Most Wanted Affordable Style – February 2013

Consider these to be power rankings.  Whether you’re looking for gift ideas or a quick upgrade for yourself, expect these to come around about once a month.  The best of the best, which you may or may not have seen already.  Agreements, disagreements, and additions are more than welcome in the comments section below.  Click here for the top 5 most wanted lists from previous months.
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5. Pendleton 1910 Canadian Rye – Mid $30s

File this one under too-easy to drink.  You have to be careful when sipping on it or it’ll catch up to you quick.  Standard Pendleton Canadian Whisky is too sweet for some.  This has been mellowed, but not neutered, by a 12 year aging process.  The result is a balanced but rich, maple glazed, rye-woven belly blanket.  Caramelized but not candy.  Some earthiness in there too.  Maybe spring can hold off for just a little bit longer.  Hard to beat a pour of this and a good book on a cold night when your only plans are to have no plans at all.

 

4. Boden “The Poacher” Jacket – $198.00

The U.K. brand Boden does a nice job of balancing affordability and high-quality stuff.  Their quilted jacket from this past fall has become a personal favorite, and this British Millerain Fabric based jacket looks like it’s next in line for accessible bad-assery.  “Yes, I will walk the dog, but I will look damn mean while doing so.”  Dark khaki or navy. Looks like they’re backordered for a bit.  They do offer codes from time to time so getting on their email list might be worthwhile if you’re interested.  And meanwhile, if you’re up for spending close to $200 and like the Quilted yet Slim jacket look… there’s this from Gant.

 

3. Bespoke Post’s “Weekender II” Bag – $45.00

Yessir, it’s back.  Bespoke Post’s Box of Awesome this month is actually a bag.  Head here to see the review of the first Weekender setup.  Looks like they swapped the suede out for leather handles this time.  Big fan of the bag itself.

 

2. A cushion case, auto dress watch for less than the Tissot T-Lord – $463.00

Simple and clean dress watch face, in a just different enough case shape.  40mm diameter so it’s no shrinking violet, but not a giant either.  No matter the angle, it’s a looker.  A little Gatsby but still modern.  Sapphire crystal, lighter than you’d expect, and powered by the ETA-2824-2 movement which you get to see via the exhibition caseback.  More from Tissot over here.  Seems like this case shape on an automatic is awfully hard to come by for $300 or under.

 

1. Jason Statham in a movie that lives up to The Bank Job

Here’s how good Statham is:  Somebody gave Parker three stars.  No.  It’s not.  Jason Statham is laughing, smiling, smirking on the inside all the way to the bank, but somebody get this man a better script and supporting cast. Man, this one had potential.  Cookie cutter, formulaic, root-for-the-not-so-bad-bad-guy potential, BUT POTENTIAL.  Statham is the Larry Fitzgerald of action movies right now.  If we could please just get someone to throw him something decent, he’d do the rest.

 

BONUS: Christopher Ward C3 Malvern Chrono MKII – $253.70 w/ VAL2013

Not a cushion shaped case, but worth a mention.  Originally appeared in the August most wanted, and back now thanks to the 14% off + free shipping code VAL2013.  Free delivery (usually $25 to the states) is applied to any order until 2/14, but an extra 14% comes off “select” watches with the code.  These three automatics also appear to be up for the discount.  The Chrono was getting it at post time, but who knows if that’ll change.