Sales that deserve some attention heading into the weekend, or sometimes, a bit earlier. Might not be some massive once a year event, but still worth a look. Those are what make up these handfuls. Expect these things when necessary. Five of the better sales, one for each finger, are below. Included are a few picks worth pointing out.
Banana Republic: 50% off Select Styles w/ BRGIFT
Blackwatch Navy Wool Blazer – $125.00 ($250), Extra Fine Merino Wool Crew – $34.75 ($69.50), Tailored Fit Black Cord Blazer – $99.00
($198), Slim-Fit Indigo Chambray Button-Down – $34.75 ($69.50)
This is a bit of an anomaly. Usually when BR runs codes, blazers + suit jackets are almost always excluded. And, those codes usually top out at around 40% off, with 30-35% off being the norm. This is a “select items” sale, but half off is half off and there’s some solid stuff in here. Worth a Sunday spin. Code expires 12/15/13.
Sierra Trading Post: 35% off w/ EB121013B
- Red Wing Heritage Round Toe Suede (2nds) – $127.73 ($280)
- Red Wing Heritage Navy Leather Moc Boots – $114.08 ($250)
- Bertucci B1-T Titanium Watch – $63.02 ($149.99)
- Aston Leather Merino Sheepskin Hat – $61.72 ($149.50)
Seems like STP has transitioned from Wolverine 1k 2nds, to Red Wing 2nds. Not a bad deal at all for Made in the USA, tough, casual boots. Code appears to be good through today.
UNIQLO: Weekly Specials
The Pick: “Chesterfield” Topcoat – $79.90 ($99)
Not warm, but awfully good looking. Pictured here ^ is last year’s version, but by the reviews already left, it hasn’t changed much. Great cut, thin but strong feeling 70% wool fabric, and easy to slip over a suit jacket or blazer.
Billy Reid: 20% off w/ HOLIDAY
The Picks: Pebbled Card Case – $68.00 ($85), Astor Coat in Brown/Black Plaid – $445.60 ($795), Bond Peacoat in Navy (backordered) – $556.00 ($695)
And on the opposite end of the price spectrum from UNIQLO… it’s Billy Reid. Not cheap. Quite the opposite. But extremely well made and great looking stuff from one of America’s premier designers. Card Case is made here in the USA. The Astor Coat (and it’s DB brother, the Bowery) are cut from super soft wool. Ticket pocket on this one with a versatile subtle plaid. Buffalo horn buttons. Leather underlining to the collar. Made in Italy.
J. Crew: 30% off & Free Shipping w/ GIFTNOW
- Ludlow Suit in Glen Plaid English Wool – $413.00 ($678)
- Ludlow Elbow Patch Sportcoat in Tweed – $194.60 ($348)
- Ludlow Harvest Herringbone Sportcoat – $195.99 ($328)
- Unconstructed Ludlow Navy Fine Stripe Twill Sportcoat – $131.60 ($188)
- Lambswool Stripe Scarf – $41.65 ($59.50)
- Cashmere Knit Cap – $40.60 ($68)
Well, looks like J. Crew is after our money, hard, this holiday season. Almost perpetual sales & codes, and now they’re even allowing this 30% off code to work on select Ludlow suits. That’s not without precedent, but it is rare. The free shipping no minimum is nice too. Meanwhile, you have to wonder if J. Crew might have gotten the hint that pricing their blazers in the $350 – $500 range was a little too steep for most of us. Two of their English Wool Blazers have been reduced to $280ish, and with the code, they drop to around $190.
Ralph Lauren: Extra 25% off Select Items w/ TOPGIFTS25
The picks: Deerskin Gloves – $74.25 ($125), Newent Chelsea – $104.99 ($198), Suede Belt – $37.59 ($75)
25% off whatever RL decided to be “top gifts”. So how precisely did they decide what was a “top gift” and what was not? Who knows. But at least everything is shipping free for a limited time.
BONUS Jack Erwin: The New Dale Driver – $95.00
The only “sale” here is on-sale. Jack Erwin just released their next shoe. And despite being decidely un-wintery, it’s awfully tempting at under a hundred bucks. Made in Portugal, three shades o’ suede, and maybe a nice splurge gift along with detailing for the fella who just got a new ride. Spring. It’ll happen. More on Jack Erwin over here.
