Style Scenario: The Late Summer Date Night In

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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 Sweater: Club Monaco Bailey Viscose/Linen/Cotton V –  $29.00 ($89.50)

Yes you can wear a sweater at this time of year.  As long as it’s light in weight and color, it’s close to sundown, and it helps if you’re indoors of course.  Don’t get spooked by the almost white “wheat” color.  Made from Italian yarn.  Raglan sleeves keep it casual.

 

The Shirt: Merona Everyday Poplin Button Down in Grey – $22 – $23.00

The obvious and safest play would be a light blue or a navy gingham since most of us default to layering a light shirt under a dark sweater or jacket.  In this case, try flipping that around.  You want a real casual shirt.  Grey chambray would be great, but in this case, the Target Poplins are too cheap to pass up (but make sure to size down).  The dark shirt under a light sweater & on top of jeans produces a cleaned up workwear look.  Keep the first AND second button undone.  Even if you’re not used to that, the slim fit on the sweater will keep it from drifting too far.

 

The Pants:  A favorite dark, but well worn pair of Jeans

Speaking of jeans.  Right.  Jeans.  Don’t go with some rigid/ stiff pair of denim.  You’re at home, it’s late summer, get reacquainted with your favorite pair of 514s or 501s.

 

The Shoes: Banana Republic Gabriel Driver – $98.00

You could do just about whatever you wanted to do here, including going barefoot.  If you were lucky enough to grab the Allen Edmonds McTavish during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, those would do real well here to.  The BR penny loafer shown is highly reviewed online, comes in a few different colors, and this one here is black with tan stitching.  Hang out for a code that you can actually use on shoes, and they could be less.  If you don’t like drivers and prefer boat shoes, Bonobos has a pair of navy camp mocs on sale for $80.

 

The Watch: Seiko SNDA65 Chronograph – $158.00

One of those quartz watches that doesn’t get enough deserved attention.  Gunmetal stainless steel case, great layout, and orange accents.  Be warned:  It’s bigger than you think.  44mm in diameter.  Smaller options include this or this watch, both from Citizen.  You’ll want that chronograph to keep track of the time while you’re cooking. (Watch Photo Credit)

 

The Meal:  Salad Nicoise from Everyday Food – 45min to 1 hr

“The Nicoise was delicious.” “Sorry we bothered you” “Look, we all go way back, and I owe you from the thing with the guy and the place, and I’ll never forget it.”  “That was our pleasure.”  “I had never been to Belieze.”  A salad like this looks, and more importantly tastes, way more impressive than the talent (or lack thereof) it takes to put together.  If you can boil water and keep track of time, you can make this thing.  It’s colorful, it’s light but still filling… your date will like it and be impressed.  Hard not to like a recipe that has you boil potatoes in a pot, remove the potatoes, then just dump the green beans in the same water.  It’s timed out pretty well too, but there’s no shame in making the salmon the day ahead.  Maybe on the BBQ even.  Recipe originally sourced from this book.

 

The Obscure Board Game:  Ticket to Ride Europe or U.S. – $36 – $37

Streaming a movie off Netflix is all well and good, but hardly anything starts and drives conversation like a competitive board game.  Ticket to Ride Europe is apparently a little more complicated, but it’s a blast.  You’re a rail baron in competition with the other players, trying to connect cities while blocking others.  No stove pipe hat or pocket watch necessary.  Usually best with more than two players, so good if you’ve got another couple hanging out with you.  Outrageously fun, especially when someone slams down a glass of bourbon and shouts “I WILL OWN ALL WAYS TO PETROGRAD.”  More on the games here, and here’s an online tutorial.  And if all else fails, there’s Monopoly.