. I have the Strands ( stole them at a mens store close out for $125) and I have worn them in dress situations without feeling like a low country rube. In fact, I always get compliments and inquiries. Wear what you like and like what you a wearing.