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.
Nice find on the wool pants, would have liked to see a classic grey glen plaid
Also, Levi’s is having 30% off and free shipping (no min) on their website.
I’m emailing this article to my wife. Adding a couple of items to the Christmas wish list!
Any idea how high the inseam is on those Stafford pants? Looks like a good deal, but I like roominess up there for when I’m sitting.
Edit: Disregard. Misread the question.
May I suggest that watch is ‘fogged in’? Also, I don’t like it. It would drive me nuts trying to read it.
JC Penney also has some other stafford 100% wool slim pants in charcoal in black, maybe some other colors. They may not be out on the floor (ask an associate or check online).
I have big ass oly lifter legs, will those cords fit me? How snug are they in the thigh?
That’s just about as good a justification as you’ll ever read for a key chain that expensive. Definitely makes sense in that light.
Is it just me or do Levi’s jeans all seem to have a really long rise in them? Even when wearing at just below my belly button, I feel like the three Levi’s Jeans I’ve owned, I could fit a spade down the front.
I’ve tried them on in store and I didn’t feel they were slim at all. Pretty roomy. I think your ” big ass oly lifter legs” will fit in them just fine.
Heh. Will be using that from now on. Thanks Mike.
Just watched Tony Joe White and Johnny Cash singing “Poke Salad Annie” before leaving for work this morning. If I weren’t already a fan, I’d suspect some sort of Baader-Meinhof thing going on.
Another justification: The more expensive the keychain, the less likely you are to lose your keys.
agreed. may try out the brown plaid though. if they’re solid, thats an awesome price.
I agree about skipping the JCP suit jackets. I’ve spent a whole lotta time going up and down the blazer aisles trying those things on, and almost every one is either Frankenstein revisited in the shoulders, or they leave weird lumps just to the side of my collar bone. Too bad because some them are quality pieces with crazy low prices. So annoying! So much potential. I’ll try the wool pants. Fingers crossed.
Can we have a 2012 holiday sweater roundup ?! I’d love to see some of the “boatload of awful holiday sweaters out there” Maybe a would-you-wear-it with several items?
How is the sizing/fit on those cords? I’m between a 30×30 and 31×30 in levis 514s. And I don’t like too much of a taper.
I was really excited about the Archer sprays, so I looked up their site. It is actually about 60 cents cheaper to order from their site. Just a heads up. archermen.com
Just a heads up, according to “A Headlong Dive” you can use AHD20 for 20% off at Form-Function-Form.
Been reading for a little while now and I’m loving this website. Pulled the trigger on the cords and the chalk stripe pants. Without having the matching suit jacket for the pants, how would you guys recommend wearing them?
Honestly, the chalk stripe might not be so easy to pull off since they’re basically black. The brown glen plaid would be much easier. If that’s the route you’re taking, though… Black shoes and belt. Crisp white shirt (or optionally light grey). Charcoal grey or muted tie with subtle pattern (tonal grey glen plaid would be sweet). Black or charcoal grey peacoat/overcoat/sweater/cardigan. I wouldn’t even attempt to pair them with a sport coat. It’s a very monochromatic look, but I don’t really know where else to go with black & white pants.
Thanks, Alan! This is pretty much where my head was at, and I’ve got all of those things at my disposal. Say I go back and get the brown plaid in a week or two if the price/availability stay put? I’m fairly inexperienced at getting more adventurous with browns (or anything that isn’t black/white/grey, navy, or blue, for that matter).
Oh; I should note that I bought the pants in-store so I got to try them on. Fit is great on my fairly thin 32/32 lower half. I *almost* bought both but elected to take my chances on spreading out the cost.
Son of a. Updated above. Huckberry was running a free shipping offer late last week that was automatic (one day only) so never saw their flat rate shipping. $8.99 man. Ouch. Thanks for the heads up.
If I was single, I would totally get some of the “hunting lodge” spray. Doubt my wife would go for it, though.
It sounds like you’ve already got white, blue and navy in your closet. The brown pants will work well with all of those colors (so long as any patterns don’t clash). I’d stick with brown shoes, though. And since the pants are already a little busier, keep the shirt and jacket simple.
Sounds good! Thanks again!
seriously, timex win, again… i swear, i have manly omegas, oris, and longines watches… but, all my timex watches are better in everyday style. i’m gonna get a few combinations.
Archer air sup…. Danger Zone!