Style Scenario: Date Night. Sharp, but not Stuffy.

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. So you’ve got a date. You’re going out to somewhere nice, but it’s still laid back. You want to look real good, but you don’t want to go over the top. No need to worry. This isn’t as hard as some might want to make it out to be. Keep it simple, avoid the cutesy trap, and don’t look like you’re headed to a job interview. Clicking on any of the items below will take you to its respective retailer’s website. 

The Coat: H&M Wool Blend Dark Grey Coat – $149. A basic, sure, but a classic all the same. 50% wool. Nice price. Standby for more seasonal outwear options next week, when we get into the best looking coats of fall/winter 2014.

The Blazer: Banana Republic Tailored Fit Navy Cord – $138.60 w/ BREXCITED ($198) Almost has the style chutzpah of a velvet blazer, but not quite as bold. Has gotten plenty of run and for good reason. The wale is small, the navy is dark and deep, and it’s well proportioned for most body types. It’s slick without being slimy, cool without being cocky. It’s everyday evening wear for the smart-casual world most of us exist in. Save your brown tweed professorial blazers for daylight. We’re going for something sleeker here. Does go on sale. Just not often, but the 30% off full-priced styles code (blazers NOT excluded!) that launched this morning does knock it down to under $140.

The Shirt: Nordstrom Trim Fit HERRINGBONE – $65.00. The herringbone pattern is kinda key. It’s a pretty simple looking outfit, so the extra visual of a subtle herringbone pattern will create some depth. No problem with a plain poplin here, but the herringbone helps. Plus, it’s just a mighty fine shirt. Nice collar for going tieless (might wanna use wurkin’ stiffs here). Cut is trim but not tight.

The Jeans: Your favorite pair of dark wash denim. Assuming you’re not headed to a super fancy restaurant, just somewhere nice, where jeans are fine as long as they’re dark and clean. Even if your denim’s shade is super close to the blue of the blazer, don’t worry about it. The cord & denim are so different in texture that you won’t clash. Besides, blue on blue looks awesome. Especially at night when one of your blues is a cord blazer.

The Scarf: Hudson’s Bay Company Wool Scarf – $70. Pretty high price for a scarf, but you’re gonna have this thing for a long time. All wool, and made in the United Kingdom by the oldest commercial corporation in North America. Sold by the flash-sale-site Jackthreads.

The Belt: Everlane Made in the USA Belt – $45. On the slimmer side, not big and clunky.

The Boots: Florsheim Jet Chukka – $75.60 w/ 20OFFVET ($259). Already inexpensive but now super cheap with the extra 20% off code. Terrific shape. Simple. And with the eye-grabbing blazer, it’s probably best to keep your shoes on the plain side.

The Watch: Orient Producer Automatic – $175 w/ DAPPERED30 ($250). Pretty much the perfect watch for this kind of outfit. Does run a bit large, so might overwhelm smaller wrists. Full review here.

The Umbrella: Totes Auto Wood-Stick Umbrealla – $20. Classy on a budget. Just enough room underneath for two people who don’t mind going arm in arm.

The Gloves: Banana Republic Mixed-Media gloves – $62.65 w/ BREXCITED ($89.50). Diamond stitched leather palms with wool tops. Warm but you don’t get the ski-glove bulk. Just dressed up enough. On sale often. Like, now for example.

The Soundtrack: Robert Plant – lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar – $11.99. For the car if you’re picking your date up. Might want to go with something else if you end up back at your place for a nightcap (aw yeeeah). Sometimes gets a bit brooding in tone, but not boring or whiny.