Style Scenario: The Cold Rainy Day… off the clock

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. There’s a huge segment of the population who defaults to sweats or rags when they’re at home. No issue there. It’s your place, you wear what you want. But if you’re the type that doesn’t feel quite right laying around in pajamas all day (memories of strep-throat stricken days at home from school), here’s one suggestion on how to stay comfortable but still look, y’know, not infected… on a damp & dreary & totally awesome day away from work. Say, if you’ve taken the day off to use a “sick day”, since you never actually get sick.

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The Sweater: GAP Lambswool Blend Turtleneck – $69.50. Or, whatever favorite down-time sweater you’ve got. Whether it’s a shawl cardigan, a favorite crew… whatever. These are the days to channel your inner seafaring fella. That GAP turtleneck goes on sale quite often (as does all GAP stuff) and it looks much better in person.

The Watch: Seiko SNZG15 Automatic – $146.44. Inexpensive, durable, automatic, and a nicely sized casual diameter of 42mm. 100m water resistance, so you don’t need to be scared about wearing it out in the rain. Nylon strap = functional without having to worry about taking care of leather, plus, it also means you don’t have to concern yourself with matching it to your belt.

The Belt: Fossil Beckett Reversible Belt – $40. You don’t usually see a roller-buckle style reversible belt. Not bad looking at all. Plus, there doesn’t appear to be any visible “Fossil” branding.

The Pants: J. Crew Factory Straight Fit Garment Dyed Jean – $37.12 w/ EXTRA25. More saturated than a standard pair of denim (favorite pair of jeans obviously works here too), but still plenty comfortable in a straight but not billowing fit. Another 25% comes off the sale price with the just launched EXTRA25 code.

The Boots: Chippewa 1901M25 6-in Service Boot Cordovan – $207.20 w/ BOOTUP14 ($259). All the looks of a J. Crew collaboration, without all that markup. An extra 20% off through Amazon with the code. No, not cordovan leather, but cordovan in shade. Made in the USA. Classic. Terrific.

The Socks: Wigwam Merino Crew – $10 – $15. Crazy durable, comfortable, and washable. Also great for running in when the temps start to dip.

The Entertainment: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea | PBS / BBC’s Inspector Lewis. 20,000 Leagues isn’t a kids tale. Sure, there are versions that have been chopped up, shortened, and disney-tized. But if you try to find a version that stays as close (as possible) to the original translation, it reads extremely well for a rainy afternoon. Meanwhile, Inspector Lewis is a hugely popular BBC detective series, and for good reason. Kinda like Law & Order minus the melodrama and music cues, the chemistry between the actors is terrific. And the way they coolly work their way through the case is free from hysteria. Clothes are good too. Streams free on Prime if you’ve got it.

The Drink: Balvenie 14 Year Caribbean Cask Single Malt Whisky – $64.99. Worth saving up for. A Speyside (not peat-y) that’s been finished in Rum casks. You’ll want to sip and savor, but it won’t fight you back.

The cherry on top of this pretentious sundae: “The Den” Candle by Bespoke Post – $10. What… a dude can’t put on a turtleneck, sip some Scotch, light an awesome smelling yet not overpowering candle, and read a classic Science Fiction novel on a rainy day off? No? Oh.