The $1500 Wardrobe – The Rest

The Rest – The $1500 Wardrobe Part V

Creating a versatile, sharp wardrobe doesn’t happen overnight.  By far, the best course of action is to go slow.  But for argument’s sake, let’s say you have to start from scratch, today.  Over the next 5 days we’ll see how far a strict budget of $1500 can go.  It won’t be easy and some corners will have to be cut, but the goal is to end with a setup of clothes that can have someone looking great in almost any situation.  Remember, we’re playing with a total of $1500 here.  So there will be an obvious focus on real affordable stuff, which can last with reasonable care.  Also, remember that 90% of looking good is fit, so a well tailored $200 suit will look better than an ill fitting $1000 suit every single time.
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The Watch: Skagen 858 Slim w/ blue hands – $59.99 ($110)

This one’s a bit of a holy grail for the slim and minimalist crowd.  It’s sold by a 3rd party retailer on Amazon but as of post time it’s “fulfilled” by Amazon.  That means Amazon has the product in their warehouses, ships it out, and handles returns.  So Amazon has skin in the game.  Credit to Logan who sent in the style tip about it being back up on Amazon.  It looks like hell there, but he reports that it’s legit:  “I tracked this down almost a year ago via 10-20 calls to Macy’s after I saw it posted on Dappered… I then lost it on a trip a few months later.  I love minimalistic watches and this is by far my favorite.  I was ecstatic to see it available again, and I immediately laid down the cash for it.  I’ve received it and although it isn’t sold by Amazon it’s every bit as authentic as the one I got from Macy’s.”

 

Spring Bar tool to change your Skagen’s Watch Band with – $8.50

Putting on those black dress shoes and need your leather band to match?  Not a problem.  Use the spring bar tool to swap it out.  Harvest an old black leather band from a watch you don’t wear anymore, and put it on the Skagen (lugs appear to be 22mm, which is a pretty common size.  A croc embossed band will be more dressed up, while a band with white stitching can be worn casually easily.  The blue hands of the Skagen will look pretty darn terrific against the silver dial when worn with a dark suit.  It’s not ideal to switch back and forth all that often (you risk scratching up your watch & wearing down the tool & springbars) but many seem to be fine with it.

 

The Tie: Whale Blue Striped or Solid – $15.00

We’re on financial fumes here.  So we need one tie that’ll go with both suits (but let’s also assume the person remaking their wardrobe already has a few decent ties on hand).  Whale blue is the answer.  Lighter than navy, but not so grey that it matches too closely with the J. Crew Factory Thompson.  Stripes or solid w/texture is up to you.  Both via TheTieBar, and it’s worth considering going a size up in width to 3″ on the solid.

 

Wurkin Stiffs Magnetic Power Stays – $20.95

More than a few have pointed out that you can replicate what a pair of Wurkin Stiffs do by buying your own metal collar stays and small disc/button magnets… but sticking with the original has yet to fail me.
TOTAL COST: $104.44
CASH REMAINING: -$0.48 

Quick!  Dig around in the couch cushions for change!  By the time all of these posts have gone live, many of the prices have probably fluctuated, especially if the items are sold through Amazon.  So forty-eight cents is about as close as it’s going to get.  There are still some holes to fill (belt, socks, etc…) but the intent is to get someone well on their way.  Alterations, Shipping/Taxes weren’t included since that’ll vary greatly depending on where items are headed and how fast.  For the entire 2012 version of the $1500(.48) wardrobe, click here.