10 Best Bets for $75 or Less – Blazers, Belts, & Pounded Pewter

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.

 

Bendable Alloy Collar Stays – $7.99 (for 30)

Want a stiff, almost vertical collar while going tieless, but don’t like magnets? Put a little bend in your collar stays. Not quite possible with the plastic stays most shirts come with (or, with thicker metal stays like what Wurkin Stiffs makes), but if you pick up a pack of cheaper alloy stays, it’s a heck of a lot easier. Slip the stays in, and use your thumb and index finger to bend a curve up by the edge of the collar. That half an inch of bend should help keep your collar from pancaking under a jacket. Assorted sizes with this pack: 2.25″ (6 pcs), 2.5″ (10pcs), 2.75″(10pcs), 3″ (4pcs). Magnetizeable metal too, so, they’ll work with those magnetic buttons.

 

Hammered Peweter 4 oz pocket flask – $40.00

One of the more beautiful containers you can keep a personal allotment of booze in. Now that we’re in the doldrums, flasks might be coming more into play. Spiking hot chocolate, taking with you to a poker game, bringing along for a long weekend in the woods… etc. Made in England.

 

J. Crew Factory Twill Unconstructed Sportcoat – $58.79 w/ TICKTOCK

That price is extremely friendly. And it doesn’t appear to be final sale either? Might be a little breezy right now in some climates (it’s barely lined/structured), but come spring it’ll be a go-to for many of us. Nice button stance. Decent off the rack fit. Easy to tailor non-functioning button cuffs. One of the better sportcoats of 2014. Full review here. Code TICKTOCK is good for an extra 30% off clearance items through today, 1/19. UPDATE: They boosted this to 35% off clearance, 30% off everything else, and free shipping no min. w/ GOODLUCK for 1/20 only.

 

TheTieBar Donegal Wool Belts – $35.00

TheTieBar is now selling belts eh? Might be a little steep in price, depending on the quality of the leather ($41.99 once you lump in shipping), but the use of speckled donegal wool on a leather fronted belt is a nice look. Roller buckle. Also available with some less-texture heavy suiting fabrics.

 

Peaky Blinders: Streams via Netflix

Post WWI gang drama set in Birmingham, England starring The Scarecrow from Batman Begins/The Dark Knight and created by the writer/director of Locke. Seasons 1 and 2 are on Netflix. If you liked Gangs of New York and Heat, it’s absolutely worth a look. And the period clothes are awesome.

 

GAP Half Shawl Marled Sweater – $32.97 w/ DEALS ($54.95)

Not their lambswool/nylon blend (dang) but instead all cotton. Which means you can wash it (yay!). Has a half-shawl/mechanic’s style neck. Available in a good shade of “off white” as well as navy. Kinda nautical without going full Gorton’s Fisherman. Always on sale. Code DEALS gets you 40% off and runs through today (1/19).

 

Bridgeport Kingpin Double Red Ale

If you’re getting a bit sick of the spiced up Christmas-cookie like winter warmers, yet aren’t ready for a big syrupy IPA or Pilsner… you might want to give Red Ales a shot. Most have a real nice balance of malt and hop characteristics, and Bridgeport’s 7.5% Kingpin delivers nicely on both. Lots of flavor, but still easy to drink. 7.5% ABV. Available year round.

 

Ralph Lauren Suede Belt – $31.99 w/ JAN2015 ($75)

Not-so-normal buckle plus soft suede. Not a bad way to mix up what you wrap around your waist. That extra texture should look pretty good during this cold time of year too. JAN2015 knocks an extra 20% off items already on sale.

 

General Manufacturing White Brass Money Clip – $43.98

Instant heirloom. Or, have it buried with you. Hand cast and finished in New York from white brass. Made to handle 20 bills, or, 10 bills and a card, if not two. Sold out via the manufacturer, but available through Huckberry.

 

J. Crew SLIM Lambswool Crew – $19 – $29.99 FINAL w/ 24HOURS

And they’ll get cheaper with extra % off sale items codes. Lambswool sweaters are notorious for being dumpy. That’s why it was surprising, in a good way, when J. Crew launched a line of basic lambswool crews in their slimmer silhouette. Raglan sleeves on these help keep em’ casual and rugged, but they’ll still look good layered over an OCBD. A perfect weekend layer.

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