10 Best Bets for $75 or Less – November 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. Stafford 100% wool modern fit pants in chalk stripe or Brown Plaid – $40.00 ($60)

Hat tip to Dappered Roving Style Reporter Alan for digging these up at JC Penney.  They’re flat front, trimmer fit, and 100% wool.  That’s not the easiest combination to pull off at forty bucks.  These do have matching suit jackets, but they have larger shoulder pads and they’re chopped awkwardly short.  So skip those.  But the pants are another great, recent effort from JC Penney.

 

2.  Portolano Shearling Gloves – $55 – $65 ($150)

Part of the “Bundle Up” sale on Giltman.com.  Three colors available.  Somewhat understated in these shades thanks to the lining which almost matches.  A nice alternative to the standard smooth leather gloves most of us have.

 

3. Timex Easy Reader Blackout… in Grey – $65.00

Is it really a blackout if it’s all grey?  Grey-out just doesn’t sound right, and “murdered-out” doesn’t apply either.  Manslaughtered-out?  Regardless, it’s another option for those who like their watches simple, inexpensive, and don’t mind staring at them for a second to figure out what the hell time it is.  Many thanks to Marcus for sending in the style tip on this one.

 

4. From Deep Cuts: Tony Joe White.  Set The Hook – $0.99 | As the crow flies – $0.99

If at some point during your life, while casually walking down the street, either of these updated songs enter into the mind of someone passing you by, then congrats.  You’ve achieved that rare status of genuine bad motherf*cker.

 

5. Toddy Gear Smart Cloth: 3 for $19.98

Sometimes it looks like a pack of McNugget eating pre-schoolers attacked my kindle fire.  These touch-screen device cleaning clothes could be the best looking solution.  One side is plush for wiping & cleaning, the other is a smooth pattern to polish.  No liquid necessary   They’re 5″ x 7″ so they can double as a casual pocket square.  Sneaky and useful.  Buy two at $9.99 a piece and get a third free.  Full credit to reader Tom who sent in the style tip about these things as well as providing the photo.

 

6. Ernest Alexander Nautical Rope Keychain – $55.00

I know.  I know.  Fifty five smackaroos for a keychain.  But hear me out.  This is the keychain you get for that thing you’ve had your sights set on forever, and you just got it.  Whether it be your first house you’ve been busting your tail to save up for.  A (used?) dream car you’ve wanted forever.  Maybe you just launched your own business–this is what you put the store/office keys on.  It’s a visual reminder when you’re away from that thing you can lock up, that you did it.  And that’s just not something a freebie keychain from your local rock-puke radio station can do.  Made in the USA.  Plenty of color combinations to pick from.

 

7.  J.Crew Factory Straight Fit 5-pocket Cords – $24.15 w/ SCOREMORE

You have to wonder what J. Crew Factory is going to do for a Black Friday & Cyber Monday follow up.  The 30% off + free shipping no minimum code SCOREMORE is something else.  Thanks to the free shipping, these 5-pocket cords in two greys and the rich looking “deep root” color (they’ve got two more shades as well) drop to Target prices.  Only, you don’t have to go to Target to get em’ since they’ll end up on your doorstep free of charge.  Code expires tomorrow, 11/20/12.

 

8. Archer Air Superiority Room Spray – $14.00

We stink.  As men, we just do.  Even the cleanest of our gender bunch.  There are more than a few products out there geared toward men that try and target our guy-smell issues, but these do an especially good job at peaking olfactory curiosity.  Have they really bottled a European Sports Car smell?  Is there a faint smell of gunpowder and blood in the Hunting Lodge can?  Thankfully these aren’t one of those awful body sprays, but instead these are meant to kill the funk in a room.  Y’know, for those times you’ve annihilated the atmosphere with a rest-room “life event”, or there’s that lurking hamper of neglected laundry.  Never smelled em’ in person, but these might be the most subtle & awesome way to tell one of your pal’s that yes, in fact, he stinks.  (Or in German: du STINKST)

 

9. IZOD wool/acrylic Snowflake Sweater – $60.00

Good Grief there are a boatload of awful holiday sweaters out there.  This one might not please everyone, but it’s safer than most.  Wool/Acrylic blend, and a button mock neck collar.  Another item from JC Penney… might want to check in store on this one first since sixty is starting to get up there considering the store.

 

10. form•function•form  Button-Stud Weekender – $56 and up w/ AHD20

Shawn over at form•function•form just launched a few new products.  These are one of em’.  Available in four different watch faces (white, cream, grey, and black) on a number of different bands.  Good Grief.  Those’ll be under a few trees this year.  Standby for an in person.  Perhaps a giveaway as well.  UPDATE:  Use the code AHD20 for 20% off at FFF.  Hat tip to Tommy Lee Jones in the comments.

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