Also worth a mention
- Bonobos: Another must-spend tiered sale: 25% off $150+ w/ NICE25 & 30% off $250 w/ NAUGHTY30
- Piperlime: 30% off site wide w/ GIFTS
- Brooks Brothers: 20% off w/ 5% of net sales being donated to St. Jude’s.
- J. Crew Factory: Their site is 50% off and the code 12DAYS knocks another 10% off on top of that.
- Lord & Taylor: 25% off almost everything w/ FRIENDS. Drops the rectangular case Bulova automatic to $211.
- Rue La La: Their just-launched Brooks Brothers Sale is worth a look.
- Club Monaco: Take an extra 30% off sale items w/ HAPPY30
Joe: What sizing are you for that Uniqlo Chesterfield? I’m about the same measurements as you.
American Express is offering $25 cash back on $100 at J.Crew. Not sure who qualifies. This should stack with the 30% off because it’s offered through AMEX. https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1471105_10100342852153362_746317317_n.jpg
I wonder how thick (or thin) the wool is on that JCrew Glen Plaid suit. Anyone? ANYONE!?
Man, after I’ve already spent like $250 on gifts there this month…
Oh my god, those blue drivers. OISH. My checking account is going to kill me before Christmas even gets here. The next step will have to be blocking emails from Bonobos.
Great question. It’s a medium from last year’s lineup: http://dappered.com/2012/10/in-person-uniqlo-fall-2012-coats-blazers-more/
Matt just received mine and it’s warm. I’m in 57 degree weather with a button down shirt and Bond peacoat on and I can’t even tell it’s chilly out.
PS- in Alabama so our winters never get too cold.
Gilt has some brooks brothers suits (mostly madison fit) in the $350-$500 range.
57… is chily?
Went for a run the other morning. It was 4.
From previous reviews, it probably wouldn’t fare well if temps drop well below under freezing.
It’s “business suit” thin, not “tweed jacket” thick. Or something like that.
It was in the low negatives here this morning…
Dropped into the Nashville Billy Reid store last weekend for a quick look, and saw that card case in person. It’s really nice; well constructed (for a card case).
They have other items on clearance. IE: selvedge denim, t-shirts, etc. If you’re in the market for things like that, give a store a call.
That’s the high today. Probably closer to low 40s high 30s when I posted
And yes we are very spoiled with great weather during the winter.
What’s the difference b/w Madison and Regent fit? Do you think a BB for $500 is good deal, or better options in that price range? Thanks!
I have a medium, that I couldn’t return. I wear a small and love it. have the original box and tags. Holler if you wanna buy. I need to unload it. MINT condition.
What color @erichenao:disqus?
Black.
Thanks, I’ll have to pass on black. GLWS
I feel ya. Bonobos made up the majority of my December purchases. Damn they’re good!
I really like these deals. If I am not going to make a purchase within the timeframe I just buy a gift card for the required amount. Then I still get the $25 off $75 at Amazon and the gift card just goes right back into my Amazon account. Or the J Crew one gets added to the spreadsheet of gift cards/group ons/frequent flier stuff.
Does not compute. Cold = 40º.
No worries.
eric i sent you a fb message
I’m a pretty big suit fan (which doesn’t necessarily mean I know a whole lot) but it might depend on your situation. Do you already have your staple suits and are looking to add to the collection, or are you still building your foundation? What do you already have? How often and for what occasions will you be wearing a suit? What age range are you in and how do you like to dress (conservative, cutting edge, etc.)? Knowing these things would probably help answer your question better.
Thanks Tom. I’m 30, live in DC, and I’m a legal journalist for a major publication. I rarely have to wear suits, and instead go biz-casual with a nice sports coat. Suit-wise, all I have at the moment is a MW black suit which I’ve worn to a couple weddings. I’m looking for a workhorse navy suit I can wear to conferences, or on the Hill.
hmmm…. might be interested in those RL Chelsea boots. Been looking for a pair of black boots (primarily for new years). There’s no way I’m wearing my AE’s because I’m sure they’ll get filthy with people spilling drinks, stepping on them, etc.
