10 Best Bets for $75 or Less – Ledbury Shirts & more

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.

 

1. TheDailyHookup Deal: $65.00 gets you $135 at Ledbury

The deal through TheDailyHookup costs you $65, and you get $135 in credit at Ledbury… which is something. Ledbury shirts are fantastic. The lowered second button is precisely placed, so when you undo just the top it looks perfect. Most shirts look stuffy if you have just the top undone, yet unbuttoning two can leave you looking cheesy.  The fabric, collars, and buttons are also top of the line. Made in Europe (Poland) from Italian fabrics. Slim fit isn’t mega skinny, but does taper nicely. If you’re interested, do this: Head to Ledbury’s website first. Look at their inventory. Their prices can vary, and it costs $10 to shorten sleeves. They honestly don’t offer a ton of sizes, and not every color + fabric is offered with multiple collar styles.  A few slim-fit picks:

• The White Royal Twill Worker – $65 ($125)
• The White and Blue Windowpane – $65 ($135)
• Seen above, The Blue Fine Twill Slim Fit – $65 ($115)

Since this is a deal website, you DO have to hand over an email address to create an account with them. Vouchers have to be used by December 31st to get the full $135 value, which is nice, since sizes/stock can be limited. Might want to email Ledbury to see if they even offer your size, if it’s not already listed.

 

2. Ray-Ban New Wayfarer in Honey & Black – $75.00 w/ GiltCity deal

Another half-priced deal. Head to Gilt’s version of Groupon, “GiltCity”, nab yourself the $50 for $100 in credit deal, then head to the website OnwardReserve.com. These are the 55mm version. The smaller 52mm is also available. Retro without going full Clubmaster.  Standard tortoise shell & black versions are also available.

 

3. UNIQLO Premium Cotton Polo Shirt – $19.90

Was just on sale for $14.90 a pop last week, but still absolutely worth it at twenty bucks. Super soft cotton, a great cut, and the pocket on the chest breaks it up just enough. Only problem is the shipping. Seven bucks? Stick it in a bubble envelope and send it parcel post. Sizes are scattered depending on the color. Shown above: dark grey in size medium.

 

4. Peweter Rounded Hip Flask – $75.00

Pricey, but a looker. Made in England from Peweter. Nice curves. Holds 5.75 ounces. Fill it with your favorite and take it to your pal’s poker night or when hitting the golf course.

 

5. Nike “Sweet Classic” Sneaker – $40.20 ($60)

Well they nailed the name. Want something with a bit more visual-sugar than a blend in sneaker like converse or PF Flyers? Here they be. Nice contrasting swoosh up against the white uppers, with some fat cushioning around the ankle and a tan rubber sole. Not going to breathe as well as canvas (those are leather uppers) but could become a quick favorite. Ships/returns free thanks to Nordstrom, and part of their massive Half-Yearly sale for men. More picks here.

 

6. Phigvel Maker’s Co. Horsehide Key Holder – $59.00

Expensive, awesome, and out of stock. Turning to the throbbing brain that is you guys in the Dappered readership. Looking for something similar, cheaper, and readily available… Ideas?

UPDATE: Thanks to the good folks at Hickoree’s for letting us all know that they have a couple of these in different shades in stock. A lighter natural can be found here, and a navy over here.

 

7. Broker’s Gin – $19.99

Summer and Scotch don’t usually go together (there are exceptions). It’s the clear stuff that most of us are turning to. And for twenty to twenty five bucks, you can’t beat Broker’s. Citrus forward but well balanced, it’s a London Dry that makes a terrific martini or G&T (especially if you splurge and go less sweet with Q Tonic).

 

8. jcp jersey polos – $9.99

All over stripes, a bold chest stripe, or just piping at the collar… at post time they’re on sale online for $9.99. Strongly consider sizing down. That striped polo on the left is a small. Here’s a comparison between small and medium. Fabric is super soft, collars are decent, and the button placement on the placket is just fine. Skip the pique, since cheap pique polos can feel stiff and fight against your movements. Jersey is the way to go.

UPDATE: They jacked the price up on many of these overnight, and the stripes are now sold out. Probably worth making a swing through a brick & mortar location if you’re nearby and in the polo market.

 

9. Audible.com – $7.49/month for first 3 months ($14.95 after)

Summer means getting outside and/or hitting the road. Tough to read if you’re in motion like that. But the newish to the Amazon family Audible.com has collected a bazillion audio books and has made them available for download to iPods and the like. Their subscription service is pretty solid too. Their “gold” membership is $7.49 a month for the first 3 months, $14.95 a month thereafter, and you get one audiobook at that level per month. You also save 30% on any audiobooks you purchase beyond that monthly allotment. You can cancel at any time and you still keep your books. More on their plans over here. Road trips and hikes with the dog just got even better.

 

10. Original Penguin Earl Volley Swim Trunk – $65.00

It’s hard to find a pair of swim trunks that hit these three points: Shorter than your normal shorts but not a speedo… has a mesh liner… and doesn’t have scrunchy elastic at the waist. The OP Earl swim trunk nails all three. 6″ inseam, lined, and the waist ties like a pair of board shorts. A bit on the expensive side, but you also get exact waist size measurements instead of Small, Medium, Large, etc… So not only do they look great and function on all levels, they’ll actually fit… instead of poofing out in the wind and water.

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