What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. This time of year, in the world of wine, it’s all about the harvest. Maybe you’re all about wine tasting, or you have a friend or date that is, and you plan to sample some of what your local wine scene is offering. Here’s an outfit that will keep you comfortable, hide wine stains well (because after the 4th winery, you never know), and transition into dinner if needed. Make safe transportation plans, and happy tasting! (Top Photo Credit)
The Pants: BR Vintage Straight-Fit Five Pocket Cords – $48.65 w/ BRTAKE30 ($69.50) Break out of the dark wash jeans rut with with a pair of deep navy 5-pocket cords. The Vintage Straight cords from Banana Republic are slimmer through the thigh, but not totally restricting. Plus, they’ll be on sale plenty with BR’s usual parade of codes (like today, use BRTAKE30 to get the sale price shown above). You could dump a glass of red wine across your lap and are not likely to easily see stains on these things (but if you’re wearing tighty whiteys, which… you shouldn’t be… be prepared for pink underwear).
The Sweater: ON Rib Knit Cardigan in “Raisin Arizona” – $35.95 w/ FORYOU ($44.94) – Raisin Arizona, a.k.a. wine stain camo. The deep burgundy hue of this cardigan should camouflage any accidental splashes incurred by over-zealous swirling. And since this medium weight cardigan is from Old Navy (and always on sale), you won’t be crying tears into your reserve red-blend if you happen to spill wine on it. Use current code FORYOU at checkout for 20% off (expires 10/1).
The Shirt: ON Slim Fit Shirt in Midnight Madness – $23.95 w/ FORYOU ($29.94) – Sticking with the darker colors here, and this one should also help hide any wayward sloshing of merlot. At this point, you could get in there and stomp away and come out looking like a champ.
The Belt: Billy Reid Brown Felton Belt – $79 ($195) – Limited sizes (like one) left on that Billy Reid belt, but that there is a heritage belt. Two tone brown leather, antique brass buckle, and made in Italy. Pricey. But if you’re good with spending a bit more on a belt, check out this series on English Bridle leather belts. Not so good with it? Try the belt that’s pictured on the BR cords, it’s $34 full retail.
The Shoes: Ben Sherman Aberdeen Chukka Boot – $89.95 – A bit more low profile than a standard Clark’s Desert Boot, which should also do just fine here. Going with the cool-grey to mix it up from a standard brown.
Apparel 1st Aid: Wine Away Red Wine Stain Remover – $8.51 – Consider bringing a bottle of this stuff along for the ride. Even if you make it to the end of the day without a drop of sangiovese on you, one of your companions might not be so lucky.
The Necessity: Hydracential Stainless Steel Water Bottle – $27.97 – Of course you might intend on using the spit bucket more than most, but the road to hell (and hangovers) is paved with good intentions. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Keep this with you, and refill when and where you can.
The Thoughtful Date Accessory: Insulated Cooler – $20.90 – You want to be the guy that saves the day? Pack an insulated cooler full of tasty snacks like meats, cheese, some vegetables or fruit (how about grapes?), and some bread or crackers. Having food on hand can satisfy those post boozing cravings.
“Raisin Arizona.” Nice.
The Catalina #@&*ing wine mixer!
I have a pair of grey Clark’s Desert Boots like those that get a ton of wear, they go with everything.
POW!
Grey suede seems like a dangerous choice for this event, considering all of the concern about spilling wine.expressed in the article. I would think non-suede would be a better choice for repelling wine stains.
Keep your feet under the bar.
Glad to see some love for the Old Navy, which has upped its game considerably in recent years in terms of fit and style.
Or be sure to protect them with some suede water and stain resistant spray from Kiwi.
Who is the “dappered team”?
The Queen, The Vatican, The Gettys, The Rothschilds, aaaand Colonel Sanders before he went tits up. Oh, I hated the Colonel with ‘is wee beady eyes, and that smug look on his face. “Oh, you’re gonna buy my chicken! Ohhhhh!”
It’s what we use when more than one person works on a post.
Don’t forget a knife and cutting board for the cheese; gnaw-gnaw-pass gets awkward pretty fast.
Very intrigued by the boots (and the price). Can anyone speak to the quality of the Ben Sherman Boots (in comparison to the Desert Boots?). If they’ll hold up, I think I may have found some new boots to wear…
I’m all about that cardigan, but given Old Navy’s less-than-consistent sizing, wondering if I should stick with a Medium or size down to a small (I’m 6’4 and a buck fifty, so I’m slender and I like a slim fit). Anyone have any experience with it? It’s not available in stores to try on…
“gnaw-gnaw-pass”
Used to have a neighbor that was almost certainly holding those types of parties.
Strange noises emanating from their garage at all hours.
I know exactly what you’re talking about. Lactose intolerant, cheese-junkie neighbors are the worst.
I dig.
A word of caution, though: I’ve found that their sweaters stretch out surprisingly quickly. I would already have that Raisin Arizona shawl cardigan if it weren’t for my previous experiences with ON sweaters.
But for just about everything else, I agree completely.