Can i just point these out. They are definitely not super high quality, but for the $200 suits i am putting on them, you can’t get better for cheaper.
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/the-great-american-hanger-company-wooden-suit-hanger-non-slip-bar-6-pack~p~1079c/?filterString=s~hangers%2F&colorFamily=05
I received mine today and one had a broken pants bar, but the rest were nice.
The jacket + pants were both on sale already, and the extra 30% off dumped them down to the low $400s. Looks like they moved them back up to full retail mid-day yesterday.
That Bulova is only $236 on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Bulova-96A127-BVA-Series-Leather-Strap/dp/B0073B5TCI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1386964474&sr=8-5&keywords=bulova+square+automatic
I’m in DC too. Sounds like you should be going for something a little conservative, or rather not too outlandish, since you won’t have variety in quantity. By that I mean you want a suit that you could wear two days a week if you wanted, and everyone wouldn’t think, “He wore a bright red suit…TWO days this week??”
So you are on the right track with navy. But might I also
suggest at least considering gray as an option? Many style blogs are suggesting this as a first suit color because of
its versatility. See what it looks like on you.
Also, I’m not sure you need to be tooooo conservative in your job. I’m picturing you slightly better dressed than the politicians on the Hill, or at least in a well-worn-in but nicely
fitting suit. You CAN NOT go the draped-in-a-box style look.
I own two Brooks Brothers suits I use as my foundation whenever I need a solid go-to on the Hill (they are both from the Suiting Essentials collection, I find the other ones
too stuffy for me…and they are more expensive.
I believe I paid $800 for the both of them combined).
One is a navy which almost looks black, the other is a dark gray. I prefer the gray. I can wear it with a dress shirt and tie for work, or strip off the tie and pair it with a lavender shirt and it looks like I’m ready for Vegas. The tailor at Brooks
Brothers was great as well, I went to the one just off 18th Street.
I would not recommend buying your suit from Gilt until you have more practice with how they fit. Especially since we are in DC and you have so many options. We aren’t in Kansas or Iowa, so you might as well take advantage of living in a major city.
If you didn’t need a workhorse, I would have suggested Suitsupply in Georgetown. I am absolutely in love with them. You can find some basic suits there, but some of them will be way too outlandish for you. And you want to make sure you pick something that will stand the test of time (no peak lapels, crazy patterns, and probably no ticket-pockets). I will say if you do find one, it will fit great and the in-store tailor will make sure of it.
I do NOT like Men’s Warehouse after an experience I had there, but right down from them on Connecticut Ave is one of the US Charles Tyrwhitt stores. They have a slightly English air about them (as they should since they are a British
company) but they stand behind their product. If you buy a suit and don’t like it after a month or two, you can return it for a full refund. Pretty solid guarantee.
Regardless, I don’t think just having something that is from Brooks Brothers is that big a deal. Having something that fits is the BIGGEST deal. I think you could spend an afternoon going from Suitsupply to Charles Tyrwhitt to Brooks
Brothers. I would suggest all three, probably in that order since it seems like you are leaning towards Brooks Brothers. This way by the time you get there, you will know what else is out there and be able to make a real good decision.
Skip J. Crew and Banana Republic, their salespeople simply do not have the suiting expertise the above-mentioned will offer you. Tell the salespeople what you are looking for
and they will help you find it. Plus they are all within a few miles here in DC. Good luck and I’m glad you are looking into getting one nice thing instead of buying a jacket and getting 6 suits free.
My final advice in this small novel I’ve written, try these suits on in person and go with whatever makes YOU feel the most confident. That’s all that really matters.
Tom, that was an epic response. Thank you.
William,
I had another interested in the coat. After double checking it, the coat is NAVY and like I said, MEDIUM. It is also the earlier version, so it’s shell is 90% wool, not 70% like the current one online. The interested party didn’t contact me for this weekend pickup…If you are still interested in the coat, get in touch…
Ahh…i was just in Houston this past weekend. Let me know how much you’re looking for.
email me: erichenao [at] erichenao [dot] com
Update: It took about two weeks for these to arrive, but I’ve been breaking these puppies in now and I can’t get enough of ’em. They were seconds due to some scuffing on the suede, but I’ve already put them through waaay worse. And they look *better*.